Witch wedding traditions have been practiced by various pagan and Wiccan communities around the world. These traditions often incorporate elements of nature, spirituality, and magic into the wedding ceremony and celebrations. While each witch wedding may have its unique rituals, there are some common traditions observed by many. One of the essential aspects of a witch wedding is connecting with nature. This may involve holding the ceremony outdoors, preferably in a natural setting such as a garden, forest, or beach. The couple may choose to exchange their vows under a tree or near a body of water to symbolize their connection to the earth and its elements.
You can also express yourself through your rings – there are many Gothic styles of wedding rings that are incredibly unique and will definitely stand out! Rubies and black sapphires are a popular replacement for diamonds, and you can even incorporate skulls, coffins, or astral elements in your bling.
We ll talk about what Paganism is, define Wicca, and give you some ideas for incorporating elements of witchcraft and Paganism into your wedding day. Making offerings to an altar is another Pagan unity ritual, where a couple puts meaningful items on an altar either as an offer to the gods or a symbolic ceremony signifying unity.
The couple may choose to exchange their vows under a tree or near a body of water to symbolize their connection to the earth and its elements. In many witch weddings, the couple may perform a handfasting ceremony. Handfasting is an ancient Celtic tradition, where the couple's hands are bound together with ribbons or cords to symbolize their unity and commitment.
Inside Handfasting, The Deeply Symbolic Wedding Ceremony Trend
The desire to make your wedding feel like it's truly and uniquely yours is totally normal. And one way in which contemporary couples are seeking a more personal bent for their nuptials is by adding a "unity ritual" to their ceremonies. As the name suggests, a unity ritual is any sort of symbolic gesture that demonstrates a couple's commitment to each other. Across the wide and ranging variety of unity rituals, one stands out in popularity: handfasting. This is where a couple joins hands and has them wrapped in ribbon, binding them together spiritually and physically (yes, this is where "tying the knot" comes from). While this ritual most commonly appears as part of an otherwise traditional ceremony nowadays, it used to be a (sometimes wholly unromantic) ceremony unto itself.
Advertisement ADVERTISEMENTAuthor and Wiccan high priestess Deborah Blake tells Refinery29 that handfastings originated in the British Isles in the 12th century. She adds that the act of binding people's hands together as a symbolic gesture can be found elsewhere in the world and history, but this is where the practice as we know it began. The term itself is from the Angl0-Saxon word "handfæstung," which refers to shaking hands in order to seal an agreement, explains Anna Franklin, an author, practicing witch, and Pagan high priestess. Back then, a handfæstung was made after the groom had agreed to a "down payment" for his betrothed, before the wedding itself — romantic, right?
Blake adds that, when handfastings were considered the norm, they were about "as legally binding as an actual wedding ceremony." According to Franklin, "marriages in the old days did not always take place with the benefit of clergy. Often only the rich could afford a church ceremony. In most parts of Europe, a declaration before witnesses was enough to constitute a legal marriage."
By the 1700s, Franklin explains, some communities treated handfastings as trial marriages. Two people could have a handfasting, go off and live together as a couple, then, after a year, decide if they wanted to stay together. At that point, a couple could either seal their union with another ceremony or go their separate ways. That's why traditional handfasting vows usually had a time stamp on them — Franklin says a common promise made was "I give myself to [partner's name] for a year and a day" or "I give myself to [partner's name] for thirteen moons."
Advertisement ADVERTISEMENTModern-day handfastings, however, typically feature long-term vows of love and commitment, and can be traced back to the rise of Neopaganism in the mid-20th century, Blake explains. A couple might share a cup of wine or light a candle together during the handfasting, and incorporate elements of other types of unity rituals. They might also perform their handfasting during their wedding ceremony or at another time in front of a smaller, more intimate gathering.
What remains the same across handfastings is the binding of the couple's hands — sometimes just their right hands, sometimes both with the ribbon making an infinity symbol. "It is considered that, as the hands are bound together, so the couple are joined in love, trust and mutual support," Franklin says, adding that some may even opt to keep their hands tied together until the next day, to fully grasp the commitment they've made to each other.
As much as the handfasting ceremony has evolved, it has always represented two lives becoming one. It will likely continue to evolve as more couples discover its simple symbolism — and still the theme at its core will be devotion.
"I have performed many handfastings over my years as a high priestess, and no two were alike, except in the love shared by those participating in them," Blake adds.
Bride and groom then, aided by Inbaal, bless a drink, from which they drink first and then pass a chalice of drink around for all their friends and family, singles and couples alike, to sip from.
The traditional way of sealing a marriage ceremony is jumping over the broomstick. The witches' broom is a symbol of the joining of the female (twigs) with the male (stem), and jumping over it brings equality and endurance to the wedding.
This binding may take place during the exchange of vows and is often followed by the couple jumping over a broomstick, symbolizing the beginning of their new life together. Witch weddings also often incorporate rituals to honor the elements, such as fire, water, earth, and air. The couple may light candles or a unity candle to represent the element of fire, pour water from a special vessel to symbolize the element of water, scatter earth or petals to represent the element of earth, and use feathers or incense to invoke the element of air. Magical symbols and objects may also play a significant role in a witch wedding. The couple may incorporate symbols such as pentagrams, moons, or sigils into their wedding attire, decorations, or wedding rings. Crystals and herbs may be used for purification, protection, or to enhance the energy of the ceremony. In addition to the ceremony itself, witch weddings often involve festivities and celebrations with family and friends. These celebrations may include feasting on seasonal and locally sourced food, dancing, singing, and sharing stories and blessings. It is a time for the community to come together and honor the love and commitment of the couple..
Reviews for "Conjuring love: Using spells and rituals to enhance your witch wedding"
1. Jane - 2 stars - As a fan of weddings and traditions, I was excited to read about witch wedding traditions. However, I was disappointed with this book. The author provided very little information and the content was repetitive. I expected to learn about unique rituals and practices, but instead, the book only scratched the surface and left me wanting more. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity to explore an interesting topic.
2. Mike - 1 star - I found this book to be incredibly dull and uninspiring. The author failed to provide any engaging stories or anecdotes about witch wedding traditions. The information provided was dry and lacked depth. It felt more like a research paper than an interesting exploration of a cultural phenomenon. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging and informative read about witch wedding traditions.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I was excited to delve into the world of witch wedding traditions, but unfortunately, this book did not meet my expectations. The writing style was dry and lacked enthusiasm. The content was scattered and poorly organized, making it difficult to follow. Additionally, I found several inaccuracies and misrepresentations throughout the book, which further diminished my enjoyment. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and disappointed with this read.
4. Chris - 1 star - "Witch Wedding Traditions" was a complete letdown for me. The information provided in the book was shallow and lacked substance. The author failed to provide any engaging narratives or personal experiences related to the topic. It felt like a lazy attempt to cash in on the popularity of witchcraft without putting in the necessary effort to provide valuable insights. I would not recommend this book to anyone sincerely interested in understanding witch wedding traditions.