Can you get legally married in a handfasting ceremony? 

Is a handfasting legally binding?

Yes! Somewhere!

Indeed, here is a positive surprise for you: Yes, a handfasting can be a legally binding wedding ceremony. But not everywhere!

Whether it is or not, depends first of all on where you are getting handfast and who officiates your handfasting.

The one thing all the legally binding marriage ceremonies will have in common is that there are certain words that have to be spoken to make them legally binding.

That in turn means you’re not 100% free to write your vows and design your bespoke ceremony if you want it to be legally binding.

Now let me talk you through it geographically starting from home. My home, which is in England, UK.

Handfasting in England and Wales

Right now it feels like there is one review of the marriage act after another going on in England and Wales, so significant changes might be near. The last significant change was that you can now get married outdoors at any venue licensed to hold weddings without the need of a permanent structure. But is a handfasting legally binding?

In England and Wales a wedding has to be held by an authorised person, which is usually a registrar or a vicar, at a venue licensed to hold weddings.

The good news is, that there is one venue that can hold legal handfasting ceremonies in England and Wales, and that is the  Goddess Temple in Glastonbury. Two of their Priestesses are registered to hold legally binding marriage ceremonies.

So if you are a pagan couple who would like to have a pagan handfasting ceremony that is a legally binding marriage ceremony, the Glastonbury Goddess Temple is your place to go.

This is an indoor venue. So if you’re hoping to get married outside, I’m afraid you will have to have a separate legal ceremony, and then your handfasting outdoors with a celebrant of your choice.

Let’s look north of the border…

Handfasting in Scotland

Scotland is a lot less strict than England and Wales and you can get married anywhere. Yes, anywhere. There is no such thing as licensed wedding venues.

The only thing you need to make sure of is that your celebrant is registered to perform legally binding marriage ceremonies by the General Register Office for Scotland.

The news gets even better: the Pagan Federation of Scotland has successfully campaigned to allow pagan priests and priestesses to perform legally binding handfasting ceremonies. Again, your priest or priestess have to be registered with a General Register Office for Scotland.
You can find a list of those able to solemnise legal pagan weddings on the website of the the Scottish Pagan Federation.

Hetero and LGBT couples are covered by the same law. Hurrah!

Let’s head to the Republic of Ireland and find out: is a handfasting legally binding there…

Handfasting in Ireland

And it’s good news here , too.

The Pagan Federation of Ireland (PFI) has helped to bring about recognition of non-mainstream religious weddings, meaning handfasting ceremonies can be legally binding wedding ceremonies.

There are certain requirements to make your handfasting a legally binding marriage ceremony and you best contact the PFI or the Registrar of Marriages to find out where you can get hanfast and who can officiate your legally binding handfasting ceremony.

Also, I am delighted to say that I had to amend this blog between time of drafting and time of publishing, because the Marriage Equality referendum has been passed. This means that LGBTQ+ couples can now also get legally married in a handfasting ceremony.

Fancy tying the knot on some mountain top in Europe? Where in Europe is a handfasting legally binding? Let’s find out…

Handfasting in Europe

It would be impossible to cover marriage laws of every European country in one blog, but it’s prudent to assume that a handfastings is not legally binding until you have checked with a registrar in the country you want to get married in.

For example, I know that in Germany, France and Austria, no religious wedding ceremonies are legally binding. None! Which means neither church weddings nor a handfasting are legally binding.

Everyone just goes down to the town hall with their legally required witnesses to get the legal marriage done, and then has the big ceremony of their choosing with all their guests in the afternoon or a few days later.

I kind of like this approach, everyone gets treated the same regardless of their religious affiliation or sexual orientation.

Let’s see if you can get hitched across the pond… 

Is a Handfasting legally binding in the US and Canada

In the US, you can get legally married in a handfasting ceremony, as long as your celebrant is registered in the relevant state, and you’re following the relevant state laws.

So check the laws of the state you want to get handfast in.

In Canada, marriage law comes under the provincial remit, meaning every province has its own rules. Again, you just have to chose your preferred handfasting location and check with the relevant authorities.

Final Words about where You Can Have a Legally Binding Handfasting

There is a large variety of rules in the various countries that you might want to get handfast in.

All above information is correct to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing this blog.

However, marriage laws are becoming more progressive and have changed quite regularly over the last 20 years. And further changes are to be expected.

So the above is a guideline only and to illustrate that you can indeed get legally handfast. But you do have to check the legal status of handfastings before you book your ceremony in the country or state or region that you want to get handfast in.

Whether you end up having a legally binding handfasting, or a celebrant led handfasting ceremony, you can find ideas for your own pagan handfasting ceremony here.

If you are worried your wedding photographer might miss key photos or commit a spiritual faux-pas mid ceremony, get in touch via my contact form. 
As the Specialist Handfasting Photographer UK and EU, I understand the importance of your rituals and know the highlights of a handfasting. I can cover your pagan or non-pagan handfasting ceremony throughout most of Europe.  

Bright blessings,

Specialist Handfasting Photographer UK & EU