What is a Handfasting ?

A handfasting is a type of wedding ceremony. It has ancient roots and it’s believed to be originating from the British Isles and northern Europe.

During hand fasting, the hands of the couple are bound together with ribbon to symbolise the bond they are entering into. Hence the name handfasting.

The origins of Handfasting

Many believe that hand fast things came to the British Isles were the Viking invasion, however, we have no proof of this.

When you look back at the records that still exist, it seems rather unlikely that the Vikings brought this tradition to our shores.

In England and Scotland, there don’t seem to be any records speaking of handfastings pre-1200s. In Ireland, on the other hand, written records, go back to 700 A.D. which means almost a full century before the Viking invasion.

Another popular belief is that hand fastings had their origins in the pre-Christian traditions. Again, it is possible, but we simply cannot know, since there is no surviving written record.

What we do know is that handfastings were regarded legal and legitimate wedding ceremonies in Scotland and England at the end of the Middle Ages until the respective marriage acts of Scotland in the 16th century, and of England in the 18th century.

I will talk about the history of handfasting in more detail in a separate blog. 

It will be fascinating I promise! I mean, did you know that Shakespeare was a witness at a handfasting? Well, if you’d like to make sure you don’t miss this gem, please follow me on social media. Links in the footer.

What happens at a Handfasting

Handfastings started to become more common again after the repeal of the witchcraft act in England in 1951 and the establishment of the Wiccan religion by Gerald Gardener and the re-emergence of other pagan paths.

Pagans revived the practice of handfasting as their wedding ceremonies, and it has become also popular as a humanist and non-religious wedding tradition in recent years.

There is many ways you can have a handfasting. A pagan handfasting would usually be held outdoors in nature, but you can also have a handfasting ceremony at a traditional wedding venue.

There are many things you can do at your handfasting, or omit from it, depending on the type of ceremony you want.

The core piece is that after you’ve spoken your vows, your celebrant will tie your hands with a ribbon signifying that you have entered into a union. Your celebrant will then pronounce you handfast.

We might not know much about the history and origins of handfasting, but we do know that the expression “tying the knot” comes from it.

If you want to know more about handfasting, follow me on social media and get notified when I release my next blog.

Next up: I will be talking in more detail about the handfasting ceremony, how to find a celebrant and a venue, and how to make sure you are legally married* at the end of it. Oh yes, and about the history of handfasting for those geeks (like myself) amongst you. 

*Yes! You can get legally married in a handfasting ceremony, even in the UK. Find out how, in my blog Is A Handfasting Legally Binding In These 8 Countries.

Love and blessed be,