IMAGE CANDLES WITH HANDFASTING CEREMONY

Handfasting is an ancient Celtic tradition 

for "tying the knot" - wedding ceremony, 

As an officiant at weddings and as part of the 

handfasting I add image candles. 

More Traditional White Wed

It's a lovely tradition where different colored ribbons or cords are loosely tied around a couples hands as vows are exchanged and/or sacred words are spoken with each ribbon or as the cord is draped over the hands. Then the ribbons (cord) is loosely tied.

There are various ways to tie the knot and how it is done is up to the couple and/or officiant. 

I've enjoyed officiating at weddings since 1992, which started because one of my sisters asked me to do it. Since then, family, friends and recommended others have invited me to be their "minister" - officiate. Each wedding has been a bit different in vows and celebrations and all, wonderfully lovely.

What I've always included is couple candles also known as image candles; an added sacredness with vows or special words spoken as the candles are lit.  

Red: passion

Sometimes I use a man and woman candle of different colors. After they have burned completely down I do a psychic reading of the mixed  blended colors of the candles wax for the couple. 

Who lights whose? Each person can light her or his own or exchange lighting. Vows/words can be spoken as they do.  I.E. "You are the light of my life" or "You light me up."

At my last wedding the message was quite clear early on during the melting of the wax.

 See how the wax on one (bride) candle dropped over to the other (groom) in the shape of a heart? Beautiful, isn't it and if not for a guest seeing it, I wouldn't have captured this magical message - giving her heart completely to her husband.

There are many different kinds of couple - wedding - candles to choose from.  You don't have to wait for a wedding. Hubby and I marked our anniversaries by lighting the image candles. Enjoy celebrating your love!

In this blog there's more about handfasting and pagan weddings.

You can choose the color to best describe your love relationship.

A passionate orange coupling. 
June Ahern, an author of four books, is a psychic medium
with paranormal investigations as seen on YouTube.
She is a Metaphysical and Life Coach and professional speaker.
Review more about June and her books at june ahern dot com

MARRIED TO A WITCH

Not once but twice the man committed to the witch. 

Bound to her through a handfasting ceremony he later signed a legal form pulling the knot tighter.


Was it because of his love or the Love Potion Spell the witch cast?

Perhaps bit of both. But, I think he likes being married to a witch. 

I know hubby has taken quite a bit of ribbing being married to a witch.

He likes being married to a witch. He can handle it. That’s what he tells the guys.

Standing around the barbecue pit with his buddies flipping burgers, I heard him asked, “So, like, does she put spells on you?” followed by a bucket full of manly ho, ho ho’s. 

Husband just smiled. He knows that indeed I did put a spell on him shortly after we met – with his permission of course. In fact, he supplied me with a snippet of his hair. “Go ahead, put a spell on me,” brave-hearted potential lover said, and then dubiously eyeing the anthame (witch ceremonial knife) added, “A good one.”

I didn’t use all his hair at once. First, using a few strands, I cast a spell that he’d be happy, healthy and play good golf. Then after a while I coveted him (yum yum), so I wrapped the remaining strands of hair around my finger making a ring before carefully slipping it off.  Soaked it overnight in Cleopatra oil.

 When the moon was lustfully plump and bright one Venus night I knelt before my altar and chanted (actually cooed) words of love to him. 

 When I mentioned the love spell he laughed saying , “Cool” whereas a sister witch declared “Oh my goddess alive! You'll never get rid of him." And, to this day, I never do want to get rid of him.

Before marrying legally (muggle way) we had had a handfasting ritual, and although my wedding day was superb, the handfasting was magically beautiful with lots of laughter during the holy affair.

 It took place in the early crisp winter morning of New Years Day 2001 in a wooded countryside with the wedding party and guests in their sleep attire covered by down jackets and complete with woolen gloves. The bridesmaids were several Barbie dolls dressed up in glittery costumes like Fairy Princesses, which I'm sure they really were.

The deep green winter clothing and earthy scents created a lively energy to the ceremony. The rapid running of the overflowing river was our music. A circle was drawn around the area where our personally written vows would be exchanged. The officiating priestess-witch donned in flannel nightgown and woolen leggings read the vows aloud before binding our hands with a red ribbon signifying we were as one. It was a fun, loving, enchanting event.

Handfasting is an ancient ritual for a couple to agree to live together for a year and a day. During the ceremony the couple's hands or wrists are bound together with a ribbon or cord wrapped snugly in a figure eight hence giving the ceremony its name. Today “tying the knot” comes from the tying of the cord or ribbon. 

The vows were similar to modern day marriage. If all went well the agreement was renewed. If not, I guess they divided up the furniture, goats and chickens.

 It was a common practice amongst the ancient Celts for many centuries and remained a legal union in Scotland until 1939. Although there are a few ideas of the purpose of handfasting - an engagement or actual marriage contract - it was a time to decide if they’d make a good life together. 

There are other handfasting rituals, such as drawing a circle around the ground where the wedding party stands symbolizing a power place where only good can enter there in. And with a marriage that’s all we still hope for.

June is the author of four books, two non-fictions on paranormal and parapsychology subjects and two lovely novels. She's a paranormal investigator for The Haunted Bay seen on YouTube and Amazon Prime. check her out: juneahern.com

Handfasting and spells mentioned in my novel, “The Skye in June.” June took up the comb untangling a couple of strands of hair. She tossed them into the ashtray and set them on fire with the red candle. Smoke smoldered up and the smell of burnt hair mingled with the incense.

HANDFASTING CEREMONY IDEAS, DRESSING FOR, RITUALS

Photo permission by travel lady.com

Witches do marry -- whether it be a handfasting ceremony and/or a legal affair (according to the man-made laws of the land).

My husband and I married both ways––handfasting in ‘02 and legally in ’06.

Like other brides and grooms everywhere, witches (includes pagans and Wiccans) wish for their wedding vows, rituals and celebrations to be beautiful, memorable and reflective of their spiritual beliefs.

Witches, you can have a wedding that is a true expression of your beliefs and values. Start by creating your wedding vows that reflect your true intentions and magic. Vows that are a sacred message for all to hear, a message of your devotion to the goddess(es), one that speaks of the power of your love and the purpose of uniting as a family.

After our San Francisco City Hall wedding with the usual vows my husband and I exchanged our own at our reception with family and friends. We had written them on special paper with a selected colored pens. I also read an old Celtic poem. Afterward the readings we burned the papers in a cauldron, sending the words up into the ether toward the heavens--a common w/w/p ritual. A ceremony of lighting a unity candle (two figures intertwined) followed.

“Handfasting and Wedding Rituals: Welcoming Hera's Blessing” by Raven Kaldera suggests ways to create a holy pagan/witch/wiccan wedding.

Another way of making a ritual of your vows is after exchanging them, place the paper in a circle on an altar set up for your wedding. The circle can be drawn before or at the time of the ceremony and made from small stones, crystals, shells or rose petals. Or you can choose to burn them in a fire-proof container at the altar or later. Scatter the ashes in a moving body of water or bury in the ground.

If older family members or those of another religion are guests, perhaps consider including something conventional rituals or religious aspects in a show respect. It can help bring them accept and celebrate your pagan union in a joyous way. The word God might be said, as would The Lady and The Lord, or a goddess, such as the Greek goddess Hera or Roman name, Juno. Perhaps ask a parent or grandparent to light a unity candle.

After exchanging rings blend the red rope handfasting ritual. Clasp hands and with the free hands tie a ribbon around the united hands.

Jump the Broom - an old pagan wedding ritual - at the altar stand within a circle drawn beforehand or the bride’s attendees can draw a circle around the couple before or after the vows are exchanged. After the vows one of your wedding party can lay the broom down for both to jump.

Jumping the broom marks the beginning of making a home together and symbolizes that the groom and bride physically and spiritually crossing the threshold into the land of matrimony. As they sweep away the old and the welcome the new they begin a new life together with a clean sweep!

Witch, Wiccan and pagan ceremonies, rituals and magic making begins with Calling in the The Four Elements

http://www.ceremonies.com.au/sitefiles/res_symbol.htm

Water:
Water is the giver and purifier of life, sustaining us, as it will this marriage.

Air:
Air breaths new life into love.
 Giving both _______ and ______ the freedom to be themselves.

Earth:
The earth upon which we walk provides us with our home and our future.

Fire:
From fire comes love and warmth.

Candles are very Witchy - aren't they? and also culturally and religiously acceptable to others: During our reception my husband's daughter and my son lit separate candles and then presented each to us. After receiving the candle, we newly weds then lit a “unity couple” candle of a man and woman united in wax. It burned throughout the reception in a safe fire-proof container away from guests bumping into it but where it could be seen. Or,you can light separate candles placed close, but not touching. As the candles burn down the wax merges. As a minister when officiating at weddings I provide two image or figure candles set on a platter together and later after they have burned down, I “read” the wax combination for the couple.

What to wear? Witches can and do, wear traditional clothing. The bride -- white gown or full ritual witch clothing. Where to buy witch clothing? You can put together a gown that might look like Elvira's maybe in white though rather than her black or black if that is what you wish, or visit a Renaissance or Celtic faire for capes and dresses. And, let us not forget that special sexy (witches are very sensual beings) undergarments, something a bit deliciously wicked!

Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again. Wishing you a very joyous union of love.

Websites to help your wedding day be a magical one.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/mar_hand.htm

June authored four books, two non-fictions about paranormal and parapsychology subjects. Two novels.

Review my books and about me at june ahern dot com and/or amazon.com smashwords.com

#witchwedding #paganweddings #goddesswedding #witches #psychics