Hand Tying Ceremonies
What is Hand-tying?
Hand-tying is a symbolic way of joining a couple who are pledging their vows or making a commitment to one another. The couple hold hands and the celebrant wraps and ties their hands with coloured ribbon or cords.
I specialise in symbolic hand-tying ceremonies where we decide what is important to you as a couple, and create the ceremony to represent that. For example, the hand ties can symbolise your connection to each other, your bond, your commitment or your entwined lives.
You may choose the colours and different colours have different meanings. Two or more colours may be plaited together to form one braid. You can choose to have hand-tying:
You then choose whether to ‘join hands’ for:
History of Handtying
Hand Tying also known as ‘Handfasting’ is from the ancient Celtic tradition where couples were bound in betrothal or marriage using the hand fasting ritual. The exact history of handfasting is unclear but it preceded the days of the church, perhaps being thousands of years old. There is also evidence that it was practiced by the ancient Greeks and by the Romans. With the advent of the Christian Church in this country, ecclesiastical rules governed marriage. Until 1753, these were not mandatory rather directions and guidance. So couples were often still ‘legitimately’ hand-fasted. 1753 saw the introduction of the Marriage Act which ended handfasting and brought in more stringent rules which had to be fulfilled for the marriage to be recognised as ‘legitimate’.
Hand tying is popular as part of a pagan ceremony. I do not offer pagan ceremonies however I can offer a symbolic spiritual or secular hand-tying ceremony.
Hand-fasting fees
*‘Call or email me with details of your ceremony date and location for a personal quotation.
