A witchy Halloween handfasting next to a cemetery
Our plan was to incorporate our love of the renaissance faire and the witchy aesthetic that we were known for to make a dark fantasy/enchanted... Read more
The wedding officiant at our witchy Halloween handfasting was one of our close mutual friends. The Halloween handfasting ceremony script he read from was composed of our personal wants, Pagan influence, and research on nontraditional vows from other offbeat weddings.
The officiant began our wedding ceremony by calling everyone together and giving an overview of what handfasting is. Then we went into our vows, which were divided into the four elements, each represented by a colored cord and members of our wedding court…
Halloween handfasting ceremony script
Officiant: These cords will now be tied around your hands as a physical representation of the decision you make to bind together your lives. As I call upon an element, each party member will approach and drape their cord across your hands.
And so we begin: I call upon the element of Earth.
[Jesse approaches the couple and drapes the cord across their hands.]
J: You are bound with gold: symbolic of the Earth and of growth. May your union be dependable and grounded in reality. May your love be nurturing and your happiness abundant. So mote it be.
[J returns to her original position.]
Officiant: I call upon the element of Air.
[Marilyn approaches the couple and drapes the cord across their hands.]
M: You are bound with purple: symbolic of Air and of royalty. May your love may be as limitless as the sky and filled with spirit. May your union be worthy of respect and loyalty. So mote it be.
[M returns to his original position.]
Officiant: I call upon the element of Fire.
[Ms approach the couple and drape the cord across their hands.]
Ms: You are bound with red: symbolic of Fire and of light. May your union be passionate. May your love be a beacon of hope to those in sorrow. So mote it be.
[Ms return to their original position.]
Officiant: I call upon the element of Water.
[Hs approach the couple and drape the cord across their hands.]
Hs: You are bound with black: symbolic of Water and of mystery and romance. May your union flow and fill you to your depths. May you always have more to discover about each other. So mote it be.
[Hs return to their original position.]
[Officiant ties the cords while speaking]
Officiant: These cords and the knots formed around your hands represent the commitments you make here today. They are a symbol of the connection between your two lives. They are strong enough to hold you together through times of struggle, yet flexible enough to allow for individuality and personal growth.
As your hands are bound together by this cord, so too, will your lives be bound together in marriage. The knots of this binding are not formed by these cords but instead by your vows, the promises you make in your hearts and uphold each day through your actions. Remember, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.
Please repeat after me:
[Name], I swear to you
that I will continue to dedicate my life
to filling our days with beauty and laughter,
to celebrate your spirit and all of your accomplishments.
I will work to inspire you and be here
to remind you of your beauty and strength.
I take you today as my partner, my confidant, my other half.
So mote it be.
You may now release your hands. The cord remains knotted in a circle, a continuous, infinite loop, like your love.
Our Halloween handfasting ceremony readings
We then had our individual readings. They weren’t kept secret ahead of time, but my wife did surprise me by singing hers – lyrics from “Island Song” by Ashley Eriksson:
“Come along with me
And the butterflies and bees
We can wander through the forest
And do so as we please
Come along with me
To a cliff under a tree
Where we can gaze upon the water
As an everlasting dream
All of my collections
I'll share them all with you
I'll be here for you always
And always be with you”
I chose to read a poem by J.R.R. Tolkien:
“Lo! Young we are and yet have stood
like planted hearts in the great Sun
of Love so long (as two fair trees
in woodland or in open dale
stand utterly entwined and breathe
the airs and suck the very light
together) that we have become
as one, deep rooted in the soil
of Life and tangled in the sweet growth.”
Our Halloween handfasting ring exchange wording:
Officiant: Just as your hands are now bound together, so too, are your lives.
Because you cannot always be physically joined together, you will each give to the other a wedding ring to symbolize that connection. It will be a constant reminder of the bond shared between you as a married couple.
[Jesse and Mar exchange rings.]
Officiant: I now pronounce you partners in life.
Everything was short, simple, and sweet!
See the full wedding profile that goes with this Halloween handfasting wedding script:
