Modern Handfasting: A Complete Guide to the Magic of Pagan Weddings

by Liz Williams

Overview

Everything You Need to Plan Your Pagan Wedding

Handfasting is quickly becoming a widely practiced tradition, not only for pagans, but for people from all walks of life. This book is a thorough resource that shares rituals, sample vows, and all the information you need to plan your own ceremony or serve as a celebrant for others.

In Modern Handfasting, you will discover the history, legal considerations, logistics, and magic of the big day. Author Liz Williams—a priestess and longtime celebrant—guides you through writing your vows, opening the ceremony, creating and consecrating a circle, calling the quarters, tying the knot, and closing the ceremony. You will also discover tips and stories from other couples and celebrants as well as practical information on early planning, troubleshooting unexpected problems, finding a celebrant, and performing love magic. Learn how to choose flowers, dates, and other details with magical correspondences.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738766584
Publisher:	Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Publication date:	11/08/2021
Pages:	232
Sales rank:	584,314
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Liz Williams (Glastonbury, UK) is a celebrant, tarot reader, author, and workshop leader. Together with her husband, she owns the Witchcraft Shop in Glastonbury, England. She is the develop of the Cauldron of Learning series and is the author of Miracle of Our Own Making: A History of Paganism (Reaktion Books, 2020). She holds a PhD in the philosophy of science from Cambridge University.

Table of Contents

Contents

Prologue xi

Introduction 1

Part One: Understanding Handfasting
Chapter One: The History of Handfasting 7
Chapter Two: The Legality of Handfasting 19
Chapter Three: Things to Consider 27
Chapter Four: When to Get Handfasted: The Wheel of the Year 43
Chapter Five: The Ceremony 55
Chapter Six: Writing Your Vows 75
Chapter Seven: What You Will Need 81
Chapter Eight: Etiquette, Ethics, and When Things Go Wrong 95
Chapter Nine: Let's Get This Party Started! 115

Part Two: Correspondences and Magic
Chapter Ten: Magic for Unity 131
Chapter Eleven: Deities of Love and Marriage 157
Chapter Twelve: The Language of Flowers 183
Chapter Thirteen: Herbs for Handfasting 195
Chapter Fourteen: The Ogham Trees and Handfasting 203

Conclusion 211

Resources 213

Bibliography 215