If possible, each guest should have been asked to bring small bells. Bride and maidens are waiting away from the area. All others are already in the circle. An isle is opened to the North-East portal from which the bride and maidens will enter. All visitors await silently around the circle, a bell will sound the summoning of the bride and maidens to come into circle.
The besom is placed by the left hand side of the Altar, the High Priestess stands in front of the Altar in readiness. Also standing in front of the Altar is the Groom, who is blindfolded.
The High Priestess lights the two Altar candles, first from left to right:
"We are all children of the light.
Thus do I bring to life these candles;
One to represent the Moon and Spiritual Mother,
The other to represent the Sun and Spiritual Father
Of Simone and Rob to grow in joy and love"
The High Priestess stands in the North facing the couple, she then says, as the bride removes the blindfold:
"I welcome you friends, family, sisters and brothers of [Bride] and [Groom], who show love and present homage to this couple, who are to be joined together as one. As the High Priestess of the Goddess, I bid you all welcome to this solemn and at the same time, happy occasion. Like so much in life, a handfasting means that the concerned choose what to make it mean. At one extreme, they may intend it as a ceremonial announcement, like this, to their family and friends that they are in love. For love is real, and love is the law, and love is truth, and the truth is the Goddess: for [bride] and [groom] are in love and wish to make their vows the Ancient Wiccan way, and have the Goddess and God as witnesses. And as they wish to be treated not as separate beings, but as one; at the other extreme, the intention is more permanent that "til death do us part", because it involves the concept of soul mates. A continuing relationship through all subsequent incarnations. The soul mate concept is a very Ancient and serious one in Wiccan thinking. It is reflected in the legend of the Goddess and God: "to fulfil love, you must return at the same time and place as the loved one, and you must know and remember and love them again". A handfasting, then, is a celebration, and what the couple get out of it is exactly what they put into it, reinforced by the presence and goodwill of all assembled here this day. Perfect love and perfect trust, this is our law. Perfect love is not synonomous with sex. Sex and intimacy are a part of perfect love, but so are charity, security, respect, friendship, humour, patience, compassion and a hundred other expressions many only think about when they look them up in a dictionary. [bride] and [groom], we greet you with love, happiness and joy".
The High Priestess takes up the basket of flowers and holding it for all & Deity to see, says:
"Let your love be as the flowers to the breeze,
Let it create an evergrowing circle
That spreads love and joy unto the Earth.
May you live within a circle of love
And may your union be a thing of beauty.
May your love dance in the eternal circles of time
With the dance of the Earth
With the Sacredness of Life
And with my blessings"
The circle is then created by the scattering of flowers. A Chalice of Water and Salt is purified and blessed. The Salt is mingled within the Chalice, which is then held aloft and the following said:
"Thus the water and salt are blessed, purified and mingled.
That these lovers shall enter a circle made pure and clean.
Able to join themselves together
Cleansed of all but happiness and joy.
Be here with us, O Holy Undines of Water
Bring with you the deepest of love and richness of body, of soul, of
spirit.
Be here with us, O Holy Gnomes of the Earth.
Bring with your strength and constancy
That they desire to remain together".
The Water is then sprinkled around the circle. Then the incense is lit and as the circle is being censed:
"Thus is incense made holy
And its sacred scent taken around the circle.
The lovers shall enter a Temple
Filled with blessings:
May their life be happy and filled with the riches of life.
Be here with us, O Sacred Sylphs of Air
And with your clever fingers, tie closely the bonds
Between these two.
Be here with us, O Sacred Salamanders of Fire,
Give their love and passion you own all consuming ardour!"
High Priestess then says and does the blessing:
"Hear ye mighty powers all, that are from the Realm of East, West, South and North. From beyond our feet and beyond all Universes and from all time; come now into this our Sacred Temple to bless and charge [Bride] and [groom] with all the powers of eternal love: for unity is balance and balance is unity. Hear then, and listen and remember and understand."
Priestess picks up the Wand and presents is to Deity and then the couple:
"This Wand that I hold is a symbol of Air, know and remember that this is the Element of Life, of intelligence, of the inspiration which moves us onwards. By this magick Wand of Air, we bring to your handfasting the power of the mind".
Couple may kiss the Wand. Priestess replaces Wand on the Altar, picks up the Sword and presents it to the couple:
"This Magick sword which I hold is the symbol of the Element of Fire, know and remember that this is the Element of Light, of energy, of vigour, I bring to your handfasting the power of Will."
The couple may kiss the sword. Priestess replaces sword, picks up Chalice of Water, presents it to the couple:
"The Chalice that I hold is the symbol of Water, know and remember that this is the Element of love, growth, of the fullness of the Great Mother. By this Sacred Chalice, I bring to your handfasting the power of desire."
The couple may sip from the Chalice. Priestess replaces Chalice, picks up the Pentacle and presents it to the couple:
"The Pentacle that I hold is the symbol of Earth, know and remember that this is the Element of Law, of endurance, of the understanding which cannot be shaken. By this Pentacle of Earth, I bring to your handfasting the power of the steadfast".
The couple may kiss the Pentacle. Priestess replaces the Pentacle on the Altar and goes back to her place. The High Priestess now prays:
"O Golden Aphrodite, cometh not as the virgin, the victim, but as the Awakener, the Desirous One. At the outer spaces she calls, and the All Father commences the courtship. She awakens him to desire, and the worlds are created. How powerful is She, O Golden Aphrodite, the awakener of manhood.
"But all these things are one thing, all the Goddesses are but one Goddess, and we call her Auset, the all woman, in whose nature is Creation. For she awakens desire of the All Father, and for Her sake, He createth likewise. For the wise call all women Auset. So in the face of every woman, let man look for the features of the Great Goddess: watching her phases, through the flow and return of the tides to which his soul answers, listening to her call, O Daughter of Auset, adore the Goddess and in her name give the Ancient call that awakens and rejoices: so that you shall be blessed of the Goddess and live with the fullness of life. Let the bride show forth unto him who loves her. Let arise all glorious and golden from the sea of the primordial, and call unto thee to come forth, to come to her. Let her assume the Crown of Annwyn. Let her do these things in the name of the Goddess, and she shall be as the Goddess unto him for the Goddess will speak through her. Let him do these things in the name of the God, and he shall be as God unto her, the God shall speak through him. All powerful shall they be on the inner, as the Ancient Ones are drawn to their worshippers: their powers enter unto them, and become substance of the sacrament."
The High Priestess holds the Pentacle high:
"Strong is the Goddess to bless those who call upon Her, may she therefore bless this handfasting Rite. Give to these before us, we do ask you, your love and protection. Blessed Be!""
The couple now place their jewellery in the Chalice of Water. Each takes a taper and from their respective Altar candles, light the Spirit Candle. Then that candle is aspurged and blessed by the High Priestess and similar blessings bestowed upon the jewellery. Both then stand side by side and take up the Spirit Candle. They hold it with their hands, their adjacent wrists are bound together with the red cord. Athame sheather, the HP takes a taper, moving deosil, brings couple once around the circle to the East:
"You begin your journey of life shared,
Bound together by Vows of this Rite.
Many are the years you will share
And countless the Moons you may watch together..
If you keep your vows, your sacred trust
Happy will be many of your days.
May the keepers of the Sacred Winds
Whisper joy into your life.
May you take delight in each other's smiles.
For all your days until passing.
Share together rainbows and dreams and morning joys.
And let your love be as free as the butterfly's flight".
They now proceed to the South. HP lights South Fire and candle:
"You begin your journey of life shared,
Bound together by the vows of this Rite.
Many are the paths that you will share.
And countless are the Summers you may pass together.
If you keep your vows, your sacred trust
Happy will be many of your days.
The past is in these flames.
You are forever changed from this day forward.
May the fires of love kindle your passions for each other.
Throughout all your years.
May your love arise anew, an eternal flame to light each day".
Then proceed to the West. HP pour water upon the Earth, lights the West candle:
"You begin your journey of life shared,
Bound together by the vows of this Rite.
Many are the dreams that you will share.
And countless the tides of life to ride.
If you keep your vows, your sacred trust
And share the reflection of love in one another's souls
Together explore the laughter of rain
And the mysteries of the cup of life.
And in love, share the tears of life".
Now at the North, HP gives the couple a piece of cake each:
"You begin your journey of life shared,
Bound together by the vows of this Rite.
Many are the roads you will take
And endless the nights of your love.
If you keep your vows, your sacred trust
Happy will be many of your days.
Plant your roots together in the Earth
Yet play in the gardens of life
As children and friends..
Grow old together and share a happy home".
Couple replace the Spirit Candle, and they kneel before the Altar. HP reads the invocation to the lovers, standing behind them as they repeat:
"Beloved
I seek to know of you
And ask the Goddess and God
That I be given the Wisdom
To see you as you are,
And to love you as a mystery.
I will take joy in you.
I will delight in the taste of you.
You are to me the whispering of the tides.
The seduction of the summer's heat.
You are my friend, my lover.
Grow old and wise with me
And I'll be the same with you.
A life before us of rainbows and sunsets
And a willingness to share
Those things of sadness.
I love you.
I adore you".
HP takes the jewellery from the Chalice, Each of the lovers presents the jewellery to each other with their own words of love.
HP:
"Be ringed and bound.
Are you now ready to avow?"
Couple reply, HP in turn asks:
"[bride], do you take your lover and your friend, to be your sworn partner? Will you keep your love and trust? Caring for and cherishing your lover, will you keep the promise of this Rite?"
The same is asked of {groom].
HP:
"Above you are the stars, below you are the stones, and as time passes. remember, like a star should your love be constant. Like a stone should your love be firm. Be close, yet not too close. Possess one another, yet be understanding, have patience with each other. For storms will come, and they will quickly go. Be free in giving affection and warmth; make love often and be sensuous to one another. Have no fear, and let not the ways of the unenlightened ones give you unease, for the Goddess and God are with you, now and forever..
"Know that this is the decree of thy own fates, that you are united again as you were in the past, never to be divided. In vain against the stars preach the monk and mainstream priest: what shall be shall be! Therefore take hope and joy, O Children of Time, and now may your hands be joined and your spirit. I Now betroth your bodies with your minds..
"Let the Sun and the Moon, and the trees and the stars and all those assembled here, bear witness that [bride] and [groom] have been joined together in the sight of the Goddess and God. And who are blessed by them as they are blessed by all in attendance. O Gentle Goddess, attest the betrothal of these young hearts. I call upon the Sacred Circle of love and the Sacred Altar to attest it, the Sun, and Moon and the Air.
"While forms are divided, may the souls cling together: sorrow with sorrow, joy with joy; and when at length this couple is one, O Stars, may the trouble with which ye are charged have exhausted its burden, and may the marriage home shine in peace forever, O Stars of time. So Mote it Be!".
Besom is brought forward and placed in the North-West. Groom picks up the bride over his shoulders and carries her once round the circle. In front of the besom, the bride is put down, together they jump the besom, holding hands.
HP:
"Then as the Goddess, God and the Ancient Ones are witness to this Rite, I now proclaim you husband and wife!!!!!!!!!".
All in attendance will now ring their bells and cake and wine is blessed and shared amongst the assembled guests.
Finish!