Pagan wedding brainstorming needed!

[ladymalen]

My guy and I are getting married (insert random 'OMGIMFREAKINGOUT' spazz here). We're doing the civil veremony thing in a few weeks, mostly for the benefits we'll get from the Navy. We're planning a handfasting for later this year (the 'real' wedding in our eyes). Now I need non fluffy help in the form of links to communities (my searchs just came

Comments

[chaos_current]

Maybe you should include, yanno, like.. what y'all believe? I'm not terribly familar with handfasting / wedding ceremonies, but I just imagine it'd be a bit different for, say, a Celtic reconstructionist and a Hellenic or a.. Asatru or ... someone who follows an Egyptian style belief system. I cannot remember what those folk are called.

[darklily66]

Kemetic

[chaos_current]

Ya. I am to be betting Kemetic would be different from Celtic would be different from Norse would be different from Greek.

Although who were those folk -- I don't think it's actually pagan, but wasn't there some culture that would have the grooms party fight through the brides party and "kidnap" the bride and drag her off for the wedding? I tried to convince my girlfriend we should do that, but she seemed to think her family would be slaughtered, even in faux fighting.

[darklily66]

My brother was married to his wife in a Buddhist ceremony. She is Laotian. He had to "fight" through the male members of her family at the door to the hall in order for the ceremony to take place. They didn't put up much of a struggle.

[ladymalen]

*dies laughing*

I'd be worried about that but his family is basically his mother and a few scattered cousins. Also since he's Navy, they don't get to carry firearms and such, so I think my family with two siblings in the wrestling biz and one who does security might actually win! *snickers lots*

[ladymalen]

Both our Matrons are Celtic, although I am ecceltic in my practices. My guy is getting out of his 'fluffier' phase, thank the gods, so I'm not sure and he probably isn't either, exactly 'what' he is.

[chaos_current]

Well this website: http://www.celticcolours.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=13 has some Irish Celtic traditions.

Getting married near the water, having guests throw stones in making wishes for the couples happiness. Shamrocks in the bridal bouquet. Etc.

[ladymalen]

Okay, water I like. And we're probably doing some sort of 'traditional' Celtic design wedding bands, but I draw the line at shamrocks and green beer! He'd be all for it, me, not so much! *lol*

[ladymalen]

No can do. My guy has a very bad knee, torn ACL repaired with 3 titanium screws. I won't let him jump over anything unless his life depended on it. Stepping over, yes, jumping no.

[ladymalen]

Good plan ;-)

*adds that to the 'to be discussed list'*

[lanternlady]

We actually jumped the water, jumped the fire, jumped the broom. (was more of a hearty step-over but it worked) There are a few good books out there. One in particular (I'm sorry, I'll need to google the title and author as I'm at work and don't have it with me) also discusses how to do "mixed" ceremonies (ie united/pagan) if that is required. It's filled with beautiful blessings. Awesome book.

here is the link
http://books.google.ca/books?id=fZGrdoi1DrMC&dq=handfasting+books

Brightest blessing. This should be a time of joy.. and not stress! :o)

[nervy_girl]

I recommend Kaldera & Schwartzstein as well -- the book is full of ceremonies whose Pagan identifiability is widely varied. I do a couple of handfastings a year (most of my weddings are secular), and when a couple is looking for ideas, that's where I usually start them off.

[jadeserenity]

I third that sentiment. This is what I used to get ideas for my handfasting (and Ren Faire wedding *shudder* :P). A lot of diverse and great ideas in that book.

[ladymalen]

Thanks!