{"id":45157,"date":"2016-05-24T12:44:25","date_gmt":"2016-05-24T16:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.topweddingsites.com\/wedding-blog\/?p=45157"},"modified":"2017-08-06T12:46:13","modified_gmt":"2017-08-06T16:46:13","slug":"practical-side-handfasting-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.topweddingsites.com\/wedding-blog\/multicultural-themes\/practical-side-handfasting-ceremony","title":{"rendered":"The Practical Side of the Handfasting Ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Vlady Peters<\/div>\n

There\u2019s an awful lot of information about the Handfasting ceremony. Libraries carry books on the subject, specialty shops sell special ribbons and cords for the ceremony itself, and you\u2019ll even find boxes and porringers designed for holding those ribbons.<\/p>\n

And yet, some of the logistics make the Handfasting ceremony something of a challenge. How do you handle all those cords or ribbons before, during and after the ceremony? If you\u2019ve thought about the Handfasting ceremony but decided you know too little about it to go ahead, here\u2019s the practical information you need to make it all happen smoothly and naturally.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Ten Tips for a Stress-Free Ceremony<\/h2>\n

1. Cords are easier to handle, <\/strong>so go for those rather than ribbons. However, if you\u2019re only going to have one, it could be anything from a ribbon to an exotic piece of material.<\/p>\n

2. If you don\u2019t want your attendants to carry the cords in a container, place them on the tabl<\/strong>e with the rest of the ceremonial paraphernalia \u2014 either hanging across the table, or in a box or bowl.<\/p>\n

3. Decide whether you want to use just one cord<\/strong>, or half a dozen.<\/p>\n

4. If using ribbons, you can have them tied, or wrapped around your wrist. If using cords, you can have a slip knot which slides up like a noose.<\/p>\n

5. Decide who will tie them <\/strong>\u2014 the celebrant or your attendants. If using a number of cords, you could have a different attendant tie each one \u2014 male and female, alternating.<\/p>\n

6. While your attendants or celebrant tie the cords, have your celebrant speak, <\/strong>explaining what each cord stands for. Or leave a card for each of your attendants involved in the handfasting. Each attendant can simply pick up the cord and read the words from the card.<\/p>\n

7. Rehearse it! <\/strong>Rehearse the entire handfasting. Start where the celebrant calls the attendants by name. Go through the process where the attendant picks up the cord, returns to the altar, ties the couples\u2019 hands and returns to his or her place in the bridal party. The attendant should practice taking it slowly and ceremoniously. Help your attendants place themselves cueing up appropriate background music.<\/p>\n

8. Inevitably, the cords need come off <\/strong>before you sign the register. But here\u2019s a thought. Although normally hands are tied cross-wise \u2014 the bride\u2019s right hand in groom\u2019s right hand \u2014 consider tying your inside hands instead. That is, if the groom is on the bride\u2019s right arm, tie her right hand to his left. If you take this route, you can probably actually sign the register with your hands still tied. Which makes for great photos!<\/p>\n

9. After the signing (in British weddings), you\u2019ll return to where the ceremony began to be introduced as husband and wife. Before that happens, consider making an event out of the untying,<\/strong> as you did with the tying. Again, proceed slowly. Perhaps the celebrant can say a few words here, just as s\/he did during the tying.<\/p>\n

10. As the attendant unties each cord, s\/he\u2019ll return it to where it came from originally (such as the ceremonial table). When the whole wedding party\u2019s back in their places, the celebrant greets the couple, and invites everyone to come up and offer best wishes.<\/p>\n

Vlady Peters is an Australian Civil Marriage Celebrant authorized to perform marriage in Australia. She also performs general ceremonies such as Baby Naming, Renewal of Vows and Commitment Ceremonies. To learn more about Vlady, visit her at <\/strong><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Vlady Peters There\u2019s an awful lot of information about the Handfasting ceremony. Libraries carry books on the subject, specialty shops sell special ribbons and cords for the ceremony itself, and you\u2019ll even find boxes and porringers designed for holding those ribbons. And yet, some of the logistics make the Handfasting ceremony something of a challenge. How do you handle all those cords or ribbons before, during and after the ceremony? If you\u2019ve thought about the Handfasting ceremony but decided […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":45160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5425],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-multicultural-themes"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Practical Side of the Handfasting Ceremony | Multicultural Themes | TopWeddingSites.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.topweddingsites.com\/wedding-blog\/multicultural-themes\/practical-side-handfasting-ceremony\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Practical Side of the Handfasting Ceremony | Multicultural Themes | TopWeddingSites.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Vlady Peters There\u2019s an awful lot of information about the Handfasting ceremony. Libraries carry books on the subject, specialty shops sell special ribbons and cords for the ceremony itself, and you\u2019ll even find boxes and porringers designed for holding those ribbons. And yet, some of the logistics make the Handfasting ceremony something of a challenge. How do you handle all those cords or ribbons before, during and after the ceremony? 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