Deborah Chan
Pagan weddings are a beautiful way to celebrate the union of two people. Planning a pagan wedding involves researching and preparing, including reading books on pagan wedding ceremonies and guides to pagan weddings. It's important to select an appropriate day and time, with some pagans choosing to marry in mid-January to mid-February, and others avoiding May. Pagan weddings often take place in botanical gardens, state and national parks, and forests, with participants wearing elegant and comfortable clothing made of natural fibres. Witnesses and participants can wear flowers of the season and jewellery made of natural materials. Couples planning a pagan wedding should also be aware of the marriage laws in their state or country, which may require a marriage license.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Research and preparation | Read books on pagan wedding ceremonies, such as "Handfasting and Wedding Ritual: Inviting Hera's Blessing" by Raven Kaldera and Tannin Schwartzstein, or Kendra Vaughan Hovey's "Passages Handfasting" |
| Day and time | Hellenic ritual prescribes the month of Gamelion (mid-January to mid-February) for weddings, while Irish pagans believe May is an inauspicious month for weddings |
| Location | Botanical gardens, state and national parks, and forests. Ensure you have permission to use the area and that it is accessible for disabled guests |
| Dress code | Elegant, but comfortable, made of natural fibres. It is acceptable to dress in the romantic styles of former times, to create a fairytale atmosphere. Witnesses and participants can wear flowers of the season, and jewellery made of natural materials |
| Colours | Choose colours to match the season, or that traditionally mean new beginnings, such as white or green |
| Astrology | Check the astrology if that is important to your faith |
| Marriage laws | In the United States, pagan weddings need to comply with the marriage laws of the state in which the ceremony takes place. Marriage laws vary from state to state, but generally, they require a marriage license issued by the appropriate government authority |
| Rituals | Incense and anointing oils in appropriate scents, candles in appropriate colours, and some kind of beautiful cord, ribbon or tie if you are planning a handfasting ritual |
| Seasons | Plan your wedding day around the celebration of one of the seasons |
What You'll Learn
Choosing a date and location
When choosing a date and location for your pagan wedding, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, you may want to choose a date that aligns with the pagan celebration of the seasons. For example, Hellenic ritual prescribes the month of Gamelion (mid-January to mid-February) for weddings, while Irish pagans believe May is an inauspicious month for weddings. You can also refer to the "Wheel of the Year", which is used by many pagans and Wiccans to observe the seasons in celebration. Additionally, you may want to check the astrology if that is important to your faith.
In terms of location, botanical gardens, state and national parks, and forests are popular choices for pagan weddings. It is important to ensure that you have permission to use the area and that it is accessible for all guests, including those with disabilities. If you are planning an outdoor wedding, consider the season and choose colours and attire that match. For example, witnesses and participants can wear flowers of the season and jewellery made of natural materials.
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Dress code and colour scheme
When it comes to dress code and colour scheme, it is important to consider the season and the natural world. Botanical gardens, state and national parks, and forests are popular locations for pagan weddings, so it is important to choose a dress code and colour scheme that fits with the natural surroundings.
Guests should be encouraged to wear elegant but comfortable clothing made from natural fibres. Romantic styles from former times can be worn to create a fairytale atmosphere. Witnesses and participants can wear flowers of the season and jewellery made from natural materials.
The colour scheme should also reflect the season. Colours that traditionally represent new beginnings, such as white or green, are a good choice. However, it is important to be mindful of cultural superstitions, such as the Irish belief that it is bad luck to wear green at a wedding.
If you are planning a handfasting ritual, you may want to incorporate colours into your dress code or colour scheme through the use of candles and ribbons.
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Marriage laws and requirements
Pagan weddings, like weddings of other religious and spiritual traditions, need to comply with the marriage laws of the state or country in which the ceremony takes place. Marriage laws vary from state to state, but generally, they require a marriage licence issued by the appropriate government authority. It is essential for couples planning a pagan wedding to check the specific marriage laws and requirements in their state or country and make sure they comply with them to ensure the legal recognition of their marriage.
Pagan weddings can take place in botanical gardens, state and national parks, and forests. It is important to make sure you have permission to use the area and that it is accessible for disabled guests. Witnesses and participants can wear elegant and comfortable clothing made of natural fibres. It is also acceptable to dress in the romantic styles of former times to create a fairytale atmosphere. Flowers of the season and jewellery made of natural materials can be worn, and colours can be chosen to match the season or to represent new beginnings, such as white or green.
There are several books on pagan wedding ceremonies, such as *Handfasting and Wedding Ritual: Inviting Hera’s Blessing* by Raven Kaldera and Tannin Schwartzstein, or Kendra Vaughan Hovey’s *Passages Handfasting*. Selena Fox’s guide to pagan weddings can be found at www.circlesanctuary.org/events/weddings.html. Hellenic ritual prescribes the month of Gamelion (mid-January to mid-February) for weddings, while Irish pagans believe May is an inauspicious month for weddings. The astrology of the date may be important to your faith.
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Pagan wedding rituals
It is important to research and prepare for a pagan wedding, and there are several books on pagan wedding ceremonies that can help with this. Botanical gardens, state and national parks, and forests are good places for pagan weddings, but it is important to make sure that the area is accessible for disabled guests.
The dress code for a pagan wedding is elegant but comfortable, made of natural fibres. It is also acceptable to dress in the romantic styles of former times, to create a fairytale atmosphere. Witnesses and participants can wear flowers of the season and jewellery made of natural materials. Colours should match the season or traditionally mean new beginnings, such as white or green.
For the ceremony, you may need incense and anointing oils in appropriate scents, candles in appropriate colours, and some kind of beautiful cord, ribbon or tie if you are planning a handfasting ritual.
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Pagan wedding books
Another book to consider is Liz's book, which offers an in-depth overview of the marriage laws and requirements in different countries. This is an important aspect to consider, as marriage laws vary from state to state and country to country, and you will need to ensure that your marriage is legally recognised.
In addition to books, there are also online resources, such as Selena Fox's guide to pagan weddings, which can be found at www.circlesanctuary.org/events/weddings.html. This guide includes valuable questions to consider when planning a pagan wedding.
When planning a pagan wedding, it is also important to consider the location, dress code, and decorations. Botanical gardens, state and national parks, and forests are popular choices for pagan weddings. The dress code should be elegant and comfortable, made of natural fibres, and it is acceptable to dress in romantic styles of former times to create a fairytale atmosphere. Witnesses and participants can wear flowers of the season and jewellery made of natural materials. Candles, incense, anointing oils, and ribbons or ties may also be used in handfasting rituals.
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Frequently asked questions
Dress should be elegant, but comfortable, made of natural fibres. It is perfectly acceptable to dress in the romantic styles of former times, to create a fairytale atmosphere. Witnesses as well as participants can wear flowers of the season, and jewellery made of natural materials. Choose colours to match the season, or that traditionally mean new beginnings, such as white or green. Be careful to avoid wearing green at an Irish wedding, as this is considered bad luck, especially for the bride.
Botanical gardens, state and national parks and forests are good places for pagan weddings. Make sure you have permission to use the area and that it is accessible for disabled guests.
You may need incense and anointing oils in appropriate scents, candles in appropriate colours, and some kind of beautiful cord, ribbon or tie if you are planning on a handfasting ritual.
There are several books on pagan wedding ceremonies, such as *Handfasting and Wedding Ritual: Inviting Hera’s Blessing* by Raven Kaldera and Tannin Schwartzstein, or Kendra Vaughan Hovey’s *Passages Handfasting*. You can also look at Selena Fox’s guide to pagan weddings at www.circlesanctuary.org/events/weddings.html.
Many Pagans and Wiccans observe the cycle of the seasons, so you can plan your wedding day around the celebration of one of them. Hellenic ritual prescribes the month of Gamelion for weddings, that is mid-January to mid-February, so you could hold your wedding right around Valentine’s Day. Irish pagans believe May is an inauspicious month for weddings. Check the astrology if that is important to your faith.
