Kris & Angela’s Handfasting Ceremony

94th Aerosquadron, College Park, Maryland 4:00pm 7 April, 2001

The ritual space consists of a large circle with a bower of flowers at one end. A cloth-covered table stands on the opposite side of the Circle, serving as a celebration altar. Upon the altar are Lord & Lady candles (unlit), unity candle with two white tapers (all unlit), goblet, pitcher of water, athame (ritual dagger), handfasting cord, decorative besom (broom), and items that the priestesses require to consecrate the ritual space. At each cardinal direction is a candle of appropriate color: yellow in the East, red in the South, blue in the West, and green in the North. Guests are seated in concentric rows (as many as needed) around perimeter of circle while instrumental music is playing. Seats are reserved in appropriate places for Priestesses Rosemary and Kathleen, bride & groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents, and flower girl. Music continues while Rosemary and Kathleen consecrate, purify, & bless the space, using salt, water, incense, etc.

At Rosemary’s signal, entrance processional music begins, and bridal party enters. Rosemary stands at flower entrance to greet each of the party. Kris leads, and goes to stand by altar. Other bridal party members go to their appropriate seats. (Amy sits at the North corner, Rob in the East, PJ in the South, and Loraine in the West.) Last person is Angela. Once she has entered the circle, the besom is placed on the ground across the entrance. Angela proceeds to the altar area to stand beside Kris. Rosemary then reads the opening remarks.

Opening

Rosemary:

Welcome, everyone, friends and family who have gathered here today to share their happiness with the bride and groom upon this, the occasion of their Handfasting.

(Rosemary will give a short explanation of the history of Handfasting here.)

Marriage has been celebrated and solemnized from time immemorial throughout the world’s varied cultures and religions as being in some mystical way a microcosm of the eternal marriage between Heaven and Earth.

This is truly a day to rejoice, for Kris and Angela have come to discover in one another a missing part to the puzzle of their life’s purpose. This is their rite of passage into a day of new beginnings, and we are privileged, at their invitation, to be a part of this special moment.

Whatever your religion or system of belief, we invite you to celebrate with us the most beautiful expression of human love. A reflection of that Love is at the heart and essence of Deity.

In keeping with the ancient traditions, we wish to welcome to this celebration those energies and qualities that we associate with the four elements. After each blessing, you may respond with us by saying So Mote it Be. This is our way of saying Amen.

Casting/Calling

Rob:	(lighting the yellow candle) The East is associated with the element of Air and represents communication and inspiration. These are the winds of change and the breath that sustains our lives. We ask for these gifts in our celebration today. So Mote It Be.
PJ:	(lighting red candle) The South is associated with the element of Fire and represents daring and passion. This is the spark, catalyst for the actions that we take in our lives. We ask for these gifts in our celebration today. So Mote It Be.
Loraine:	(lighting blue candle) The West is associated with the element of Water and represents emotion and purification. Here are the waters of life that wash over us and bring clarity to our lives. We ask for these gifts in our celebration today. So Mote It Be.
Amy:	(lighting green candle) The North is associated with the element of Earth and represents strength and endurance. Here is the fertile soil that brings forth all of the blessings of Mother Nature. We ask for these gifts in our celebration today. So Mote It Be.
Rosemary:	Lord and Lady, we bid you loving welcome. You are always with us, in your various guises - alternately guiding, inspiring, or cajoling us as the occasion warrants. It was through Your influence that Kris and Angela found one another and recognized the potential to share their lives together. So, now we wish to honor and welcome You. (Kris & Angela each lighting a candle on the altar.) So Mote It Be.

Great Rite

Rosemary:	According to our traditions, it is most appropriate that the bride and groom enact here a symbol of their union. (Angela takes chalice of water and Kris takes athame.)
Kris:	As the blade is to the male.
Angela:	So the cup is to the female.
Together:	(lowering the blade into the cup) And conjoined, they bring blessedness.
Rosemary:	(laying hands upon shoulders of couple) May your relationship be always a reflection of the sacred union of the Lord and Lady. As above, so below. (Kris removes athame & lays it upon the altar. Angela hands him the cup.)
Angela:	Drink deep and never thirst. (Kris takes cup, drinks, then offers it to Angela.)
Kris:	Drink deep and never thirst. (Angela takes cup, drinks, then places cup upon the altar.)

Exchange of Vows

(Rosemary takes the rings from the altar to each quarter. Each bridesmaid/groomsman passes the rings through the flame & recites the blessing.)

Rob:
Spirits of the East, please bless these things and this union. So Mote It Be.

PJ:
Spirits of the South, please bless these things and this union. So Mote It Be.

Lorrie:
Spirits of the West, please bless these things and this union. So Mote It Be.

Amy:
Spirits of the North, please bless these things and this union. So Mote It Be.

Rosemary:
(Places a ring on the end of bride & groom's fingers.) It is time now that your intentions of love be sealed by solemn vows in the presence of those here assembled to be witnesses of your common commitment.
(To Kris) Repeat after me.
I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and my promise. I pledge to you my enduring loyalty as your life-mate and truest friend, to offer you help and support when they are needed, to share with you my hopes and my fears, and to open my heart to receive your support during times of need. So, too, I take you to be the Mother of our children, to nurture and sustain them with your guidance and wisdom. Henceforth, whatever we face, all of our joys and sorrows, laughter and tears, we face them together. So mote it be.
(Pushes the ring all of the way onto Angela's finger and lights white taper.)
(To Angela) Repeat after me.
I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and my promise. I promise to be your life-mate and devoted companion, a caring partner through good times and bad, quick to encourage, gentle with my criticisms, and lavish with my praise. So, too, I take you to be the Father of our children, an example for their youth and a guiding teacher for their maturity. Henceforth, whatever we face, all of our joys and sorrows, laughter and tears, we face them together. So mote it be.
(Pushes the ring all of the way onto Kris' finger and lights white taper.)
(To Both) Repeat after me.
We light the candle as two separate persons and light the unity candle as a couple. So Mote It Be.
(Bride and groom use the white tapers to light the unity candle together.)

Charge To The Couple

Rosemary:

This bond, this joining, is not meant to be a fetter. A joining is a partnership, not two people becoming one. Two minds cannot fuse, two souls cannot merge, two hearts cannot keep to the same time. If two are foolish enough to try this, one must overwhelm the other, and that is no love, nor is it compassion nor responsibility. You are two who choose to walk the same path, to bridge the differences between you with love. You must remember and respect those differences and learn to understand them, for they are part of what made you come to love in the first place. Love is patient, love is willing to compromise, love is willing to admit it is wrong.

There will be hard times; you must face them, side by side, not using the weapon of your knowledge to tear at each other. There will be sadness as well as joy, and you must support each other through grief and sorrow. There will be pain, but pain shared is pain halved, as joy shared is joy doubled, and you each must sacrifice your own comfort to share the pain of the other. And yet, you must do all this and manage to keep each other from wrong actions, for a joining means that you also pledge to help one another at all times. You must lead each other by example. Guide and be willing to be guided. Being joined does not mean that you accept what is truly wrong, being joined means that you must strive that you both remain in the light and the right. You must not pledge yourselves thinking that you can change each other. That is rankest folly, and disrespectful, for no one has the right to change another. You must not pledge yourself thinking that there will be no strife between you. That is fantasy, for you are two and not one, and there will inevitably come conflict, that it will be up to you to resolve. You must not pledge yourselves thinking that all will he well from that moment on. That is a dream, and dreamers must eventually wake. You must come to this joining fully ready, fully committed and fully respectful of each other.

Join and bind hands. (Rosemary ties the handfasting cord around Kris and Angela's wrists.)

Now you will no longer fear the storm, for you find shelter in each other. Now the winter cannot harm you, for you warm each other with love. Now when strength fails, you will be the wind to each other's wings. Now the darkness holds no danger, for you will be the light to each other's path. Now you will defy despair, for you will bring hope to each other's heart. Now there will be no more loneliness, for there will always be a hand reaching out to aid you when all seems darkest. Where there were two paths, there is now one. May your days together be long upon the earth, and each day blessed with joy in each other.

(Musical interlude performed by KIVA.)

Farewells & Closing

Rosemary:	In a moment, I will ask you to jump the besom and then exchange a kiss. But first, we wish to extend our final thanks and blessings to the Lord and Lady (Extinguishing the candles on the altar.) Go if you must, stay if you will. Hail and farewell.
Rob:	Thank you element of East for joining us in this celebration. Go if you must, stay if you will. Hail and farewell. (Rob extinguishes candle.)
PJ:	Thank you element of South for joining us in this celebration. Go if you must, stay if you will. Hail and farewell. (PJ extinguishes candle.)
Lorrie:	Thank you element of West for joining us in this celebration. Go if you must, stay if you will. Hail and farewell. (Lorrie extinguishes candle.)
Amy:	Thank you element of North for joining us in this celebration. Go if you must, stay if you will. Hail and farewell. (Amy extinguishes candle.)

Christian Blessing

Rosemary:

And now, Perry will offer his blessing.

(Perry comes forward to give a Christian blessing.)

Perry:

Lord God and Creator,
We bless and praise your name.
In the beginning you made man and woman,
So that they might enter a communion of life and love.
Likewise bless the union of Angela and Kris,
From the depths where Angela digs, to the heights where Kris flies.
Look with kindness on them today.
Amid the joys and struggles of their life,
Preserve the union between them.
As they renew their marriage covenant,
Increase your love in them.
And strengthen their bond of peace,
So that surrounded by their children,
They may always rejoice in the gift of your blessing.

Jumping the Besom

Rosemary:

Thank you, Perry. And now, will Rosemary please come forward to place the broom?

(Rosemary & Amy Luycx take the broom from the altar and place it on the floor.)

Kris and Angela, you may now jump the besom as a symbol of your passage across the threshold into married life. And of course, exchange a kiss.

(Kris and Angela jump the broom and then exchange the kiss. Recessional music begins as the couple exits followed by the bridal party and Rosemary.)

Bridal party proceeds to reception area. Kris and Angela are, of course, stuck together until Rosemary unties them, sometime during the reception.

Rob:	Spirits of the East, please bless these things and this union. So Mote It Be.
PJ:	Spirits of the South, please bless these things and this union. So Mote It Be.
Lorrie:	Spirits of the West, please bless these things and this union. So Mote It Be.
Amy:	Spirits of the North, please bless these things and this union. So Mote It Be.
Rosemary:	(Places a ring on the end of bride & groom's fingers.) It is time now that your intentions of love be sealed by solemn vows in the presence of those here assembled to be witnesses of your common commitment. (To Kris) Repeat after me. I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and my promise. I pledge to you my enduring loyalty as your life-mate and truest friend, to offer you help and support when they are needed, to share with you my hopes and my fears, and to open my heart to receive your support during times of need. So, too, I take you to be the Mother of our children, to nurture and sustain them with your guidance and wisdom. Henceforth, whatever we face, all of our joys and sorrows, laughter and tears, we face them together. So mote it be. (Pushes the ring all of the way onto Angela's finger and lights white taper.) (To Angela) Repeat after me. I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and my promise. I promise to be your life-mate and devoted companion, a caring partner through good times and bad, quick to encourage, gentle with my criticisms, and lavish with my praise. So, too, I take you to be the Father of our children, an example for their youth and a guiding teacher for their maturity. Henceforth, whatever we face, all of our joys and sorrows, laughter and tears, we face them together. So mote it be. (Pushes the ring all of the way onto Kris' finger and lights white taper.) (To Both) Repeat after me. We light the candle as two separate persons and light the unity candle as a couple. So Mote It Be. (Bride and groom use the white tapers to light the unity candle together.)