I don't know when I first learned about the tradition of handfasting in wedding ceremonies. It's a very old tradition that can be seen across many centuries and cultures all around the world. It involves literally "tying the knot," by binding the couples hands together during the wedding ceremony as an outward demonstration of commitment.I love this tradition, and for history buffs like Don and I, it will be a fun part of our wedding ceremony that incorporates some of our interests and who we are.
The question, of course, was what to use for the handfasting itself.
Photo from BBC via Cherish Ceremonies
Will and Kate used some satiny looking something for their handfasting, and it involved the priest merely folding it over their clasped hands. I have seen several handfasting cords and ribbons for sale, too, but nothing really spoke to me.
Via Darby Smart
From InfinitielyEntwined via Etsy.com
Handfasting with a tartan looks beautiful, and would be a fun tie-in to my family's Scottish heritage, but as far as I know, the nearest ancestors who had their own tartan would be my maternal grandmother's family, and that seemed like a stretch.
From Little Legs Baby Kilts via Etsy.com
Eventually, my mother-in-law and I decided to make the handfasting cord ourselves. Mr. Blue Moon and I picked spools of ribbon in the wedding colors, and I sat down at his parents house to work. This is the result of maybe an hour of testing different braids, knots, and twists.
Personal Photos
There's not a real science to my method.We ended up making two basic ribbon braids, and then intertwining those two braids together. The finished product, which is maybe a foot long, will be wrapped around our hands on the big day. The next decision will be to figure out what kind of vows we want to say, or what we would like to be read, immediately before and during our handfasting.
Will your wedding ceremony include handfasting, or another interesting tradition?
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