I had been looking forward to this day for some time. A special wedding that included a traditional handfasting/binding. It was an evening wedding, so I figured travel would be easy, WRONG! Apparently there was a big boat race going on and for about two miles the roads were lined with vehicles, boat trailers and RVs, not so easy to drive at normal speed. Not to mention constantly stopping for cars trying to park and for pedestrians.
Eventually I did arrive at the venue, and located the spot where I was meant to be. Nice place. It was a small family wedding, but these guys made up for it in high spirits. I think everyone I met had enough personality for 3 people! I had brought along a small table and a tablecloth picturing the Green Man.
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You can see how this would look in the picture below, which is from another occasion and is of a similar cloth that I have sans fringing. On the table/altar were holy water, altar oil, a small brass bell, 
red cedar bark, a small green man box containing the handfasting cords, and the cords themselves which you can see modeled at the top of the page.
Before the ceremony starting I blessed the area with the holy water, and the altar with the oil. Each of the objects on the altar received an oil blessing.
The wedding was very informal and a lot of what we actually did was spontaneous and non-scripted according to our ceremony plans. For instance, the couple had arranged a non-music event, so I had the guests stand and hum the wedding march to provide the processional and the recessional music. It was fun, and everyone joined in.
We had a bread and wine sharing in the ceremony, but no bread and wine on the table, so the bride grabbed a cracker and a bottle of beer off her table, and we used that! We got a lot of laughs for that, and personally I feel it suited them better, very laid back people. We performed a blessing, then the welcome, the preamble, the sharing of beer and cracker, the tying of the hands [cords were blue, black and silver, with silver quarter moon charms], the exchange of rings, the personal vows, the pronouncement and then the recessional to the sound of guests humming. Very cool!
I stayed for the reception, and don’t think I have laughed so much at a wedding. Especially when a bread roll bounced off the best man’s head. I met some very charming and interesting folks. The favours were white chocolate Harleys..yum brrrrum. I, of course, took mine home for my Harley crazy husband, he was most impressed. All in all, it was a very exciting ceremony and totally lived up to the anticipation.
Congratulations Laura and Joe!
