Marriage Advice From 5 Ancient Gods & Goddesses

Would you take marriage advice from mythology? Meet 5 ancient gods & goddesses of marriage with tips for the wedding day.

 

Would you take marriage advice from the ancient Gods and Goddesses of Marriage? Why not! After all, relationships were just as complicated back then as they are today, and maybe even more so. Love triangles, infidelity, supernatural battles with in-laws, paternity disputes, lavish sex parties, power struggles, step kids, and sister-wives – these divine marriages had it all! 

 

Trust us, if anyone knows what works and doesn’t work in a marriage, it’s probably these guys. 

 

Let’s see what they have to say, and how you can honor them on your wedding day to ensure a long and happy marriage.

 

Goddess Hathor has been offering marriage advice for nearly 3,000 years!

(Eternal Space, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

 

5 Ancient Gods and Goddesses of Love & Marriage Offer Their Advice for the Wedding Day

 

 

• Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Marriage: Hathor

 

Hathor is the goddess of the sky, love, motherhood, fertility, women, pleasure, and marriage. Her animal form is the cow, and she’s the daughter of the sun god Ra (aka the Eye of Ra). She’s also known as the Mother Goddess and the Sky Goddess, and has been worshiped since the 3rd millennium BCE. That’s nearly 3,000 years of marriage experience! 

 

Marriage advice from Goddess Hathor? 

 

Take note – this divine bride might be one of the earliest inspirations for that old phrase, ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.’ Hathor was transformed into the ferocious lion-goddess Sekhmet by her father, Ra, and sent down to Earth to destroy an ungrateful humanity. Blood-thirsty and rageful, Sekhmet almost succeeded – until she was tricked into drinking a lake of beer and then drunkenly transformed back into gentle Hathor. 

 

We’re not sure exactly what the lesson here is, but it definitely has something to do with treating women with respect, spending quality time with them, and not taking their kindness for granted. Or maybe the lesson is, sometimes we need to let go to find our true self?

 

How to Honor Goddess Hathor in Your Wedding Ceremony

 

Honor Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of love and marriage, on your wedding day with dancing, drinking, and music. This goddess delights in pleasure and beauty, so simply enjoy yourself – and look good doing it! 

 

Related: 11 Famous Women in Religion From Cults to Catholicism

 

Goddess Iris stands with her wings outstretched. (The Naturalist / iStock)

 

 

• Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Marriage: Isis

 

Isis is the goddess of motherhood, protection, magic, healing, and marriage. She’s the most powerful magician in all of ancient Egypt, too! She’s the daughter of Geb, an Earth god, and Nut, a Sky Goddess, and both sister and wife to Osiris, God of the Dead. Isis has been worshipped since the 3rd millennium BCE, including in several modern Pagan faiths. That’s nearly 3,000 years of marital wisdom!

 

Marriage Advice from Goddess Isis? 

 

Modern couples can benefit from a closer look at Isis and Osiris’s tumultuous relationship. Although the couple themselves got along well, bad boundaries and family drama ultimately doomed them. Osiris was viciously murdered by his brother, Seth, who was jealous of his success. Then, Seth turned his attention to the widow Isis’s son, Horus, promising to kill him too. Being the protective mother and magician she is, Isis hid Horus in the marshes of the Nile Delta. He ultimately avenged his father’s death by killing his uncle, deepening the generational wound. 

 

All of this just goes to show that even the happiest couple can be worn down by meddlesome in-laws! Don't let family drama ruin the wedding day and remember -- sometimes our chosen families are most important of all. 

 

How to Honor Goddess Isis on Your Wedding Day

 

One of the best ways to honor Isis on your wedding day is simply to speak to her. Set aside time to pray; tell Isis what you’re grateful for in your relationship, what you love most about your partner and your family, and offer her gifts of bread, wine, milk, or fruit on the wedding altar. 

HAVE A FRIEND OFFICIATE YOUR WEDDING!

Goddess Hera and Zeus on a date night. Photo: sivarock / iStock / Zeus and Hera at Austria Parliament Building, Vienna

 

 

• Ancient Greek Goddess of Marriage: Hera 

 

Hera is the goddess of women, family, fertility, and marriage, and Queen of the Olympians. Among her many gifts is shapeshifting, and she’s known for taking on the form of several animals, including peacocks, lions, and cows. She’s the daughter of royalty, namely the Titans Cronus and Rhea, and is both sister and wife to Zeus. Hera has been worshipped since the mid-8th century BCE, including some modern Pagan faiths. That’s 2,700 years of marriage advice! 

 

Marriage Advice from Goddess Hera? 

 

We don’t want to air too much dirty laundry, but Hera’s marriage to Zeus has its…problems. Namely, Zeus is notoriously unfaithful. He’s had countless public affairs with hundreds of other goddesses, nymphs, and mortal women (including one with Hera’s long time rival, Leto). Hera eventually had enough of his unchecked infidelity and began tormenting his other children. She even plotted to remove him from the throne! Still, despite the years of arguments and betrayal, and that one time he literally hung her from the sky with golden chains, they never divorced – continuing the cycle of rage and reconciliation for centuries. 

 

The lesson here? Honesty and shared values are the key to a happy marriage. And if you can’t resolve your differences on your own, maybe professional marital counseling can help! 

 

How to Honor Goddess Hera on the Wedding Day

 

Honor Hera on your wedding day by celebrating outdoors in nature – an orchard or garden is best! Place gifts of lily flowers, pomegranate fruit, and feathers on the wedding altar, and consider including a special unity ceremony. For more ways to celebrate Hera at your ceremony, check out: 

 

• Wedding Ideas to Honor Hera Goddess of Marriage

 

 

Hymenaeus dances in disguise! (Painting: Nicolas Poussin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

 

• Ancient Greek God of Marriage: Hymen (Hymenaeus)

 

Hymen is the god of marriage, love, and weddings. He was even named after a wedding song that was popular in ancient Greece! Hymen often takes the form of a young man with large wings, but he’s so beautiful that he’s often mistaken for a woman (and even dresses as a woman at times). He’s the son of the god Apollo and one of the Muses (whose identity remains a mystery). The earliest ode to Hymen was written in the 5th century BC. That’s nearly 2,500 years of wedding tips and marriage advice!

 

Marriage Advice from God Hymenaeus?

 

Hymen’s romantic relationship started out slow, but soon transformed into something more. See, despite being a god, Hymen was too poor to publicly date the woman he loved. So he disguised himself in women’s clothes to secretly spend time with her, which worked pretty well until one day – she and her friends were kidnapped by a band of dangerous pirates! Luckily, Hymen was there to kill the pirates and free the women. (How romantic!) Following his heroism, the couple’s relationship was finally accepted and Hymen and his bride were married.

 

The lesson here is clear – happiness in marriage doesn’t come from wealth or social standing, but from commitment, compatible values, courage, and sharing closet space. 

 

How to Honor God Hymen on the Wedding Day

 

True to tradition, the best way to honor Hymen on the wedding day is to sing one of his namesake songs at the wedding ceremony. A ‘hymeneal’ song, or hymenaios, is a lyrical wedding poem that’s both humorous and sincere, which praises Hymen and describes the many joys of marriage.  Add in a few flutes, and use it as the processional song as a bride or groom makes their way down the aisle. 

 

Related: The Luckiest Month to Get Married According to Superstition

 

Sumerian Goddess Inanna poses with lions and owls. (Piwiki314, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)

 

 

• Ancient Mesopotamian Goddess of Marriage: Inanna / Ishtar

 

Inanna is the goddess of love, war, fertility, and marriage. Her animal form is the lion, and she’s known as the Queen of Heaven. Inanna / Ishtar has been worshipped for at least 7,000 years, including among modern Pagans. That’s an unbelievable amount of marital wisdom to share!

 

Marriage Advice from Goddess Inanna (Ishtar)? 

 

Inanna has always embraced openness in her romantic relationships. In modern terms, you might call her polyamorous, pansexual, and genderqueer. But she doesn’t really need any label besides passionate. Take her marriage to Dumuzi (Tammuz), for example – a union so sexually-charged that it was celebrated every year with religious erotic rites, performed in temples across the region! Even death couldn’t keep this sizzling duo apart; after Dumuzi died, he agreed to spend only half his time in the Underworld, and half his time above ground with Inanna. 

 

This love story might be an antidote to modern bed death – or at least a reminder that true intimacy changes and evolves over time. Whether you’re in a long distance relationship, struggling to stay in sync, or just worried about losing your luster after a long time together, remember that setting aside time to reconnect can help keep the spark alive.

 

How to Honor Goddess Inanna / Ishtar on the Wedding Day

 

Honor Inanna on the wedding day by walking down the aisle together! Hold hands, link arms, or otherwise entwine as you make your way to the altar as a symbol of togetherness and devotion. And for the most, let’s say adventurous couples, public consummation could be a fitting tribute. Just give your wedding guests a heads up first, ok? 

 

 

So, what do you think? 

 

Does this marriage advice stand the test of time? Do you feel like relationships have changed a lot over the ages, or have mostly stayed the same? 

 

As always, take what works and leave the rest – and enjoy your wedding day! 
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More Pagan Wedding Ideas

 

• Pagan Weddings: Ideas for Offerings to Gods and Ancestors
   
• Online Ordination for Modern Pagans: Why it’s So Important, Especially Now
   
• Pagan Wedding Blessings for Every Season and Ceremony
   

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