New Script Alert! Summer Solstice Handfasting with Honey Wine Toast

Celebrate the start of your marriage on the longest, brightest day of the year! 
 

 

The Summer Solstice is a time to celebrate new beginnings, passion, abundance, and family. And as the longest day of the year, it’s believed to be an especially auspicious day to marry. The Solstice has been known by names in many regions, including Litha, Lithe, Midsommar, Midsummer, St. John's Feast Day, and Kronia. 

 

For centuries, families and friends have gathered on the Solstice to celebrate the fullness of life with dancing, drinking (usually lots of mead), feasting, and flirting. And why not? The longer the day, the more time to spend with those you love. 

 

This sample wedding script includes a handfasting ceremony: 

 

‘Handfasting’ is a visually beautiful and deeply meaningful unity ritual that involves the wrapping of a cord or ribbon around a couple’s hands during a wedding ceremony to symbolize their commitment. The cord can be wrapped by a wedding officiant, a beloved friend, a spiritual elder, or the couple themselves. 

 

The tying of two hands, wrists, or arms together symbolizes a joining of two lives and two journeys into one path, and a couple’s commitment to support and love one another each new day. 

…

 

 

Summer Solstice Ceremony with Honey Wine Toast and Handfasting 

 

 

Preparation:

Arrange guests in a half circle or circle around the marriage altar, where you’ll place the honey wine and two glasses. Decorate with colorful fabrics, candles, wildflowers, mistletoe, basil, and other traditional herbs. Use local plant varieties for a personalized look. 

 

 

Procession: 

Guests are seated in a half circle or circle around the ceremonial space, where the table for the mead toast is set up. 

 

The couple enters together or one at a time, and meets the officiant at the altar. If a parent, relative, or friend is walking one of the partners down the aisle, this happens now.  

 

 

Invocation & Welcome: 

 

Officiant: 
“Friends and family, we’re here today to celebrate ________ and ________ as they take this next step into marriage. We’re here to celebrate their joy, their friendship, the incredible growth they’ve experienced together, and the love they share! 

 

It’s no coincidence that they’ve chosen this day. As most of you know, today marks the longest day of the year, the triumph of light and love over darkness. It’s a time that’s been honored for thousands of years, as a day to make a new beginning, to revel in vibrancy and abundance, warmth and potential. It’s a time to celebrate family and the fullness of life.

 

When ________ and ________ met last year, they didn’t know they’d be saying their vows in front of all you today. But it wasn’t long -- only a couple of dates -- before they knew they’d found their person in each other. 

 

They say they knew they were meant to be, when spending time together made their days feel like those endless summer days of childhood -- full and happy. 

 

So today, with the sun at its fullest power, we gather to celebrate love at its fullest!” 

 

Declaration of Intent: 

 

Officiant: 
“Without further delay, are you two ready to marry?”

Partner One and Two, together:  
“We are!” 

 

 

Vows & Handfasting 

 

Officiant: 
“Wonderful! It looks like we’re all in the right place then. 

 

________ and ________, you’ve written personal vows to each other, which you’ll share as part of a traditional handfasting ceremony. 

 

For those guests who don’t know, a handfasting cord is a physical symbol of a spiritual bond. With each promise the couple makes, the cord is knotted, representing the unbreakable love these two share, and their commitment to honor and support one another always.

 

________ and ________, clasp hands as your first promise.”

 

The couple clasps hands, right hand with right hand, either crossing in front of the body or standing side to side. 

 

The officiant ties the first knot in the cord around the couples wrists. 

 

 

Important: If the couple will be exchanging rings before the handfasting cord is removed, make sure the couple uses their right hands so that the left hands are free. If this isn’t possible, remove the cord before placing the rings.

 

Officiant: 
“________, would you like to say your vows first?”

Partner One: Says their vows. 

 

The officiant ties the second knot. 

Officiant: 
“And ________, would you like to share your vows?” 

Partner Two: Says their vows.

 

The officiant ties the third knot.

Officiant: 
“Keep this cord with you for the years ahead, and let each knot remind you of the promises you made here today.”

 

 

Ring Exchange

 

Officiant: 
“Of course, it would be hard to go through life physically tied together wouldn’t it? Instead, to make the symbol lasting, ________ and ________ have also chosen to exchange rings.

 

________,  will you present the rings?” 

The guest holding the rings (ring bearer) passes them to each partner. 

 

The couple slips the rings on each other’s hands.

 

The handfasting cord is slipped off now, if it hasn’t been already, and is placed on the altar or passed to a guest for safe keeping.

 

 

 

Raise a glass to love!

Mead has been a traditional Solstice drink since the ancient days of Pagan handfasting. 

 

 

 

Blessing &  Mead / Honey wine toast: 

 

Officiant:
“Before we head out to feast and frolic, there’s one more thing to do -- share in a toast with this happy couple as they enter the world as married partners! 

 

________ and ________, lift your glasses! (They do) 

 

Everyone you see here today loves and cares about you, as individuals and as a couple. We’re so happy that you two found each other and that you’ve decided to share your life together. As you leave this sacred space today, take our love with you. And remember! You can do anything together! 

 

May the warmth of the sun remind you of the earth’s bounty, and its light, the bounty of your love. And may today be the start of a wonderfully full life that grows fuller, brighter, and happier with each turn of the season! 

 

Now toast to love, drink, kiss, and be merry!”

 

The couple toast, drink, and kiss! 

 

 

Pronouncement 

 

Officiant:
“Friends and family, I present to you ________ and ________, partners in life! 
(Or wife and husband, husband and husband, etc., as the couple chooses.)
 
The couple turn to face their guests happily, clasping hands.

 

 

Recession

 

Officiant: 
“This ceremony is officially over! Let’s give ________ and ________ some applause and then let’s go celebrate the Solstice!” 

 

Mead should be offered at the reception for guests to enjoy. 

 

...

 

Need another sample script for a wedding ceremony? 

Visit our Wedding Ceremony Script Library.

 

 

We know that writing a ceremony from scratch can be a daunting process, especially if you’re officiating on short notice. To make things easier, we keep our Sample Script Library well stocked with wedding ceremony templates and sample scripts for you to choose from. These scripts are a great starting point, with sections to add to, leave out, or reorganize, as you personalize a ceremony. 

 

We have more handfasting scripts, too, including a Modern Wiccan Handfasting! Find them all in the Library.

 

 

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• Vaccines and Weddings -- What officiants and couples can expect this summer
   

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New Planning Guide! 

 

An illustrated guide to handfasting

 

Explore the origins of ancient Paganism and learn how to add the magic of handfasting into your own wedding or commitment ceremony.

 

This deep dive into one of the most exciting trends in weddings is inspired by love stories that reach far back into the misty origins of human history, when Druids and Priestesses dispensed esoteric wisdom, cast powerful spells, and magic and nature were one-and-the-same.

 

Written and illustrated by AMM’s own Jessica Levey, this book is full of whimsical illustrations, and carefully researched and crafted stories and imagery that are your ticket to your own adventure.

 

 

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