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A Few Witchy Ways to Witch Up Your Wedding.
A Few Witchy Ways to Witch Up Your Wedding.
Are you a witch? Are you getting married? Do you want to honor your practice in your wedding with or without pissing off your extremely religious in-laws? Then please stay tuned!
There are many ways to incorporate your beliefs and practice into your wedding, and many ways to alter the ritual to either appease or hide it from those who may not agree with your practice. There are many cultural practices you can follow (just make sure you are researching closed practices and stick only to the ones you can follow), and many ways to include your gods and goddesses to your wedding with little to no speculation. Unless, you want people to know, then I will make sure to write about those as well.
Number One: A Handfastening.
What is a hand fastening? A hand fastening is when you intertwine three pieces of rope into a braid across your hand and your partner's hand. It is typically found in traditional Celtic Pagan weddings, however many religions are now adopting this practice to add it to their own weddings. It doesn't have to just be a Pagan wedding, as I have seen Christians do it and use God/Jesus as the center rope and themselves as the other two ropes. You may choose to use a deity you worship to be the center rope, you can simply dedicate the center rope as your life or your love for one another wrapping around the two of you. The possibilities are endless and it is an easy and very down-low practice to do. To add a little more magic to it, braid your own cords and add protection charms with your fiance. It not only makes the cord more meaningful, but it is a bonding experience and you get to put all the love and happiness you feel for each other into making it.
Number Two: Crystals.
Crystals are cool, they look like shiny rocks, and most people wouldn't look twice if there are a few crystals on the tables or in your flowers. I will be giving everyone in my bridal party selenite (to protect and cleanse) and rose quartz (to bring in love). This is a cute idea and you can even do a ritual before you go out to calm your nerves with quartz and amethyst.
Number Three: Veils
Veils were used in ancient times to confuse spirits and to protect the bride from spirits that wanted to take her. This is a very easy way to add a layer of magic to the wedding, as you can enchant the veil to repel negativity and harm. Also, veils are so widely used these days that people would be considered crazy if they questioned why you were wearing a veil.
Number Four: Set up a Wedding Altar
A wedding altar can be as simple as the table you set up for the guest to sign the guest book. Add pictures of you and your fiance, pictures of married couples in your family that have passed, crystals, candles, the works. People will simply think you have a very nicely decorated table for the guests. You can also add small tokens of your deities to the table to tie it into the over all theme or to just add a pop of color. I am having a slightly Tangled themed wedding so I will be adding little suns to the table for Apollo!
Number Five: Spell Satchels
You can make a small spell satchel to wear under your dress for protections and love. Rose petals, rose quartz, rosemary, bay leaves with intentions writen on them, and pink salt would be good to add. You can tie it to your garter (if wearing one/wearing a dress) or put it in your suit pocket. They are small enough to not even be noticed by others.
Number Six: Exchanging of Swords
The exchanging of swords was very big in Norse Weddings. To sum it up, the Groom and Bride exchange swords to vow to protect each other until and past death. Another wedding tradition is to gift the Bride with a kitten to promote protection and to help catch mice and rats. I, personally, don't think this practice should ever go away.
Number Seven: Go barefoot.
Connect to the Earth as you walk down the aisle. Feel the ground and let it center and ground you to the moment.
These are just a few ways you can connect your practice to your wedding. If this blows up enough, I may make a part two! I will also be starting reguluar updates about my own wedding and how I am witching it up! Stay tuned and drink water!
#witchcraft#witch#witchblr#witches#witchy#pagan#cottagemagic#witchy wedding#wedding traditions#wedding
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🖤Dark wedding hairystyle inspo🖤
#paganblr#pagan witch#dark wedding#witchy wedding#pagan wedding#dark cottagecore#goblincore#witch hairstyle#forestcore#naturecore#witchblr#forest witch#wedding#goth wedding#goth aesthetic
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#wedding#wedding ideas#wedding inspiration#wedding photography#weddings#witchy wedding#whimsigoth wedding
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For our commitment ceremony me and @parkerpants built and bound a broom together.
A broom can be hung over your home’s front door to prevent gossip, unwanted guests, or curses. They can be used symbolically for protection, but their main use is for clearing away negative energy ahead of, or during a ritual. Marriage is one of the most sacred rituals of all ✨🖤
Our broom is from @thewitcherymarket
#me#witch#bald girl#bald witch#green witch#greenwitch#witch community#broom#witchy wedding#metaphysical#metaphysical wedding#Salem#the witchery#magic#wedding#bald bride
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#wedding inspo#wedding inspiration#witchy wedding#bohemian wedding#boho wedding#wedding aesthetic#wedding dress#wedding decorations#wedding ideas#manifesation#manifesting
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The Carmilla gown in black
Available on www.ravencourtclothing.com
Worn by Kassandra Love and photo by Andrea Hunter
#vampire aesthetic#witchy#witch#fantasy#black wedding dress#witchy wedding#goth#goth wedding#vampire
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Okay but I'm getting married next year in September (hopefully if we can get a venue booked this year) and I'm doing the lovers tarot card in my garter and I might do some sage, not sure though. I've already got herbology in our flowers and color magick, but when I first sat down and started drafting a list of things that I wanted to incorporate regarding my practice into my wedding, I put down "tarot card in the garter" as a nod to WOEE and I'm doing it and I can't wait! 😍
witches of east end rewatch: Oh, What a World! (1x10) + magic
Benedicito. / I bless you.
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I have not drawn in many days but @witchkittymeow inspired me to draw her on the shared magma, I love her mermaid!Rosé design so much!!!
Based on Firefish, which look like this!
#artists on tumblr#art#artwork#digital artist#fanart#drawtectives#deathianartworks#drawfee#drawtectives fanart#drawfee fanart#mertectives#mermay 2024#mermay#i will do a better version eventually but for now you guys get shitty stuff only because ive been out at a wedding all week and am shattered#love her sm rosé my bestie#fish#fishfishfish#everyone should draw fish#fish beautiful#everyone should draw witchys design for mertectives too#her art is so cool#check it out!
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Pls im begging im on my knees what happens in crossguilds honeymoon shenanigans? - dis is pertaining to the CG wedding anser sjdjdjdjdns i love it btw the asker is so big brained and u made it even better sjdmsjxkz
OKAY so I'll divide it up between General Content and Adult Content.
General first!!!
• at first, they didn't even plan a honeymoon. It simply wasn't in the cards to then, they didn't even consider it. Then Big Mom asked, making conversation at the following party, what kind of honeymoon they had planned. They told her just an evening together in their tent, then back to work.
The men, women and enbies of the Guild swooped right in there with bright grins. "We pooled our wages together," they announce, "and booked you a trip!" It's for a weekend, just three days, and they'd be gone perhaps five at most depending on the weather and travel.
All three are trying not to cringe into the ether because they'd be leaving the island for a decent chunk of time. Who would run everything?
Their commanding officers then give them an itemized delegated list, with all the primary functions taken care of. The Guild really prepared for everything, huh?
• the honeymoon is to a resort not too terribly far for Karai Bari. The first thought is for them to just.... divide and do their own things.
Only they keep running into each other that first day. Buggy and Mihawk wind up in the library with other. Mihawk and Crocodile run into each other in the sauna. Buggy and Crocodile meet up in the casino. It's constant, and eventually it even becomes rather fun.
• then evening hits.
Adult Content below~
• Buggy's got the self awareness of a walrus on cocaine honestly, so he doesn't really think before stripping down to change into his evening wear. Crocodile and Mihawk at first ignore it until they catch sight of a pale back full of freckles and scars. Both dark haired me are suddenly fighting the urge to kiss him there, to make constellations with their touch and tongue. They look away.
• Only One Bed - Mihawk wordlessly prepares the couch for himself and Buggy makes a hammock and Crocodile is getting the bed - the first night at least.
• sleepy early mornings are so intimate and nobody discusses that enough. Buggy is the first up, hair slightly messy from the braid he slept in, curls framing his bare face. He makes coffee and starts on breakfast. Mihawk joins him not long after. Crocodile wakes to the smell of food, coffee, and murmured voices and laughter. When he inevitably wanders into the kitchen, halfasleep, he accepts a playe and mug, presses a kiss to Buggy's temple, a squeeze to Mihawk's wrist. Both clown and swordsman take a moment to process that.
• Buggy isn't exactly a contributer to Gender, so he'll wear whatever so long as he likes it. Including, it turns out, a form fitting dress in a rich green with gold accents and jewelry which shows his long leg via a high slit. He plays the part of ditzy eye candy well for Crocodile, and all seems fine - until some others begin to look at Buggy as well.
• Crocodile is possessive. And they ARE married.... so he pulls Buggy close by his hook at the other's waist and yanks the other down to one of his legs, within neck kissing range. Buggy is flustered. Crocodile is glowering. The wandering eyes ease off.
• at some point, Marines show up. The resort is neutral ground, so none of the Guild leaders make moves to react. Through a series of events, it turns out the Marines are there to apprehend the pirates and have paid off the resort owners.
There's a fight which goes.... fairly normally with Mihawk close range, sinking vessels and soldiers alike. Crocodile is lurking midrange to use his poisons and sand most effectively. Buggy has opted for more long range with his explosives and plots. The whole thing is pretty damn smooth, all considered. Until someone makes it past and grabs Buggy.
A comment is made on his outfit, a cocktail dress and blazer with matching stockings. On his decorum. On him, specifically. It's nothing he hasn't heard before, and he's already halfway through a snarky comeback along the lines of "What, angry I'm hotter than your whore at home-?" when there is a wave of pressure. Buggy blinks. The marine officer stumbles.
There is suddenly a hand on his waist, a hook around his neck, two presences flanking him. "What," the both nearly snarl, "did you say about our wife?"
• Buggy absolutely gets butterflies.
• the rest of the fight is pretty quick, Hawkeyes and Crocodile out of patience to play with their foes. Buggy isn't a slouch either, by the way, he's lobbing explosives strategically all around. Nearing the end, he herds his husband's to their ship, pushes off, and gives a theatrical count down.
• the island and nearby ships are bathed in fire. Buggy is cackling, a mess, his hair wild around a filthy, bloodied face. The dress reveals his shoulders. The torn edges reveal more of those freckles.
Something in both taller men snaps, and they converge upon Buggy with claims and lips and teeth. On the deck of their ornate ship, to the cracking ambience of fire, they have their wicked way with him, learning his body and finding unexpected but delightful facts as they go.
Crocodile could transition fully due to Iva, but Buggy is not so lucky. His top surgery was experimental, and bottom surgery was never a huge deal to him. Mihawk, luckily, enjoys all bodies and pleasures of the flesh, and he is a quick study under Crocodile's tutelage and experience with the organs he once had.
Buggy falls to pieces more than once, teary eyed and begging and so sweet for them, so cute and attractive with his grasping hands and hiccuping breaths. He is beautiful as he sinks down onto one, cradled by another and wails with the stimulation and hands and hook that break him I to pieces just to reassemble him again.
It ends with them together, indulgent and depraved, christened beneath firelight and debris and the screams of their enemies.
And none of the three had ever felt quite so seem as they did in that moment.
• back on Karai Bari, they sashay back in, mostly, as Buggy has a mild limp.
The lipstick stains and bite marks and bruises and scratches paint a clear enough picture for what happened.
"How was your trip?"
"We blew it up"
"Wha-"
"Fire. Explosives. Our beautiful chairman has quite the knack for such weapons"
"D'aww! Hawky, you'll make me blush!"
"We can make you do more than that, you little shit...~"
"Hehe~"
The poor mercenary is left rebooting.
#buggy the clown#sir crocodile#dracule mihawk#cross guild#cross guild polycule#fake wedding au#witchy answers!!
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How to keep your beliefs in your wedding when you have super Christian guests.
158 days until the wedding:
White or pink candles symbolize love and protection! Try to add these candles to your wedding in some way. Black also is good for protection if you are having a darker themed wedding. My colors are Blue (calm), Purple (loyalty), and Green (wealth).
You dont have to wear a veil, if you are the bride. However, it is to protect you from negativity during the ceremony. Parents in law that don’t like you? Their bad vibes wont get through that veil.
Try handfasting, as a physical sign of being tied to one another! Many people do this tradition, so it is not inherently pagan and could be glanced over.
Light candles together. No one will know if the candle is for Hera, Freyja, Frigg, Aphrodite, Juno, Venus, etc. They will just see you do something together, to jump start the next chapter in your life.
Burn a bayleaf with your intention on it to attract longevity, wealth, and happiness.
Bless the area before the guest sit down
Bring the elements into your wedding. Air can be windchimes or balloons, fire can be with the candles or a bonfire, water can be with shells or fountains, and earth can just be not wearing shoes or live plants as center pieces
Do your own tarot reading before the wedding, to see the outcome of the day or the relationship.
Add intentions to your vows.
Buy me a Ko-fi
Join the Server
Support me on Patreon
Support my Etsy
#wedding#witchy wedding#wedding planning#witchcraft#witch#witch discord#witch server#witches#witchblr#pagan#paganism#celtic paganism#germanic paganism#celtic pagan
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WIP WEDNESDAY
This is your daily reminder that there should be more Bonnie & Caroline friendship in fics, thank you for coming to my ted talk.
“God, I’m so excited for Tyler to finally be able to come home.”
“He won’t have to take orders from Klaus when he’s dead, that’s for sure,” Bonnie muttered. She glanced up when Caroline remained quiet, frowning slightly. “Elena mentioned he invited you to the ball? Why would Klaus do that?”
Caroline scowled up at the ceiling, annoyed by the direction the conversation had taken. “I have no idea.”
Bonnie stopped looking through the grimoire. “Well, what did he want last night?”
“I don’t know.” Caroline shrugged, a little lost, throwing a hand up. “He asked me to dance, we talked, he showed me his artwork-”
“Artwork?” Bonnie echoed.
Caroline frowned slightly, worrying her lip.
“Yeah, he’s an artist, I guess,” she tried to shrug off, like it wasn’t a big deal. Even serial killers had hobbies, right? She didn’t mention the drawing he’d done of her - nope, not happening. She scoffed, shaking her head. “I’m pretty sure interpol has half his art collection listed as stolen or missing - like the feds would have a field day if they raided that place.”
“So he asked you to dance, spent time with you, showed you his personal art collection…” Her best friend paused, slowly closing the grimoire, eyeing Caroline critically. “...like a date?”
Caroline shot up into a sitting position, glaring at Bonnie.
“It was NOT a date,” she hissed, slicing her hands through the air, as if to ward the accusation off. “There was no ‘dating’ of any kind.”
Bonnie’s eyes widened a fraction and she deliberately turned her gaze back to the grimoire.
“Sounds like a date to me,” she muttered under her breath, opening the book back up.
Caroline tried to push the memory of Klaus admitting he fancied her out of her head, something fluttering in her stomach.
“He was just cozying up to me to get to Elena,” she tried to excuse. Her eyes shot to Bonnie, pleading with her to agree. “Right?”
Bonnie sighed, regarding her sadly. “Is it really that impossible to consider that a guy may actually like you?”
“Bonnie,” Caroline carefully enunciated, “It’s Klaus.”
Her friend rolled her eyes, closing the grimoire again and throwing it to the side. “Yeah, obviously I’m not saying you should date him, Caroline. I’m just saying you’re,” she shrugged, gesturing to all of her, “you know, a catch. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”
Bonnie leaned forward, grasping Caroline’s hands in hers as she smiled softly. Touched, Caroline couldn’t help but smile back.
“Hell,” Bonnie continued, “Tyler doesn’t even deserve you after he left you for dead in the woods and then ghosted you.”
“He’s trying to break the sire bond for me, Bonnie,” Caroline pointed out, her glare half-hearted. Secretly, her friend’s fierce protectiveness warmed her heart.
“Even so,” Bonnie conceded, letting go of Caroline’s hands, “it was a dick move, one he made on your birthday of all days. You don’t have to excuse him all the time.”
Caroline sighed - Bonnie was right. She let her head fall into her hands, running her fingers anxiously through her hair. Biting her lip, she looked back up at Bonnie.
“And if Klaus does actually…like me?” she asked quietly.
Sheepishly, Bonnie smiled, the expression halfway to a wince. “Start growing wolfsbane in the garden?”
“Would that even work on a hybrid?”
“He’s part werewolf, right?” Bonnie shrugged, picking up her grimoire again. A wicked smile curled around the corners of her face. “You’d assume so.”
Caroline shook her head, grinning too as she pulled out her phone. “Guess I need to google where I can get wolfsbane from, then,” she said, like it was a great chore.
“Check Petco, maybe you’ll find the dog version of catnip.”
Unable to keep straight faces, they giggled, both of them doubling over laughing.
#klaroline#klaus x caroline#klaroline fanfiction#the big bad wolf#tbbw#klaroline wip wed#morningstar writes#this is after the mikaelson ball btw#if you don't think Klaus counted that night as their first date you are lying to yourself#just like caroline here#my girl is so hopelessly flattered and trying to hide it#like urgh klaus why would you give her fEeLiNgs#how rude of you#also also#you may forgive your exes but your friends certainly don't#especially witchy friends who have hexes ready to go on hand
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#wedding#wedding ideas#wedding inspiration#wedding photography#weddings#whimsigoth wedding#witchy wedding
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https://shrsl.com/4eyfj
#fashion#style#witchy fashion#witch fashion#witchy style#witch style#goth#goth fashion#goth style#goth wedding#goth prom
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Pagan Wedding Planning (Part 1)
If you're like the vast majority of pagans, you probably have friends, family, or other people you care about who are not pagan. It's highly likely that you will have guests at your wedding who do not share your beliefs.
We can only hope that our non-pagan loved ones are open-minded, understanding, and supportive of our choice of spiritual path -- but realistically, this isn't always the case. You might have friends or family who don't really understand what paganism is or why you would want a pagan wedding. You may have loved ones who have been misinformed about what it means to be pagan by movies, TV, and popular culture. You might even have loved ones who are actively opposed to your religion, or who you don't feel safe "coming out" to.
If it's not important to you that your non-pagan friends and family attend your wedding, great! Only inviting other pagans decreases the chances that you'll have to explain ritual elememts or comfort an uncomfortable guest. If that's the route you want to go, by all means, have a pagans-only wedding. If it is important to you that your non-pagan loved ones are there for this milestone, then you really have three options: 1.) have a pagan wedding knowing you may have to accomodate non-pagan guests, 2.) have a secular wedding, possibly with a private religious ritual before or after, or 3.) have multiple weddings or split the wedding into multiple events, like a pagan ceremony with a secular reception. (Technically you also have a fourth option, which is to plan the type of wedding your loved ones are expecting. However, I do not recommend this option. Your wedding is about you and your partner(s), not your families, friends, and acquaintances. I've never met someone who compromised on their wedding and didn't regret it.) Let's explore what each of these options might look like. If you decide to go ahead with a fully pagan ceremony, the most important thing is to make sure you communicate up front that this will be a pagan religious ritual. You can include a line on invitations like "Please join us in celebrating our commitment with a Wiccan handfasting ceremony," or "[Partner] and [partner] will be exchanging vows in a Hellenic pagan ceremony." This makes it very clear to recipients what type of ceremony they've been invited to, and it gives them a chance to contact you with questions or concerns. If someone does contact you to ask about the ceremony, answer their questions honestly. They may be genuinely curious and simply want to know more about your beliefs. You might find it helpful to choose a good book about your religion ahead of time so you can recommend it to curious guests. This gives them a chance to feel more prepared for the ceremony, and it also spares you from having to teach a Paganism 101 class while you're trying to plan a wedding. If one of your guests expresses concern or discomfort about attending a pagan wedding (or worse, tries to talk you out of having one), you might have to set a firm boundary with them. Let them know that you value your relationship with them and that it would mean a lot to you for them to be present for your wedding, but that you also value your spiritual practice and feel it's important to have a ceremony that accurately reflects who you are. Tell them that you hope they are willing to set aside any ideological differences to support you during this important milestone, but you would never want them to do something that makes them feel unsafe or violates their deeply held beliefs just because you asked them to. Tell them that if they truly feel that they cannot be part of a pagan wedding, they shouldn't attend. Keep in mind that some religions teach that it is wrong or a sin to participate in rituals from other religions. If you have a friend or family member who practices one of these religions, you may want to leave them out of your pagan wedding plans. If you want them to know you're thinking of them, send them an invitation but be prepared for them to turn you down.
If you're choosing to have a pagan wedding, you're probably very open about your beliefs and have loved ones who are supportive. But be aware that there is always a chance your invitations will set off a missionary resonse from one of your guests, especially if you invite people who didn't previously know you were pagan. If you get a call or text from someone who is "concerned about your spiritual wellbeing" or "has some concerns about your lifestyle," refer back to the previous advice about guests who are uncomfortable attending a pagan ceremony. Tell them that you're happy with your current religious practice and aren't looking to convert. Be polite but firm. Make it clear that you respect their spiritual beliefs and expect them to do the same for you. If they keep bringing up the issue, you may need to privately let them know that they are no longer invited to the wedding. Uninviting someone from an event is always awkward, but it's much less awkward than letting that person make a scene during a serious religious ritual. Be willing to have difficult conversations ahead of time to avoid having them on your wedding day.
But sometimes it's not as simple as not inviting someone. Maybe it's very important to you that your grandmother be present at your wedding, but your grandmother wouldn't be comfortable attending a pagan ceremony. In these situations, you might choose to have a secular ceremony instead.
A secular ceremony is exactly what it sounds like -- a legally binding wedding ceremony with no religious elements. A lot of people associate secular weddings with "courthouse weddings," which is when you and your partner get married at a courthouse or other government building with few or no guests. While this is a popular option, especially for couples who don't want an expensive wedding, secular weddings can be as big and extravagant as you want to make them. The main difference is that the wedding will be officiated by a justice of the peace or an ordained nondenominational minister instead of by a member of the clergy. And, of course, there won't be any overt religious elements.
A secular wedding can be a great option if you're marrying someone who isn't pagan, or if your family and friends aren't very religious. It also allows for a lot of freedom and personalization since you don't have to follow any specific traditions. You can even ask a friend or relative to get ordained (which, at least in the US, can be done online for free) so they can officiate the wedding. The sky is the limit when it comes to planning a secular ceremony.
If you decide on a secular wedding but still want to ritually acknowledge your union or ask the gods to bless your marriage, you can do so in a private, personal ritual either before or after the wedding itself. If your partner is also pagan or is open to participating in pagan rituals, ask them to join you. If not, enjoy this personal time alone with your gods and ancestors.
The third option is to have two or more wedding events. This is the most complicated (and usually most expensive) option, but it's also the best way to make sure everyone gets what they want -- you and your partner(s) get a religious ceremony that is meaningful to you, and your families and friends can still attend a wedding that feels familiar and traditional.
This is also sometimes the best option for interfaith couples. Some religions only recognize marriages that were performed according to their traditions, and many of these faiths don't allow for interfaith ceremonies -- if your partner belongs to one of these religions, you may need to have two ceremonies. Or maybe one or both of you has a very traditional family who want you to have a ceremony that reflects their cultural heritage. For example, a Roman Catholic who is marrying a Heathen with Indian heritage might have up to three different ceremonies: a Catholic religious ceremony, a Heathen religious ceremony, and an Indian cultural ceremony. (This would only happen if the Heathen partner wanted a religious ceremony, since Heathenry recognizes non-Heathen marriages.)
This is also a great option if you're torn between having a pagan ceremony and having a secular one. You can have a small pagan ceremony with just you, your partner(s), your officiant, and a few pagan or pagan-friendly loved ones, then have a secular ceremony or a big reception for your less open-minded guests. You don't have to make compromises, everyone gets to be a part of your wedding in some way, and you can all gracefully avoid any tense conversations about belief or lifestyle.
The downside to the "multiple weddings" approach is that it makes the whole process a lot more stressful for the people planning all these events, which is usually the people getting married. Each event costs money and requires time and energy to plan, plus you'll be juggling multiple guest lists. Depending on how anti-pagan your loved ones are, you may even have to keep the pagan ceremony a secret, which is another source of stress. The last thing you want is to get angry phone calls from relatives who just found out they were only invited to part of your wedding! Ultimately, you and your partner need to decide if making everyone happy is worth that extra stress.
Full disclosure: my fiance and I decided to go the "multiple weddings" route. We had a couple of family members who we wanted to include, but who we knew wouldn't be willing to attend a pagan ritual. At the same time, both of us are very religious in our weird, pagan way, and we knew we wanted to have a religious marriage ceremony. A secular wedding just wouldn't be authentic for us.
We decided to compromise by having a small, intimate, and very pagan ceremony, then having a larger, 100% secular reception later on the same day. Because our ceremony was going to be so small, we would be able to afford both events while still staying under budget. (My mom actually surprised me by offering to help pay for our reception, which was incredibly sweet, but we would have been able to pay for everything ourselves even without her much-appreciated help.) It probably helps that even at our "big" event, we're going to have fewer than fifty people.
If you and your partner(s) decide to have multiple weddings, be prepared to spend a lot of time and stress on the budget. Budgeting for multiple events means you may have to make sacrifices to save money -- for example, you may have to book a smaller venue for the reception so you can afford to reserve a space for the pagan ceremony. While it's possible to get married practically for free if you get a friend to officiate, have the ceremony and reception at a loved one's home, wear clothes you already own, etc., that may not be the type of wedding you and your partner(s) were imagining for yourselves. Sit down with your partner(s) early in the planning process and have a very honest, realistic talk about what you want vs. what you can actually afford.
No matter what type of ceremony (or how many) you decide to have, your family may offer to help you pay for it. In Western cultures, the bride's family traditionally pays for the wedding ceremony and the reception and the groom's family traditionally pays for the rehearsal dinner, the marriage license fee, and the honeymoon. While a lot of families no longer follow these strict etiquette guidelines, a lot of parents still feel like they should pay for something when their child gets married. This can be really helpful, because it can drastically increase your budget. But at the same time, be aware that family members who are paying for part of your wedding may feel like they should be involved in the decision-making process.
For example, if your very Christian grandmother is paying for your wedding, she may expect you to get married at her church. If your parents are helping to pay for things, they may expect to have input on some aspects of the ceremony or reception. This can sometimes spiral into someone else planning the wedding they want you to have while you get given a backseat in the decision-making.
This might be absolutely okay with you. I was glad to let my mom help me plan the reception, because I know she and I have similar tastes and would be on the same page. It was actually a relief to let someone else take over the catering math! When my future mother-in-law offered to pay for our wedding shower, I was thankful because it meant I could let her and her daughters take over planning for that event. More hands, brains, and wallets to help plan means less work for the couple themselves.
At the same time, my fiance and I are paying for 100% of the ceremony costs so we can be sure we have 100% creative control over that aspect of our wedding. It's important to us that we have the ritual we want, without debating over details with non-pagan family members.
This is my advice for other couples: don't let anybody pay for anything unless you'll be okay sharing creative control over that part of your wedding. Your family may not expect to have veto privileges just because they signed a check -- but you don't want to risk finding out after everything has been booked that your preferences have been overruled, or that a relative has backed out on their financial commitment because they don't approve of your choices.
Thankfully, there are lots of events and expenses traditionally associated with Western weddings, so it's easy to find things for family to pay for if they want to contribute financially. Maybe they'd like to host your engagement party or pay for part of your honeymoon. Or you can delegate very specific tasks that you're okay letting go of, like asking your in-laws to be in charge of the flowers or asking your parents to handle the cake. You know your family, and you know how involved you want them to be.
#the great handfasting project#handfasting#pagan wedding#queer wedding#wedding magic#wedding#witchblr#witch#witchcraft#witchy#pagan witch#paganism#pagan#pagans of tumblr#gay pagan#paganblr#paganpride#ritual#long post#my writing#mine
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haven’t been on here in a while. life update: i got married last Saturday on Earth Day after 6 years together 🖤🌿
#alt#alternative#emo#alternative fashion#newlyweds#just married#alt couple#woodland#fairy cottage#fairycore#fairy wedding#earthy#moodylandscape#moody edit#nu metal#2000s internet#emo aesthetic#grunge#alt music#witchy#earth witch#2000s emo#vintage#vintage wedding
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