The battle to have Handfastings recognised as legal forms of marriage has once again resurfaced in a recent petition.
Currently in England and Wales, Handfastings on their own are not legally binding, and require the couple to perform a civil ceremony in a registrar's office.
Handfastings date back to the ancient Celtic era and involved the couple’s hands being bound together with a braided cord or ribbon. Traditionally, it was defined as a temporary betrothal, but over time, it’s been used interchangeably with marriage.
“I don’t see why any Pagan or ‘minority religion’ should not be legally recognised for their beliefs,” says Millie Hardy-Sims, who started the petition in April. As a practising Pagan, she expresses her frustration at having to “pay out for two weddings” when the time comes for herself and her partner.
Handfastings are humanist ceremonies, not religious. They are not legally binding, but couples can choose to have a civil ceremony to legitimatise their marriage. The two can’t happen together, however, as civil ceremonies are not allowed to have religious associations, and Handfastings are closely tied to Pagan traditions. This differs from other religious ceremonies, such as in Christianity and Judaism, which are legally binding.
There have already been attempts to make Handfastings recognised, and in the light of “viral calls for writing pagan on the [Scottish] census”, perceptions are beginning to change, and success may be on the horizon.
The petition has received nearly 9,000 signatures in just a week, and Hardy-Sims hopes the “momentum doesn’t fizzle out”. She makes note that the stigma behind witchcraft and pagan traditions are “shattering piece by piece” and believes that the recognition will be received. “I can feel it in the universe’s shift,” she says.
To sign the petition, go to https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/578992