Before the ceremony, Goði Beast consecrates the ritual area, and prepares the altar. The altar is lit by a blue candle for Enki, and a yellow candle for Athena. One red candle sits on the altar, also incense, bell, one silver chalice, a dagger, a crystal, wedding rings and length of cord for the handfasting.

A selection of music shall be agreed upon by both bride and groom and played in the background as bride and assembled guests enter.

The Ceremony
The groom stands next to the best man to the right, near the altar. Before the bride and the one who gives her away comes down the isle, there will be the usual procession of bride’s maids, ushers, flower girls, etc. The priest stands in front of the altar, facing the congregation. When the ceremony is about to begin, the best man strikes the bell three times (slowly).

Invocations

Goði Beast: “Gods of old, Ancestors, land and water vaettr, we ask that you join with us, as we we say the binding of these two who shall be as one. They desire to make their union a matter of record, so that their friends and the society in which they live may bear witness and lend support. Diana and Adonis, Ishtar and Tammuz, Freyja and Odin… by these and other names are divine lovers known. I invite the Gods to come bless this union as we invoke the powers that be.”

[Goði Beast takes up the red candle from the altar and raises it to the south.] “We call upon the element of fire to come serve us, for we are creatures of the flame. Flame the passion of Jean and Allen and fill them with all consuming ardor and love for each other!”

[Goði Beast takes up incense from the altar and raises it to the east.] “We call upon the element of the air to come serve us, for we are creatures of the wind! Consciousness flows, one to the other, so this couple may share a mutual wisdom and unified vision.”

[Goði Beast takes up the crystal from the altar and raises it to the north.] “We call upon the element of the earth to come serve us, for we are creatures of the earth! Your strength and constancy shall keep them together as long as they both shall live.”

[Goði Beast takes up a chalice filled with wine from the altar and raises it to the west.] “We call upon the element of water to come serve us, for we are creatures of the water! Grant Jean and Allen the qualities of serenity and patience and a love as deep as the ocean.”

“Hear me, you whom we have called to witness this rite. Be mindful of lovers such as these and provide them a bastion of solace and protection.”

The Handfasting
“Allen and Jean, up until this moment you have been separate in thought, word and action. As this cord binds together your hands, so do your lives become joined.”

[Goði Beast takes up the cords from the altar and begins to tie together Allen’s left and Jean’s right hands.]

“Know now before you go further, that since your lives have crossed in this life you have formed ties between each other. As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real, the ideals which give meaning to both this ceremony and the institution of marriage. With full awareness, know that within this circle you are not only declaring your intent to be handfasted before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also to your creative higher powers. The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and lives of each soul’s growth. Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?”

Couple replies “Yes, We Seek to Enter.”

Goði Beast: “In times past it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West and North. It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony.”

[Goði Beast holds the cords up to the East]
“Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East. Communication of the heart, mind, and body. Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.”

[Goði Beast holds the cords up to the South]
“Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South. Warmth of hearth and home The heat of the heart’s passion The light created by both To lighten the darkest of times.”

[Goði Beast holds the cords up to the West]
“Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West. The deep commitments of the lake The swift excitement of the river The refreshing cleansing of the rain The all encompassing passion of the sea.”

[Goði Beast holds the cords up to the North]
“Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North Firm foundation on which to build Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives A stable home to which you may always return.”

[Goði Beast turns back to the congregation]
“Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and successful union. Yet they are only tools. Tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union. I bid you look into each others eyes.”

[Goði Beast turns to Allen, and holds the first cord for the handfasting.]
Allen, Will you cause her pain?
Allen says, “I May.”
Is that your intent?
Allen says, “No.”

Jean, Will you cause him pain?
Jean says, “I may.”
Is that your intent?
Jean says, “No.”

*To Both*

Will you share each other’s pain and seek to ease it?
Couple says, “Yes.”
[First cord is draped across couple’s hands]

“And so the first binding is made.”

“Jean, Will you share his laughter?”
Jean says, “Yes.”

“Allen, Will you share her laughter?”
Allen says, “Yes.”

*To Both*

“Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?”
Couple says, “Yes.”

[Second cord is draped across couple’s hands[
“And so the second binding is made.”

“Jean, Will you burden him?”
Jean says, “I may.”
“Is that your intent?”
Jean says, “No.”

“Allen, Will you burden her?”
Allen says, “I May.”
“Is that your intent?”
Allen says, “No.”

*To Both*

“Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?”
Couple says, “Yes.”

[Third cord is draped across couple’s hands]
“And so the third binding is made.”

“Jean, will you share his dreams?”
Jean says, “Yes.”

“Allen, will you share her dreams?”
Allen says, “Yes”

*To Both*

“Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?”
Couple says: “Yes”

[Fourth cord is draped across couple’s hands]
“​And so the fourth binding is made.”

“Allen, will you cause her anger?”
Allen says, “I May.”
“Is that your intent?”
Allen says, “No”

“Jean , will you cause him anger?”
Jean says, “I may.”
“Is that your intent?”
Jean says, “No.”

​*To Both*

“Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?”
Couple says “We Will.”

​[Fifth chord is draped across couple’s hands]
“And so the fifth binding is made.”

“Jean, Will you honor him?”
Jean says, “I will.”

“Allen, Will you honor her?”
Allen says, “I will”

*To Both*

“Will you seek to never give cause to break that honor?”
Couple says, “We shall never do so.”

[​Sixth cord is draped across couple’s hands]
“And so the sixth binding is made.”

“The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.”

[The cords are removed and placed on altar.]

The Blade and Chalice
[Goði Beast takes the dagger from the altar and puts it in Jean’s left hand.]

“Jean, you bring the energy of Athena of Greece; boundless, bright, intuitive, and fiercly protective. I bid you blend these energies with Allen to make your lives together whole. Wield this dagger as a symbol of your love.”

[Goði Beast takes up chalice from the altar and places it in Allen’s right hand.]
“Allen, you bring the energy of Enki of Sumeria; expansive, fluid, life-giving, and sustaining. I bid you blend these energies with Jean to make your lives together whole. Take this cup as a symbol of your love.”

Jean: “I pledge my blade, as I pledge my soul, ever to your service. Like this blade my love for you will be strong and enduring, so that our lives together will always be protected. Accept it, my beloved, and with it all that is mine becomes yours. Even if our paths should later diverge, yet I will always be your true friend, to love you and lend you aid and protection. By seed and root, by bud and stem, by leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love, in the name of Athena, I, Jean, take you, Allen, to my hand, my heart, and my spirit.”

Allen: “I pledge this chalice, as I pledge my soul, ever to your service. As from this cup, my love for you will pour forth so that our lives together will be nourished. Accept it, my beloved, and with it all that is mine also becomes yours. Even if our paths should later diverge, yet I will always be your true friend, to love you and lend you aid and protection. By seed and root, by bud and stem, by leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love, in the name of Enki, I, Allen, take you, Jean, to my hand, my heart, and my spirit.”

[Jean dips the blade into the chalice.]

Goði Beast: “Athena and Enki, female and male, dark and light… neither has meaning without the other, but through their eternal interplay the universe is born. As Enki brought life to this realm, and Athena has pledged her existence to defending it, so should your union bring forth joy, and protect the joy in in each other. This bond I draw between you; when you are parted in mind or body, there will be a call in the core of you, one to the other, to which nothing and no one else will answer. By the secrets of the earth and water is this bond woven, unbreakable, irrevocable. By the law that created fire and wind is this bond written in your souls.”

[Goði Beast takes blade and chalice and puts them on the altar.]

Exchanging the Rings
[Goði Beast takes up couple’s rings.]

“Your vows have been made before your friends, your family, your ancestors, and all the Gods above and below. These rings, like your vows, are without beginning or end. They are the physical representation of your promises to each other’s spirits.”

[Jean takes Allen’s ring and places it on his finger. Allen takes Jean’s ring and places it on her finger.]

Goði Beast: “Above you are the stars, below you are the stones. As time passes, remember – like a star should your love be constant, like the earth should your love be firm. Have no fear and let not the ways or words of the unenlightened give you unease, for the Powers that be are with you, now and always! I now pronounce you husband and wife. The work of joy is done and yet begun!”

[BRIDE and GROOM kiss.]

Rose Ceremony
A single red rose always means “I love you”. Your gift to each other for your wedding today has been your wedding rings – which shall always be an outward demonstration of your vows of love and respect; and a public showing of your commitment to each other. You now have what remains the most honourable title, which may exist between any couple, the title of “Married”. For your first gift as a married couple, that gift will be a single rose. In the past, the rose was considered a symbol of love and a single rose always meant only one thing – it meant the words “I love you.” So it is appropriate that for your first gift would be a single rose. Within these rose buds, if given proper loving care, is the potential for an even more beautiful expression of Life and Love in the form of the mature flower. And so it is with your marriage. At this point your marriage is like these rose buds – ready, with proper loving care – to unfold into a very beautiful expression of life.

(Exchange Roses)

Allen and Jean, I would ask that where ever you make your home in the future – whether it be a large and elegant home – or a small and graceful one – that you both pick one very special location in your home for roses; so that on each anniversary of this truly wonderful occasion of your marriage, you both may take a rose to that special spot in your home, both as a recommitment to your marriage – and a recommitment that THIS will be a marriage based upon love.

Those of us who are already married know that marriage, like life, brings with it many joys and also many challenges. We also know that love, while beautiful, does not always show its prettiest face. There are days when we may find it hard to express the depth of our love for one another. In every marriage there are times where it is difficult to find the right words. It might be difficult some time to say “I am sorry” or “I forgive you”; “I need you” or “I am hurting”. If this should happen, if you simply can not find these words to express what you really feel, Go to that spot that you both have selected and there leave a rose. That rose placed in that special location can say what matters most of all. The rose you place there will say the words: “I still love you.” It is wise to understand this as a statement of love and the need, or request for that extra bit of tender loving care permits the beauty of the rose to come forth from the rose bud. So also will that love permit the beauty of maturity to come forth from your marriage in every situation. Your partner should accept this rose for the words which cannot be found, and remember the love and hope that you both share today. That rose says, “I still love you.”

Allen and Jean, if there is anything you remember of this marriage ceremony, remember this, it was love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make it a glorious union, and it is by love which your marriage shall endure.

Children, would you please join us and hold the hands of your parents?

Understanding that this family now includes all of you, I charge you to treat each other with kindness and love. Allen and Jean, you already have the role as parents in these children’s lives. Together, you will work as role models in their lives and help with the good and bad of growing up. Children, you make this family whole and are of great importance to these two. All of you will have to work hard to get through the day to day growing of being a family.

Do you all promise to love, respect and honor each other from this day forward? We do.

Children, you each have your own roses to add to this, as a symbol of joining into this amazing family. The same applies for you, as well. On the anniversary of this joyous occasion, when you are able, I charge each of you to lay a single white rose bud on the special place your family chooses, to signify that you still love the family as a whole, and are glad to be a part of it. The white rose represents purity, love, new beginnings, and remembrance.

[Children give their roses to the parents]

Jumping the Broom
Allen and Jean have chosen to conclude their ceremony with the tradition of jumping the broom. This ceremony dates back to times of old, and can be traced back to many diverse cultures. Today Allen and Jean honor and respect this legacy and heritage as well as symbolize the coming together of both families. As Allen and Jean jump, they physically and spiritually cross the threshold into the land of matrimony. It marks the beginning of their making a home together. It symbolizes the sweeping away of the old and the welcoming of the new. It is also a call of support for the marriage from the entire community of family and friends. Sharing a life with another person requires many “leaps of faith.” The leap they take together over the broom is also symbolic. By taking the leap, they make a gesture of dedication to working together through the tough times ahead, as well as the easy times. They leave behind the past and jump into the future together secure in their love. The happy couple will now begin their new life together with a clean sweep!

[Goði Beast places the broom on the ground]

Goði Beast: “Everyone please count 1, 2, 3… Jump! Together with me now, and shout with joy as they perform their first act of working together as a married couple; 1, 2, 3, jump!”

[The couple jumps over the broom, and then kiss.]

Goði Beast: It is with great pleasure that I present to you all, the new couple, Jean and Allen!

[Immediately, the music begins and the couple recesses down the aisle to the cheers of family and friends!]

Goði Beast: HAIL Jean!

CONGREGATION: HAIL Jean!

Goði Beast: HAIL Allen!

CONGREGATION: HAIL Allen!

Goði Beast: HAIL to the new couple, two become one!

CONGREGATION: HAIL to the new couple, two become one!

[Best man strikes the bell) once. Candles are extinguished properly, attending forces are thanked and dismissed.]

END OF CEREMONY