Tag Archives: pagan

Spontaneous, Sunrise Stone-Circle Wedding in West Cornwall

August 4, 2022 in British Brides, Wedding. Written by Sophie Cooke Photos by Enchanted Brides

As photographer-duo of both Enchanted Brides and Cornwall Elopements, Jo and Patrick are no strangers to weddings, so when we received this submission in our inbox we knew it would be otherworldly, symbolic, unique and brilliant!

“We loved the idea of a two-part elopement,” Jo began. “Our love of nature and the outdoors and uniting our little family in a symbolic and meaningful way was our main priority. We did not want to buy things just for the sake of a wedding or follow a theme or a trend, we just wanted it to be as low-key as possible but still meaningful.”

With this in mind, the couple spent around £1500 and planned everything in just a few weeks. “We have seen so many weddings in our time as wedding photographers so we wanted to do something a little diﬀerent. Also, we ﬁnd weddings so wasteful, or people doing things to keep other people happy and also all the faﬀ and stress people put on themselves with planning. We didn’t want our own wedding to feel like work or something we had seen before. We took inspiration from nothing but everything that just felt ‘right’ and eﬀortless.”

Spontaneous, Sunrise Stone-Circle Wedding in West Cornwall

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August 4, 2022

Autumnal Boho Wedding Inspired by the Celtic Harvest Festival

June 29, 2022 in Wedding. Written by LJ Stocks Photos by Chris Ashton Photography

With a Celtic hand-fasting, touches of old northern traditions and an ancestral altar to honour those who came before them, Dana and Eric’s wedding mixed pagan themes with the colours of the season. Dana told us, “We wanted to incorporate our own beliefs into the wedding, and create something that was true to us.”

The ceremony was held outside at Allrose Farm in New Hamsphire, MA, with nature providing a beautiful backdrop, accented with florals in burgundy and burnt orange. Dana told us about their ceremony, “We played traditional Celtic music for the opening of the ceremony, and used a playlist of songs by Enaid + Einalem. Eric walked down to the song Camelot, and I walked down to The Wedding (very fitting). We did an ancient Celtic Oathing Stone ritual where we held two stones from the land of our choosing, and everyone was invited to send their warm wishes and love into them. We ended with a traditional hand-fasting, and walked down the aisle to All The Debts I Owe by Caamp, our favourite band.”

Autumnal Boho Wedding Inspired by the Celtic Harvest Festival

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June 29, 2022

Boho & Rustic Latvian Wedding Inspired By Ancient Pagan Culture

November 18, 2021 in Wedding. Written by Sophie Cooke Photos by Ieva Andrupe

When asked how they met, Laura and Girts always joke that they met on the internet, but really that’s just the beginning of their story. Girts had placed an advertisement on a local musicians page, looking for a rock band to join as a guitar player. Laura saw this and asked him why he would want to join an existing one, why don’t they start a new one instead. “Soon after that a few more musicians joined our crew, besides me, the drummer and Girts – the lead guitar player,” Laura told us. “Very soon something more than just a friendship developed between me and him. The band unfortunately didn’t last, but both our love story and friendship with fellow musicians did.” A decade later and the couple find themselves celebrating their wedding online, which is a nice full circle of events.

The couple planned the two-day celebration themselves, taking inspiration from ancient Latvian pagan culture and infusing it with boho and rustic aesthetics to match their personal style. Laura wore a Katya Katya London dress with Lilimill boots and a flower crown by Marta Egle, who also provided the bouquet and decor flowers. They spent €15,000 with most of their budget allocated to catering and location.

Boho & Rustic Latvian Wedding Inspired By Ancient Pagan Culture

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November 18, 2021

A Spiritualist, Norse Inspired Wedding

May 12, 2021 in Wedding. Written by Sophie Cooke Photos by CSwindell Photography

Fae and Ryan don’t consider themselves religious people. however they are spiritual in the sense that they connect with many of the doctrines found in Paganism, particular Nordic paganism. Alongside Fae’s Nordic heritage, Ryan’s British background and stepping away from the ‘norm’ that most American weddings have, they put together a celebration that felt more in keeping with them.

They actually had two ceremonies. The first, held on the Equinox, was a private ceremony in which the couple bound themselves to each other in blood. “Yes, you heard that right,” the bride told us. “We each made a (sterilised) cut on the safest part of our forearms to eventually leave a scar, and the blood collected was kept to be burned in our second ceremony.” Can’t get much more badass than that!

A Spiritualist, Norse Inspired Wedding

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May 12, 2021

Gothic, Pagan, DIY Farm Wedding

March 17, 2020 in British Brides, Wedding. Written by Sophie Cooke Photos by The Pin Up Bride

Hannah and AJ had a specific mission for their wedding day – for all their guests to be able to celebrate their individuality with them, as they both celebrated their individuality and their love for one another. There was no dress code, their ceremony was held in a spiritual circle which included everyone attending, and they didn’t stick to what people consider to be traditional norms.

With a budget of £7,000, they hired a farm where they could not only have their ceremony and reception, but their guests were free to camp for the weekend – it was important to them that their guests had as few barriers to attending as possible. Their ceremony was held in a cowshed (!) which they decorated themselves with help from family and friends. In fact, a lot of their nearest and dearest dug deep and helped out wherever they could – AJ’s friends provided the catering, DJing and photography and Hannah’s friends did her make up and wedding cake as gifts, and her mum altered her wedding dress. It turned the prep, and day, into a really personal affair, with plenty of community spirit.

Gothic, Pagan, DIY Farm Wedding

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nnah and AJ had a specific mission for their wedding day - for all their guests to be able to celebrate their individuality with them, as they both celebrated their individuality and their love for one another. There was no dress code, their ceremony was held in a spiritual circle which included everyone attending, and they didn’t stick to what people consider to be traditional norms.

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March 17, 2020

Irish Pagan Wedding with Outdoorsy, Festival Touches

September 13, 2019 in Wedding. Written by Sophie Cooke Photos by Lusival Junior

A decade after they were set up on a blind date, Chris and Stephen married in a Pagan ceremony at The Hamlet Court Hotel in Meath, Ireland on 3rd May 2019. As they are both musicians and go to a lot of concerts together, they wanted a lot of musical influence over the day. Chris originally wanted to get married outdoors, like a ‘real Pagan’, so they tried to have some woodsy touches too to bring the outside in – and so their weird and wonderful wedding theme was formed!

With a budget of €10,000 they dropped a big chunk on they venue, but it was a big package deal with many extras included. “I know package weddings get a bad rep, but it was a great way to have it all without overspending,” said Chris. “We had a bonus The Hamlet Court Hotel is about as far from a cookie-cutter venue as you can get – it had a wonderfully warm atmosphere there and felt like a little home away from home.” They brought in decor and props themselves, with the help of friends and family – everything from the archway to the confetti was painstakingly handmade.

Irish Pagan Wedding with Outdoorsy, Festival Touches

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A decade after they were set up on a blind date, Chris and Stephen married in a Pagan ceremony at The Hamlet Court Hotel in Meath, Ireland on 3rd May 2019. As they are both musicians and go to a lot of concerts together, they wanted a lot of musical influence over the day. Chris originally wanted to get married outdoors, like a 'real Pagan', so they tried to have some woodsy touches too to bring the outside in - and so their weird and wonderful wedding theme was formed!

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September 13, 2019

Gothic, Pagan Handfasting in the Woods

July 12, 2019 in Wedding. Written by Kat Photos by Indigo and Violet Photography

Amelia and Tess were married in 2016, before Tess’ transition. Since their wedding, Tess has come out as bi-gender, sometimes having days when they identify as male, but others when they’re female. The couple wanted to celebrate Tess joining their family, so with the help of daughter Ivy they had a gothic styled, handfasting vow renewal in the same place they were originally married, Whistlewood Common in Derbyshire.

“Tess falls under the trans umbrella and is bi-gender – switching between two different genders, can be binary and/or non-binary genders”, they explained. “They switch between the two binary genders of male and female. Tess found the term to explain how they feel and has since been ‘out’ for a year and a half.”

The day had a gothic, pagan vibe and the woodland location set the tone for a lot of their stylistic choices. The day felt very ‘them’ but also complimented the surroundings perfectly. “We wanted to update our vows and wedding photos to include Tess”, they continued, “to have a visual representation of how our family is now. Amelia is Pagan and wanted to keep some of our original woodsy themes but with a darker, older feel. Amelia performed the ceremony herself, incorporating parts of our original wedding. Ivy played a bigger role with her being old enough to want to join in with the handfasting this time around.”

Gothic, Pagan Handfasting in the Woods

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Amelia and Tess were married in 2016, before Tess' transition. Since their wedding, Tess has come out as bi-gender, sometimes having days when they identify as male, but others when they're female. The couple wanted to celebrate Tess joining their family, so with the help of daughter Ivy they had a gothic styled, handfasting vow renewal in the same place they were originally married, Whistlewood Common in Derbyshire.

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July 12, 2019

A Romantic Pagan Wedding in Glastonbury

March 28, 2019 in Wedding. Written by Kat Photos by Assassynation

Living in Australia, Saskia and Sean met through the emerging alternative music scene in Melbourne in 1982. Sean was in a band, EDEN, and travelled a lot so they lost touch over the years but reconnected in 2016 when he was on tour for his sixth album. They were married in Glastonbury, UK, which they chose for it’s obvious connection to music and Paganism.

“We met again at the end of 2016 when Sean tracked me down”, Saskia explained. “We met a few weeks later, fell madly in love, were engaged the following year and married the year after. Nothing has changed – we were best friends then and remain so. We were destined to be together.”

The inspiration for their wedding was obvious: Their own lifestyle. “In Australia, we live in a small romantic Cornish miner’s cottage built in 1863 in the heart of the Victorian goldfields”, she said. “The cottage backs onto a steep hill with a gold reef running through it. This is what we fondly call our ‘Tor’ and was the setting for Sean’s proposal. Having both visited Glastonbury in the past, the temptation to exchange vows at the Glastonbury Tor seemed logical and destined. Arthurian legend and the history and mysticism surrounding Glastonbury have been a key inspiration for Sean’s music over the years. Our clothes were inspired by the gothic alternative scene we are a part of in Melbourne and the music scene that has been a part of our lives since we met in the eighties.”

A Romantic Pagan Wedding in Glastonbury

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March 28, 2019

Pagan & Pastels Outdoor Wedding in France

May 25, 2018 in Wedding. Written by Erin Balfour Photos by Babouchkatelier

Morgane and Phil had known each other for ten years, and had worked together, when out of the blue love hit Morgane straight in the heart. “One evening, I finally saw it!” she said, and she knew they would never be apart from that moment.

“The marriage proposal arrived a few years later, after the arrival of our Princess Tabatha. It was my birthday, and we’d had a great day at Europa Park, a big amusement park where we like to go often, but in the evening there was still no birthday present from my darling… So I told him I was a little disappointed, saying ‘I didn’t get my present…’ and he said to me softly ‘If you look on your bedside table…’ It was a ring! He’d been trying to ask all day, but hadn’t had the opportunity while we were on the rides! I said to him ‘Go ask for real!’ And I got my ‘Will you marry me?’ at last.”

Pagan & Pastels Outdoor Wedding in France

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Morgane and Phil had known each other for ten years, and had worked together, when out of the blue love hit Morgane straight in the heart. "One evening, I finally saw it!" she said, and she knew they would never be apart from that moment.

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May 25, 2018

Pagan Wedding at a Medieval Hobbit Village

February 12, 2018 in British Brides, Wedding. Written by Kat Photos by Glen Danzig Photography

Stefanie and Loren picked 22nd to 24th September as the weekend to celebrate their wedding, chosen to coincide with the autumn equinox. The bride being an alternative wedding planner herself meant she handled everything. She also put together all the flowers (with her team of helpers!) and the groom created the invitations.

The weekend took place at Cae Mabon, and eco-friendly retreat centre in Snowdonia. “The whole site of Cae Mabon looks like a medieval hobbit village as all the dwellings are traditionally built eco-friendly designs” Stefanie began. “So in terms of décor we hardly needed to do anything at all. They don’t normally allow weddings here, just small retreats so we were very lucky and had to really honour the space by using eco-friendly shampoo and conditioner and recycling every single bit of our wedding waste. The whole site has beautiful carvings etched into the trees like the Fairy Queen who watches over the woods, medieval style thatched huts and even a wood-heated natural hot tub right next to the stream so other than adding a few flowers, signage and fairy lights, we didn’t need to do anything!”

Pagan Wedding at a Medieval Hobbit Village

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February 12, 2018

Metal & Pagan Handfasting Wedding in Wales

April 28, 2017 in British Brides, Wedding. Written by Rachel Webb Photos by Assassynation

Sadie and Aaron initially wanted a Steampunk wedding, but after two years of planning it developed into an outdoor event in the Welsh hills with a dash of gothic, a hint of metal, and a sprinkle of pagan thrown in for good measure!

“We wanted to completely abolish the formality and pressures of a traditional wedding,” explained Sadie. “Our attitude towards the end of planning was ‘what will be, will be’. What was important to us was that not only our guests were chilled and enjoying themselves, but we were too. We decided to do without a sit-down meal and have an awesome buffet instead which meant that everyone could mingle easily. The guests also got the opportunity to explore the ruins near where we had our ceremony, and soak up a bit of history if they wanted too.”

They had an outdoor handfasting ceremony which also included a unity candle ceremony. “Our ceremony was absolutely wonderful! Our celebrant, Ellie, even made our son Izaiah his own little cord (to match our handfasting cord) to tie around his wrist to symbolise our little family coming together. That bit made everyone cry! It was also unplugged which is something we will never regret. We wanted everyone to be in the moment with us, to watch and to listen as this whole thing would only happen once in our lifetime. Having banned the cameras and phones meant our photographer, Sassy, got some killer shots of our family and friends reacting, as opposed to staring at us through a screen.”

Metal & Pagan Handfasting Wedding in Wales

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April 28, 2017

Eclectic Pagan Wedding with The Grateful Dead!

April 2, 2017 in Wedding. Written by Kat Photos by Sage & Swan

Tiffany and Jared’s wedding was inspired by their eclectic tastes and their mutual love of world travel. They also incorporated elements of paganism, and The Grateful Dead!

“The entire wedding was DIY”, explained the bride. “As a production designer, it was a dream to design the venue from scratch and with only our vision. It was beautiful. The bridal party spent the week before the ceremony using the site as an artist’s retreat to build structures, hand-paint signs, build sets, and curate the space. Every single item was hand selected, fabricated, altered and curated with meaning and intention.”

Eclectic Pagan Wedding with The Grateful Dead!

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Tiffany and Jared's wedding was inspired by their eclectic tastes and their mutual love of world travel. They also incorporated elements of paganism, and The Grateful Dead!

Continue reading...

April 2, 2017

Witchy and Romantic Pagan Wedding in Scotland

March 19, 2017 in British Brides, Wedding. Written by Kat Photos by Tom Cairns Photography

For their August wedding Laura and Holly wanted a day that felt like them, so that meant witchy, romantic, feminine, pagan and inspired by nature. They were influenced by Stevie Nicks and the film Practical Magic. They even walked down the aisle to the theme song!

Their ceremony was one of the most important moments to them both. It took place at Cottiers Theatre, a converted church in Glasgow. “Our officiant was Gerrie Douglas-Scott. She and her wife, Susan, were the first lesbian couple to be married in Scotland when equal marriage became legal. This was our main reason for picking her as she was able to pass on the baton. Susan came to say hello to both of us after the ceremony too.”

“We had a humanist ceremony that focused on us. It was very personal. Our celebrant asked us to write down three things we loved about each other which she read on the day. We had a handfasting using four different cords to bind our hands together that represented the elements (red: fire, blue: water, green: earth and white: air). Our bridesmaid, Gillian, did a reading of a Celtic blessing.”

Witchy and Romantic Pagan Wedding in Scotland

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March 19, 2017

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