What is a handfasting? may be your first question. Some say that the practice has roots in Celtic times, and was the one of the nine(!) forms of marriage recognized in Ireland. After Christianity became the dominant religion of the Celtic lands, handfastings remained as a way for a couple to formally recognize their love and bond to one another or as a marriage in outlaying places that seldom saw a priest. Traditionally, handfastings last for a year and a day, a sort of "trial marriage" between two people. The couple would live as married during that time. At the end of the year and a day, the couple decided if they wished to make a more permanent bond or if they wished to part with no hard feelings. It was a legally recognized practice and one which was common until the 18th century. Handfastings have been adopted as the marriage ceremony by the Pagan community. The length of the handfasting is determined by the couple, so some are still for a year and a day, some are permanent, and some are for less time. As in the old practice, the couple are recognized as wife and husband (or spouse and spouse in the case of gay marriages) despite the length of time specified during the ceremony. Some Pagans use it as a trial marriage before getting legally married, others in tandem with a legal marriage. We have made the tradition of a handfasting special to us. While we are both committed to a lifelong partnership (Gods willing), we repeat the handfasting ceremony each year for several reasons. One, we consider it to be our anniversary. Some people go out to a special dinner (and so do we) for their anniversaries, but we choose to do the entire thing all over again. The second reason is tied to the first. The bonds between people can be lost in the daily shuffle so we set this day aside to remember why we chose to be together. We both stand before one another, any friends or family we might invite, and our gods and renew our promises to love, honour and cherish each other for yet another year. In a way its romantically silly. Which is probably why we like doing it so much. Finally, its yet another reason to have a party! May 1, 1999 - held at Dragonhills Farm, Carrollton, Georgia. May 1, 2000 - Seaton Cliffs, Arbroath, Scotland September 10, 2000 - our faery tale wedding at the Day Chapel, Athens, Georgia May 1, 2001 - Loch Beinne a' Mheadoinn in Glen Affric, Scotland