How to Have a Wiccan or New Age Wedding: Spiritual Wedding Ceremonies and Elopements
Weddings are a beautiful tradition, representing a stage of commitment between romantic partners. But just because weddings are a tradition, doesn’t mean they have to be “traditional.” A lot of couples are reevaluating what they want their wedding ceremonies to look like. This can be for any number of reasons, but a common one is that many couples are spiritual but not religious—choosing to embrace more nature-based religions like Wicca, Paganism, or New Age.
For obvious reasons, these weddings don’t happen inside of churches. Instead, many couples choose to get married in the great outdoors where they can feel closer to the elements. These can be small, intimate elopements or larger weddings for couples and their guests.
Truth be told, there’s no one-size-fits-all wedding ceremony. And that’s especially true for Wiccan weddings, New Age ceremonies, or nature-based religious elopements. This means that you, as a couple, get to craft a wedding ceremony that’s unique and meaningful. But it also means there’s a lot to think about.
To help you create a wedding day all your own, here are a few things to consider for your wedding day or elopement.
The Basics of Wiccan Weddings and Spiritual Ceremonies
First things first, you need to pick where you want to get married and who you want to conduct the ceremony.
Choosing an officiant: You need an officiant to make your wedding ceremony legal. This can be a priest or priestess from your spiritual community, an ordained friend or family member, or a professional wedding officiant comfortable and capable of conducting these ceremonies.
Each of these has its own advantages. Obviously, a coven leader or priest(ess) shares the same commitments to the spiritual tradition that you do. Then again, it’s common for couples who hold these beliefs to not have a spiritual community. If you don’t have an appropriate religious leader, it’s still valid to have a friend or family member officiate.
If you choose to have a friend or family member conduct the ceremony, they need to be ordained. Luckily, this is really easy thanks to organizations like the Universal Life Church (ULC). While online ordinations are legal in most states, it’s important to double-check that you’re covered in the state in which you are getting married just in case.
Alternatively, you can hire a professional wedding officiant to host your wedding and ensure everything is legal. Luckily, we have a professional officiant on staff. So if you book with Love & Latitudes for your wedding photography, you can add an officiant as well.
Choose a meaningful location: There’s a reason why spiritual but not religious types feel a connection to the outdoors. Nature is full of magic and divinity. And the elements hold a special place in Wiccan and pagan religious traditions. Who needs to get married in a church when all of nature is your holy space? Popular examples include national parks, beaches, forests, and deserts.
Then again, some couples choose to get married indoors—and that’s cool too. Sometimes this is due to comfort, weather, or guests (especially for attendees with accessibility needs). Consider bringing natural elements—like crystals, flowers, or greenery—into your indoor setting to retain that connection to nature.
New Age Wedding Rituals
We are all familiar with exchanging rings and reading vows. But those aren’t the only traditions to include in your wedding ceremony. Nature-based religions offer their own traditions too. Couples can choose to include some or all of these:
Circle casting: In Wicca, casting a circle creates a temporary sacred space for a working. This can be as simple as walking a circle clockwise around the ceremony space ahead of the wedding or as intricate as performing a four-corners invocation during the ceremony itself.
Elemental invocations: Call upon the elements (earth, air, fire, water, and spirit) is a common way to bless the union.
Handfasting ceremony: Handfasting is an ancient Celtic ritual involving tying the hands of the couple together with a ribbon or cord, symbolizing the bond they share.
Oathing stone: Placing your hands on and reciting your vows over a stone can materialize the commitment you are making to each other. Alternatively, you can have your guests make silent well-wishes over the stone before passing it to the couple.
Unity rituals: Incorporate rituals like candle lighting, crystal blessings, or tree planting to symbolize unity and growth.
Jumping the broom: This wedding tradition has a long and varied history. During slavery in the USA and Canada, some black couples solemnized their union by jumping over a broom. The custom is also attested historically in Irish weddings and Romani couples in Wales. Some Wiccan couples choose to include them in their ceremonies as well.
Since your guests might be unfamiliar with Wiccan or New Age practices, explaining their significance during the ceremony can make attendees feel more included and add gravity to the festivities.
Pagan Wedding Ideas: Clothing, Symbols, and Decor
Wiccan and spiritual weddings can be elaborate or modest, depending on your desires. Some couples adore all the pomp and circumstance, while others prefer something understated. There’s really no wrong answer if it reflects your relationship and values. So as we make recommendations for clothing and decor, just know you are empowered to take what you want and leave what you don’t.
Let’s start with clothing. Wedding dresses are most often the pièce de résistance for wedding attire. White is traditional, but a lot of brides choose earth tones or even black dresses. Some Wiccan brides enjoy natural fabrics like cotton, linen, or silk, reflecting the connection with nature. While others prefer elaborate and fanciful dresses straight out of a fairytale. Then again, some brides forgo dresses for other attire, and that’s cool too.
We have a whole blog on men’s wedding attire. But the basics range from suit jackets or suit vests, slacks or flowy pants, and a tie or bolo.
Some couples choose to go barefoot because they like the closeness to the Earth. This is much easier on soft ground, soil, beach sands, or gardens.
What about accessories? The bride can wear a crown or circlet made of flowers, leaves, or crystals. Jewelry including religious symbols or runes is always a nice touch.
What kind of symbols? Pentacles represent the five elements. The triple moon represents the lunar cycle and goddess worship. Crystals have all sorts of associations with romance, health, and longevity (depending on the type); as do various flowers and herbs.
Some weddings have an altar—space permitted—in which case the couple can set up candles, representations of the four elements, statues of deities, an athame (ceremonial knife), and a chalice (ceremonial cup).
Again, it’s all about making your ceremony feel like your own. So mix and match these tips as necessary.
Other Things to Consider for Your Wiccan Wedding Ceremony
Feasting: Feasting is an important aspect of Wiccan gatherings. So, whether it’s a two-person elopement or a larger wedding, might as well indulge in some delectable eats.
Dancing and merriment: Celebrate your wedding day with dancing. Receptions are a lot of fun, but even if you eloped, you can play some music and dance together.
Leave no trace: Part of having a spiritual relationship with nature is taking care of it. Leave no trace (LNT) principles help keep the outdoors healthy and happy. This means planning ahead, packing out anything you bring, following local restrictions regarding bouquets and flowers, disposing of trash responsibility, and respecting flora and fauna.
Sample Agenda for a Wiccan, New Age, or Spiritual Wedding Ceremony
There are lots of different ways to construct a wedding ceremony. Here’s a sample agenda for a spiritual wedding ceremony, this one including a handfasting ceremony and broom jumping:
Processional: Couple walks down the aisle. You can choose to be escorted by family members or friends, walking down one at a time, or walking the aisle as a couple together.
Welcome statement: The officiant gives a warm welcome to the wedding guests.
Consecration: The officiant makes an appeal to divinity and calls in the elements, dedicating the ceremony and impressing the importance of this moment for the couple.
Opening reading: An opening reading can set the tone for the ceremony. This can be a poem, song lyrics, or anything that resonates with the couple.
Wedding sermon: The officiant discusses the importance of this commitment and shares some of the couple’s history and why they are brought here today.
Vows: The couple can share the vows they’ve written themselves or read traditional vows.
Declaration of intent: This is the big “I do” section of the ceremony.
Ring exchange: Here’s where the couple exchanges rings, symbolizing their commitment to each other and their future together.
Handfasting: The officiant wraps the couple’s hands with a cord and speaks a few words, before unwrapping it.
Pronouncement, kiss, and presentation: The officiant pronounces the couple married, the couple kisses, and everyone cheers.
Book Your Wedding Photography
A photographer can capture all the magic of your wedding day—everything from getting ready to the first look, the wedding ceremony to family pictures, the reception to the cake cutting, and everything in between.
As an experienced photographer, I pride myself on giving couples their wedding day their way. Your relationship is personal and unique, shouldn’t your wedding day reflect that? Specializing in outdoor weddings and elopements means I encounter couples who break the norm to set their own traditions. And I think that’s beautiful.
If you are looking for a photographer to capture your Wiccan wedding day or spiritual but not religious outdoor elopement, I’d be happy to meet you out there, camera in hand.
Planning your own Wiccan wedding or New Age elopement? Contact Love & Latitudes to book your wedding and elopement photographer.
