11 Hand Ceremony Scripts, Blessing of the Hands with PDF's
One of the most beautiful unity ceremonies I perform as a wedding officiant is the Hand Ceremony. It may be referred to at the blessing of the hands or a handfasting. I usually put this is a wedding ceremony right after the couple exchanges rings. I don’t usually announce it formally as a hand ceremony. I just speak the words. It flows so beautifully from the vows, to the ring exchange, to saying “while you are holding hands, take a moment to appreciate the gift you are to each other…” Some wedding officiants will do the hand ceremony before the exchanging of rings.
What is the Hand Ceremony? The Hand Ceremony is a part of your wedding ceremony where the two of you hold hands and appreciate how you will change, grow and mature over the life of your marriage through the actions you take with your hands. It can be seen as a ritual to draw you closer to one another.
What Is The Hand Ceremony?
Is A Hand Ceremony A Handfasting?
Is a Hand Ceremony a Handfasting? Yes and no. A Handfasting is a pagan ritual where you bind your hands together and make vows to one another. The Hand Ceremony can be considered a modern version of a handfasting with or without binding your hands or the pagan element. I’ve performed a simple hand ceremony for pagan couples who just wanted a simple wedding ceremony. Often couples will choose a hand ceremony over a traditional handfasting to include an element they want in their formal ceremony without alienating non-pagan guests and family members.
Hands are considered to be a connection to the heart, and a hand blessing symbolically brings two hearts together.
Reverend Laurie Sue Brockway
How Do You Perform A Hand Ceremony?
How do you perform a Hand Ceremony? Performing the hand ceremony is very easy. All the couple has to do is hold hands and the wedding officiant speaks the words the couple has chosen to include in their hand ceremony. Sometimes, couples will choose a ribbon or a rope to bind their hands during the ceremony so they can keep it as a physical memory of the day. Sometimes, the words are ready by a friend or family member instead of the officiant to add a more personalized touch.
Pro Tip: As a wedding officiant, when I performing an unscripted elopement I might add a version of the hand ceremony that fits the particular couple. If the bride is pregnant or they couple has small children I will add “These are the hands that will hold your children and gather your family together as one. ” If the couple has lost interest in the ceremony after the ring exchange and aren’t paying attention, leave it out.
Victoria Meyer, Wedding Officiant, Marry Me In Indy! LLC
Hand Symbolism
I think the symbolism of what hands mean can help you to add more meaning to your wedding ceremony. For some couples, they are just pretty words, for others they want to have meaning behind the words. If you are having a secular humanist or atheist wedding ceremony you might appreciate the symbolism. Or, maybe you simply appreciate more logical substance over romance. As you write the ceremony, incorporating the symbols might give the ceremony a better flow for you.
When I start a wedding ceremony, I usually ask the couple if they want to hold hands and almost all of the time, they do. It’s a moment, and I make note of the moment. I ask the couple to stop and think about how they felt when they started holding each other’s hands. Think about your nerves and butterflies as you were walking down the aisle. The stress, the anticipation. Then, think about the feeling as you joined hands. The instant strength they shared. The relief, the connection. I ask them to remember the feeling going forward through their marriage. When in doubt, always hold hands. You may need to pull each other forward or pull each other back. You may need to pull each other out of traffic.
Remember to always “lend a hand” when needed – with the trash, the diapers, the groceries as well as life’s existential moments when you may be looking for meaning. Never raise your hand in anger.
The hand is the most frequently symbolized part of the human body. It is expressive. Your hands give blessings. Think of how the head of a household will give out blessings in the Judeo/Christian tradition. Hands symbolize strength, power, and protection, generosity, hospitality, and stability. Hands are used in gestures of greeting and friendship.
The versions of The Hand Ceremony Below all embody these symbolic meanings in some way. You can also add your own if you choose. Perhaps you are a carpenter or an artist or a musician or you speak sign language. “These are the hands that will continue to paint the canvas that is your marriage.” “These are the hands that will speak when you cannot” (Could be a beautiful option if you have family members with special needs.) “These are the hands that will play the music of your soul.”
When I start a wedding ceremony, I usually ask the couple if they want to hold hands and almost all of the time, they do. It’s a moment, and I make note of the moment. I ask the couple to stop and think about how they felt when they started holding each other’s hands. Think about your nerves and butterflies as you were walking down the aisle. The stress, the anticipation. Then, think about the feeling as you joined hands. The instant strength they shared. The relief, the connection. I ask them to remember the feeling going forward through their marriage. When in doubt, always hold hands. You may need to pull each other forward or pull each other back. You may need to pull each other out of traffic.
Remember to always “lend a hand” when needed – with the trash, the diapers, the groceries as well as life’s existential moments when you may be looking for meaning. Never raise your hand in anger.
The hand is the most frequently symbolized part of the human body. It is expressive. Your hands give blessings. Think of how the head of a household will give out blessings in the Judeo/Christian tradition. Hands symbolize strength, power, and protection, generosity, hospitality, and stability. Hands are used in gestures of greeting and friendship.
The versions of The Hand Ceremony Below all embody these symbolic meanings in some way. You can also add your own if you choose. Perhaps you are a carpenter or an artist or a musician or you speak sign language. “These are the hands that will continue to paint the canvas that is your marriage.” “These are the hands that will speak when you cannot” (Could be a beautiful option if you have family members with special needs.) “These are the hands that will play the music of your soul.”
“There‛s a lot of things you need to get across this universe. Warp drive… wormhole refractors… You know the thing you need most of all? You need a hand to hold.”
The Tenth Doctor, Fear Her
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The Hand Ceremony Script Option 1
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The Hand Ceremony Script Option 2
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The Hand Ceremony Script Option 3
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The Hand Ceremony Script Option 4
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The Hand Ceremony Script Option 5
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The Hand Ceremony Option 6
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The Hand Ceremony Option 7
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The Hand Ceremony Option 8
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The Hand Ceremony Option 9
The Hand Ceremony Option 10
Hands of the Bride and Groom Prayer I found this option on All Seasons Weddings website.
The Hand Ceremony Option 11
You can download this jpg file, the PDF below or
click here to cut and paste I found this version on Lena Hopes Website. It’s Beautiful! When she performs the ceremony it’s the Hand Holding Ceremony and she says: 
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