So unlike a most of the other traditions I'll be talking about, hand binding is one which represents both Mishka and my heritages. It is honored in the Ukrainian wedding traditions, and the Celtic! Yup folks, I am a hodge podge of European heritages but my two prominent ones are Polish and Irish. So when I found out that hand-binding is a way that we could celebrate both our heritages at the same time, it's inclusion went from probable to definite!
However, though the ceremony itself is basically the same, you tie the couple's hands together during the vows with a little prayer before and after, what the hands are bound with is actually quite different.
Here is a picture of Katerina and S's hand binding with a ryshnik or embroidered cloth:
However, in the Celtic tradition, colored cords or ribbons are used:
And even better, each color has a different meaning!
- Red: passion, strength, lust, fertility
- Orange: encouragement, attraction, kindness, plenty
- Yellow: charm, confidence, joy, balance
- Green: finances, fertility, charity, prosperity, health
- Blue: tranquility, patience, devotion, sincerity
- Purple: Power, piety, sanctity, sentimentality
- Black: strength, wisdom, vision, success
- White: purity, concentration, meditation, peace
- Gray: neutrality, canceling, balance
- Pink: unity, honor, truth, romance, happiness
- Brown: earth, grounding, talent, telepathy, home
- Silver: treasure, values, creativity, inspiration
- Gold: energy, wealth, intelligence, longevity
I think that is the coolest bit of it all... I don't know if we'll be using only a few colors or all of them, but either way, this is one of the traditions I'm SUPER excited about!
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