With Handfastings giving rise to the fashionable ‘Boho Chic’, many Wedding platforms are very keen to promote and use this in their digital marketing. From woodland Weddings to ceremonies at festivals, the olde ways are making a big impression, offering couples a wonderfully alternative way to be inspired as to how their special day can be. As well as connecting to our ancestral traditions – handfasting is where the term ‘tying the knot’ originates, for example.
This is having a noticeable effect on the celebrant industry, with many civil celebrants being approached by couples asking if they can conduct a Handfasting. Not surprising then that our Priestess Registrar Dawn Kinsella is now hired by a reputable company to hold Handfastating style workshops for professional celebrants. A ‘How to’ course to learn how to include elements of a Pagan ceremony as part of their clients wedding celebration. The Weddings industry is embracing alternative weddings and barely keeping up with the demand.
Last September Priestess Dawn Kinsella was awarded a certificate at the Convention for Civil Celebrants in Kettering. She was awarded the Runner-up Certificate in the category of ‘Influencing the Wider Profession.’ The judges were impressed by the nominations Dawn received saying how wonderful her ceremonies are but most importantly her work in setting up an academy to further teach and spread knowledge of pagan ceremonies.’ Inspired by this demand for high spec Celebrants, Dawn has founded the first academy to teach an accredited nine-month training programme in Pagan Celebrancy. She will also be running an intensive programme on how to conduct ceremonies such as Handfastings, Baby Namings and Passing-over ceremonies for Priestesses of Avalon. The training itself is an Academy of higher learning, situated in Glastonbury, with a team of Priestesses from the Glastonbury Goddess Temple.
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