Handfasting has always been considered a great ritual to add to a traditional wedding ceremony. It actually used to be a pretty simple ceremony in the early days. The bride and the groom used to face each other and hold each others hand and were bound by a ceremonial rope or a wrap. In fact the expression of ‘tying the knot’ actually originated from this ceremony. It was in the beginning a Celtic marriage ritual which was later on adopted by the Welsh, Scots and the Irish people. After the rise of Christianity the practice found widespread acceptance.
Now days, you can find many variations of handfasting ceremonies. While in some cases a single silk cord is used there are others where the couple holds hands and actually jump over a branch. You can in fact find separate officials to perform just this part as part of your wedding. You should plan in advance though and decide on a place where you would perform the handfasting ceremony. Many people are going in for a handfasting ceremony these days while they tie the knot. Most couples try and have the ceremony at the very beginning or at the very end of a marriage ceremony. You should make sure that your dress is good enough and you don’t feel awkward while taking the jump. This is especially so in case of a very long or full dress.
It is always preferable that you find an experienced official to help you with the handfasting ritual. They would ensure that the entire thing is coordinated and your wedding goes of smoothly. Yet another variation of handfasting ritual is gaining a large number of takers these days. In this type of variation you will need six silk cords. This variation is based on the concept that the ties that bound the couple here will hold on for years together and strengthen the union of the couple. You can always customize the ritual according to your needs though.
Choosing a public place as a location for the ritual would make for a great location. Make sure that you are a familiar with the area since you should not disturb day to day life in the area. Just in case you are choosing a rented facility such as a restaurant or a wedding hall then make sure that you inform the manager and the staff at the place about the ceremony. You should inform them beforehand about the ceremony that you plan to have. This is important since there are many couples who also use a ritual sword or knife for ceremonial purposes. You should find out whether the management there has any problems about the ritual.

You can even plan on an indoor back up location just in case of inclement weather. You can find plenty of valuable information on handfasting at online resources dedicated to the subject. You can go through exhaustive literature on the origins of the ceremony and the various variations that it has now. You can also find someone who can actually officiate and conduct the ceremony for you. The internet is the best place to find out what are the various things that you need to buy for a handfasting ritual. You can also shop around for those things at most of these web sites. You can also get in touch with some of your family members or friends who may know more about this ritual.