Philip Greentree:- Marriage Celebrant performing ancient Celtic, Medieval, Pagan and Earth Centred wedding ceremonies

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The Bard

The Laird
Whether entirely Celtic or Scot's Celtic, it's your choice

or, heavens forbid, if conservatism still gnaws at your soul, ... a suit!

Call me at
philip.greentree

a Handfasting Synopsis
Handfasting for the Celts was the binding together of the wrists. While some historians argue handfasting was a betrothal ritual, the betrothal lasting a year and a day, others dispute this based on evidence of several kings taking handfasting wives, the children of those relationships inheriting the crown. These same kings also had church wed wives, but these wives were merely to cement political alliances.

Importantly, the Scots retained handfasting as an act of Legal marriage until as recently as 1939.

Today, many Australian couples look upon handfasting as the Act of Spiritual Marriage, the same as binding their souls together for the remainder of their days in this world. It is a truly wonderful ritual, which, for some, has more meaning than the legal vows.
The Full Story

Ancient Celtic & Related Ceremonies

Philip Greentree has two ancient Celtic ceremonies (and in between) that reflect the old traditions.

Ancient Celtic Weddings
The Celts believed marriage was more than an agreement between two people. Rather, it was effective on three levels;

The individual
The social and
The spiritual

Celtic Ceremonies are drawn from the culture of the original inhabitants of the British Isles before invasions by the Danes, Angles, Saxons, and finally the Normans. However, it should be noted those races also practiced handfasting.

Opens in new window Traditional rituals used in both the Complex & Simplified Celtic ceremony include:

Entry procession
Celebrant's challenge
Introduction
Cleansing ceremony
The Caim
Honouring of the five elements with the consecration circle and the elemental challenge to the couple :

Fire, Earth, Air, Water & Spirit

Celebrant Philip performing a Celtic wedding while dressed as a Celtic Bard.

Additional elements used in the complex Celtic ceremony

Calling down of the Holy Trinity of the Male and Female manifestations of the Universal Power and the Spirit of the Power.
Combined sword, chalice, asking and ring exchange
Cake & Ale ritual

These ceremonies are based upon the early days of the Celtic Church (not to be confused with the rival and diametrically opposed Roman Church ). These were the days when the Legend of the Holy grail and of Arthurian times came into being.

Length of Ceremony
The simplified ceremony takes about 30 minutes.
The complex ceremony takes about 55 minutes.
Assortments in between are welcome.

The Complex Ancient Celtic ceremony is deeply spiritual, replete with some quite extraordinarily emotional and spiritual components. This normally runs for about 50-55 minutes and is a real ceremony. I will travel any where in Australia to perform this ceremony, it is emotionally stunning.

We want Philip dressed in kilt, not as a Celtic Bard?
Yes, Philip will wear his kilt and modify the ceremony accordingly, but on one condition......
You must engage a piper. After all, what's a flag pole without a flag? Looks odd doesn't it?

Nick & Skye's ancient Celtic wedding at Sydney University with celebrant Philip wearing his Druid's gown.

Pagan Ceremonies
What is a pagan ceremony?

Put simply, the term was originally used by Romans to describe any culture from outside the Roman empire as pagan. With the advent of the Roman Church, the term was corrupted to mean any religion not of Roman Christianity. As far as Rome was concerned, Gnostic Christians, Druids, Jews, you name it, were ALL pagans, but the most hated and despised in the eyes of Rome were the Gnostics.

The ceremony itself is very similar to an ancient Celtic ceremony and handfasting is integral to the ceremony.

Are you Remote from Port Stephens?

For the Druids and their Celtic flock, when Christianity came to the British Isles, it was the spiritual, Nasorean form, which they took up because of its remarkable similarity to Druidism. However, Rome and its brutally enforced Pauline form of Christianity eventually and tragically won the intellectual battle in the 7th Century AD and the days of the Druids were over.

Earth Centred Ceremonies
The earth-centred ceremony is effectively an Ancient Celtic ceremony, its derivation being from the Celtic culture and lore even in Europe.

The Celts were spiritually "bonded" to their environment and very much in tune with it, unlike today, where we seek to destroy the environment, and eventually, the earth as we know it. We justify this in the name of keeping the economy going!

Medieval
Medieval weddings, are arguably in two formats - the conventional Christian based, or Celtic based ceremony which Celebrant Philip performs.

The use of trumpets and cymbal bands can provide and very special effect.

Medieval weddings can enable you to be very different, especially in design and delivery of your invitation etc.

You can use the traditional canopy to "walk" the bride in beneath it, then use it for the actual ceremony

The days of the Celtic Church were the days of Arthurian and Grail legends. They gave rise to some wonderful rituals that are celebrated in various of Philip's ceremonies.

Call me at
philip.greentree

"A Celebration of Love"

What does Philip Provide?
Click on images below for full information

Very serious 100w RMS PA system.
4 wireless hand mikes
2 wireless head mikes
1 corded mike
Entirely battery powered
Every word is heard

Small table with chair and table cloths

Wind-proof candle holders

Portable lectern

wedding manual
400 pages

FREE name change kit

Full Support

Sense of Humour

Choice