"Now join hands, and with your hands your hearts."— William Shakespeare

Early summer is a magickal time for a wedding or a handfasting. Make it special by using a few witchy tricks to imbue it with a deeper meaning.

First off, what would a wedding be without flowers? You don't need to hire an expensive florist; check your local area for a flower market where prices will be more reasonable and put together a selection of flowers that mean something to you. Besides the bouquet, flowers can also serve as boutonnieres, wreaths, and table centerpieces. Count how many flowers you will need ahead of time, and buy a little extra just in case. What you don't use, you can give to any children present—this will make the entire proceedings even more festive and grand.

What flowers to use? Hibiscus, according to A Romantic Guide to Handfasting, attracts love and is widely used in love spells. Lavender posies were often given to newly married couples to bring luck for the future. The rose has always been an emblem of love, and is even considered an aphrodisiac. In alchemy, it symbolizes mystical or divine love. If you want a little greenery, try some flowing ivy, a symbol of that which is undying and eternal—the perfect symbol of constancy.

To explore the symbolism of flowers, just pick up a book and find the right combination for your unique relationship. Herb Magic for Beginners is also a good place to start. There's an entire chapter titled "Herb Magic for Love and Happiness," which includes a section on the use of rosemary in weddings.

The color scheme also plays an important role in weddings. Besides just "bridesmaid dresses," think about table linens, centerpieces, and even the cake decorations! You can use the magical meanings of colors to guide your decision if you don't already have a natural favorite. Red is the color of life, passion, lust, and vitality; green is associated with fertility, prosperity, growth, and love; pink signifies love, friendship, happiness, and romance. For a complete overview of color symbolism, read Color Magic for Beginners. You could choose a color in harmony with your astrological signs, with the day of the week (Saturday's color is violet), or even with the precise hour of the day the ceremony will take place.

Right—don't forget about the ceremony! These days, couples wish to have both of their traditions blended harmoniously in the ceremony. In Handfasting and Wedding Rituals, you will find unique ceremonies of all kinds: a Heathen runic handfasting, a tarot handfasting ritual, plus Druidic, Romany-inspired and Celtic rituals, just to name a few. There are also several interfaith ceremonies that Pagans can use if marrying a Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish partner. After reading this book, you may wish to take full advantage of the "year and a day" clause and plan a new handfasting every year!