Petition · past parliament
Make handfasting a legal ceremony
Closed
884 signatures
What the petition asks
The tradition of handfasting has been practiced for thousands of years pre-dating any wedding ceremony concocted by any modern religion/faith. These have their marriages recognised by law and there is no good reason why this same right should not be extended to include Pagan faiths.
The Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977 made Pagan weddings and handfastings legal in Scotland, allowing Norse, Druids & other Pagans to obtain legally recognised marriage ceremonies in accordance with their faith, but at present Pagans in England & Wales do not have that right.
We request that the government recognise how important it is for people to be able to be joined in matrimony in accordance with their religious beliefs and give Pagan handfasting legal recognition in England and Wales without prejudice and without having to have a second ceremony to legalise the commitment.
We request that the government recognise how important it is for people to be able to be joined in matrimony in accordance with their religious beliefs and give Pagan handfasting legal recognition in England and Wales without prejudice and without having to have a second ceremony to legalise the commitment.
Timeline
| 26 Jan 2017 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 2 May 2017 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
884
Status
Closed
Opened
26 Jan 2017
Closed
2 May 2017
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.