honoured to serve Cape Breton Island,
the wider Nova Scotia region, & across Canada
What is a Handfasting?
A handfasting is a timeless ritual of sacred union, where a couple’s hands are gently bound
with ribbons or cords to symbolize their commitment and connection.
You may have seen it portrayed in Braveheart, Outlander, or Game of Thrones—
a gesture rich with meaning, echoing love that defies convention and endures through the ages.
Once a traditional way to pledge partnership before legal marriage, handfasting has roots across
Celtic and Norse cultures and has evolved into a deeply personal ceremony.
Whether used in weddings, betrothals, or vow renewals, it invites the couple
to pause, be witnessed, and honour the crossing of a sacred threshold.
Each binding is unique, woven with intention, spirit, & the quiet power of saying yes.
Handfasting Betrothals
& Vow Renewals
Sacred Steps offers the perfect blend of tradition and nature for your special day. Whether a betrothal for a year & a day or Renewing your vows, our handfasting ritual aligns your love with the elements & blessings of the Earth.
With Sacred Steps, your ceremony will be guided with care, intention, and attention to every detail. Let us create a meaningful and memorable experience that celebrates your unique love story.
Handfastings & Weddings
Legal unions
Sacred Steps offers the perfect blend of tradition & nature for your special day. for a legal marriage,
our handfasting ritual aligns your love with the elements and blessings of the Earth, including the signing of documents & Witnesses.
With Sacred Steps, your ceremony will be guided with care, intention, and attention to every detail.
Let us create a meaningful and memorable experience that celebrates your unique love story.
* This option requires 6 months min. notice.
Ceremony Additions
Besom Broom Jumping
Jumping the besom broom is a cherished tradition with deep roots in Celtic, Pagan, and African diasporic cultures, symbolizing the sweeping away of the old and the leaping into a new life together.
Often used in handfasting and wedding ceremonies, the act represents unity, threshold crossing, and a shared commitment to walk forward in love, respect, and sacred partnership.
Cake & Mead ceremony
This elegant and joyful ritual offers the Couple a chance to pause in gratitude, sharing a small bite of cake and a sip of mead (or chosen beverage) as a symbolic first act of hospitality.
Traditionally, it marks abundance, sweetness, and the beginning of shared life—and provides a beautiful moment to acknowledge &
thank your guests for witnessing
& blessing your union.
Cost varies depending on
guest numbers & preferences.
pre wedding Ceremonies
Bridal Hoop & Besom Broom Ceremony
This heart-centered gathering is for Brides and their bridal party
to come together in sacred space to create & decorate the bridal hoop & or besom broom.
Rooted in tradition & joy, it’s a time for laughter, intention-setting, & shared creativity—infusing the tools of the ceremony with love, blessings, & meaning before the big day.
Ring Blessing Ceremony
Sacred Steps brings nature's beauty into your special ceremony. This intimate ritual, typically
held the day before your handfasting or wedding, emphasizes the deep connection
to the Earth & the Elements, with the forging of the rings.
A ceremony filled with
love & meaning.
Let us guide you through this profound experience as you prepare to exchange
rings & vows.
incense blending ceremony
In this meaningful ritual, the couple blends herbs and resins within the sacred energy of the Vesica Pisces—a symbol of union and creation.
Each ingredient is chosen with intention, reflecting the qualities they wish to bring
into their life together.
The incense is then used during the handfasting, its smoke rising as a fragrant blessing of love, unity, and shared purpose.