The People should gather with the Sacra necessary for the ritual. The Barley, the Knife, the Fire, the Cup, the Water, the Wine, the Incense, and the Food. Also a Book in which to record the Ceremony, the participants, the Witnesses, etc., and a Book or Scroll for such readings as are required. If the ceremony is to be conducted indoors, then it may be practical for the pompe to consist of the Priest and Priestess merely entering, though of course a full pompe is preferable.

Two chairs should be set up facing each other for the Bride and Groom.

In addition to the above, a lyknon with fruit must be provided, with a phallos partially concealed in the fruit; and a young man to carry and hold it who is as splendid and perfect as possible. The young man with the lyknon will enter with the Groom.

A Woman with a Torch is also necessary, this part traditionally being filled by the Bride's Mother: should she not be available, the Priestess can carry the torch while the Priest carries the Thyrsis.

Six items will be provided for sacrifice, three by the bride, three by the groom. They shall be wrapped as wedding gifts, with the name of the deity for Whom they are intended, and brought in by the bridesmaids and groomsmen. The nature of one of these is specific: a doll from the Bride's personal collection, to be given to Artemis. The other sacrifices go to Hera, Demeter, Zeus, Apollon, and Dionysos.

The Priest and Priestess shall enter, bearing the Thyrsis andincense. If the bride's mother is to participate in the actual ritual, she should enter with the Priest and Priestess, bearing a torch, or, more simply, a lit candle.

Priest:

"We have come together to consecrate a marriage, which is a solemn and joyous ceremony, to be celebrated by those to be married, their families, and the community of which they are a part and in which they will live. It is more than young people speaking vows before an audience. By your attendance you bear witness to their joining and give your support to their success."

Priestess:

"We therefore ask you to join is, if you have no vows which prevent it, in the actions by which this room will become a holy place for the wedding. By the washing of hands, by which we are all symbolically purified; by the consecration of the hearth with barley: and by the sharing of libations to the Gods Who will witness this marriage, even as you do. In the libation, if you may not drink wine, then merely touching a drop to your forheard will suffice."

The Priest and Priestess first wash the Mother's hands, then those of all those gathered, then each others'.

The Priest cries out:

"Hekas, o hekas, este bebeloi!"

The Priestess replies:

"Let All That Is Profane Be Far From Here!"

Priest:

"If each of you will please come forward, take a small amount of barley from this basket, and toss it onto the fire, then this Hearth will be consecrated as the altar for this wedding, according to Ancient Tradition."

Beginning with the Priest and Priestess, then the Bride's Mother (if present) everyone tosses some barley onto the fire.

The Priest cries out:

"Paresmen time, sonta tas theas kai tous theous."

The Priestess Replies:

"We Are Here To Honor the Gods and Goddesses."

Priest and Priestess Together:

"The Holy Fire of Hestia comes now from the Hearth of the Bride's home to the Hearth of the Groom."

Either the Bride's Mother or the Priestess lights the fire in the Hearth.

The Priest and Priestess Mix the Wine and Water.

The Priest says:

"Theasthe ta hudata biou."

The Priestess Replies:

"Behold the Waters of Life!"

The Priest says:

"Hestia, Thine is always the first and the last."

Some of the mixture in the cup is poured out on the altar, then the cup is passed around counterclockwise, each person taking a sip in offering to Hestia, or touching a drop to his or her forehead in offering. The Priest takes a last sip, and the remaining part is poured out on the altar.

Here should be recited or sung the Second Homeric Hymn to Dionysos in the order set by Athanassakis, Homeric Hymn #7.

Priestess:

"Dionysos, and all You Other Gods, this Libation is for You, in the hope that You will join us here today and bring into the lives of those who are to be joined that passion which gives life its savor."

The Priestess pours some of the mixture on the altar, then passes the cup counterclockwise. When the libation returns to the Priestess she takes a last sip, and the remaining part is poured out on the altar.

The Priest and Priestess then move to the space before the chairs and signal the music for the Groom's Entrance.

The Groom's Party Enters. First comes the Splendid Young Man, bearing the liknon. Then the Groomsmen, carrying the gifts for Zeus, Apollon, and Dionysos.

The Splendid Young man moves immediately to a position behind the two chairs. The Groom, Best Man, and any others, move to Stage Right..

The Bride's party enters. This includes the Maid of Honor, Bridesmaids bearing the gifts for Artemis, Hera, and Demeter, the flower children, the ring bearer and, finally the Bride. If the Bride's father is present he should accompany her. If she has a train bearer, then the train bearer comes last. They take position to Stage Left,.

Priest and Priestess Together:

"Do your bring offerings for the Gods?"

Bride and Groom Together:

"We do."

The Bride and Groom take turns presenting the gifts, one at a time, the Bride to the Priestess, the Groom to the Priest. They simply state to which Deity the gift is given. As each gift is received, the Priest or Priestess makes a brief prayer and touches the gift with the sacrificial knife, then puts it in the basket. The order should be: Artemis, Apollon, Demeter, Dionysos, Hera, Zeus.

The Priest and Priestess then say together:

"Lambane kai heydou anathemata heymown."

The Bride and Groom say:

"Accept and Delight in Our Offerings."

Here should be recited or sung the Second Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, in the order set by Athanassakis, Homeric Hymn #10.

Priestess:

"Our purpose here today is a Marriage between _______ and _______. A Marriage is more than just a recitation of vows. It has a significance to the community in which it takes place, and also a significance in the spirits of those who participate and witness it. Certain things must occur in it's construction for it to be a Marriage. All those who participate must consent, and by that consent avow support for its success.

Therefore I must ask first: Is there anyone who knows of any genuine reason why these two people should not be joined? If so, let that one speak, or forever hold peace."

Priest:

"Next, it must be determined if these two are both willing that this contract shall be made. Therefore I must ask next:

______ ______, will you take ______ ______ to be your wife, to love her, to cherish her, to comfort her, and to care for her?"

"______ ______, will you take ______ ______ to be your husband, to love him, to cherish him, to comfort him, and to care for him?"

Here should be recited or sung the Homeric Hymn to Hera, in the order set by Athanassakis, Homeric Hymn #12.

Priestess:

"Hera and Hestia, You Who Witness Vows, Listen as I ask:

(Addressing the Assembly)

Will all of you who are gathered here today consent and support the union of these two, friends being as a family to them and their children?"

The Priest and Priestess take the Bride and the Groom's hands and join them.

Priest:

(Addressing the Groom)

"_______, repeat after me: I, ______ ______... Take Thee, _______ ______... To Be my Wedded Wife...To Have and to Hold...From this day forward....for better...for worse...for richer...for poorer...in sickness and in health...to love...to cherish...and to honour...for the benefit of us both....and of our children...of our families....and our peoples;...and thereunto....before the Gods and our community... I pledge thee my arete."}

Priestess:

"_______, repeat after me: I, _______ _______... Take Thee, _______ _______.... To be my Wedded Husband...To Have and to Hold...From this day forward....for better...for worse...for richer...for poorer...in sickness and in health...to love...to cherish...and to honour...for the benefit of us both....and of our children...of our families....and our peoples;...and thereunto....before the Gods and our community... I pledge thee my arete."

Priest:

"As there are tokens, let them be exchanged."

"_______, repeat after me: With the giving of this ring....I thee wed."

Priestess:

"As there are tokens, let them be exchanged."

"_______, repeat after me: With the giving of this ring...I thee wed."

Priest and Priestess Together:

"Then let them be joined! And let them make, one to the other, those vows which are between them and the Gods, and let us ask, in our hearts, that the Gods stand beside them in all things."

The Bride and Groom are seated on the chairs. The Bride's himataeon is lifted and draped over the Groom, so that the two of them are together under her veil. The Young Man holds the lyknon out over them. Under the veil, the Bride and Groom speak softly to each other, exchanging such vows as are between them.

Here should be recited or sung the Second Homeric Hymn to Hestia (and Hermes), in the order set by Athanassakis, Homeric Hymn #29.

The Priestess fills the cup, spills some upon the Hearth, then holds it in readiness.

Priest:

"To All the Gods we give thanks, for the life that has been and the life that will be. In the hope of Their blessings we call forth from their joining ______ _and _______, to share with us our Sacral Feast, our Sacred Libations, and our Community."

The Best Man and Maid of Honor move to help lift the Bride's himataeon back over her head, so that for the first time her face is revealed fully to the crowd. The Bride and Groom stand and face the crowd.

The Priestess gives them the cup and they share it, all but the last sip, in whatever fashion is appropriate.

The Groom then leads the Bride to the Hearth, and she pours out the last of the wine upon the fire. Together they put the cup on the altar.

The Bride and Groom Together:

"Hestia, yours always is the first and the last."

Priestess:

"A new Hearth is built, the fire of two houses is joined, the rain falls on the earth, and the river of humanity flows on."

Priest and Priestess together:

"We give to you ______and _______ _______, Man and Woman, Partners in Marriage, a family under one roof. Houtos Heksoi!"

(The Music which we used for the marriage of Jonathon and Kimberly was as follows:

For the Pompe, the first half of the First Delphic Hymn to Apollon.

For the Entrance of the Groom, the Hymn to the Sun by Mesomedes of Crete.

For the Entrance of the Bridesmaids and the Bride, the Second Delphic Hymn to Apollon.

For the Music while the Bride and Groom are covered by her himataeon, the Hymn to the Muse by Mesomedes of Crete.

For the Recessional, the second half of the First Delphic Hymn to Apollon.

As we did not have the funding for live musicians, we used the recording of these works by the Atrium Musicae de Madrid, Harmonia Mundi Recording HM1015)