A Handfasting Ceremony in Spain: How Scottish Couples Bring Their Traditions to a Catalan Wedding
Handfasting is where the phrase "tying the knot" comes from: the couple's hands are bound together with a ribbon, a cord or a strip of tartan while they make their promises. For Scottish couples planning a wedding abroad, it is one of the easiest ways to bring home to the ceremony, and it suits a symbolic wedding in Spain perfectly. 🏴
This guide explains what a handfasting ceremony is, how it works, what is and is not legal, and how Scottish couples plan a destination wedding at Hotel Vall Amagada del Molí, an exclusive use 1789 masia in Girona.
What is a handfasting ceremony?
A handfasting is a ritual in which the couple join hands and have them wrapped or tied with one or more cords. The tradition has deep roots in Scotland and the Celtic world; the word itself comes from the Old Norse for striking a bargain by joining hands. For centuries it was a recognised way of getting engaged or married in parts of Scotland.
Today handfasting is popular with couples of every background, religious or not. It can be the centre of the ceremony or a short moment alongside the exchange of rings and vows.
EN: A couple's hands bound with a cord during a handfasting. Photo: Kam Abbott, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons. CA: Les mans d'una parella lligades amb un cordó durant un handfasting. Foto: Kam Abbott, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons. ES: Las manos de una pareja atadas con un cordón durante un handfasting. Foto: Kam Abbott, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.
How a handfasting works, step by step
The introduction. The celebrant explains the meaning of the ritual for guests who have never seen one.
Joining hands. The couple hold hands, either right to right and left to left in a figure of eight, or simply side by side.
The binding. The celebrant, family members or friends drape and wrap the cords around the hands, one for each promise.
The knot. The cord is tied, often in an infinity knot, and the couple slip their hands out, keeping the knot intact as a keepsake.
The ritual itself takes only a few minutes. It often comes just before or after the ring exchange.
Choosing the cord
Family tartan: the most Scottish choice, a strip of the clan or family tartan.
Coloured cords: many couples pick colours with a meaning, such as red for love, green for growth or gold for a long life together.
Something borrowed: a grandmother's scarf, a ribbon from a mother's wedding or fabric from a meaningful place.
A local touch: a cord braided with olive or rosemary from the garden of the masia.
Is a handfasting legal?
In Scotland, a handfasting can be part of a legally binding ceremony when it is led by a celebrant authorised to solemnise marriages. Abroad, it is symbolic. That is why most Scottish couples who marry in Spain complete the legal marriage at their local registrar in Scotland first, then hold the handfasting and the full celebration in Spain.
For a legal marriage in Scotland, each partner completes a marriage notice form (M10) and sends it to the registrar of the district where the ceremony will take place, no later than 29 days before the date and ideally ten to twelve weeks ahead. Spain itself generally requires one partner to be Spanish or a resident of around two years for a civil marriage. The full picture is in the guide to getting married in Spain from the UK.
Bringing Scotland to a Catalan wedding
A piper to lead the procession across the meadow, flown in or found locally.
Kilts and tartan for the wedding party, which look striking against old stone walls.
A quaich for the couple's first shared drink, filled with whisky or Catalan cava.
A ceilidh after dinner, with a band or a caller teaching the Spanish and Catalan guests the steps.
Local touches too: a sunset saxophonist, fire pits with cocktails, and a live fire paella lunch the next day.
EN: The meadow ceremony spot, with the 1789 watermill behind. CA: El prat de les cerimònies, amb el molí de 1789 al fons. ES: El prado de las ceremonias, con el molino de 1789 al fondo.
Why Scottish couples choose a masia in Girona
Hotel Vall Amagada del Molí is a restored 1789 watermill and masia in the Llémena valley, half an hour from Girona. The couple books the whole property, so the wedding becomes a few days together rather than one long day.
Up to 42 guests overnight in fifteen rooms, and up to 100 for the ceremony and dinner.
Ceremony spots: the meadow, the stone patio, the stretch tent, or the stone walled lobby when it rains.
Packages: a midweek wedding from €7,750, a weekend wedding from €8,500 (minimum total spend €25,000 including food and drinks) and an extended weekend from €11,500.
Your own celebrant is welcome, and the hotel can recommend multilingual celebrants who know the handfasting ritual.
EN: A long table under the trees, set for the wedding dinner. CA: Una taula llarga sota els arbres, parada per al sopar de casament. ES: Una mesa larga bajo los árboles, preparada para la cena de boda.
Getting there from Scotland
Edinburgh to Girona: Jet2 relaunched a weekly direct flight in summer 2026, landing about 35 minutes from the hotel.
Edinburgh and Glasgow to Barcelona: several airlines fly direct; Barcelona El Prat is about an hour and a half from the hotel.
Transfers: the hotel can arrange airport transfers and shuttles for the whole group.
Flight schedules change every season, so check the current timetable before you set the date.
Make a week of it
Scottish guests rarely fly to Spain for one night. Around the hotel there are the volcanoes and beech forests of the Garrotxa, the cliff top village of Castellfollit de la Roca, medieval Besalú, Girona's old town and the coves of the Costa Brava. Cyclists in the group can ride the Llémena valley on a rented Cervélo road or gravel bike, or join a guided gravel ride organised by the hotel.
EN: Castellfollit de la Roca on its basalt cliff in the Garrotxa. Photo: JopkeB, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. CA: Castellfollit de la Roca dalt de la cinglera basàltica, a la Garrotxa. Foto: JopkeB, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. ES: Castellfollit de la Roca sobre su acantilado de basalto, en la Garrotxa. Foto: JopkeB, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Frequently asked questions
What happens at a handfasting ceremony?
The couple join hands and the celebrant, or family and friends, wrap cords or ribbons around them while vows are spoken. The cord is then tied in a knot as a symbol of the union.
Is a handfasting legally binding?
In Scotland it can be part of a legal ceremony led by an authorised celebrant. A handfasting abroad, for example in Spain, is symbolic, so couples complete the legal marriage at home.
How long does a handfasting ceremony last?
The binding itself takes a few minutes. A full ceremony with readings, vows and rings usually lasts 20 to 40 minutes.
Can we have a handfasting at Hotel Vall Amagada del Molí?
Yes. Symbolic ceremonies are fully tailored, and handfasting, wine rituals and personal vows are all welcome.
How do we get from Edinburgh to the venue?
Fly to Girona with Jet2 in summer or to Barcelona with several airlines, then transfer about 35 minutes from Girona or an hour and a half from Barcelona.
Plan your Scottish wedding in Catalonia
Read more on the weddings page, or contact frontoffice@vallamagada.com or WhatsApp +34 872 290 725 for the wedding brochure, a call or a visit.
Comments