Beltane, celebrated around May 1st, is one of the great Celtic fire festivals — a time when the earth is fully alive, bursting with fertility, passion, and light. Traditionally, it marked the beginning of the bright half of the year. People would leap over fires for blessings, weave flower crowns, and gather to celebrate the abundance and beauty of life.
Beltane was also deeply associated with unions. It was common for couples to join hands in handfasting ceremonies — a temporary or lifelong commitment, depending on their intentions. These ancient ceremonies were vibrant, heartfelt, and full of symbolism, often celebrated under the open sky, among the fields and fires.
Although I haven’t had the honor of performing a wedding specifically on Beltane (yet!), being a celebrant allows me to witness and craft ceremonies that carry that same spirit: the celebration of love, growth, and sacred connection. Every wedding feels, in its own way, like a spark of ancient tradition — a reminder that love is timeless and ever-renewing.
Today, many Beltane celebrations still echo the old ways: weaving ribbons around the Maypole, lighting bonfires, planting intentions, or simply gathering with community to honor the season of life at its peak. Whether you dance, feast, marry, or simply sit with the energy of the day, Beltane invites us all to open our hearts to passion, purpose, and joy.
May the fires of Beltane inspire you to celebrate love — in all its beautiful, wild forms.