Couple Marry in First Viking Wedding In Approximately 1,000 Years

Sep 14, 2018 by apost team

People get married in different ways, but most people still choose a fairly traditional marriage. One Norwegian couple went beyond traditional by making a wedding that had not been seen for 1,000 years. The young couple exchange their vows during a Viking ceremony.

The wedding included a pagan priest, longboats and a blood sacrifice. Elisabeth and Rune Dalseth were raised Christian, but they wanted a wedding that represented their Viking past. The pair ended up exchanging vows on the banks of a beautiful Norwegian lake. Both of them were dressed up in Viking matrimonial attire for the special occasion.

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Traditional Viking weddings include a blood ritual. Basically, a cauldron of pig's blood is placed on a bunch of stones. Figures are added that represent the gods. The blood is dripped onto the figures of the gods before it is dripped onto the couple's foreheads.

Unsurprisingly, all of the couples wanted to gather for the wedding. More than 130 guests showed up in Viking costume. Traditional Norse songs were played as the guests gulped down honey beer.

From the music to the blood ritual, the entire ceremony was perfectly chosen to match the way the Vikings would have celebrated a wedding. Elisabeth and Rune are part of a group of 6,000 people in Norway who are called Viking revivalists.

They care so much about the movement that they even named their infant son after a legendary hero, Ragnar Lothbrok.

The ceremony was also an attempt to challenge Viking stereotypes about violence and pillaging. According to the couple, the Vikings were no worse than any other group of people from the era.

The young couple met in 2016. At the time, Rune was a practicing pagan and loved Viking lore. Elisabeth was introduced to the Vikings through her new boyfriend. According to Elisabeth, Rune really opened up her world. She quickly fell in love with the Vikings.

Rune proposed at a Viking festival in Oslo a year later. As soon as they were engaged, they immediately began planning an amazing ceremony. Because of their role in the revivalist moment, the couple wanted to preserve ancient ceremonies and pagan rituals.

With that in mind, the couple planned the first Viking ceremony for 1,000 years. They hired a local shipbuilder to construct two longboats. A friend helped them design the traditional dress. Finally, they discovered a pagan priest who agreed to help with the ceremony.

Since both of the lovebirds were raised as Christians, their parents were doubtful about the wedding. Rune's mother was initially against the entire plan. Over time, she finally accepted her son's beliefs when she saw how much it helped him move forward in life.

If you absolutely loved this Viking wedding video, tell us about it! Did this video inspire you to make your dream wedding?