These were trial marriages usually lasting a year and a day. Paganism acknowledges that people need to get to know each other properly before deciding to commit to each other for life. Mayday In medieval times May Day was celebrated with ribaldry and merry making. It was a time when the usual rules of behaviour were abandoned. But this was accepted in rural societies in those days, since children were an essential part of marriage to help with the heavy workload.
Marriages often didn t take place until a pregnancy showed that a couple was fertile.
Mayday was celebrated in many towns and villages until the 17th century when it was banned by the Puritans. The remnants of these celebrations that endure are an echo of pre-Christian Pagan beliefs.