Handfasting

 Ever wondered where the expression ’tying the knot’ and ‘bound for life’ come from? Well … it’s the age-old Celtic ritual of handfasting, where a couple join hands and tie a knot together using cords of chosen colours to symbolise the binding of two lives! 

Handfasting ceremonies are a popular element in many wedding ceremonies, or can be arranged as a separate ceremony and have seen a revival in recent years.

Although the ritual itself is not legally binding, it is becoming increasingly popular as an additional element to a marriage ceremony or as a separate ceremony. The knots are the perfect way to symbolically illustrate that a couple are joined to one another.

In fact, as it’s not a legal part of your ceremony, anyone can participate in the handfasting, making it a lovely way to include a special family member or friend.

Every celebrant has their own unique way of handfasting, but essentially the couple hold right hands so that their pulse points are touching. Three cords are then looped over their joined hands, the colour of the cords are representative of different meanings. The couple then release their right hands whilst pulling the ends of the cords with their left hands, leaving a perfect Celtic knot to be cherished and kept as a symbol of their marriage.

All three celebrants at Southwest Ceremonies have had experience of handfasting and we can recommend as a beautiful addition to your celebratory day. 

By Fiona