Tie the knot

Origin

Imagine a time before grand churches and formal registrars, when a promise between two people was literally bound. The phrase 'tie the knot' harks back to ancient and medieval handfasting ceremonies, particularly prevalent in Celtic traditions. Here, the hands of the bride and groom were physically bound together with ribbons or cords, symbolizing their unbreakable union and commitment. This ritual, an enduring visual of two lives becoming one, cemented the bond, giving birth to the vivid idiom that still describes the act of getting married today.