I’m so excited that two of my favourite elements of the wedding ceremonies I create feature in Bridebook’s top five 2025 wedding trends—personalised vows and handfasting. These are both fabulous ways to create a unique wedding ceremony experience, and they are so easy to include. Read on to find out more!
Personalised Vows: Creating a Unique Wedding Experience
Why Personalised Vows Matter
There’s nothing as magical as hearing genuine, heartfelt promises being shared by two people in love. For some, writing their vows is easy, but for others, it’s hard to express their feelings on paper or even know where to start.
Don’t panic! For expert tips on how to write your own personal promises, check out my blog: Expert Tips and Guidance on How to Write the Perfect Wedding Vows!
Handfasting: A Timeless Wedding Tradition
The History of Handfasting
Handfasting is an age-old ceremony that originated when marriage could only be legalised by a local vicar, who was responsible for multiple parishes. Since their visits could take up to a year, couples who wished to marry would perform a handfasting ceremony as a symbol of their commitment until the vicar arrived.
How to Include Handfasting in Your Wedding
Handfasting has evolved into a beautiful wedding tradition with a modern twist. Unlike a standard legal ceremony, a celebrant-led handfasting allows complete flexibility, ensuring that the ritual is meaningful and personal to you.
Here are three unique ways to incorporate handfasting into your wedding ceremony:
1. Including Handfasting as Part of Your Personalised Vows
Having been married before, P and B decided not to have a legal ceremony but instead opted for a Commitment Ceremony to affirm their love in front of family and friends.
They chose different coloured ribbons, each colour representing a different promise they wished to make to one another.
One ribbon was also tied on behalf of their guests, symbolising their promise to support the couple.
After each ribbon was bound around their hands, a promise was read aloud.
Once all the ribbons were in place, they tied the knot, holding it up to the cheers of their guests.
Their handfasting knot became a cherished keepsake, symbolising the love and promises shared that day.
2. Creating Homemade Handfasting Binds
C and B wanted to involve their families in their wedding preparations. Since they completed their legal marriage separately with a registrar, they chose an outdoor celebrant-led ceremony where they could personalise every detail.
I suggested using three custom-made binds:
Two represented each of them individually, their past lives, and their families.
The third symbolised their union and shared future.
Their families helped create the binds using sentimental fabric pieces, such as childhood blankets, school ties, and shoe laces and fabric from the shirts they wore on their first date.
During the ceremony, their mums and best friend placed a bind each around their hands, while I explained the meaning behind them. When C and B tied the knot, their guests erupted into cheers—an unforgettable moment of love and unity!
3. Tying the Infinity Knot
M and J’s love story was deeply connected to the infinity symbol—it was on the first necklace J gifted to M, as well as on her engagement ring. To honour this, they decided to tie their own infinity knot as part of their ceremony. Since they are an outdoorsy couple, they chose climbing rope for authenticity.
Standing in front of their guests, who were seated on hay bales in the woods, I laid the cords across their wrists.
I stepped aside, allowing them to tie their own infinity knot—a powerful moment representing their unbreakable bond.
The endless loop of the knot, with no beginning or end, symbolised their eternal love.
Make Your Wedding Ceremony Truly Unforgettable!
These are just a few examples of the unique and heartfelt handfasting ceremonies I’ve created for happy couples over the years.
As an Independent Celebrant, I work closely with you to craft a handfasting ceremony that reflects you. I won’t dictate how it should be done—you get to choose the colours, materials, and who is involved.
💍 Want to create a deeply personal and unforgettable wedding ceremony? Click here to book a no-obligation chat with me today!
I can’t wait to hear from you!
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