Handfasting for Vow Renewals and Anniversaries

A handfasting is not only for weddings. More and more couples are choosing to include one when they renew their vows or mark a special anniversary. After years together, the image of hands being bound by cords takes on an even deeper meaning: it celebrates a bond that has already been tested, and chooses it all over again.

Whether you are celebrating ten years, a silver or golden anniversary, or simply want to recommit after a difficult period, here is how to make a handfasting part of it.

Why a handfasting suits a vow renewal

Vow renewals are often more relaxed and personal than weddings. There is no legal paperwork to worry about, so the ceremony can focus entirely on meaning. A handfasting fits perfectly: it is visual, hands-on and easy to tailor to your story. It also gives family members – including children and grandchildren who were not there the first time – a chance to take part.

Handfasting ceremonies can be incorporated into weddings, affirmations of vows and vow renewals alike, and work best before, during or after the vows are spoken.

Choosing a cord for a vow renewal

Bring back your original cord

If you had a handfasting at your wedding, using the same cord again is wonderfully symbolic. You might wrap the original cord first and then add a new one to represent the years since.

Choose colours that tell your story so far

Think about the colours of your first wedding, the places you have lived, or colours that represent milestones such as the birth of children. Our guide to handfasting cord colours and their meanings may spark some ideas.

Anniversary colours and materials

Traditional anniversary themes can inspire your cord: silver for a 25th anniversary, gold for a 50th, ruby red for a 40th, or sapphire blue for a 45th. A cord such as Celestial brings silver into the weave, while Celestial – Gold or Honey works beautifully for golden celebrations. A custom order cord lets you combine exact shades.

Add a charm for the milestone

A charm can mark what you are celebrating: a heart for love that has lasted, a tree of life for a growing family, or an infinity symbol for a bond without end. See handfasting charms and their symbolism.

Ideas for an anniversary handfasting

A cord for each decade

Use one cord for every decade you have been together, each in a colour that represents that chapter of your life. As each cord is wrapped, your celebrant or a family member can share a memory from that decade.

Children and grandchildren wrap the cords

Ask each of your children, or your grandchildren, to bring a cord and wrap it around your hands. It is a moving way to show how your marriage has grown into a family. Read more in how to involve family and friends in your handfasting.

Re-tie the original knot

If you kept your original cord tied in its knot, you can untie it and tie it again in front of your guests – a lovely way to show you would make the same choice again.

A private anniversary ritual

Not every handfasting needs an audience. Some couples hold a small, private handfasting on each anniversary: a quiet moment at home, holding hands bound by their wedding cord, reflecting on the past year and their hopes for the next one.

Wording ideas for a vow renewal handfasting

Vow renewal wording can look back as well as forward. Some ideas your celebrant could adapt:

• “[Number] years ago, [Name] and [Name] made promises to one another. Today, with all they have learned since, they choose to make those promises again.”
• “This first cord represents the love you began with. This second cord represents the love you have built – through good times and hard ones.”
• “Will you continue to choose each other, as you have chosen each other every day for [number] years?” We will.

For more ideas, see our full guide to handfasting ceremony wording.

A simple running order

If you are planning the ceremony yourselves, this simple structure works well for most vow renewals:

1. A welcome, and a few words about how you met and the years since.
2. A reading or a short speech from a child, grandchild or friend.
3. The renewal of your vows, spoken to each other.
4. The handfasting: cords presented, wrapped and tied.
5. An exchange of rings, if you are giving new or re-blessed rings.
6. Closing words, followed by a toast or celebration.

The whole ceremony can be as short as fifteen minutes, which keeps it relaxed for guests of all ages.

Who can lead a vow renewal handfasting?

Because a vow renewal is not a legal ceremony, you have plenty of freedom. An independent or humanist celebrant can create a personal ceremony for you, but you could also ask a close friend or family member to lead it. Some couples simply exchange words themselves while a child or grandchild wraps the cords. If you would like to understand where the legal line sits for weddings, see Is handfasting legally binding in the UK?

Planning tips

• Keep it comfortable. Choose a soft satin ribbon cord that is gentle on the hands, especially if the wrapping will take a little while.
• Think about the setting. Handfastings work beautifully outdoors – in a garden, on a beach or at the place where you got engaged.
• Order in good time. Handmade cords are made to order; ours take around 3–7 working days plus delivery.
• Plan the keepsake. Think about how you will display both cords afterwards – together in a shadow box can look stunning. See what to do with your handfasting cord after the wedding.

A new knot for a lasting love

A vow renewal handfasting celebrates something a wedding can only hope for: years of shared life, real challenges overcome and love that has deepened with time. Whether you reuse your original cord or choose a brand new one, the moment your hands are bound again is sure to be one to remember. Explore our handmade handfasting cords to find the right cord for your next chapter.