Marriage is a big step, and over time, people have come up with colorful, creative idioms to talk about tying the knot. These expressions add humor, heart, and sometimes a touch of drama to conversations about love and commitment. Whether you’re planning a wedding, watching a romantic movie, or just chatting with friends, knowing these idioms can help you understand and enjoy the language of love in a more playful and expressive way.
These marriage-themed idioms aren’t just charming—they reflect different emotions, traditions, and stages of relationships. Some focus on proposals, some on the wedding day itself, and others on married life. In this article, you’ll explore some of the most popular idioms related to getting married, their meanings, how to use them in sentences, and what they really imply about love and relationships. Let’s dive into the world of wedding talk!
Idioms for Getting Married
1. Tie the knot
Meaning: To get married.
In a Sentence: After five years of dating, they finally decided to tie the knot in a beautiful beach ceremony.
Other Ways to Say: Get hitched, Say “I do”
2. Pop the question
Meaning: To propose marriage.
In a Sentence: He nervously popped the question during a romantic dinner under the stars.
Other Ways to Say: Propose, Ask for someone’s hand
3. Walk down the aisle
Meaning: To get married in a traditional ceremony.
In a Sentence: She dreamed of walking down the aisle in her mother’s vintage wedding dress.
Other Ways to Say: Get married, Exchange vows
4. Get hitched
Meaning: To get married, often casually or spontaneously.
In a Sentence: They decided to get hitched in Las Vegas after a whirlwind romance.
Other Ways to Say: Tie the knot, Say vows
5. Seal the deal
Meaning: To confirm a commitment, especially marriage.
In a Sentence: They sealed the deal after years of dating and moving in together.
Other Ways to Say: Make it official, Finalize commitment
6. Say “I do”
Meaning: To agree to marriage during the wedding ceremony.
In a Sentence: The crowd cheered when both of them said “I do” with tears in their eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Accept a proposal, Get married
7. Take the plunge
Meaning: To decide to get married, often with some fear or uncertainty.
In a Sentence: Even though he was nervous, he took the plunge and proposed during their vacation.
Other Ways to Say: Commit, Jump in
8. Match made in heaven
Meaning: A perfect couple, very well suited for each other.
In a Sentence: Everyone agreed that they were a match made in heaven with shared values and endless laughter.
Other Ways to Say: Perfect pair, Ideal couple
9. Join in holy matrimony
Meaning: To become married in a religious or formal sense.
In a Sentence: The minister joined them in holy matrimony as the guests smiled and clapped.
Other Ways to Say: Get married, Be united
10. Tie the matrimonial knot
Meaning: A poetic or traditional way to say “get married.”
In a Sentence: After years of dating, they decided it was time to tie the matrimonial knot.
Other Ways to Say: Say vows, Become spouses
11. Hitched for life
Meaning: Committed to each other for a lifetime through marriage.
In a Sentence: They exchanged rings, promising to be hitched for life through thick and thin.
Other Ways to Say: Married forever, Lifelong commitment
12. Jump the broom
Meaning: To get married, especially in a cultural or traditional ceremony.
In a Sentence: At the end of their ceremony, they jumped the broom as a symbol of new beginnings.
Other Ways to Say: Celebrate union, Enter marriage
13. Wedding bells are ringing
Meaning: Someone is getting married soon.
In a Sentence: With the engagement announced, wedding bells are ringing all over town.
Other Ways to Say: A wedding is near, Marriage is coming
14. Go down the aisle
Meaning: To get married.
In a Sentence: She never thought she’d be going down the aisle this soon after meeting him.
Other Ways to Say: Tie the knot, Get married
15. The big day
Meaning: The day of the wedding.
In a Sentence: She was glowing with excitement as her big day finally arrived.
Other Ways to Say: Wedding day, Special occasion
16. Walk into wedded bliss
Meaning: To start a happy married life.
In a Sentence: They walked into wedded bliss hand in hand, ready for the future.
Other Ways to Say: Begin marriage, Start new life
17. Put a ring on it
Meaning: To propose or get engaged.
In a Sentence: After years of dating, she gave him a hint to finally put a ring on it.
Other Ways to Say: Get engaged, Propose
18. Make an honest woman/man
Meaning: To marry someone you’re in a relationship with.
In a Sentence: He joked that it was time to make her an honest woman after living together for years.
Other Ways to Say: Marry your partner, Make it official
19. Marry off
Meaning: To help or arrange for someone to get married.
In a Sentence: Her parents were thrilled to finally marry off their youngest daughter.
Other Ways to Say: Arrange marriage, Find a spouse for
20. Wedding jitters
Meaning: Nervous feelings before getting married.
In a Sentence: She tried to stay calm despite the wedding jitters creeping in.
Other Ways to Say: Pre-wedding nerves, Cold feet
21. Cold feet
Meaning: Doubts or anxiety before marriage.
In a Sentence: He almost backed out due to cold feet, but his best friend reassured him just in time.
Other Ways to Say: Second thoughts, Panic
22. Get married in a heartbeat
Meaning: To marry someone without hesitation.
In a Sentence: She said she would get married to him in a heartbeat if he asked.
Other Ways to Say: No hesitation, Eager to marry
23. Off the market
Meaning: No longer single or available because of being engaged or married.
In a Sentence: Ever since their engagement, he proudly declared himself off the market.
Other Ways to Say: Taken, Committed
24. Put a ring on her finger
Meaning: To propose or officially get engaged.
In a Sentence: He finally put a ring on her finger during their anniversary dinner.
Other Ways to Say: Get engaged, Make it official
25. Settle down
Meaning: To get married and live a more stable life.
In a Sentence: After years of traveling, they decided it was time to settle down and start a family.
Other Ways to Say: Start a family, Live quietly
26. Tie the ribbon
Meaning: A less common idiom that means to get married.
In a Sentence: They tied the ribbon in a private ceremony at city hall.
Other Ways to Say: Get hitched, Say vows
27. Walk into forever
Meaning: To begin a lifelong marriage.
In a Sentence: As they held hands and exchanged vows, they walked into forever with smiling hearts.
Other Ways to Say: Begin married life, Lifelong journey
28. Say vows
Meaning: To speak formal promises of love and commitment at a wedding.
In a Sentence: They wrote their own beautiful words to say vows on their wedding day.
Other Ways to Say: Make promises, Exchange vows
29. Love, honor, and cherish
Meaning: Common phrase used in wedding vows.
In a Sentence: He promised to love, honor, and cherish her through every season of life.
Other Ways to Say: Pledge devotion, Promise care
30. Blushing bride
Meaning: A traditional description of a shy, happy woman getting married.
In a Sentence: The blushing bride was glowing as she walked down the aisle.
Other Ways to Say: Radiant bride, Joyful bride
31. Shotgun wedding
Meaning: A rushed wedding, often because of an unexpected pregnancy.
In a Sentence: Rumor had it their quick wedding was a shotgun wedding.
Other Ways to Say: Rushed marriage, Sudden vows
32. Bridal bliss
Meaning: Happiness felt around a wedding and during early marriage.
In a Sentence: They were still floating in bridal bliss during their honeymoon.
Other Ways to Say: Newlywed joy, Post-wedding happiness
33. Groom-to-be
Meaning: A man who is engaged to be married.
In a Sentence: The groom-to-be was already planning the honeymoon months in advance.
Other Ways to Say: Engaged man, Fiancé
34. Bride-to-be
Meaning: A woman who is engaged to be married.
In a Sentence: The bride-to-be was busy choosing dresses and venues every weekend.
Other Ways to Say: Engaged woman, Fiancée
35. Put a bow on it
Meaning: To complete something perfectly—sometimes used jokingly for marriage.
In a Sentence: After buying a house and adopting a dog, they decided to put a bow on it and get married.
Other Ways to Say: Wrap things up, Finalize
36. Off to the altar
Meaning: Heading to get married.
In a Sentence: The couple was off to the altar surrounded by cheering friends.
Other Ways to Say: Going to wed, On their way to marriage
37. Start a new chapter
Meaning: Begin a new phase in life, such as marriage.
In a Sentence: They closed the door on single life and started a new chapter together.
Other Ways to Say: Begin anew, Start married life
38. Marry into
Meaning: To become part of a family through marriage.
In a Sentence: He married into a big Italian family and loved the warm traditions.
Other Ways to Say: Join by marriage, Become family
39. Go all out
Meaning: To do something with full effort—often for a wedding.
In a Sentence: They went all out with the decorations and live band for their big day.
Other Ways to Say: Spare no expense, Do it big
40. Tie yourself to someone
Meaning: Commit fully to one person through marriage.
In a Sentence: He was happy to tie himself to someone who truly understood him.
Other Ways to Say: Devote oneself, Commit deeply
41. Start life together
Meaning: Begin living as a married couple.
In a Sentence: They moved into their new home and started life together with excitement.
Other Ways to Say: Begin married life, Build a home
42. Walk hand in hand
Meaning: To face life’s journey together, often in marriage.
In a Sentence: From their first date to the altar, they walked hand in hand the whole way.
Other Ways to Say: Stand side by side, Support each other
43. Head over heels
Meaning: Completely in love, often leading to marriage.
In a Sentence: They were head over heels from the start and talked about marriage quickly.
Other Ways to Say: Deeply in love, Madly in love
44. Write your love story
Meaning: To build a life together through love and marriage.
In a Sentence: They’re ready to write their love story—starting with the wedding day.
Other Ways to Say: Begin your journey, Live your love
45. Happily ever after
Meaning: A phrase that means a happy, lasting marriage.
In a Sentence: Like a fairy tale ending, they danced into their happily ever after.
Other Ways to Say: A joyful future, Life full of love
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks:
- He finally decided to _______ the question and propose during dinner.
- She dreamed about walking _______ the aisle in a beautiful white dress.
- After the ceremony, they were officially _______ for life.
- They decided to _______ down after years of traveling the world.
- She was feeling _______ feet the night before the wedding.
- They started life _______ with excitement and love in their hearts.
- Everyone said they were a _______ made in heaven.
- As wedding bells were _______, the planning began.
- The couple walked into _______ bliss hand in hand.
- After a quick decision, they went to city hall and tied the _______.
- He wanted to make an _______ woman out of her before their child was born.
- They were both ready to write their love _______.
Answers:
pop, down, hitched, settle, cold, together, match, ringing, wedded, ribbon, honest, story
Conclusion
Marriage idioms bring warmth, tradition, and storytelling into our language. These expressions are more than just cute sayings—they reflect how people feel about love, partnership, and the exciting (sometimes nerve-wracking) journey to the altar. Whether you’re in love, planning a wedding, or just love language, these idioms help you connect with others and speak about romance in a more vivid and meaningful way.
Practice using them in real life, whether you’re writing a wedding toast, chatting with friends, or even daydreaming about your own big day. With every idiom you learn, you’re adding a new way to express love—and maybe even make someone smile.
