Tie the knot

To “tie the knot” is to get married. When you use “tie the knot,” you emphasize the commitment of marriage, not necessarily the ceremony.

For example, someone may say, “I’m looking forward to getting married.” That means, he’s looking forward to the wedding and to being married. But if someone says, “I’m not sure I’m ready to tie the knot,” that means, “I’m not sure I’m ready to make a commitment in marriage.”

Here are a few more examples:

• After years of dating, Sarah and John decided it was finally time to tie the knot.
• Our friends, Lisa and Mark, are planning to tie the knot in a traditional church wedding.