FAQ's

WHAT IS A HUMANIST WEDDING?

A humanist wedding is a meaningful, non-religious ceremony created especially for the engaged couple to celebrate their commitment to one another. Humanist weddings are based entirely on the unique aspects of each couple's relationship and offer a contemporary way of bringing significance to one of life's big milestones.

The content and structure is entirely your choice and couples have the freedom to write their own promises to each other. There is no set script we must follow, and we can include pretty much any music, poetry, symbolic ritual or prose that you like. Each ceremony is different because each couple is too! Whatever your worldview, whoever you are, wherever you're from and whomever you love, you are all very welcome at a humanist wedding.

WHY CHOOSE A HUMANIST CEREMONY?

Wouldn’t it be great to start your married life with a ceremony that really means something? To tell your friends and family what your relationship means to you, and why you are choosing to get married? Whilst we spend so much time focusing on the details of the party and the little things we want to include in our wedding, it is easy to forget that the ceremony itself is the reason you have come together, often with your family and friends in tow too. Your wedding ceremony is the crux of your day and it should be fun and unique to you as a couple, setting the tone for your wedding celebrations!

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WHAT DOES A HUMANIST CEREMONY TYPICALLY INVOLVE?

That bit is entirely your choice! Whilst I have a myriad of material to help shape the ceremony and get the ball rolling, there is certainly no template that we must follow or no long list of boxes to tick! My aim is to get to know you and understand exactly what energy and vibe it is that you're looking for so that, together we can tell your unique love story through words, poetry, music and personal expression. Ceremonies typically last around thirty to forty minutes, depending on all of the above.

HOW SOON SHOULD I GET IN TOUCH?

As soon as you're ready! Wedding ceremonies tend to be booked up to two years in advance so whether you know your exact date, or have a rough timeline, get in touch and we can talk availability.

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WHAT DO YOU CHARGE?
Every wedding is unique and the fee for each bespoke ceremony will depend on a variety of factors. The fee you pay is for the hours and work that go into each meeting, planning and discussing your ceremony, drafting and editing your bespoke script, attendance at rehearsals, delivering the ceremony itself and for a presentation copy of the ceremony script. It also includes insurance and registration fees. For speech writing services, drop me a  line for pricing structures. 

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL FEES?

If your ceremony is a plane or train ride away, or a distance that would mean an overnight stay, there may be an additional fee. All fees are communicated and agreed before booking is finalised so there are no surprises! My booking Terms and Conditions can be found here. 

ARE HUMANIST WEDDINGS LEGAL IN NORTHERN IRELAND?

I am very pleased to say... YES! HURRAH! As of August 2018, Humanist Weddings in NI are legally binding thanks to the hard work of Humanists UK. As is the case with all non-religious marriages in NI, in order for the wedding to be legal, the ceremony venue must hold a wedding license. It is also important to note that humanist wedding celebrants from Northern Ireland, accredited by Humanists UK, can only conduct legal wedding ceremonies within Northern Ireland. For legal ceremonies in the Republic of Ireland, contact Humanist Association of Ireland. Similarly, for Scotland, contact Humanist Society Scotland. 

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WE'RE GETTING LEGALLY MARRIED AT ANOTHER TIME. DO YOU OFFER NON-LEGAL CEREMONIES?

I do! Nearly every couple I speak with​ has encountered a tug of war over where to get married. Outside influences may be faced and tough decisions have to be made. You may get married in a civil ceremony or another country, and that's cool! A non-legal humanist ceremony may be an opportunity for you to express who you really are as a couple and to create something pretty magical for your family and friends... and I would love to be part of that! Find out more about my commitment ceremonies here. 

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HOW DO WE MAKE IT LEGALLY BINDING?

You must send your completed marriage notice forms, relevant documents and declarations to the General Registrar Office for NI (GRO). There are two legal fees that you will need to account for. Firstly, the GRO Processing Fee of £44 per couple. Secondly, the Humanists UK Processing Fee of £40 per couple. Both fees are payable directly to each organisation. 

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ARE YOU INSURED?

Yes! I have full Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance through Humanists UK.

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