Your wedding, your way

I really enjoy getting to know my couples and create a wedding ceremony that resonates with you and your families and friends. I love to research this wedding traditions and rituals, and readings, poetry and lyrics, even film scripts, so we can create a unique ceremony that is undoubtedly YOURS.

Please feel free to get in touch for an initial FREE no-strings-attached 10-15 minute chat, and tell me what you have in mind. It’s a holistic process; everyone is individual, every couple is unique and so every humanist wedding is completely bespoke for you.

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers:

Where can you have a humanist wedding ceremony?

Humanist ceremonies can be held absolutely anywhere and I’ve been lucky to have been chosen to conduct ceremonies in a variety of places, including a castle, on an island, in a field, in a concert hall, a restaurant and even a high school! You can be married in a humanist ceremony in a garden, a wood, on a boat, or a beach, in a famous place or park, or wherever you want. Many couples choose to have a humanist ceremony in an outdoor location, but we’re portable as wedding celebrants so we can go almost anywhere.

Is it possible to take a wedding celebrant to my destination wedding?

Yes, definitely! With a love of travelling, and my only child now 22, as well a decent grasp of French and Spanish, I’m always extremely happy to go abroad. In fact, I charge the same as usual (+ 3* accommodation & flight). It can be really reassuring to know you’ll have the wedding ceremony you planned by taking the celebrant you’ve got to know and the script, signed off, to your destination wedding.  

How do you plan a  humanist wedding ceremony?

Initially, you may just want to have a quick chat, which we can do on the phone or by video call (Facetime/Whatsapp/Zoom/Skype/Googlechat).

If you choose me as a celebrant, we can plan the creative ceremony consultation, which we can also hold via video call (depending on UK restrictions), or somewhere convenient.

At our consultation, we can talk about your wishes for your wedding ceremony, and any readings, rituals, songs, vows and promises, or people that you wish to include. You can give as much creative direction as you wish (including a guide on what to wear to complement your colour scheme or the occasion if you wish.)

After the consultation, having met you, I will research and send you ideas and a draft of your ceremony. A humanist ceremony can be as traditional or as contemporary and original as you wish it to be. It can incorporate traditions, customs and cultural references from around the world. It can include a quiet time for prayer, if you wish to provide that for religious relatives.

As a humanist, I respect people of all beliefs and backgrounds and believe in kindness, honesty and treating people as I’d wish to be treated myself.

Is a humanist wedding legal?

In England and Wales, Humanists UK has been campaigning hard for years to gain legal recognition of humanist marriage, because of our belief in equal rights for secular/non-religious people, and we’re getting ever closer to that golden day. However, at the moment, you need to get the official bit done at a registry office. To give notice of marriage is £35 per person, and to book a registrar is approximately £47. Often local registry offices differ in fees, on different days, so there are ways of keeping this cost to a bare minimum.

In Scotland, there has been legal recognition of marriage since 2005, and as an accredited Humanists UK celebrant, I could marry you legally in Scotland, or Northern Ireland (where it gained legal recognition in 2017). Guernsey and Jersey have also updated their marriage laws to allow humanist marriage.

In any case, every humanist wedding has an authenticity to it and becomes ‘the real wedding’, even if you’ve had to previously do the legal bit for any reason, or you need to do that at a later date.

How much is a humanist wedding celebrant? (with me)

My 2024 fees are:

£300 – non-refundable deposit to secure the date (further to your confirmation) and to begin working with you on your bespoke wedding

£350 – create a wedding ceremony with you. (This involves meetings, 2+ hours, research, writing, editing, additional support, professional guidance). Payable 2 weeks before wedding.

£350 – conduct the wedding ceremony. (This can also include a rehearsal, travel, arrival time 1hr before the ceremony, organising the ceremony to ensure all goes smoothly, and of course, your wedding ceremony itself). Payable 2 weeks before wedding.

Total: £1,000

*Please note that I’d rather you have the celebrant of your choice and I am happy to negotiate the fees

As an accredited celebrant with Humanists UK, I have full public liability and professional indemnity insurance, as well as continued professional development and a commitment to the Code of Conduct. This gives our clients the assurance of the highest quality service.

Furthermore, if you have a wedding with a Humanists UK celebrant, you can have a year’s free membership to the organisation. As celebrants, we also pay fees to support the campaigns for equal rights.