Can you legally marry us?
This is the most important question to ask any celebrant, because not all can. But yes, I can. I am legally authorised through Humanist Ceremonies Scotland.
Do we have to become members of Humanist Ceremonies Scotland?
No, Humanist Ceremonies Scotland is not a membership organisation and there is no joining fee. We are a community that exists to provide authentically humanist ceremonies while promoting humanist values and principles, not to generate private profit for any owners or shareholders.
Are you willing to travel?
I prefer not to leave my precious pooches, Roxy and Reggie, alone for any more than 4 hours. That means allowing up to an hour of travel each way to and from your venue, arriving an hour before your ceremony starts, and up to an hour for your ceremony.
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From Grangemouth, that takes me as far north as Perth, south to Biggar, east to Dunbar and west to Loch Lomond, and everywhere within that circumference.
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I do make exceptions if I can get a sitter or day care for the fur babies though, so don't let that put you off asking if your venue is outside my normal cover area.
And if I can't cover it for any reason, I can of course recommend other great celebrants.
How much do you charge?
£550 for 2026/27
£575 for 2028/29
My fee is inclusive of travel up to 50 miles from home (25 miles each way). Travel beyond this is charged at 50p per mile.
Any additional fees and expenses, for example where there’s a requirement for extended periods away from home and/or which may necessitate public transport and/or overnight accommodation, can be discussed.
Note that Humanist Ceremonies Scotland is not a membership organisation and there is therefore no additional joining fee.
Are there any other costs?
Anyone marrying in Scotland must submit Marriage Notices to the Register Office local to their venue, so that the Marriage Schedule can be drawn up. This cannot be done any sooner than 3 months prior to the wedding, with the deadline being 29 days prior. This is a legal requirement, regardless of the type of ceremony you choose (humanist, civil or religious), and it is worth bearing in mind that the Register Office will charge a separate, statutory fee of £100 for this. Further information is available at the National Records of Scotland (NRS)
How do we book you?
A non-refundable deposit of £100 secures your booking with me, with the balance not payable until 4 weeks before your wedding date.
What if you're run over by a bus?
I'm sure you'd be gutted for me! Even sad. But, rest assured, another legally authorised celebrant would be able to marry you (delivering the ceremony we created together) in the highly unlikely event of my incapacitation or untimely demise.
Are you insured?
I don't have life insurance, although given the previous question, maybe I should!
But I do have the all-important public liability insurance. Many venues insist on this.
What's your process?
I asked Chat GPT to create a poem using my process as a guide. This is what it came
up with!
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We meet —
two stories crossing in a quiet room,
names still formal on the page,
but laughter already loosening the air.
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We click —
not just you two (you’ve done that beautifully on your own),
but all of us —
a shared sense that this will be honest,
unfussy,
entirely you.
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You book —
a date held like a promise in my diary,
a small constellation drawn around your future.
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I send you “homework” —
not lines to memorise,
but questions to wander through:
How did it begin?
When did you know?
What do you cherish, endure, forgive, adore?
You return pages threaded with memory —
first glances, burnt dinners, hospital vigils,
inside jokes that make no sense to anyone else
(and that’s the point).
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You give legal notice —
a practical pause,
ink and administration,
the law acknowledging what your hearts decided long ago.
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We’ll meet again —
this time deeper,
sleeves rolled up in the tender archaeology of your lives.
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We agree what you want —
ritual or simplicity,
music that lifts or silence that settles,
vows whispered or declared like cathedral bells.
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I draft your ceremony —
stitched from your words,
your rhythm,
your particular way of loving.
No borrowed sentiments,
no borrowed souls.
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We edit —
a phrase sharpened here,
a story softened there.
We move a paragraph.
We keep the joke.
We lose the cliché.
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You love it —
not because it is grand,
but because it is true.
It sounds like you.
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I deliver it —
standing before your gathered tribe,
holding the shape of your story
with steady hands and a full heart.
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You declare —
clear voices,
steady eyes,
choosing each other out loud
in a world that needs to hear such things.
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We sign —
paper catching the weight of the moment,
witnesses leaning in,
pens trembling just a little.
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You’re married —
not transformed into something new,
but recognised,
celebrated,
sealed in community and intention.
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Yay!
Can we include any religious elements?
My ceremonies are authentically humanist, so non-religious. That said, while the
ceremony can't include acts of religious worship such as hymns and prayers, you
can include readings with religious origins, normally delivered by one of your guests.
Do we have to be humanists?
Absolutely not. You don't have to share the same beliefs as me. All I ask is that you support, or can relate to, the principles of humanism, and human rights generally. Even if one or both of you have a religious faith, you can still choose to have a non-religious, humanist ceremony, which is inclusive of all faiths and none. Some of my couples have had a church blessing before or after their wedding.
What do you sound like?
Head over to the Real Weddings section or my YouTube channel for some of my couples' highlight films. You can hear me reciting some of my favourite poems and readings there too.
What's your style of delivery?
My ceremonies are delivered from the heart and with a sprinkling of humour; the
perfect balance of sentiment and scintillating, keeping you and your guests engaged.
Can we involve others in our ceremony?
Of course, they just can't do the legal bit. You can invite others to recite a poem or a reading, or 'pop up' to share their own words. Others can get involved in symbolic gestures such as handfasting and drinking from the quaich too. And all your guests can get involved with ring warming or a Mexican hug!
Can our dog(s) get involved?
As a dog lover myself, I love it when fur babies get involved. I've had dogs as bridesmaids, ringbearers and escorting their hoomans down the aisle. Some just have them join them after the ceremony for photos.
What do you wear?
Like many suppliers, I usually wear black, so as not to clash with your colour scheme
or stand out. It's not about me after all. But I can wear other colours if you prefer, just
never white!