What is your fee?
My fees start at £900 (inclusive of travel within the Greater London area - travel is charged at 55p per mile for travel outside of London). This fee includes:
the design and creation of your ceremony, in close collaboration with both partners
support with selecting your readings, music, any symbolic acts, writing your vows and ring exchange
unlimited revisions of the script
a wedding rehearsal at an agreed location
the delivery of the ceremony
a presentation copy of the script
If there are more bespoke elements to your ceremony design, we will discuss an adjusted fee and agree prior to booking.
What is humanism?
Humanism is a non-religious system of beliefs and a way of life. Humanism embraces science, logic and reason. A humanist believes that we have one, very short and very precious life, and the meaning we derive from it is created by us, rather than placed upon us by any religious entity.
Humanism isn’t widely known, but as soon as the definition is shared many people will recognise their own views on life within it and realise ‘hey, I’m a humanist too’.
What are humanist weddings?
They are non-religious, inclusive and entirely personal. Each ceremony is bespoke - you’ll see no copy/pasting here! No matter how many humanist ceremonies you’ve been to, you’ll always be delightfully surprised at the next - they are as unique as they are beautiful. They can sit anywhere along a spectrum from a very traditional-feeling ceremony, to a completely bonkers, off-the-wall experience. There is total geographical freedom, I’ve held ceremonies on the side of a cliff, in woodlands, in the couple’s back garden, in pubs, in wedding venues all over the UK and abroad. A humanist wedding is whatever you want it to be, and I will work with you to get to know you, tease out what makes you special as a couple and work that into your ceremony. Ultimately, it is an authentic representation of you both, a celebration of everything that has brought you to this point and a toast to the adventure ahead.
Are humanist ceremonies legal?
Unfortunately, humanist weddings are not yet recognised by law in England nor Wales (this looks set to change within the next couple of years). Humanists UK is campaigning hard on this front but, currently, if you wish your marriage to carry legal status you would need to take care of the formalities separately. This can cost as little as £48 if you go for the most basic service with a registrar, with just two witnesses. Many of my couples choose to have a civil ceremony in the days before their humanist ceremony, although it can be done afterwards, or even on the same day. Of course, there’s no requirement to have a legal wedding at all! I don’t believe you have to sign a marriage register to consider yourself married.
If you would like to me to act as your celebrant in Scotland or Northern Ireland, where humanist weddings are legal, I am able to do so. Do get in touch if you’d like to discuss this.
Is a humanist wedding a safe, inclusive space for everyone?
Inclusivity is at the core of humanist values and my own values, and the humanist ceremonies I create will always be a safe space for my couples and their guests. Queer love is joyful to the extreme and I hold a special place in my heart for my queer couples!
I am a proud bisexual person and a recommended supplier of LGBTQ Equality Weddings. I will never stop advocating for the rights of LGBTQ+ people to marry whenever and however we want.
What does a humanist ceremony ‘usually’ include?
I’m afraid there is no straight-up answer to that! Every ceremony is different, and yours will be led by you. I’m here for as much inspiration as you like and am more than happy to provide lots of ideas if you need them! Ultimately, it’s about sharing your story – and to do it, we can use story-telling, music, readings, music, symbolic acts and whatever else takes your fancy.
We’re not a ‘kooky’ couple, does that mean a humanist ceremony isn’t for us?
Not at all! If you want your ceremony to feel quiet and intimate, that’s a humanist ceremony too. I am here to listen and to craft the right moments for you, and if that’s low-key then that’s perfect.
I would say, though, that if you’re looking for a very pared-back ceremony in the style of a registry office, then I may not be the right person for you. I’m all about getting to know my couples and creating something really bespoke and magical.
We’re worried a humanist ceremony will upset religious guests – should we be?
While I completely understand this concern, it’s hard to emphasise enough how little of a problem this ever is on the day! The trepidation can come from the fact that humanist weddings are sometimes a bit of an unknown, and as soon as friends and family see how filled with meaning the ceremony is, this fear vanishes.
Humanism is about creating space for everybody, and there are ways that we can ensure all of your guests feel comfortable and included in your ceremony. For example, we can include a moment of quiet reflection, which provides an opportunity for religious guests to mark the moment through silent prayer.
Can you help us write our vows?
Absolutely. I do encourage my couples to write their own vows – these promises are the foundation of your marriage, so it’s important that your own words, intentions and values are the starting point. I understand why writing your own vows might make you feel nervous, it’s a vulnerable exercise and it can feel like a lot of pressure. I’m here to help, and there are a million different ways we can go about it, which I can share with you. And if you want a humanist ceremony but you’re reallllly not into writing personalised vows, that’s fine too. We can use a traditional template that will sound familiar to you and your guests.
Will you travel? Do you charge for travel?
I live in London but I love to travel for weddings - throughout the UK and abroad.
It’s worth mentioning that, as much as I love meeting my couples face-to-face, a lot of the preparation work for a ceremony can be done over Zoom. So if you’re not based in London, it’s not a barrier to us working together.
I charge 55p per mile for weddings and meetings outside of London. If your wedding is far enough from London that I would need to stay overnight, I would also charge for accommodation. We would of course discuss and agree all of this before booking.
Are you insured?
Yes, I have public liability and professional indemnity insurance, through my accreditation with Humanists UK.
