Junior Rasmussen
Humanist weddings are legally recognised in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, and Sark. In England, Wales, and the Isle of Man, they are not legally recognised. Marriage law differs across the UK and its crown dependencies. Humanist weddings have been legally binding in Scotland since 2005, thanks to campaigning by the Humanist Society Scotland and other organisations. The Registrar General for Scotland made the decision to allow the change, citing Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which covers freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including non-religious belief. The popularity of humanist weddings in Scotland has soared, with figures showing they now make up 20% of all weddings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Humanist weddings legal in Scotland | Yes, since 2005 |
| Humanist weddings legal in England, Wales, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man | No |
| Humanist weddings legal in Northern Ireland | Yes, since 2018 |
| Humanist weddings legal in Jersey | Yes, since 2018 |
| Humanist weddings legal in Guernsey | Yes, since 2021 |
| Humanist weddings legal in Sark | Recognition on its way |
| Humanist same-sex marriages legal | Everywhere that humanist opposite-sex marriages are legal |
| Legally recognised civil partnerships conducted by a humanist celebrant | Only in Scotland |
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What You'll Learn
- Humanist weddings have been legally recognised in Scotland since 2005
- Humanist Society Scotland celebrants are authorised to perform legal weddings
- Humanist weddings are not legally recognised in England, Wales, Guernsey and the Isle of Man
- Humanist weddings are also legal in Northern Ireland and Jersey
- Same-sex civil partnerships conducted by a humanist celebrant are only legally recognised in Scotland
Humanist weddings have been legally recognised in Scotland since 2005
Humanist weddings are also legally recognised in Northern Ireland, Jersey, and Sark. Humanist same-sex marriages are legally recognised everywhere that humanist opposite-sex marriages are. Humanist marriages gained legal recognition in Jersey in 2018 and in Guernsey in 2021. Humanist marriages were recognised for the first time in Northern Ireland in 2018.
Humanist weddings are legally binding in Scotland, and their popularity has been increasing. Recent figures show that humanist weddings now account for 20% of all weddings in Scotland. Humanist Society Scotland celebrants are authorised to perform a legal marriage ceremony. However, it is important to establish upfront whether a celebrant is authorised to perform a legal marriage ceremony, as not all celebrants outside of the Society are able to solemnise marriage legally.
Humanist weddings enable couples to have their wedding their way. Couples can create their own vows or promises, involve children and family members in symbolic acts, write their own music, and include readings. There are no restrictions on where a humanist ceremony can take place, making them an affordable alternative to a civil marriage in a licensed wedding venue.
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Humanist Society Scotland celebrants are authorised to perform legal weddings
Humanist weddings have been legally recognised in Scotland since 2005. This is thanks to campaigning by the Humanist Society Scotland and other organisations, which led to an amendment to the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977. Humanist Society Scotland celebrants are authorised to perform legal weddings, and their ceremonies are open to all, with same-sex marriages legally recognised in the same way as opposite-sex marriages.
The Humanist Society Scotland has around 115 celebrants, and only Humanist Society Scotland-registered celebrants are permanently authorised to conduct legal humanist marriages in Scotland. The society charges a fee for its celebrants to conduct a wedding service, which includes the cost of becoming a member of the society. This fee covers the time to arrange the ceremony and its delivery on the day.
Humanist weddings are a popular alternative to civil marriages, as there are no restrictions on the wedding venue, and couples have complete control over the content of their ceremony. The celebrant will help the couple unlock their creativity, writing a beautiful script and suggesting ways to make the ceremony unique.
It's important to note that not all celebrants outside of the Humanist Society Scotland are able to legally solemnise marriage. If a ceremony is conducted by such a celebrant, it is considered a celebration of love or a commitment ceremony, and the legalities would need to be done separately before or after the ceremony. Therefore, it is crucial to establish upfront whether a prospective celebrant is authorised to perform a legal wedding ceremony.
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Humanist weddings are not legally recognised in England, Wales, Guernsey and the Isle of Man
Humanist weddings are legally recognised in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Jersey. Humanist weddings have been legally binding in Scotland since 2005, and their popularity has been soaring. In fact, recent figures show that they now account for 20% of all weddings in Scotland. Humanist weddings are made possible by the campaigning of the Humanist Society Scotland and other like-minded charities and organisations. Only Humanist Society Scotland registered celebrants are permanently authorised to conduct legal humanist marriages in Scotland.
However, this is not the case everywhere. Humanist weddings are not legally recognised in England, Wales, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man. This means that couples who wish to have a humanist wedding must also have a separate ceremony to legally register their marriage. This usually takes place at a local register office a few days before or after the humanist ceremony, or as a separate event on the same day. While this may be inconvenient, it is not an uncommon practice. In fact, many couples who get married in Scotland, where their humanist wedding is legally recognised, still choose to legally register their marriage separately.
There is significant support for the legal recognition of humanist weddings in England, Wales, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man. Humanists UK has addressed the concerns raised about the legitimacy of ceremonies, including forced and sham marriages, and the risk of profit-making enterprises getting involved. There is also cross-party support for legal recognition, with the Lib Dems, Labour Party, and Greens all in favour. Despite this, progress has been slow. The passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act in 2013 could have encompassed the required legislation, but the bill was amended to require a public consultation and a statutory instrument. Since then, there have been two official reports calling for change, and Humanists UK continues to campaign for legal recognition.
While it is disappointing that humanist weddings are not yet legally recognised in England, Wales, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man, it is important to remember that this is not a static situation. With the hard work of organisations like Humanists UK and the support of political parties, it is possible that legal recognition will be achieved in the future. In the meantime, couples who wish to have a humanist wedding in these locations can still do so by taking care of the legalities separately.
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Humanist weddings are also legal in Northern Ireland and Jersey
Humanist weddings are non-religious ceremonies that are deeply personal and conducted by a humanist celebrant. They can take place in any location and at any time of day, and couples have the freedom to be as creative as they wish.
In Scotland, Humanist Society Scotland registered celebrants are permanently authorised to conduct legal humanist marriages. Humanist weddings have been legally recognised in Scotland since 2005, and equal marriage since 2014.
Jersey gave legal recognition to humanist marriages in 2019. This means that humanist weddings are now legally recognised in Jersey, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Guernsey, and the Republic of Ireland. However, they are not legally recognised in England, Wales, or the Isle of Man.
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Same-sex civil partnerships conducted by a humanist celebrant are only legally recognised in Scotland
Humanist weddings have been legally recognised in Scotland since 2005. This is thanks to campaigning by the Humanist Society Scotland and other organisations, which led to a change in the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977. This change allows couples to celebrate their love and commitment in their own words, rather than those of a church or state. The law also enables couples to have their wedding anywhere they like, making humanist weddings an affordable alternative to civil ceremonies.
However, it's important to note that not all humanist weddings are automatically legally recognised in Scotland. The ceremony must be conducted by a celebrant who is authorised to perform legal marriages. Only Humanist Society Scotland registered celebrants are permanently authorised to conduct legal humanist weddings in Scotland. If a couple chooses a celebrant outside of the Society, the ceremony may not be legally binding. In this case, the couple would need to take care of the legalities separately, either before or after the ceremony.
While Scotland leads the way in legally recognising humanist weddings, same-sex civil partnerships conducted by a humanist celebrant are only legally recognised in Scotland. Humanist weddings are also legally recognised in Northern Ireland, Jersey, and Guernsey. In England, Wales, and the Isle of Man, humanist weddings are not yet legally recognised. This means that couples in these places must handle the legal aspects of their marriage separately, often at a local register office. Despite this, many couples still consider their humanist wedding their 'real' wedding, as it is the ceremony attended by their loved ones and where they make their personal vows.
The legal status of humanist weddings varies across the UK and its crown dependencies. Humanist weddings are gaining popularity, with their flexibility and personalisation appealing to many couples. As a result, there is growing support for the legal recognition of humanist weddings across the UK, with campaigns led by organisations like Humanists UK.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, humanist weddings have been legally binding in Scotland since 2005.
Humanist weddings are also legally recognised in Northern Ireland and Jersey. In England, Wales, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man, humanist weddings do not currently have legal status.
The cost of a humanist wedding in Scotland includes a £93 membership payment (and a £5 admin fee) and a £520 celebrant fee.
It is recommended to book a celebrant well in advance, especially for summer weddings. You can find a list of celebrants on the Humanist Society Scotland website.
Yes, same-sex civil partnerships are legally recognised in Scotland and can be conducted by a humanist celebrant.
