(Picture by Martin Weir Photography)
The legal procedures for all weddings in Scotland fall under the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014. We sometimes get inquiries from couples abroad or in England and Wales who are concerned about the legalities. This is because Humanist marriages aren't yet legal south of the border and in fact, Scotland is one of only 8 countries in the world where you can legally marry in a Humanist ceremony. So if you're not from Scotland, just a few points to reassure you :
- Yes, we can legally marry you!
- Yes, a Humanist ceremony conducted by a Celebrant of Humanist Society Scotland is fully legal.
- Yes, that means that your marriage has legal status in the same way as if you were to marry in any other part of the UK or in a religious or civil ceremony (with a Registrar).
- No, you don't need to have a separate ceremony with a Registrar, as you currently do south of the border.
- No, there are no residence requirements, so you don't have to live in Scotland in order to legally marry here.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you need further clarification - I'm always happy to help!
As far as the legal procedure is concerned, the first thing to stress is that it's all very straightforward and the following points should help you through the process: