Legal To Do List

Humanist ceremonies were granted legal status in Scotland in 2005, so you will not need to have a ceremony with the Registrar.

However, you still need to submit your Marriage Notices (form M10) to the local Registrars Office 8 to 12 weeks before the wedding, so the ‘Marriage Schedule’ can be drawn up - this is the piece of paper that the couple, celebrant and two witnesses sign on the day. 

One of the folk getting married must collect it from the registrars office themselves, usually a day or two before the ceremony.

The signed Marriage Schedule must be returned to the Registrars office within 3 days of the wedding. Anyone can hand it in for you.

The office will then issue the marriage certificate, usually by post to the address your given them.

The whole procedure is also explained in the Legal Humanist Marriage form, which outlines both my and your responsibilities, and which we would all sign if you decide to go ahead in booking a ceremony with me…you can read that below.

You will find all the detail of the legal ins and out on the 'Getting Married in Scotland' page of the Registrar Generals website, for which there is a link on my links list, or copy this address into your search bar:

http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/registration/getting-married-in-scotland

Please read the information on there carefully

- especially if one or both of the partners to be married is from overseas, as all countries seem to have their own registration systems and marriage visa requirements. This can take some time to get through, so please contact the registrar at the earliest opportunity if you think a visa will be needed.

Agreement between the celebrant and the client couple

This Agreement governs the Celebrant's provision of the Ceremony, and in terms of this agreement those getting married/ entering a civil partnership are the Clients.

 

HSS Data Protection

The Clients acknowledge that the Celebrant shall process the Client's personal data, only in so far as required to perform the Ceremony. This shall include passing the Client's personal data, including ceremony script to Humanist Society Scotland for the same purpose, and for it to establish and maintain membership and support.

The Responsibilities of The Humanist Celebrant

For a Wedding or Civil Partnership, the responsibilities of the Celebrant are as follows:

• To provide a professional level of service at all times, ensuring that the ceremony is dignified, meaningful and personal within a broad Humanist framework and in accordance with the HSS Standards for Celebrants.
• To arrive at the venue at least 30 minutes before the agreed time for the ceremony.
• To ensure that the marriage is solemnised or civil partnership registered in accordance with the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 and in a location that is safe and dignified.
• To ensure that the Marriage / Civil Partnership takes place on the date and at the place specified on the Marriage / Civil Partnership Schedule.
• To obtain the Marriage / Civil Partnership Schedule from the parties before the ceremony can commence.
• To ensure that the Marriage / Civil Partnership Schedule is correctly signed in permanent black liquid ink, by both parties (using the names shown on the Marriage / Civil Partnership Schedule), two witnesses and the Celebrant.
• To ensure that any amendments to the Marriage / Civil Partnership Schedule are made in permanent liquid black ink. Material changes such as the date and place of marriage however, should not be altered without the express permission of the Registrar.
• To ensure the parties to the marriage or civil partnership join, or renew their membership of, the Humanist Society Scotland 
• If in the unlikely event of the Celebrant not being able to conduct the ceremony for some reason (e.g. illness), he/she will notify the HSS and  where possible another authorised HSS Registered Celebrant will be arranged to conduct the ceremony instead (with the approval of the Registrar) and details will be shared with the HSS. To facilitate this the Celebrant requires your permission (by signing this agreement) to upload your ceremony script to a central database.

The responsibilities of the Clients are as follows:

• To communicate fully the information required for the writing of your ceremony within the timescales agreed with your chosen Celebrant.    
• To join the Humanist Society Scotland or to provide proof of membership of a similar affiliated Humanist Organisation.
• To contact the Registrar in the district where the marriage / civil partnership is to take place, at least 6-12 weeks before the date of the wedding, to submit the Marriage Notice forms (M10) / Civil Partnership Notice forms (CP10) along with the requisite fee and required documents. This can be done 3 months before the date of the ceremony (but no earlier) and you are advised to do it as soon as possible within that time.
• If either of you is not a British citizen, you should contact the Registrar immediately to check what documentation you will require in order to be married / enter into a civil partnership in Scotland.
• To collect the Marriage / Civil Partnership Schedule from the Registrar during the week prior to the ceremony. One of the parties to the marriage / partnership must personally collect it.
• To arrive at the venue fit and competent and at the agreed time, and to make every effort to ensure that the ceremony starts within 30 minutes of the time agreed.
• To deliver the Marriage / Civil Partnership Schedule to the Celebrant on the day of the ceremony. Please note that the marriage / civil partnership cannot be legally conducted without this.
• To advise the Celebrant and the Registrar in advance if there is any possibility of the marriage / civil partnership not taking place on the date or in the place specified (for example in the case of an outdoor ceremony being rained off).
• To ensure the signed Marriage/Civil Partnership Schedule is returned to the Registrar within 3 days of the ceremony taking place. Please note that it can be returned to the Registrar by anyone.
• To pay the agreed fee and expenses for preparation and delivery of ceremony, by an agreed date or by a pre-paid fixed term payment method, if that has been agreed with your Celebrant.