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50,000 married in Humanist Society Scotland weddings
June 19, 2017
Humanist Society Scotland and couples across the country are celebrating as the charity made history with it reaching the landmark of having married 50,000 people.
Louise & Alasdair Jack with HSS Celebrant Melanie Leckie (photo: Ross McDairmant)
The marriage of Alasdair and Lousie Jack on the 8th June was a wonderful representation of all those married by a Humanist Society Scotland celebrant since 2005. Their Humanist celebrant Melanie Leckie presented them with a commemorative lifetime membership of the society after their wedding at Cromlix House, near Dunblane.
Melanie Leckie, Registered HSS Celebrant who married the couple said:
“Louise and Alasdair are such a special couple, I’m delighted they were the couple that hit the 50,000 mark. They had wanted to come all the way to Scotland from Cambridge for a Humanist wedding as they felt it truly reflected them as individuals after seeing the ceremony I carried out for Louise’s sister.”
The couple said of their choice of a Humanist ceremony:
“It meant we could have a more personal wedding which allowed us to tailor the ceremony to exactly how we wanted it. We are delighted to be the 49,999th and 50,000th people to be married by the Humanist Society Scotland.”
Demand for Humanist weddings in Scotland has grown significantly since the charity secured the right for Humanist weddings to be legally recognised in 2005. Last year the number of Humanist weddings overtook the number of Church of Scotland weddings and on valentines day 2017 HSS was granted legal parity with the Churches, when it became the only non-religious organisation to be prescribed by the Scottish Parliament to solemnise marriage. Scotland is the only part of the UK where such marriages have legal recognition currently.
Lynsey Kidd, Head of Ceremonies and Chaplaincy at Humanist Society Scotland commenting on the landmark figures said:
Lynsey Kidd, HSS Head of Ceremonies
“This is a double celebration, first and foremost for Alasdair and Lousie’s special day but also Humanism in Scotland as we mark 50,000 people married by a Humanist Society Scotland celebrant.
“Back in 2005 when Humanist Society Scotland were granted permission to provide legal wedding ceremonies, we could never have predicted how popular they would be. However, with Scotland now a majority non-religious nation and as more and more people attend a Humanist celebration as a guest, more people are choosing the warmth and joy an ethical, secular ceremony for themselves.
“Every HSS wedding is unique, personal and individual to the couple being married. We are delighted that all our couples are able to celebrate their special day in a way that reflects their beliefs and values and is meaningful to them.”
