Do you have to get married on a Saturday? At 2pm? In the summer?

July 27, 2021

Ceremonies

The wedding landscape in 2020 was like no other, with restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Humanist Society Scotland conducted a third of its ‘normal’ volume of marriage ceremonies last year.

With so many couples having to make the heartbreaking decision to postpone – more than once in some cases – Humanist Society’s Ceremony Promise proved to be invaluable during this challenging period. It’s hardly surprising though that 2021 and 2022 bookings are atypically high, with postponed bookings having to be absorbed along with existing and new bookings.

Inevitably, for popular dates during peak times, there will be a risk of ‘bottlenecking’ – affecting availability at your preferred venue, of your ideal celebrant or other key suppliers. So, if you’re just planning your wedding now, especially if you want to get married in the next year or two, ask yourselves, “Do we really need to get married on a Saturday? or at 2pm? or in the summer?”

There are many benefits of a Humanist Society ceremony, but being able to get married at any time of the day, on any day of the week and at any time of the year certainly gives you more flexibility. So, if you are less rigid with your requirements, you’ll find more options will open up for you, and your preferred venue, celebrant and other suppliers, will more likely have availability. It might even save you money, since more competitive packages can be on offer.

Midweek Weddings

It’s true that you and your guests may need to take time off work. However, costs can be significantly less than they would otherwise be at a weekend. Give people plenty of notice of the need to take time off work, and they’ll make every effort to be there. If your guests don’t live local to your venue, it can also be easier for them to find accommodation midweek compared to weekends.

Sunrise or Sunset Ceremony

How romantic could that be? Okay, so you’ll need to get up in the middle of the night to get ready for a sunrise ceremony, but just go to bed earlier the day before. With a sunset ceremony, you could even skip the traditional ‘wedding breakfast’ and go straight into your evening reception.

Winter Wonderland

Choosing to have your wedding outside the traditional wedding season of May to September can also cost less and you are less likely to clash with your guests’ holiday plans. It can give you and your guests something to look forward to during what can be quieter, darker and colder months too. There will be no wasps or pesky midges to contend with either, which has to be a bonus. And of course, getting married in the summer months in Scotland is no guarantee of great weather!