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Can I get married at home?
There are many benefits of having a humanist wedding ceremony in Scotland, like being able to get married anywhere. So if you’re keen on getting married at home, you can! All Humanist Society Scotland celebrants are permanently authorised to conduct your legal wedding ceremony anywhere in Scotland.
Couple Claire and Dan were married in their back garden by humanist celebrant Kendal Delaney. For them, it was important that they had a connection to where they were saying their vows. They wanted their wedding to be tied to their family, their home in Nethy Bridge, and the tight knit community there. Claire said, “I walk past where we get married everyday…Every area of the house and the garden has all these beautiful memories.“
Getting married at home is also a great option if you’re looking for a budget friendly or smaller wedding. Whatever your reason for getting married at home and however you decide to do it, here are a few things to consider when planning, along with some inspiration and advice.
Where will the ceremony take place?
The first thing you’ll have to consider when planning is of course where everything will take place. You might opt to have the whole wedding in one space, or like Claire and Dan, have your ceremony at home and then head to a venue for the reception. This might be a good option if you’re keen to have more guests but don’t have the space at home. Claire and Dan had their ceremony in the back garden and then all guests travelled (on foot with a piped procession!) to the village hall for a party. Claire smiles, “We had my friend Fergus pipe us down to the village hall. The neighbours all came out to watch us all on our way and we danced with them and had a little ceilidh down the road!“
What type of ceremony?
If you decide to go for something smaller (for example simply eloping to your living room with just you and your witnesses or close loved ones) this doesn’t mean you need to have a simple ceremony. You can still include as many elements as you’d like. For example, symbolic gestures, poems, personalised vows or music/musicians. Your celebrant will work with you to make sure your ceremony is as personal as where you’re getting married.
Claire and Dan included a handfasting which was a great way to involve loved ones in the ceremony. Claire said, “We each had children who were at the ceremony come up with each of our handfasting ties. My cousin’s kids on my side and on Dan’s side his niece’s and nephew’s children.“ They also exchanged personalised vows and Dan’s dad played them a song (First day of my life by Bright Eyes).
Prepare for Scottish weather
If you are having the ceremony outdoors then be prepared for the Scottish weather! Hiring or borrowing a gazebo or marquee could be an option, and having a backup plan of moving indoors (if space allows). Claire and Dan borrowed a friend’s marquee and made sure guests had plenty of blankets to coorie in and keep warm during the ceremony! They also made use of their shed, converting it into a bar for after the ceremony.
Call in all the favours
Whilst there are many benefits of getting married at home, it does mean that you won’t have a dedicated venue wedding coordinator. Having a team of helpers to support with pulling everything together will be important. Claire and Dan had the support of their community and loved ones to plan and execute their big day. Claire’s Auntie Sally provided their flowers and the beautiful photos were taken by her Auntie Les. This was really important for the ethos of the wedding they wanted to create. Claire explains, “In the past a village made a wedding and I think we’ve moved away from that a little bit. All I wanted was it to feel like a community wedding. It was amazing how many people offered a little bit and it made a big difference.”
Looking into parking and accommodation options for guests is also important to consider. Claire said, “One of my neighbours has a B&B so she put up a few people and other friends helped out too. We managed to keep a lot of people’s travel costs down by having it here and with friends helping out.”
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Finally, Claire and Dan shared their top piece of advice for planning a wedding at home – focus on what’s important and remember to enjoy the process! Claire said, “I tried not to get obsessed over the tiny details and to be grateful. Remember to have fun and that the organising is as much fun as the day. It can make things even more special.
“My dress was my cousins dress, me and my mum altered it together. Our main decorations for the wedding was bunting that four generations of the family worked on together. My 98 year old Granny was helping with it which was amazing. The kindness and the beauty of friends and neighbours was just stunning.”
Feeling inspired and ready to start planning your own at home wedding? Browse our available celebrants to see who’s the right fit for you.
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