Humanist Weddings Northern Ireland

We have noticed that Humanist wedding ceremonies have become very popular with couples who want a non-religious ceremony but who want more than just the legal bit that is offered by using a registrar. Having photographed a lot of Humanist wedding ceremonies over the last 3 years or so, it’s easy for us to see why.

What are the advantages to having a Humanist wedding ceremony in Northern Ireland?

The ceremony can take place anywhere, which means you can choose a ceremony location that has special meaning to you. Be it a wedding venue, on a cliff top facing the sea, in a forest, your favourite beach or even in your own back garden as many couples chose to do during the pandemic. You are only limited by your own imagination.

Northern Ireland Wedding Humanist

Humanist celebrants can perform your ceremony at any time of the day, which means if you are choosing a non-religious ceremony you don’t have to plan everything around the strict set times that using a registrar offers.

During the ceremony a Humanist celebrant can share details about how you first met and can share your favourite stories about each other. All of which makes your ceremony more personal and unique to you. No 2 Humanist ceremonies are ever the same.

Humanist celebrants can also incorporate old wedding traditions like “tying the knot”, hand fasting ceremonies and having your guests bless your wedding rings if you wish. We photographed a Humanist wedding recently and at the start of the ceremony each guest was given a pebble to bless on behalf of the couple and the pebbles were then collected at the end of the ceremony and given to the couple to keep.

Humanist wedding Northern Ireland

What are the disadvantages of a Humanist wedding ceremony in Northern Ireland?

No religious elements can be included.

Booking a Humanist wedding celebrant is more expensive than a registrar.

Some couples choose a non-religious ceremony because they want a quick ceremony, a registrar may be a better fit for this as they will only talk about the legal aspects, so the ceremony will generally be very quick.

Are Humanist wedding ceremonies legal in Northern Ireland?

Yes, Humanist ceremonies have been legal in Northern Ireland since August 2018.

What about same sex Humanist wedding ceremonies in Northern Ireland?

Humanist wedding ceremonies are fully inclusive so a Humanist celebrant could be a great choice for a same sex couple.

How do I find a Humanist celebrant in Northern Ireland?

The Humanist U.K website has a directory of fully qualified Humanist celebrants which allows you to search by postcode so that you can easily find a celebrant in your area. The directory also includes contact information for each Humanist celebrant.

Humanist Celebrants Northern Ireland

What about the legal part?

For the couple it is simply a matter of stating on your notice of marriage that you are going to be using a Humanist celebrant. The celebrant will also need to complete an authorisation form.

Why we love Humanist wedding ceremonies

Firstly, because having a Humanist ceremony is more flexible, with our couples being able to choose a ceremony time that suits them best, it tends to ensure that the couple feels under less timeline pressure on the day. The more relaxed and happier our couples are, the happier we are.

Couples who choose to have a Humanist wedding ceremony can arrange to have the ceremony anywhere they want. That excites us as it opens up all sorts of possibilities creatively for us as wedding photographers.

We have also found that Humanist wedding celebrants are often the most interested and the most accommodating in ensuring that we get the best possible photographs on the day. Some times religious celebrants can have strict rules around what we are allowed to do as photographers and that can sometimes be the same with some registrars as well. Every Humanist celebrant we have worked with has made a concerted effort to ensure that we get the room we need to work in and they often step to the side for important moments like the exchanging of the rings and the couples first kiss to help ensure that we are able to get the best possible shot.

Humanist wedding Northern Ireland exchanging of the rings

We can of course understand why some couples prefer a quick wedding ceremony performed by a registrar. As an outsider documenting the event, we just feel that the extra intimacy and personal elements that are included in a Humanist wedding ceremony add to the emotion on the day which for us can make for great photographs.

We have been to a lot of weddings, hundreds! Religious weddings tend to follow the same pattern, very similar vows, similar hymns, similar music played etc. There are usually only a few differences depending on religious denomination. Weddings performed by a registrar are more similar still, with very little deviation from ceremony to ceremony. Humanist wedding ceremonies are more exciting as every one of them is different and we get to learn so much about our couples from the stories that are told and the things that are shared. We also love seeing all the different things that can be incorporated into the ceremony that can make for amazing photos.

If you are in the middle of planning a wedding you might also find these articles helpful.

Tommy + Laurene