One of the joys of my work is the relationship that comes from working with families over time. Our meetings may well take place in different places, but whether it’s the naming of a child, a marriage, or a funeral, we are always talking about the same subject: the importance of love in our lives. … Continue Reading
Lisa and Austin’s Humanist Wedding at Houstoun House
It really was the most perfect ceremony. I still feel like it was a bit of a dream!
Grieving: it’s time for Option B
I was very moved by this interview with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg in The Observer, where she talks about how she coped with going to sleep beside her 47 year old husband, and waking up to discover that he was dead.Journalist Decca Aitkenhead is one of our best writers, and while she wasn’t entirely won … Continue Reading
Do you sleep next to your promises?
Jeanette Winterson is a writer whose work I’ve long admired. She’s gay, and she was always against the idea of getting married because, as the sub-headline in her Guardian article says,” Why conform to patriarchal ideas of monogamy?” She’s clearly changed her mind, because she has just got married, and I really liked her vows. I promise to look … Continue Reading
Distinguished Guests…
We all like to get dressed up for a wedding, and I was really impressed when I saw these gentlemen at Edinburgh Castle, where I was conducting the wedding of Mati and Kenny the other day. Mati hails from Spain, and her father is a member of La Fundación de la Orden de la Bienaventurada … Continue Reading
Can you spare 15 minutes?
The lovely people at the Scottish Wedding Directory came round this morning to do a Live Facebook Chat: as a former producer and director, it was fascinating to see what you can do with just an iPhone, a tripod and a microphone.Whether what I had to say about what makes humanist weddings so special is … Continue Reading
Speaking from the Heart
What language does your heart speak? More and more I find it’s not English. But that’s not a problem. One of the good things about getting married in Scotland is that the ceremony can be conducted in any language, as long as all parties (including the celebrant) understand what’s being said. You can … Continue Reading
Anne and Wullie’s Humanist Wedding at Eskmills Venue
Anne and Wullie’s wedding was memorable for lots of reasons, and not just because they were my FIRST EVER Tinder wedding! Wullie chose a perfect place for their first date: the fabulous Cocoablack in Peebles, recently named UK Confectioner of the Year. He’s still convinced that Anne drove past a few times to … Continue Reading
Becky and Jim’s Humanist Wedding at The Caves
Jim and Becky are actors: it’s almost three years since I conducted their wedding at The Caves, and I’ve been itching to write about it ever since because the way they chose to open it was so original! First of all, they chose not to go up onto the stage, like everyone else. They wanted to marry … Continue Reading
Hatches, Matches and Dispatches
I’m a big fan of Get It On, the nightly request show on BBC Radio Scotland, presented by Bryan Burnett and a rolling team of producer co-hosts. They do some great themes, and tonight’s was a belter: A few days ago, they were talking about doing a theme on music for funerals, so I sent him a … Continue Reading