Humanist and belief weddings in Scotland

In Scotland, a humanist or other belief ceremony can be your legal marriage, conducted by an authorised celebrant, anywhere indoors or out. Humanist weddings have been legal since 2005. You each give notice to the registrar for the district where you’ll marry, at least 29 days before, on form M10, at £45 each. England and Wales don’t yet allow this.

Facts checked 24 October 2026 with National Records of Scotland, Humanist Society Scotland and GOV.UK. Sources are listed at the foot of the page.

Are humanist weddings legal in Scotland?

Yes, and they have been since 2005. Humanist Society Scotland records that the Registrar General agreed to let its celebrants conduct legal marriages, and the first took place on 18 June 2005 at Edinburgh Zoo. Since 14 February 2017 the society has been prescribed in marriage law, which means its celebrants are permanently authorised.

The law behind it is the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977, which lets a celebrant of a “religious or belief body” solemnise a marriage. The words “or belief” were added by the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014.

Who can conduct a humanist or belief wedding?

A celebrant who represents a religious or belief body and has authorisation from National Records of Scotland in advance. NRS says belief bodies include humanist, pagan, spiritualist and interfaith organisations, among others.

Humanist Society Scotland says it is the only Scottish humanist organisation permanently authorised to conduct humanist ceremonies in Scotland. Celebrants from other bodies may hold authorisation too. If you’re not sure about yours, ask your registrar whether they’re authorised before you book.

How do you give notice of marriage in Scotland?

Three steps for every couple, and two more for a humanist or other belief ceremony.

1
Each fill in a marriage notice form (M10)
You each complete form M10, available from National Records of Scotland. If you’re having a religious or belief ceremony, there’s also a form giving your celebrant’s and witnesses’ details.
2
Gather your documents
A birth certificate (or adoption certificate), proof of where you usually live such as a utility bill no older than three months, and a passport or other document showing your nationality. You’ll need more if you’ve been married or in a civil partnership before, or aren’t a UK national.
3
Send them to the registrar where you'll marry
Notice goes to the registration office in the district where the wedding will take place, not where you live. It must arrive at least 29 days before the wedding; NRS suggests 10 to 12 weeks. It costs £45 each. Some offices accept emailed forms, but they need the originals before the ceremony.
4
Collect the marriage schedule
For a humanist or other belief ceremony, one of you collects the marriage schedule from the registration office. It’s issued no more than 7 days before the ceremony. Without it, the celebrant can’t marry you.
5
Sign it, then return it within 3 days
You both sign the schedule at the ceremony, with your celebrant and two witnesses, in black permanent ink. You must return it to the registrar within 3 days so the marriage can be registered.

Where can you hold the ceremony?

Almost anywhere. National Records of Scotland says ceremonies in Scotland may take place at any indoor or outdoor location, and Humanist Society Scotland says its ceremonies can be held “pretty much anywhere, inside or outside”. Agree the place with your celebrant, and name it on your notice.

How do you book a Humanist Society Scotland celebrant?

If the wedding is at least six months away, use the society’s Secure Your Date booking. You can book the date and choose a celebrant later, have the society choose one for you, or book with a celebrant you’ve already found. The society can’t choose a celebrant for you on remote and island locations.

If it’s less than six months away, contact the society directly. Book early: it says celebrants can be booked up more than a year ahead for popular summer dates and bank holiday weekends.

Secure your date with Humanist Society Scotland

What does a humanist wedding in Scotland cost?

The legal fees are small. The celebrant is the main cost, before the venue and everything else.

Fees for a humanist wedding in Scotland
Fee	Amount	Notes
Giving notice	£45 each	£90 for a couple. Statutory, the same across Scotland. Source
Humanist Society Scotland ceremony	Around £520	Includes two years' membership. £93 plus a £5 admin fee secures the date; the balance is paid once your celebrant is confirmed. Travel and rehearsal fees are agreed with the celebrant. Source
Other belief or religious celebrants	Set by the celebrant	There is no national fee for the ceremony itself. Ask your celebrant for theirs. Source
Civil ceremony, for comparison	£55	The basic statutory ceremony at a registration office. Councils set their own extra fees for guests, other venues and out-of-hours ceremonies, so check with the council. Source
Marriage certificate (extract)	£10	If bought within a month of registration. Check the current fee with your registrar. Source

Planning the rest of the budget? See what a wedding costs in Scotland and across the UK.

Are the registration fees going up?

Possibly. National Records of Scotland consulted on new registration fees from 13 July to 4 October 2026, aiming to recover the full cost of the service and link future fees to inflation. The paper says ministers have agreed the revised fees in principle. When we checked, the consultation had closed, the analysis hadn’t been published, and no date had been set for any change.

Registration fees proposed in the 2026 consultation
Fee	Now	Proposed
Marriage notice (each)	£45	£57
Civil marriage ceremony	£55	£87
Extract (certificate)	£10	£18.50

From the consultation paper. If you’re giving notice in 2027, check the current fee with your registrar.

How is it different from England and Wales?

In England and Wales a humanist ceremony isn’t a legal marriage. The government says non-religious belief organisations such as humanists cannot conduct legally binding weddings at all, so couples there have a civil ceremony for the legal part, before or after the humanist one.

That may change. In October 2025 the Ministry of Justice said reforms would let non-religious groups such as humanists conduct legally binding ceremonies, following the Law Commission’s July 2022 recommendations, with legislation “when parliamentary time allows”. Its consultation, “Tying the knot”, ran from 16 July to 24 September 2026, and the government was analysing the responses when we checked.

Notice works much the same way: in England and Wales it’s also given at least 29 days before, but at your local register office, where you must have lived for the past 7 days. In Scotland it goes to the district where you’ll marry.

How can PlanHitch help?

The legal steps are yours and the registrar’s. PlanHitch keeps the rest in one place, free to start.

Wedding checklist
What to do when, from a year out to the week of the wedding. Give notice 10 to 12 weeks ahead.
Free wedding website
Tell guests where the ceremony is, indoors or out, with directions and RSVPs.
Guest list template
Start the list in a spreadsheet, then import it into PlanHitch when you're ready.
Invitations
Seven matching designs on Premium, including Thistle, with a Scottish thistle in deep plum.

Questions couples ask

Is a humanist wedding legal in Scotland?

Yes. A humanist ceremony conducted by an authorised celebrant is a legal marriage in Scotland, with no separate register office ceremony. Humanist Society Scotland's celebrants have conducted legal weddings since June 2005. You still give notice to the registrar first.

How far in advance do we need to give notice?

The registrar must have both your completed notices at least 29 days before the wedding. National Records of Scotland suggests handing them in 10 to 12 weeks ahead, which leaves time to sort out any missing documents.

How much does it cost to give notice of marriage in Scotland?

£45 each, so £90 for a couple, at the time of checking. A 2026 consultation proposed raising it to £57 each; no date for any change had been announced. Check the current fee with your local registrar.

How much does a humanist celebrant cost in Scotland?

Humanist Society Scotland says to expect around £520 for the ceremony, including two years' membership, with £93 plus a £5 admin fee paid up front to secure the date. Travel and rehearsal fees are agreed with your celebrant.

Can we get married outdoors in Scotland?

Yes. National Records of Scotland says ceremonies may take place at any indoor or outdoor location, so a beach, a hillside or a garden can all work, as long as your celebrant agrees to it.

Do we have to be humanists or members?

Humanist Society Scotland doesn't ask you to be humanists. Membership is part of the ceremony fee: booking makes you members for two years.

Can we have a legal humanist wedding in England or Wales?

Not at the moment. The UK government says non-religious belief organisations such as humanists cannot conduct legally binding weddings in England and Wales. A consultation on reform closed on 24 September 2026. Couples there have a civil ceremony for the legal part.

Sources

Checked 24 October 2026. Fees and rules change. Your registrar and celebrant have the final word.

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