wedding

The wedding day is one of the most important of life's milestones. You are asking your families and friends to share your happiness and witness your expression of commitment to each other. It needs to be celebrated in a way which is true to your ideals and aspirations, and which will provide strength and inspiration for the rest of your lives, as well as many happy memories.

More and more couples find themselves wanting a more inspiring alternative and a Humanist wedding is just such an occasion. This alternative is available to all who genuinely want to make a serious commitment to share their lives, whatever their beliefs or backgrounds.

The ceremony can take place in any suitable setting, indoors or outdoors. It will often be in a hotel or garden, but it could just as well be on a hill top, in a bluebell wood, or by the sea. You will have a say in the words spoken and the music played. There is a wealth of poetry about human love and the family, and some of these might be included, together with more formal sentences to express your commitment. You may like to say something yourselves, or ask a relative or friend either to speak or to contribute some music.

No two Humanist wedding ceremonies are the same because each is composed to reflect the wishes and personalities of every couple individually - if the sincerity and freedom of a humanist wedding appeals to you, then please contact me:

Vivienne C Donnithorne is a fully accredited celebrant and officiant for the British Humanist Association. She writes and conducts bespoke non-religious ceremonies; weddings, baby namings and funerals in London and the South East.

A humanist wedding is a secular or non-religious wedding ceremony, but this alternative is available to all who genuinely want to make a serious commitment to share their lives, whatever their beliefs or backgrounds.

1. The legal requirements of marriage take place before a registrar. Often couples will want to regard this part of the proceedings as separate and distinct from the humanist ceremony - at the register office, they may wish to have the most simple of ceremonies, perhaps with only a couple of friends to act as witnesses; they will quite often not exchange rings and there may well be no festivities afterwards.

2. The humanist wedding ceremony and celebrations take place wherever the couple wish and can take whatever form they choose; here rings can be exchanged and all the joy that one would want to inject into such a happy occasion can be expressed.

No two humanist wedding ceremonies are the same because each is composed to reflect the wishes and personalities of every couple individually.

As the ceremony can take place anywhere, imagination is set free, making the ceremony very special and unique in every respect.

A marriage ceremony requires a lot of thought; it loses some of its meaning if it does not identify the couple as unique individuals, who've come together with love and with confidence and each bringing to the marriage, their own qualities and skills.

In this way, Humanist or non-religious marriage ceremonies are very different; they are written especially for the couple or sometimes by the couple themselves. Family members or friends often take part and children of course, particularly if they are playing a role, add a special sparkle.

More and more couples are opting for this alternative because it allows them to express themselves fully and makes for a very special and unique occasion.

It is, of course, wise to begin to make plans well in advance of the wedding day, if possible, in order to be sure that your choice of time and place suits everyone, and to allow for thorough preparation.

As a celebrant, I would be happy to advise you at our first meeting, on the structure and possible content of the ceremony and because I have years of experience at my fingertips, I can show you examples of what other people have chosen to do.

I am very aware that the kind of wedding ceremony you choose must, first of all, be right for you, and so the initial discussion is always exploratory and in no way obligates you.

Should all of this strike a chord, then why not give me a call, or contact the British Humanist Association directly: