Interfaith Weddings, Civil Partnership Ceremonies and Pagan Handfastings in Southern Scotland

Weddings are beautiful, joyous, moving occasions, when two people come together with the intention to share their lives with one another in love. A specially created wedding ceremony is a wonderful opportunity for you to declare, to one another, to your families and to your communities, what your relationship means to you both, the spiritual beliefs and values you choose to live by together, and the vows and commitments you choose to make to one another. It is a chance to consciously choose together what you want your relationship to be.
 
A celebration of Love
I offer wedding and handfasting ceremonies to all couples in loving, committed relationships, regardless of sexual orientation, across Scotland. Because of the current law, I am only able to conduct a legally recognised wedding ceremony between a man and a woman. However, many lesbian, gay and same-sex couples choose to have a personally designed ceremony to accompany a civil partnership registration, to make their special day a true reflection of their feelings for one another, and their spiritual beliefs and values.
 
Planning your ceremony
Before our first meeting, I will email you a list of questions to answer, which are designed to help you to become clear about what your relationship means to you, what your strengths and weaknesses are as a couple, and your hopes for the future of your relationship. Many couples also find answering these questions very helpful in writing their own vows.
 
During our initial planning meeting, I'll get to know you as a couple, finding out about your spiritual beliefs and values, what's really important to you, and any particular desires you have for your ceremony, such as remembering family members who aren't able to be present, or including children, parents, or other family and friends in your ceremony. You'll also have the chance to get to know me, of course, and ask as many questions as you need to.
 
I then write a draft of your ceremony, taking everything you've told me into account, and email it to you. The draft can be rewritten and reworked as much as is needed so that you're both completely happy with it. If possible, nearer to the date of the ceremony, a dry-run in the wedding venue is ideal, to iron out any practical issues and settle any nerves.
 
Then finally, your big day!
 
Pricing: £200-£600 sliding scale
Whether you pay at the top, the bottom, or the middle of the sliding scale, you get the same service, including all planning meetings, writing the ceremony, ceremony rehearsal and conducting the ceremony itself. I simply ask you to pay what you can afford, and what feels right to you as a reflection of the value of the ceremony to your day.
 
In addition to the ceremony fee, expenses are payable for travel costs (45p per mile or standard fare public transport), plus accommodation if needed, and a £50 per night supplement for any necessary overnight stays.
 
Any questions?
If you have any queries or questions about how I can work with you on your wedding ceremony, do get in touch by calling 07799 468309, or send me an email.
 
What couples say...
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Thank you so much for performing our handfasting ceremony so beautifully on our wedding day.
 
Many of our family and friends told us that they were very moved by the ceremony and it meants to much to us to be able to get married in exactly the way that we had dreamed of.
 
    -- Tathy and Jamie, Fernie Castle

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We were really happy to find that there are ways to be spiritual and find meaning in life outside of conventional religious frameworks.
 
Elinor completely accepted our beliefs (or lack of them) and made a genuine effort to incorporate quite disparate rituals and readings that we found meaningful, within a dignified but joyful ceremony. We had a fabulous wedding day with a service that was completely personalised to our specific beliefs and history.
 
Prior to the wedding, the preparation questions we answered helped us to be clear about our feelings for each other and understand each other better. We were able to make sure that the promises we made to each other were exactly the ones we wanted to make. We are still happily married!
 
    -- Chris and Fiona, Caerlaverock Castle
 
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We just can't thank you enough for our wonderful Handfasting - it was everything we imagined and more!
 
The way in which you drew all our loved ones into the circle made everyone feel very much part of the intimacy of the Handfasting and so many people complimented the way in which they really felt they were witnessing something very special and magickal.
 
You conducted the handfasting itself with such gracious solemnity, that when you bound our hands with the ribbons everyone really realised the deeply spiritual significance of what was happening: that it wasn't 'alternative' but actually very traditional and ancient. My uncle, who is a Church of Scotland minister, told me it was the most amazing ceremony he'd ever been to!!! He was completely entranced and enthralled by it, and said he'd never forget how deeply moved he'd been.
 
The calm yet powerful way you conducted the ceremony allowed both of us to really 'be there', in the moment. When I gave my vows, I knew I wasn't just 'repeating some words'; the vows really MEANT what I felt. Having the freedom to pretty much say what we wanted to each other has meant we absolutely got the ceremony tailored to us as a couple. Your own kind words about us were beautiful. Our friend Gareth said it was the most appropriate ceremony and words about the couple he'd ever heard.
 
Your presence filled the glade and empowered our family and friends to really join with the energies, and made the most incredible memories for all of us. Everything was completely in keeping with how we wanted the ceremony to feel - we wouldn't have been able to have a proper Handfasting without you! So, dear Elinor, our deepest heartfelt thanks for making our nuptial dreams come true!
 
    -- Jasmine and Dan, Mid Lothian