Not allowing the rest of the UK the right to a humanist wedding is discriminatory, according to the Humanist Society of Scotland.
The non-religious ceremonies have been legal here for 10 years, but still are not recognised in England and Wales. In 2010 they became more popular than catholic weddings, and they're set to overtake church of Scotland marriages this year. The first humanist wedding ceremony took place in RZSS Edinburgh Zoo on 18th June 2005.
Gordon MacRae, HSS Chief Executive, said:
"The phenomenal rise in humanist ceremonies is being fuelled by the desire of wedding couples for a non-religious ceremony that provides a day reflecting their personalities and can be inclusive of their friends and family. The approach taken by Humanist Society Scotland Registered Celebrants™ is, as we say in our strapline, to ‘Celebrate the one life we have’. Clearly this is resonating with thousands of couples all across the country.
"To date, more than 20,000 couples have been married by HSS Registered Celebrants. This is a testament to the high level of support and dedication of our celebrants. The variety of our ceremonies is amazing, from family gatherings at the top of a mountain, to small intimate ceremonies conducted in people’s own homes. Our ceremonies often involve elements of participation from family and friends. The move towards humanist celebrations and away from religious ceremonies mirrors the changed demographics of Scotland in 2015. It shows that more and more people in Scotland are opting for a rational and empathic approach to life."
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