QUESTIONS ABOUT HUMANIST CEREMONIES WITH MEG

Do you officiate LGBTQ+ weddings?

 

Of course!

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How far would you travel for our ceremony?

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I would be happy to lead your ceremony in any country you like,

and of course I travel to all corners of the UK regularly too.

There are details about mileage and accommodation costs on my prices page.

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Equality and inclusion – What are you doing about it?

 

My intention is that every person feels confident and safe when approaching me about working together, and when booking me as their celebrant. Instead of making a long policy which only I would read, here is a summary of my approach regarding equality and inclusion.

 

• My ceremonies are for people of any sex or gender identity, and of any sexual orientation

• My clients are from diverse backgrounds and include black, brown and mixed heritage people

• I’m working on being more accessible to clients and ceremony guests who are disabled, have impairments, and/or are neurodiverse. Please do request whatever format is most accessible to you, and will help you and your guests be most comfortable

• As a mental health first aider, I want my clients to feel able to be themselves when planning their ceremony with me. I encourage honest discussion about mental wellbeing

• I’m committed to acting on feedback, and I ask for this from all my clients so that I can make improvements

• I actively seek out training opportunities on equality and inclusion, and will continue to do this at least every six months. I will implement what I learn promptly and not treat training as a “job done” or tick-box exercise

• Currently my marketing imagery is lacking in representation. I will continuously look to source photos which are more welcoming to people who do not look like me – a white, cis, able-bodied woman

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What’s your approach to sustainability?

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Being humanist doesn’t have a strict definition,

but to me it means living an ethical life and looking after people and the planet.

My approach to sustainability is to minimise my impact wherever I can. I prioritise taking public transport, when I have to drive I have a hybrid car, and am very waste conscious.

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Are humanist wedding ceremonies legally recognised?

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It depends where your wedding will be held. In Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey the answer is yes. Sadly right now humanist wedding ceremonies are not yet legally recognised in England or Wales. This means at the moment you need to have a separate civil service in addition to your humanist ceremony.

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Will the wedding feel real?

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Absolutely! You’ll be declaring your love and commitment in front of the people who are most important to you. It will feel authentic because it will be personal, memorable and genuinely about celebrating your love and marriage.

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Is a naming ceremony like a non-religious Christening?

 

Sort of, yes. If you want to celebrate how awesome your child is, there is absolutely no reason to miss out just because you aren't religious. If you like the idea of a Christening, because you've been to some lovely ones before, then we can create a naming ceremony which is similar to that format. But naturally it will be a million times better than you having to pretend to believe in a god if you don't.

 

Naming ceremonies are also suitable for families who have different religious beliefs to one another and would like to mark the arrival of their child in an open-minded way.

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But of course, if you come from a religious or cultural background which celebrates children in a different way, we can honour traditions which are important to you.

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Are naming ceremonies a bit too "hippy" for me and my family?

 

Um, no not at all! Naming ceremonies are for everyone, not just hippy-types. They are becoming more and more popular. If you haven't been to one yourself before it can be hard to imagine, but they are almost always fun, welcoming, relaxed and child-focussed.

 

If you like to wear floaty clothes and talk about peace and love then, you go ahead and do your thing. However I will admit I've never been described as a hippy myself. Find out more about me here or check out my Instagram. You'll see living proof that celebrants are normal and work with normal people like you.