What's the difference between a Humanist celebrant and an independent celebrant?

A Humanist wedding ceremony at The Hovels, Harewood. Photography by Claire Maclean.

A wedding celebrant creates and delivers beautiful, meaningful and personal wedding ceremonies. In England and Wales, these ceremonies are not (yet!) legally recognised and so the legal paperwork must be completed at a Registrar’s office in advance. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, non-religious wedding ceremonies are legally recognised.

What’s the difference between a Humanist celebrant and an Independent celebrant?

Humanist celebrants are non-religious; I like to think of us as ‘extra’ atheists! While we don’t believe in any supernatural power, we do believe that our fellow humans are capable of making good decisions, and that science and reason help us to understand the world we live in. This philosophy makes our wedding ceremonies extra meaningful, allowing us to share a couple’s values and love story in a sincere yet joyful way.

All Humanist celebrants have all been rigorously trained by Humanists UK to the same high standards. During my training, I was assessed on my ability write a ceremony script, to choose appropriate readings and music, and my assessor even watched me delivering a ceremony! (Not at all awkward!) I was supported through my training and my early days by an experienced mentor, and now that I am qualified I mentor new celebrants too.

Humanists UK is an incredible organisation which works on behalf of non-religious people who seek to live ethical lives underpinned by reason and humanity. I am proud to be part of Humanists UK, and proud to support their work through paying my accreditation fee (so all of my couples are contributing to their work too)!

Being part of the Humanists UK network of celebrants means that I can take part in regular CPD training, ensuring that my wedding ceremony knowledge remains current. I must agree to be observed delivering a wedding ceremony every 4 years, ensuring that I am still working within the high standards expected by Humanists UK. As a bonus, I can call on my Humanist colleagues to step in if I become sick on the morning of a wedding, which is reassuring for my couples.

Independent celebrants are, as their name suggests, not usually part of a network. They might be Pagan, Christian, New Age or agnostic, and so they might be able to incorporate your religious beliefs into your ceremony or lead an act of worship. There are a variety of commercial organisations offering training to various standards: very few of them offer the ongoing training and assessment that Humanists UK does.

While Humanist celebrants are not religious, we are very happy to welcome people of other beliefs into our ceremonies. You won’t find us leading prayers, but we can make room for somebody else to do a reading or for quiet reflection during a ceremony. Sometimes couples from different faiths choose a Humanist wedding ceremony because it creates space for the two people getting married to be themselves, regardless of their religious beliefs.

If it is important to you to be married by someone who shares your religious belief, then an Independent celebrant might be a better fit for you. If you are non-religious, or you are a couple of differing faiths, a Humanist celebrant might be able to incorporate aspects of your mutual beliefs to create a ceremony with room for both of you.

Intrigued by Humanist ceremonies? Get in touch if you’d like to know more. I’m always keen to hear about your love, and discuss how I can make your wedding ceremony the best bit of your wedding day!

What is a wedding celebrant? What’s the difference between a Humanist celebrant and an Independent celebrant?