Weddings
Humanist weddings have become very popular in recent years. They can take place in any location and on any day of the week. These ceremonies can be as traditional or innovative as the couple wish.
Each ceremony is unique and couples are encouraged to formulate their own vows.
Legal Weddings
In June 2018 the Belfast Court of Appeal ruled that Humanist marriages must be legally recognised in Northern Ireland, anyone wishing to perform marriage ceremonies can apply to the Registrar General under Article 31 of the Marriage(NI) Order 2003.
For each couple this involves completing a GRO 470 form which can be downloaded from www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/2003/413/contents
This is the first step in obtaining a temporary licence for a named celebrant of the couple’s choosing.
Jennifer performed her first legal wedding ceremony on 29th August 2019 in the Treehouse Restaurant, Belfast. The happy couple were Laura-Marie Ring and Jonathan Eakin.
Jennifer with Laura-Marie Ring and Jonathan Eakin
This now sets a precedent for future legal wedding ceremonies. Up until now couples had to participate in 2 separate ceremonies – a legal part at a registry office and the Humanist part. It should be noted that the latter may still be the case if a couple wanted to have the humanist part of the ceremony in an unusual setting such as a beach or woodland.
Jennifer is always happy to discuss individual preferences and deliver what couples want. The main thing to remember is that a ceremony devised by Jennifer is always unique and individually crafted.