We're so lucky in Scotland that you can get married anywhere and that Humanist ceremonies are legally recognised

At the most basic level you will need:

• Your two selves
• Two witnesses (anyone over the age of 16)
• Someone licensed to conduct the ceremony – such as myself
• The correct legal paperwork

Weddings can take place anywhere in Scotland but you will often see the phrase “with landowners permission”. If you plan to marry outside, it is worth establishing who owns the land – whether it is for example the local council, Forestry Commission, Historic Environment Scotland, National Trust etc and ensuring they are happy for you to hold a ceremony there. This is usually a very straight forward process.

The legal stuff

All marriages in Scotland must be registered with the Registrar's office. More information on this can be found at the National Records for Scotland site.

You should submit your Marriage Notice (M10) forms 12 weeks before your wedding date to the local registrar in the district you are getting married in. At the very latest this must be done 29 days before. You will need to provide your original birth certificate, and any other required documentation, as well as pay a fee to the registrar for processing this paperwork.

I can chat you through the process, but if you have any questions directly related to registration, you should contact the local registrar's office.