Registrar or Humanist Society Scotland Celebrant? Here's the Difference—and Here's Why It Matters
- susymcphee0
- Nov 14, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 8
If you’ve just started planning a wedding and you’re feeling overwhelmed by the list of Things You Apparently Should Already Know, let me take one off your plate.
The difference between a registrar and a Humanist Society Scotland celebrant? It’s a biggie - and it’s not just about who gets to sign the paperwork.
Let’s break it down.
The Legal Bit
Registrars are employed by the local council. They’re the official record-keepers, the government representatives: they manage the administrative side of getting married efficiently and with great attention to detail, and we couldn't do our job without them.
Registrar-led ceremonies follow a set script. You get a few options - you might be able to choose between three pre-approved vows and whether or not to say “I do” or “Yes, I’m sure” - but it’s basically an official transaction with a bit of dignity.
Humanist celebrants are self-employed individuals. We create unique ceremonies based around a couple's story. But - this is important - not all celebrants are equal. Only celebrants who are authorised with a recognised belief body such as Humanist Society Scotland (like me) are legally authorised by the Registrar General to marry couples.
Celebrants who operate independently can create a beautiful, personal, wedding-shaped celebration, but it won’t be legally binding. As the celebrant who officiated at Katie Price's latest nuptials in early 2026 said, 'I'm a showman – you have to go to court to have it legalised.' And bear in mind that there'll be a second fee to pay when you do.
But here’s where the real difference lies—and it’s less about law and more about love.
The Ceremony Itself
If you've opted for a registrar, you'll likely be in a registry office (which may or may not be charming), or they’ll come to your venue at a set time, do the deed, and be on their way to the next one.
A humanist ceremony? That’s a different kettle of confetti.
It’s personal. It's crafted from scratch around you two - your story, your style, your in-jokes, your tears, your triumphs, your top tips for surviving IKEA flat-pack furniture as a couple.
You can get married barefoot in a Perthshire forest, suited and booted on a boat on Loch Lomond (I might bring mine), in a barn outside Glasgow filled with fairy lights, dogs, and dancing aunties, or by the side of a loch in Argyll with your veil pinned to your woolly hat because it's the hat you were wearing when he popped the question. You can even follow in the footsteps of the first ever legally recognised humanist wedding in Scotland and tie the knot at Edinburgh Zoo. We can include symbolic elements (like handfasting or a sand ceremony), readings from friends, or even a singalong if you fancy it.
And the vows? You can write them yourselves, say them together, or whisper them through giggles and happy tears. Apart from seven legally-binding words that both of you have to say to each other and a wee line from me, there’s no script to follow. Just your truth, spoken your way.
It’s Not a Competition… But Let’s Be Honest
Registrars do an important job. And they're lovely: at least, I've never met a grumpy one. And for some couples, that no-fuss, no-frills option is exactly right.
But if you want a ceremony that reflects not just your legal status but your actual love story - one that makes your guests laugh and cry and say afterwards, “That was so you” - a humanist celebrant is your person.
We’re not here to tick a box. We’re here to honour your relationship, celebrate your journey, and kick off your wedding day with meaning, heart, and a few glorious goosebumps. And we've been doing it since 2005.
And the cherry on top of the cake? (Or the Rowntrees Fruit Pastille if you don’t like cherries…) When you book a Humanist Society Scotland celebrant for your big day, you’re supporting the society’s work to make Scotland more socially just. We actively campaign for a fairer, kinder and more rational Scotland, grounded in human rights, equality and evidence rather than religious privilege.Things like inclusive, non-religious education. Bodily autonomy and reproductive rights. Compassionate end-of-life choice. LGBT+ equality, and genuine freedom of belief for everyone - religious or non-religious alike. At its heart, this is about dignity, personal choice and creating a society where public life works equally well for us all. So when you choose an HSS celebrant, you’re not just choosing a meaningful, personal ceremony: you’re also quietly helping to make the world a better place.
So to summarise…
Registrars make it legal.
Humanist Society Scotland celebrants make it unforgettable.
Let’s make it magic.
Love,
Susy x
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