Ceremony and Paperwork Budget - click here to return to the article

Church Weddings: £100-250
* There is no set fee or charge that you must pay the minister or priest, but most couples offer a donation as a thank you for conducting the ceremony.

Civil Weddings: £103.50+
* Having a civil ceremony will cost you at least this much, but depending on where you’re getting married it may be more – you need to check this with the local council your venue falls under. The figure of £103.50 takes into account the necessary paperwork and your marriage certificate, but the charges are completely different for each local council, and factors such as whether the registrar has to travel make a difference too. The costs can add up to double the amount stated above.

Humanist Ceremonies: £250 (+£30 membership fee)
* The cost for a legal humanist wedding is £250, which includes the cost of meetings, researching and writing the ceremony and a rehearsal, usually but not always at the venue. Because the Registrar General sets the number of approved humanist celebrants according to the number of members of the Humanist Society of Scotland, couples first need to join, which costs £30. Humanist celebrants may also charge for travel expenses, currently at a rate of £0.50/mile after the first twenty miles, for which they make no charge.