First Meetings

DETAILS
Photo — Loch Coruisk
Photographer - @kbrambo

Humanist Celebrant
Vibe Check.

Last night I had a meeting with a couple of beauts from New Zealand who are currently on an eight-month tour of Europe, and who thought, ‘Why don’t we just get married while we’re here? Let’s find a celebrant in Scotland who’ll be up for marrying us next to a Loch, with our nearest and dearest, in whatever weather may grace us on the day’.

I knew instantly they were my kind of people.

I always meet clients online initially. I live out in the sticks, about half an hour north of Inverness, so it’s usually easier. Especially as many of my couples are eloping to the highlands. Just like these two, who are planning an outdoor ceremony at Loch Coruisk on Skye.

First meetings are usually a ‘vibe check’, as one of my brides confessed during our initial call recently. That’s the great thing about choosing a Humanist celebrant. There are loads of us. And we’re all very different, so it’s important you find someone you like. Meetings are an opportunity for you to get to know the celebrant and decide if they’d be a good fit for your big day.

Ask yourself, do I want this person to be there on one of the most important days of my life? Do I trust them? Will my mum/ son/ granny/ dog like them? Would I go for a pint/coffee with them?

If the answer is yes, I’d say you’re onto a winner.  And if not, that’s okay! We’re a hardy bunch, but please just let us know. Nobody likes to be ghosted.

I’m still waiting to hear if I passed the vibe check last night. It was our first meeting and was less than half an hour long, but I signed off with a huge smile on my face. I was buzzing. It got me thinking about the connections we can make with people in such a short space of time, even over Zoom.

I’ve always loved meeting new folk, hearing their stories, and chatting about nothing and everything. But it continually amazes me how quickly you can feel connected to strangers.

I do try to play it cool during meetings, but what I’m usually thinking is, please please please pick me to be your celebrant. I want to get to know you better. I want to learn about your lives, and share the excitement of your big day. Really, I want to be your pal.

And that is priceless.

I feel so lucky to do this. I’m consistently reminded how many awesome folk there are in the world. Gorgeous couples that just want their day to be perfect. And whenever I get confirmation of a booking, it’s like a lovely wee gift that brightens my day.