The Humanist Association Scotland is mindful of the current Pandemic and keeping up to date with Government guidelines.
Wedding Ceremonies
We have been given the following helpful advice from the Registrar in Aberdeenshire which will apply to all of Scotland:
Following advice on the prevention of public gatherings from the UK and Scottish Government, and to help delay the spread of COVID-19, a decision has been taken that marriages and civil partnerships will not take place in the pandemic period. National Records of Scotland (NRS) therefore instructs registrars that except in the case of a serious or terminal illness, or other circumstances where there is a clear and pressing need for a couple to marry, no Marriage Schedules may be issued until further notice.
NRS will take advice about when it is safe to lift the restriction on the issue of Schedules, but your ceremony will not go ahead until the restriction on producing Schedules for weddings has been lifted.
As Scottish Government and NRS recognise that even during a pandemic period, circumstances can still occur which necessitate an urgent need to marry or civilly partner.
Specific criteria for judging whether or not a dispensation will be granted will continue to apply, such as one party to a marriage or civil partnership having a terminal illness, a party with imminent redeployment in the armed forces, and so on. (Self-isolation will not be considered grounds for a dispensation unless it is supported by evidence from a medical practitioner that either of the parties has a serious or terminal illness)
The Humanist Association Scotland are offering complimentary movement of dates to comparable alternative free dates later in the year for those affected by the virus.
We know that for all it is a very uncertain time, however we will be as flexible as we can be under these exceptional circumstances.
Please let your celebrant know if you would like to look at alternative dates late in the year and we can work on rearranging this.
And in accordance with our usual procedure will ensure all clients are advised if due to circumstances a change of celebrant is necessary.
Funeral Ceremonies
We continue to work with bereaved families in the usual way and in accordance with our usual procedure will ensure all clients are advised if due to circumstances a change of celebrant is necessary.