Front Page -

Hello. I’m Nicky Duddell, a Humanist Wedding Celebrant, trained and accredited by the wonderful people at Humanists UK.

As you have found me, I’m guessing that you know that Humanist Wedding Ceremonies and Vow Renewals are ALL ABOUT YOU! Think of a Humanist Ceremony as the perfect Pick and Mix selection; the ‘Smorgasbord‘ of your love story, told just as you want it to be.

A wedding ceremony is out of the routine of everyday life, so your ceremony should be extraordinary – celebrating your love in whatever form that love takes; celebrating how you have chosen to live your lives together.

And yes, before you ask, as your love story is told there may be tears – but just the right amount – and many, many smiles and huge amounts of joy. You’ve made a momentous decision to marry; so, whether your ceremony is private and intimate or a grand fully fledged affair, my role is to craft and deliver your ceremony, capturing who you are…

… but who am I? Well this is me beaming on my wedding day back in 2002. I remember this moment clearly – a line from a poem written and read by my husband had our family and friends roaring with laughter, albeit moments earlier we had also been rapidly blinking away tears – three cheers for waterproof mascara! This is how we wanted our wedding ceremony to be.

I was a commercial lawyer for more years than I care to remember – but I have got over that now! It may be due to my years as a lawyer, or perhaps I am just naturally curious, that I relish quizzing my couples.

My happy place is the New Forest where I live with my husband – still penning the occasional poem – our teenage son, and two thoroughly spoilt rescue moggies.

My happy moments are as a ‘proud mum’ clapping and whooping (apparently too enthusiastically!) at school concerts; finishing that early morning 5k when I nearly didn’t force myself out the house; being with our great friends whether around a dinner table, out on our bikes, or in a lovely New Forest pub.

I have few dislikes – but please, no rhubarb or gooseberry ever!

As a Humanist I hold dear important principles in my everyday life – equality, inclusion, diversity, honesty, humanity, compassion and warmth – not forgetting fun as well! To explore humanism further click on the Humanists UK logo.

This spinning planet that we all inhabit is pretty amazing; so, I like to share a little love with the environment. Hopefully you have some love to share with it too, so please have a look in ‘Latest News’ to find out more…

“It was really lovely – very, very good, with the perfect use of humour”

WHAT IS A HUMANIST WEDDING?

Well, here's the thing, love doesn't like being constrained by rules. It isn't bothered about the colour of your skin, your gender, sexual orientation, or anything else come to that. Quite simply love takes many glorious forms and a Humanist wedding ceremony is an honest expression and celebration of that love. It is YOUR CEREMONY, so make it about YOU! and then you'll find that perfect balance of fun and gravitas, brimming with your personalities.

There is no need for a wedding ceremony to be constrained by civil or religious rule books, because let's face it, love is all you need. Don't worry that a Humanist wedding ceremony is non religious, as it is also perfect for couples who are interfaith or where just one is religious. From the moment your ceremony begins your guests will feel welcomed and included irrespective of their own beliefs.
Have a look in 'ANY QUESTIONS?' for more information - or please get in touch.

Want to start a conversation?

Your wedding

Our First Date !

No, not really - but having a chat to find out more about how I can help you have the most amazing ceremony is a good idea. It is important that you feel comfortable that your celebrant will understand your vision for your ceremony. Give me a call or send me an email so we can arrange a time to chat either in person or via video-call.

Like What You See ?

Hopefully you will decide to book me as your celebrant. If so, I will send you a contract and take a deposit from you and you can then be assured that your wedding day will be secured in my diary - it will be the only wedding for me too on the day.

Let's get creative

This is the fun part. We will meet around three months before your wedding to collaborate on creating the script for your ceremony. I will ask you to dig deep and share with me who you really are as a couple - what makes you tick - what makes your partnership so amazing that you have decided to spend your lives together.

Drum Roll Please !

Finally - your wedding day has arrived!
I will be at your venue in plenty of time to co-ordinate with your wedding suppliers, and be ready with a reassuring word and smile for anyone having a starring role in your ceremony.
Then, when you are both ready we will begin ...

FAQs

ANY QUESTIONS?

You may have some questions, such as those below. If you have others or want to know more do get in touch for an informal chat…

Are we restricted as to where we can have our wedding ceremony?

Absolutely not! This is a major advantage of having a Humanist ceremony, as you are free to make your vows and promises to each other in a setting that really means something to you.

What area do you cover for wedding ceremonies?

I am based in the New Forest, but am happy to travel if your perfect venue is further afield. If we can’t meet in person during the pre-ceremony planning don’t worry as we can still achieve greatness via video calls and emails etc.

Is it necessary to have a register office wedding before the ceremony?

Frustratingly, Humanist ceremonies are still not legalised in England and Wales. If you head over to the “Latest News” section on this website you will see that Humanists UK is working hard to change this. In the meantime, if you want to be legally wed, you will need a civil marriage at your local Register Office. This can be a very simple statutory ceremony and often couples arrange to do this shortly before their Humanist ceremony.

Can we include religious content in our ceremony?

As Humanist ceremonies are non-religious they cannot contain any acts of worship. Your ceremony wouldn’t however be very Humanist if it alienated either of you or your guests, so it is sometimes nice to include a moment of reflection where your guests could silently pray, or a cultural ritual weaved into your ceremony.

What does a Humanist Wedding Ceremony involve?

Well that’s easy – it can include whatever you want it to subject to it not containing any acts of worship. You can be very traditional, or you can go completely off piste or anything in between those two.

How much do you charge?

My fee for a 2020/21 Wedding Ceremony starts at £550 and for a Vow Renewal at £400, both of which include travelling from my home up to 30 miles. Travel further afield is charged at the prevailing RAC-recommended rate, for car travel. For other forms of transport I’ll pass on travel expenses at cost. I ask for a 50% deposit to be paid to secure your chosen date with the balance payable not less than two weeks before your ceremony. .

What happens in the event you are unable to do the ceremony?

As I am part of a network of fully trained and accredited Humanist wedding celebrants, you can be assured that if the unthinkable happened and I was unable to attend your ceremony then one of my experienced colleagues would deliver your ceremony using the script that I had written for you. Naturally, there would be no additional cost to you.

What about insurance?

Fear not, in the very unlikely event that something goes wrong, you have the comfort of knowing that I have full Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance as an accredited Humanists UK Celebrant.

How long will our ceremony last?

Well that again depends on what you want to include in it, but generally ceremonies last between 30 and 45 minutes.

Do you provide a presentation copy of our wedding script?

I certainly do! After your wedding ceremony I will present you with a beautiful keepsake of your script, to treasure.

Nicky Duddell Ceremonies

WHAT IS A HUMANIST WEDDING?

Want to start a conversation?