Ceremony

Humanist Wedding Ceremonies: a new option for local couples

Introduced locally in September 2015, humanist weddings are a relatively new option for couples planning to tie the knot in Malta and Gozo. But with six having already taken place over the winter and a further 15 booked for this spring, the concept certainly seems to be catching on, and OurWedding was curious to find out more!

For those who are unfamiliar with the idea, humanist weddings, as Gail Debono explains, are wedding ceremonies that are non-religious. “A humanist is anybody who believes that man can choose to be good or bad, without the promise of reward or the threat of punishment,” she says.

Humanist ceremonies are chosen by a number of different people in different circumstances, and while the most obvious of those would be people who identify themselves as humanists, Gail affirms, “couples who opt for humanist ceremonies may be people who wish their wedding ceremony to be a secular or symbolic one; same-sex couples; couples who prefer their ceremony to be in a location of their choosing rather than a location defined by the state; coupes of mixed religions who do not want their wedding to be biased towards one or the other, or couples who prefer their wedding ceremony to be tailor-made for them, for a very personal experience.”

So, what is a humanist wedding ceremony like?

“A humanist wedding ceremony is very personal. A celebrant would meet a couple some weeks before the event itself in order to get to know the couple well enough to be able to write a ceremony that suits them,” Gail explains. Unlike most religious ceremonies, this ceremony, from start to finish, will be written about the couple, in their preferred tone.

“Couples have the option to incorporate anything they like into their ceremony such as music, readings, mentions of specific people or things, symbolic rituals such as hand fasting, sand mixing, and more. The celebrant will always be at hand to offer suggestions should they be required,” she continues. As one would imagine, this results in a very personal ceremony, so it’s no surprise when Gail says that it’s common for a tear or two to be shed by those present!

Asked about the ways in which a humanist ceremony differs from a catholic wedding ceremony, or a civil ceremony, Gail explains that the differences are indeed many, starting with the fact that with a catholic ceremony, it is more or less templated and incorporates a mass ritual, whereas there is no mass held in a humanist ceremony and the ceremony itself is written for the couple. Meanwhile, she continues, a civil ceremony is still required before or after a humanist one, but it is the legal side to the event and consists of legal jargon which may deflate the mood in a ceremony.

“An obvious difference between humanist ceremonies and catholic and civil ceremonies is that more often than not, with catholic and civil ceremonies, places for them to be held are restricted,” she adds, maintaining that humanist ceremonies can be held anywhere that is safe to hold a gathering. “Some places may or may not require permits for gatherings, but more often than not, the countryside, seaside hotels or beaches make idyllic locations,” she affirms.

Humanist celebrants in Malta were trained by the British Humanist Association, brought over by the Malta Humanist Association. Ceremonies are conducted for weddings, baby namings, commemorative occasions, funerals and more. For further info, visit http://www.maltahumanist.org/ceremonies/