Welcome

Hello! I'm Anne, a life celebrant with Agnostic Scotland.

I've always loved writing stories, from scribbling away at the kitchen table as a child, to all through my working life as a journalist. As a celebrant, I love working with couples and families to tell their stories. I craft bespoke ceremonies which truly reflect who you are, and your beliefs and values.

An Agnostic Scotland ceremony can be totally non-religious, or can incorporate elements of faith or spiritual beliefs – open-minded, inclusive and welcoming to all.

We’ll work together to create a meaningful ceremony of carefully crafted words and rituals to mark all of life’s milestones.

I’m based in southern Scotland, in beautiful Dumfries & Galloway, but happily travel all over.

Photo by Ben at My Islay Wedding

About

ABOUT ME

I live surrounded by trees and wildlife just outside Moffat, in Dumfries & Galloway, the region of Scotland where I was born and grew up.

I've migrated north to the edge of the Southern Uplands after spending my early years in Annan close to the Solway Firth – and living and working in Edinburgh, Glasgow and the north of England for a few years in-between.

Moving from Glasgow’s bustling West End to a house in the woods, with bats in the roof, took a bit of getting used to, but it’s proved to be the perfect place for family life with my husband and two children.

I’ve enjoyed dipping into the lives of others for many years as a journalist, and giving people a voice through telling their stories. Until recently, I combined my practice as a celebrant with my work as Chief Feature Writer with award-winning Dumfries & Galloway Life magazine.

Many of the skills developed in my years as a journalist transfer easily over to my celebrant life, connecting and working with couples and families to tell your unique stories. I love Agnostic Scotland’s open-minded, inclusive and welcoming approach – find out more at www.agnosticscotland.org

When not writing in one form or another, I enjoy chatting and laughing with family and friends; read as many books as possible; am forever rejigging wall space to fit in just one more bit of art; and try to resist, never too successfully, from adding yet another vintage brooch to my collection….

Services

All about love

Photo by Ben at My Islay Wedding

Namings, and other ceremonies

Remembering loved ones

A ceremony to celebrate your love for each other should be just as you want it to be.

Whether that’s a big wedding with 100 of your nearest and dearest family and friends cheering you on; an intimate ceremony involving just the two of you; or anything in between or beyond, your celebration should be special and mean everything to you.

If you decide to have a legal marriage, a civil partnership, a non-legal blessing, an elopement, or want to renew your vows, I’ll work with you to create a meaningful, bespoke ceremony – wherever you want it to be – which will be remembered always.

We’ll tell your love story with carefully crafted words, and rituals if you wish, such as a traditional handfasting or sharing a drink from a quaich. You can choose to write your own vows, and there can be readings, poetry, songs and music – that’s all up to you.

I’m an Agnostic Scotland life celebrant – you can find out more at www.agnosticscotland.org – and that means your ceremony can be completely non-religious, or can incorporate elements of faith or spirituality, such as a reading or a hymn. Through Agnostic Scotland, I am authorised to conduct the legal elements required in a marriage or civil partnership ceremony.

I will also plant a tree to celebrate your ceremony in the Agnostic Scotland grove in the Highlands. The grove is part of an important rewilding project run by Trees for Life- www.treesforlife.org.uk/groves/119696/

Welcoming a baby or child into your life, by birth or adoption, is such a special moment in life.

You may wish to hold a naming ceremony soon after they come into your family, or wait a while, and mark a milestone.

The important thing is that it’s the right time for you and your family, and I’ll work with you to create the ceremony you want.

We’ll tell your story and celebrate the names you have chosen, along with bespoke rituals if you wish, and make friends and family a special part of the occasion.

Other milestones

There are many milestones in life, and it is fitting to mark them in your own way.

It could be a new venture or job, a new home or launching a new business, welcoming a new pet into your home or saying farewell when they die – I’d be happy to craft a tailor-made ceremony to mark these moments.

Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things we face, and it is a challenging time for the whole family.

Planning a funeral, memorial or celebration of life can be a stressful time, and through my role, I will help to support you to ease the anxiety of these days.

I’ll meet with you, and work closely with you to create a ceremony which truly honours your person and who they were, and tells their story with compassion and authenticity.

These ceremonies can be totally non-religious or have elements such as a hymn or reading, if you wish.

MY SERVICES

“Choosing Anne as our celebrant was the best decision we made for our wedding, and we had a really beautiful and joyful wedding. Anne made our ceremony so emotional, funny and personal. It felt like it was an old friend conducting our ceremony. Anne really took the time to get to know us as individuals and a couple. Our guests commented on her unassuming, kind and warm nature and presence at what was a gorgeous ceremony thanks to her hard work and effort. She truly thought of everything and was well prepared and organised. We will never forget Anne as our celebrant and truly thank her from the bottom of our hearts.”