Open-air weddings ‘should be overseen by accredited official’
ANYONE who conducts open-air weddings in the future should be an accredited official, humanist wedding celebrant Gary Vaudin has said.
The States is currently reviewing the island’s Marriage Law, which could lead to humanist weddings and those conducted other than in a church or at the Greffe being given legal standing.
Mr Vaudin is perhaps best known for providing humanist funerals, but he has also been taking humanist weddings in Guernsey since 1998.
But although many people regard these as their ‘official’ wedding, he said the ceremonies were not legally binding and couples still had to go to the Greffe to have their union registered.
Jersey approved humanist wedding ceremonies earlier this year and in so doing joined Scotland and Ireland in allowing the practice.
The Guernsey Marriage Law is now under review and Mr Vaudin is hoping that changes will give humanist weddings legal standing.
But he said it was important that not just anyone is permitted to conduct the ceremonies.
Currently, anyone can conduct a wedding ceremony in the same way that anyone is able to take a funeral.
Such a wedding ceremony would have no legal standing, however, and would require couples to go to the Greffe for registration.
If the law changes, Mr Vaudin feels that family members taking funerals should be allowed to continue, but people who wish to take weddings should be registered.
‘That’s what happened in Jersey,’ he said.
‘And you can get any Tom, Dick or Harry who is good at public speaking to conduct a wedding.
‘But if someone who is not registered ends up spoiling a couple’s special day, there is nothing they can do about it.
‘As an accredited celebrant I have a code of practice to work to,’ said Mr Vaudin.
‘If people are not happy with the ceremony there is a way for them to complain. In this situation an accredited official will become an ex-officio Greffier to enable them to conduct marriages legally. I’ve done as many as 30 weddings a year,’ he said.
‘There’s definitely a demand over here.’
He has been asked for his thoughts on possible changes to the marriage law and has been in close contact with Humanists UK and with their representative in Jersey, Deputy Louise Doublet.
If open air weddings are given official recognition, couples looking for an unusual venue might consider one of Guernsey Museums’ sites, such as Castle Cornet or Vale Castle.
Four receptions took place on one of the museum service’s sites last year, with two blessings and three combined blessings and receptions.
Museum visitor services officer Rachael McCutcheon said that in the past the service offered a marquee at Castle Cornet, but that was no longer available.
Receptions can be held in the Hatton Gallery and there are various outdoor options for blessing and drinks.
If Vale Castle is hired, clients get a gated site in which they can have suppliers erect marquees.
Plans have to be approved by the museum service, but Mrs McCutcheon said there are fewer restrictions than at Castle Cornet.
‘If holding a licensed wedding at the castle became an option, we would certainly be keen to look into what would be involved, with the likelihood being that we would want to offer it,’ she said.
