A Day In The Life: Humanist celebrant Suzanne Teed
Suzanne Teed feels privileged to provide a service to people at the saddest and happiest times of their lives.
IRECALL the moment I thought, “Wow, I’d love to do that.” I was attending a wedding and the humanist celebrant officiating was the fabulous Mary Wallace, who is now a colleague.
She was brilliant and that started the ball rolling.
I used to work in finance but gave it up to work with my husband in our family business and to be around for my children, Jane and Rory, now in their twenties.
It was when they reached secondary school and I was looking for a new challenge that I felt being a celebrant would be a perfect career.
I wanted something that wasn’t a strict nine to five, that I could still work around all the rugby, music and art classes that go with having two teenagers.
I’ve now been a Humanist Society Scotland Registered Celebrant for six years.
We are a charity and do lots of great work in public affairs and the community, as well as ceremonies.
I conduct legal weddings, commitment ceremonies, civil partnerships, funerals, memorials and interment ceremonies.
As you may imagine it’s not regular hours and, to be honest, I just don’t think of it as a job. I love it!
If I have a routine it’s that I tend to work mornings, writing ceremonies, and afternoons I spend in meetings. I work part-time, so when I’m busy it’s three to four days a week.
To be a humanist celebrant you need to be good at English and enjoy writing, communicate well, have empathy and be a good public speaker.
You also need to be able to work quickly and be a good time-keeper.
Humanist Society Scotland interviews all potential trainees, and the training is rigorous so we are of a high standard. We come from all walks of life – ex-teachers, lawyers, photographers, actors – and our ages all vary, too.
In Scotland you can marry just about anywhere, within reason. For me it must be respectful and not too wacky – it’s still a marriage, after all.
Couples should also consider their venue. Not every guest will want, or be able, to ascend a mountain or walk a mile along a riverbank in wedding attire.
However, I have done a wedding on the top of a snow-capped mountain and quite a lot of beautiful Scottish beaches and lochs.
Elopements are always a treat, too, as they’re so intimate with just the couple and witnesses.
I also often marry couples with their dogs attending. They’ve been best men, ring bearers and bridesmaids!
The high of being a celebrant is knowing you have done a good job. Relatives and friends often comment on how personal a humanist ceremony is.
It’s an honour to provide a service to people at the saddest and happiest times of their lives.
When I get home, I relax by snuggling up to watch a movie with my husband, Dave, and our five dogs and four cats.
Becoming a celebrant is not something you can do quickly, and it can take its toll emotionally at times.
I work for an organisation that prides itself on improvement, peer review and first-class training.
I would advise anyone thinking of this as a career to take their time and see a few ceremonies first.
What advice would you give your twentyyear-old self?
Do a job you love and want to get up in the morning for. I found that job . . . eventually.