Stephen McLaren

(14)
1 / 10
Hi, I'm Stevie McLaren 👋
Friendly
Relaxed
Helpful
From a happy guest: "The ceremony alone was worth getting dressed up for!" From a couple: "So many people told us it was the best ceremony they had ever seen." From a Bride: "It was magical."
As a Celebrant and Marriage Officer with Humanism in Scotland, I am legally authorised to conduct and witness marriages anywhere in Scotland.
Stephen McLaren Pricing & Costs

Pricing for suppliers

Prices Start at
£450
There is a seperate £100 fee payable to the registrars nearest your venue. This application provides you with the legal paperwork you sign during (or just after) your ceremony. Humanism in Scotland does not ask for membership fees and I rarely add travel costs, however, if your venue is more than an hour's drive from South Queensferry, I may ask for help with travel. I use the HMRC rate of 0.45p per mile for any extra mileage.
Stephen McLaren Details

Products and Services

Full-Service Planning
On-the-Day Wedding Coordination
Celebrant / Officiant
Pre-Wedding Consultation
Last-Minute Orders
Speech Writer
Outbound Destination Wedding Specialist
Inbound Destination Wedding Specialist
Marquee Wedding Specialist
Stephen McLaren Full Description
"I am absolutely amazed by the ceremony you gave us, it was magical" I help wedding couples celebrate their marriage with a happy, relaxed and personal wedding ceremony. My legal authorisation means I can marry couples anywhere in Scotland at a venue of your choosing. From a stuning viewpoint overlooking Loch Lomond to fine hotels and venues in Scotland's magnificent cities and estates, I help you celebrate your marriage with a ceremony that tells your story and captures what your life together means. The phrase we use is "Your Love In Your Words", because your ceremony really is all about you. Meaningful, happy and relaxed, it truly is a dream combination! Call me today and I will explain how it all works.

Personal Message from the Manager

Name of Wedding Contact: Stevie
Your wedding is a special moment in your lives, so I try to make that moment happen for you. I want it to be memorable for all the right reasons. With all the emotions on the day and all the distractions going on, I think it is important for you to know that with someone like me as your Celebrant, your wedding ceremony is in safe hands.

Experience

Year Business Was Established
2014
No. of Weddings Hosted
More than 50
No. of People In Team
8
Reviews
(14)
Josie
Happy couple married in June
November 2023
Wonderful wedding ceremony

Stephen was helpful, easy to communicate with and so personable and lovely. Everyone at our wedding commented on how great and warm he was. I’d strongly recommend him to anyone.

stacey mulvaney
Happy couple married in October
November 2023
best day of our lives

We had the most amazing day at our wedding on october 27th. We had a celebrant named Stephen McLaren and honestly.. there isn't enough words to describe how fantastic he is not only as our celebrant but as a person. He met with us initially and we just loved him straight away ! he is hilarious and very compassionate. He was with us the whole journey and on the wedding day everyone commented It was the nicest and most personal ceremony they had ever attended !! cannot recommend this man enough 🥰❤️ xxxx also Daziel park hotel .. beautiful wedding venue xx

Amy & Ian
Happy couple married in July
November 2023
Absolutely fantastic

Stevie was amazing to work with from beginning to end - he gave us so many helpful pointers not just on our ceremony but on all the legal stuff as well which was very much appreciated. He framed our story so perfectly for our script and made it both funny and personal which is exactly what we wanted! He was always available just an email away and his enthusiasm for what he does really shined through. He was also incredibly helpful on the day in terms of keeping everything calm and helping to make sure everything went ahead as planned. We can't thank him enough for helping to make our day absolutely perfect.

Michael & Chelsea Fisher
Happy couple married in June
November 2023
Perfection

My special day was as smooth as a dream, from the weather to the staff. Stephen McLaren brought laughter and tears to our ceremony and was loved by myself and my groom and our guests, he took our story and turned into a comedy love story which was amazing.

Indie & Tony
Happy couple married in July
November 2023
An unforgettable day

Stevie went above and beyond to make our special day truly unforgettable. His guidance and support throughout the planning process was invaluable. He was incredibly easy to work with and we appreciated his warmth and dedication in creating a meaningful and personalised ceremony that was unique and memorable. Thank you for being an essential part of our day and making our celebration wonderful!

Arlene+ Steven
Happy couple married in July
November 2023
Brilliant from start to finish

We loved Stephen. He was a gentleman from start to finish and we just clicked with him immediately. He is so funny and put us at ease from the word go. He had lots of great suggestions and really was a huge part of our day. Thank you Stephen for being a part of our special day, you are brilliant!!

Katie and Rory MacDougall
Happy couple married in June
November 2023
The most perfect day!

Right from the very beginning Stephen was unbelievably helpful in not only giving us all the “legal advice” on documents needed, registry offices etc, but he also helped us find a beautiful location for our ceremony. We chose to elope in Scotland and had only our children and witnesses at the wedding - despite being so intimate Stephen was wonderful in getting us all laughing, feeling comfortable and was incredible with our young children, giving them roles in the ceremony and making them feel really special throughout. His advice and ideas for our ceremony were so helpful and the script he created was completely tailored to exactly what we wanted and captured our story so perfectly! He even went out of his way to help my sister write her speech for the ceremony too. The day was perfect and I believe a huge part of that was down to Stephen. We filmed our ceremony for our family to watch afterwards and everyone has commented on how fantastic he was. We would highly recommend Stephen to anyone looking for a celebrant on their special day!

Hayleigh & Scott
Happy couple married in March
October 2023
The best support

We first spoke with Stevie when we booked our wedding in early 2019 for our September 2020 wedding. We all know what happened next! We had multiple postponements and eventually cancelled to let life get back to normal and finally managed to rearrange for early 2023. Stevie was a constant support and would often check in with us to see how things were. He explained the process of everything and really got to know us as a couple over the many, many years! So much so that we only realised after our ceremony was over that it was actually the first time we had met in person, previously it had always been via Skype but it never felt that way. Stevie took our words and wrote the most amazing script, so many of our guests told us how special and memorable it was and felt so “us” We can’t thank him enough for all his support!

Claire Mcfarland
Happy couple married in June
October 2023
Stevie is an absolute joy

This man is so involved. He really gets to know you and makes the service so personal. He keeps you up to date with everything and makes sure you are happy every step of the way. He genuinely seems just as excited for your big day as you are. I can't recommend him enough. Just such a lovely man. Thank you for making our day so great and light hearted. You made it so relaxed, which is exactly what we wanted.

Lauren and Luke
Happy couple married in August
October 2023
Honestly the best there is cannot thank enough

Stephen was incredible from start to Finish he made us feel so relaxed from the first meeting which is why we booked him in the first place. We laughter with him, cried with him he made everything so simple. He went above and beyond to include our little boy in every part of the ceremony people commented that they thought he had known us for years because the way he spoke I would recommend him to anyone there us no one better to tell your story

Stephen McLaren Location & Contact Details
Address
2 Bankhead Cottage, Dalmeny, City of Edinburgh, EH309TF, Scotland, United Kingdom
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FAQs
Find out a bit more from our FAQs

What is your most memorable wedding?

A jet-ski was hurtling across Loch Lomond towards us, just as the couple were sharing their vows. There were 20 of us, gathered high up on a spectacular viewing platform overlooking the water, so we must have looked like quite a scene. From our vantage point, it looked like someone was racing towards us to try and stop the wedding! I asked the bride if she knew the person almost flying towards us like James Bond and everyone laughed!

Describe your style in 5 adjectives.

Relaxed, friendly, helpful, hands-on, professional,

What about your business are you most proud of?

We care. We are dedicated in everything that we do. Our open-mindedness, our fairness and our adaptability means we are always inclusive. We respect the privilege we have. Helping people mark the big moments in their lives is an honour and we always remember that.

What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?

Be yourselves! Do it your way and don't be afraid to ask for help. People who love you will want to help you and any professional wedding service providers who you hire for your day, well it's our job to help. So always ask!

What is your favourite personal touch you have seen at a wedding?

I always like the choice of material people use in a traditional handfast. Often, it is a scarf or a tie from someone who is no longer with us.

Describe your typical process with a couple.

I guide couples through the creative process, from day one right up until the wedding day. I share previous ceremony scripts with a new couple (with names and details changed of course!) and I help to tie all the couple's ideas together by adding the right words so that we have a great script on the day. I try to make it easy for them! I also guide couples through the legal process. On the wedding day, I follow the plan we have created so that everything goes ahead as planned. I know who is involved and I know where we should all be so that timings, (eg for the music and all the other special moments in the ceremony), happen just how we want it to.

What is the most unusual thing you’ve been asked to plan?

A couple got married by the monument on Calton Hill in Edinburgh. I was amazed at how well the guests, armed with cans of G&T, managed to climb onto the monument so they could have a great view of the ceremony. Kilts, dresses and high heels are not the best gear to climb in but it all went really well. No-one fell, men's bums weren't exposed and everyone had a great time!

How do you ensure a stress-free wedding?

By reassuring the couple with two things: a great script and a great plan. I always arrive early so that I can help to make sure things go smoothly.

What do you love most about your job?

Being involved with people on such a happy occasion is a privilege and a joy. My role as a Celebrant can often be emotional but it is always fun. It takes planning but I enjoy that part too. I like being part of a couple's wedding team as we prepare the ceremony together. The other bonus is that every wedding is different, so there is always something new to experience and enjoy. There is always something new to learn too.

What is your favourite moment at a wedding?

I love the couple's story and if they choose to do this, I enjoy the emotions and delight at their secret promises. I can't forget the big celebrations when the couple kiss! That is always amazing!