TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE PROVISION OF CEREMONIES
Who you are contracting with
By paying a booking fee you are accepting the following Terms & Conditions and you are entering into a formal contract with Rev Monika Strell, Interfaith Minister & Celebrant. I hold ceremonies for those of all faiths, and none, in accordance with the OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation Code of Ethics.
My authorisation to hold legal marriage and civil partnership ceremonies in Scotland
I am nominated to National Records Scotland for holding legal ceremonies under the Belief Celebrant category by OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation
Inquiry Stage
When you make an inquiry, if a date is confirmed, I will hold this date for seven days pending receipt of your completed booking form and deposit.
Booking
Bookings are accepted in good faith, based on the information provided, and are deemed to be accepted only when the deposit is paid and the booking form is submitted. After receipt of the booking form, a confirmation will be issued that lists the date of the ceremony, the participants, the type of ceremony (legal wedding or any other type), and the agreed costs. The date for final payment will also be confirmed in writing. In the case of a change of date, or change of venue a revised or additional contract will be created, and additional costs may be incurred.
Booking Fee
A non-refundable booking fee of £100 is required to secure the booking for all ceremonies that are booked with at least 6 weeks notice.
Payment of Balance
Payment of the outstanding balance (agreed total fee minus booking fee) is due 14 days prior to the ceremony. However, if the booking is made within 6 weeks of the ceremony then payment is required in full on receipt of the completed booking form.
Responsibilities
For legal weddings, it is the responsibility of the couple to submit all necessary paperwork to the relevant registry office within the deadlines set by National Records of Scotland. What is needed is outlined here: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/registration/i-want-to-get-married-in-scotland-how-do-i-go-about-it It is furthermore the responsibility of the couple to submit all information required for me to request authorisation from National Records of Scotland to conduct their legal wedding (full names, location of ceremony, date of ceremony) when requested.
It is the responsibility of the couple to collect the marriage schedule from the registrar and present it before the start of the ceremony. Without the marriage schedule being presented to me the legal ceremony can not proceed. It is the responsibility of the couple to return the signed marriage schedule to the registrar.
Travel
All my travel costs regarding your ceremony are included in the total fees quoted and agreed by paying the booking fee.
Rehearsals
In-person rehearsals are not included in the price. I may offer rehearsals in my home location (Lochinver area) at my discretion at no extra cost, in all other locations they will incur extra costs, including accommodation costs if required.
Other service providers
Clients are required to share contact details for the venue, wedding planner and photographer so I can communicate with them directly.
Confidentiality
I respect the confidentiality of any bookings taken and do not share these with any third party. This does not include any other service providers involved in the wedding.
Cancellation
Your booking fee is non-refundable. Although I only request final payment two weeks before the ceremony, the ceremony will have already been created at this point and therefore the following fees will be incurred according to this timeline and sliding scale:
- You cancel 12 weeks or more before the ceremony date – 0% of the total remaining fee
- You cancel between 8 and 12 weeks before the ceremony date – 50% of the total remaining fee
- Cancellation between 6 and 8 weeks before the ceremony date – 75% of the total remaining fee
- Cancellation between 4 and 6 weeks – 90% of the total remaining fee
- Cancellation less than 4 weeks before the ceremony date – 100% of the total remaining fee
It is at my discretion to waive the cancellation fees in special circumstances.
Change of date
Should the date of your ceremony change, I will endeavour to come to an agreement with you to move the ceremony to a date which suits us all. If no new date cannot be found the cancellation rates above apply.
Change of location
The client accepts that legal weddings are tied to the location listed in the marriage application forms and marriage schedule and cannot be changed unless for special circumstances (like extreme weather, and in these cases the change of location is at the discretion of the registrar and the new location must be in their ‘catchment area’.) For outdoor weddings I reserve the right to request a change of location for reasons of health & safety and I will take responsibility to discuss this request directly with the registrar.
Fulfilment of Obligations
Every effort is made in good faith to fulfil the engagement, but responsibility cannot be accepted for lateness or non-arrival due to circumstances beyond my control, e.g. extreme weather conditions, accidents, road closures, industrial action, failure of public services or illness. In the event of illness, every effort will be made to provide a substitute OSIF Interfaith Minister and to pass on full details of the booking and planning documentation for the event.
Provision of food or drinks for rituals
Any wine/mead/food/drink used during ceremonies, for rituals and symbolic gestures, is to be supplied by clients.
Provision of items for rituals and symbols
I am able to provide a quaich and a broom if this is agreed beforehand. Handfasting materials, sand or candles for unity rituals need to be provided by the clients.
Seeking approval from venues (including churches)
It is the responsibility of the clients to seek and gain approval from their venue for:
- An Interfaith Minister being allowed to hold a ceremony in a church building (please ensure the church/resident minister/church council is aware that I am an Interfaith Minister and not a minister of a member church of the World Council of Churches (www.oikoumene.org/member-churches) or the Roman Catholic Church)
- The use of candles and sand for unity ceremonies
Approval has to be shared in writing with me by the couple.
GDPR Consent
As part of providing the agreed service to you I collect, process, keep and store personal data, and make contact, via email, text message, telephone or post, in line with UK GDPR legislation.
You have the right to access the information you provide; update and correct mistakes and you have the right to ask me to delete your information. I keep electronic copies of actual ceremonies and email correspondence between us in a secure folder within Google Drive, for future reference and for my own personal tax purposes.