Celebrating 10 years of same sex marriage in Scotland
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Love is love no matter how you identify or who you choose to spend the rest of your life with.
And 31st December 2024 marks a major milestone as we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the very first same-sex marriages in Scotland.
On 16th December 2014 The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 came into effect and brough Scotland in line with England and Wales, where couples had been able to marry since that March.
The first marriages in Scotland then took place just after midnight on 31st December 2014.
Susan and Gerrie Douglas-Scott were the very first women to do so.
Ten years on from their wedding day the couple, who are both celebrants with Celebrate People, reflect on the milestone.
Susan and Gerrie submitted their request to marry to Glasgow City Council on 16th December 2014 and from there the celebrations began.
“That day led up to 30th December when we gathered with our family and friends and made our vows to each other just after midnight so that as early as possible on 31st December we were declared married,” they say.
“This was immediately backdated to 20th March 2006 as that was the date of our Civil Partnership.”
As celebrants themselves they can appreciate how life-changing the shift in the law has been.
“We have married many same sex couples and feel honoured that queer couples trust us to respect who they are and look to us to support them to have a marriage ceremony that reflects their love and commitment in a very personal way,” they say.
“We are committed to equality and staying visible for all our queer LGBTQIA+ friends so that together we continue to banish discrimination against any of us and focus instead on acceptance and love.
On the same night Susan and Gerrie tied the knot, Ross Wright, a celebrant with Humanist Society Scotland, married the first couple Joe Schofield and Malcolm Brown in another ceremony across Glasgow.
Speaking on the tenth anniversary he tells us how momentous it is.
“It’s so great to be celebrating this milestone,” Ross says.
“As a celebrant and gay man I’ve always had the belief that everyone should be treated equally.
“When the campaign for equal marriage started, I felt Humanist Society Scotland must take a major role to fight for equality.
Alongside the Humanist Society Scotland team, I worked with Equality Network who were the campaign leads.
“I was lucky enough to be able to conduct the first same sex wedding in Scotland and it was an honour to marry Joe and Malx at the Trades Hall in Glasgow.”
Ross adds that there have been lots of stand-out moments over the past 10 years.
“The marriages of older same sex couples can be extremely emotional because when they were young, they could never have envisioned their wedding day.
“Being older myself, that resonates, meaning I have to concentrate to stop greetin’!
“Some same sex couples want rainbow flags, drag queens and feathers and some want just to be able to marry their best friend.
“A person who just happens to be the same gender. And there are all the shades in between… I love them all!”
Gerrie and Susan’s colleague at Celebrate People Tim Maguire says same sex marriages have an additional emotional heft.
“In the past, marriage simply wasn’t an option for gay people and there are still plenty of them – and not a few straight people too – who are put off marriage by its traditional associations.
“One of the reasons I love what I do is that every wedding I conduct is – in a sense – a redefinition of marriage, because in my ceremonies, the couple tell their family and friends what marriage means to them, which is what makes the process of creating the ceremony and writing personal vows so meaningful.”
One of Tim’s couples Danny and David explained just what it meant to be able to marry.
Danny grew up as a closeted gay catholic in the 1990s and didn’t see marriage in his future.
However, societal changes have proved these childhood fears wrong and that along with acceptance of self, Danny had found in David a man he wants to spend his life with.
He added, “I think gay relationships are still not seen as legitimate in the eyes of a significant portion of society.
“I often feel that as gay men our relationships don’t get the same respect as those of our heterosexual counterparts.
“Therefore, for me, being able to call David ‘my husband’ is very important.”
‘Truly wonderful’
John Leo Scott of Fuze Ceremonies tells us how significant this ten-year milestone is.
“I realise I’m at an age (58) where only 11 years ago same sex marriage wasn’t possible,” he says.
“It’s truly wonderful that we are living in an era where love is celebrated across the great spectrum of life.
“It’s fully inclusive, when you love someone, it’s a beautiful thing.
“Falling in love with your significant other, defines the rest of your life.
“Being able to do this and marry that person lets the world see the commitment to your partner.”
John married his male friends to each other and they were delighted to get married in front of their loved ones.
“They wanted to do this, but for many years were unable legally,” he explains.
“It was so wonderful seeing them in this moment of love.”
Still work to be done
While Scotland celebrates 10 years of same sex marriage it’s important to remember this is still a right denied to so many people.
Craig Flowers of Independent Humanist Ceremonies says the organisation has always promoted inclusivity and equality, and for them that is what Humanism is all about.
“Conducting marriages for same sex couples is beginning to be seen as normal by more and more people in Scotland but there are still many who sadly don’t see it this way, and it’s easy to forget that this right was hard fought for.
“It’s also not the norm in many countries around the world where discrimination and persecution remain prevalent.
“So yes, this is a milestone Scotland should celebrate, but we must continue the struggle to educate people.
“We’re all equal and love is love!”
PHOTO from photoshoot by Geebz Photography
Fuze Ceremonies celebrant Oskar Gilchrist-Grodnicki knows only too well that there is still a long way to go.
“The 10th anniversary of same-sex marriages in Scotland holds profound significance for me, both personally and professionally,” he says.
Oscar married husband George on 13th January 2018 in a “deeply meaningful humanist same sex ceremony.”
“Yet as we approach 2025, our marriage remains unrecognised in my homeland of Poland,” he says.
“There, we are considered strangers in the eyes of the law.
“This disparity is more than a bureaucratic inconvenience. It’s a reality that poses challenges whenever we travel or navigate legal processes.
“For example, while my British passport proudly bears my married name, Oskar Gilchrist-Grodnicki, my Polish passport still identifies me as Oskar Grodnicki.”
However, Oskar says it’s not just about names on passports.
For same sex couples in countries like Poland, fundamental rights are often denied.
“I recently read about a couple who, after 13 years together, faced a heartbreaking hurdle when one partner required a kidney transplant,” he says.
“Although the other partner was a match, Polish law prevented the procedure without a court’s intervention.
“Stories like this highlight just how much we take for granted in Scotland, where love and equality are celebrated.”
He adds, “Scotland has become my home – a place where my marriage is recognised and where I can live authentically.
“This milestone anniversary is a chance to celebrate how far we’ve come and to reflect on the ongoing struggles faced by LGBTQ+ individuals worldwide.
Love is love
In his professional capacity as a humanist celebrant Oskar is privileged to create meaningful, inclusive ceremonies for same-sex couples.
“Love is love, and it fills me with pride to help couples craft wedding experiences that honour their unique stories while navigating and sometimes defying outdated traditions and expectations.
Oskar recently helped two French grooms achieve their dream of a religious ceremony.
They exchanged vows in Edinburgh’s historic St Giles’ Cathedral – the first same sex religious ceremony in the cathedral’s 900-year history, during Pride weekend.
“This milestone was deeply personal for them,” Oskar says. “As devoutly spiritual individuals, they had been denied this opportunity in their homeland of France.
“Bringing 80 loved ones to Scotland, they found not only a venue but a place where their love was celebrated with warmth, dignity, and acceptance.
“Standing in that ancient cathedral, they made history in a way that moved everyone present.
“So, as we mark this incredible milestone, let’s celebrate with pride and gratitude.
“Scotland is a beacon of love and equality, and I am honoured to help couples from around the world write their own chapters in its history.”
Since Your Scottish Wedding began we have covered so many beautiful same-sex weddings
Head to our Your Wedding Day section to check them out
