Scotland’s top celebrant believes weddings are more popular than ever after lockdown - because people realised they can’t take life for granted.
Andrew Scott, 47, believes weddings are a “necessary evil” for some couples because they want a big party.
The dad-of-two said he has married couples in modest back garden ceremonies.
But Andrew explained his services have never been more popular after lockdown gave people a reminder that nothing in life is guaranteed.
He added: “I literally opened my diary last year and it went bananas.
“To some couples the actual marriage is actually a necessary evil. They want the party, they want the friends.
“For others it’s so important, it’s all about the words you say.
“If anything, lockdown has taught us that tomorrow is not guaranteed and we should appreciate the little moments because one day we will look back and realise they were monumental.
“I think church weddings are not as prevalent as they once were.
“People want to find what is important to them.”
He was recently named Best Independent Wedding Celebrant (Scotland) in the 2022 Global Wedding Awards.
Andrew, from Glasgow, said: “I’m very flattered because it wasn’t one that you bought or lands in your lap.
“Somebody out there has referred me.
“I’ve worked a long time and had awards before and some carry more prestige than others. It’s lovely.
“I want to marry people and give them the best start to married life.”
He spent 2020 training and qualifying as an independent wedding celebrant with the Fulcrum Foundation and is also a marriage officer, which qualifies him to oversee the legal parts of the ceremony.
Before that he managed hotels and owned a coffee shop.
Andrew, who often wears a kilt and has a massive beard, believes his nationality is a part of his charm for clients - especially people from abroad.
He said: “I couldn’t be more Scottish and I think if you were foreign and you were to close your eyes and think ‘who would marry me’ it’s the big burly, kilted Scotsman.”
One of his career highlights was officiating the clifftop wedding of an Italian couple outside Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeenshire.
They had no guests and toasted their marriage with a quaich filled with Irn Bru.
Andrew said he gains clients who have found him on TikTok.
He said: “You can’t please everyone but I have couples who come up to me and say, ‘I’ve been on your TikTok, you have to marry us.’”
