Northern Ireland Humanists is today celebrating the milestone of 5,000 legally recognised humanist marriages since their introduction in Northern Ireland in 2018. Official figures provided by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) have just revealed that the 5,000th marriage took place on 4 October 2025. The ceremony in question saw Belfast-based Aimee Brown and Stewart Clawson marry and was led by celebrant Jean Barrett Quinn.
Aimee and Stewart said:
‘Our wedding day was something amazing, and now we are delighted all over again to find out it happened to be a historic milestone.
‘Although we were taught that love, respect, and social justice are rooted in religious teachings growing up, we’ve come to realise that these values are fundamentally human, stemming from our shared capacity to care for and respect others. A humanist wedding felt like the best fit for us from the beginning, as it aligns with our beliefs and values. We wanted the day to be a celebration of our love story, not focused on any religious aspects, or legally required statements. That’s why we chose a humanist marriage.’
Northern Ireland Humanists Celebrant Jean Barrett Quinn commented:
‘I became a wedding celebrant before humanist marriages were legally recognised in Northern Ireland in 2018. Every humanist marriage I have conducted has been a joy, yet when I found out that I was the celebrant for the 5,000th I was so excited! I am so glad Aimee, Stewart, and I could share this. That 5,000 have been conducted in just seven years shows how popular they have become since legal recognition, how much non-religious people value being able to craft a ceremony reflecting their beliefs, and how the landscape of weddings here in Northern Ireland is forever changed. Here’s to the next 5,000!’
Boyd Sleator, Northern Ireland Humanists Coordinator, said:
‘When Laura and Eunan won their legal case, they made history by giving humanist couples in Northern Ireland the same rights as religious couples to have their beliefs respected at one of life’s most important moments. Five thousand weddings later, it’s clear that humanist marriages are hugely popular and successful.
‘This right to a legally recognised humanist marriage still rests on case law rather than legislation. The Northern Ireland Government will soon legislate to explicitly write humanist marriages into the law and we can’t wait.’
The milestone follows the publication late last year of the General Register Office’s 2024 annual report. The report officially confirmed what Northern Ireland Humanists had earlier predicted – that in that year there were more humanist marriages than religious marriages conducted by the three big Protestant churches. There were 1,112 humanist marriages in 2024. NISRA has now also confirmed to NI Humanists how many humanist marriages took place between January and October 2025 – enabling the date of the 5,000th to be identified.
This landmark moment was made possible by the successful legal case brought by Laura Lacole and Eunan O’Kane, which secured equal recognition for non-religious couples. Their marriage took place in June 2017, following victory in the High Court. After that, a legal hold was put in place by the Court of Appeal. As a result, humanist marriages did not otherwise occur until August 2018. Since then they have taken off in popularity.
About humanist marriages
Humanist weddings are non-religious wedding ceremonies that are fully customised to match the deepest-held values and beliefs of the couple getting married. They are conducted by a Northern Ireland Humanists celebrant, someone guaranteed to share their beliefs. In consultation with the couple the celebrant produces a completely bespoke script. The ceremony also occurs in whatever location is most meaningful for the couple. Northern Ireland Humanists has more than 60 trained and accredited wedding celebrants, with Humanists UK as a whole having over 300
These milestones show just how successful and popular humanist marriages are when given legal recognition. Humanist marriages have already been legally recognised in Scotland since 2005 and more recently in Jersey and Guernsey, yet couples in England and Wales are still denied this option despite years of government consultations showing strong public support.
Northern Ireland’s changing demographics
The 2024 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey finds 25% of NI adults belong to no religion. Among those aged under 45 (i.e. more likely to be getting married), the figure is around 30%. This represents a big growth compared to years gone by, with just 13% of the population saying they belong to no religion in 2010.
As a result, it’s no surprise that 15% of all marriages in Northern Ireland in 2024 were humanist – more than one in seven. Northern Ireland Humanists has for many years been the fastest-growing part of Humanists UK.
Notes
For further comment or information, media should contact Northern Ireland Humanists Coordinator Boyd Sleator at boyd@humanists.uk or phone 07918 975795.
Media are free to use the following pictures of Aimee Brown, Stewart Clawson, and their celebrant Jean Barrett Quinn – credit to Peter Mackey Photography: 1, 2, 3.
Interested in a humanist ceremony in Northern Ireland? You can find out more.
Read more about how humanist marriage changed Northern Ireland.
Read more about humanist marriage policy work.
Northern Ireland Humanists is part of Humanists UK, working with the Humanist Association of Ireland. Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.