Hi, I'm Cate
I am a Humanist Wedding Celebrant based in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. I am semi-retired and, apart from doing ceremonies, dedicate my time to volunteering for a local community garden and nature reserve, gardening, art work, music, keeping active; and, of course, friends and family.
Your wedding day should be one of the best days of your life. A Humanist wedding ceremony is unique because it reflects your choices, your story and the people who are most important to you. However, the lack of restrictions on the location and content of Humanist ceremony means that the world is your oyster. You have total control over the venue, readings, music, vows and any other symbolic acts you may wish to include. It can be formal and serious or light hearted and humorous. You can get married up a hill, on the beach or in your own back garden. You can opt for the white dress and coat with tails or wear your favourite jeans and wellies. You can have a sit down, four-course meal or fish and chips followed by ice cream. It really is up to you and I will do everything in my power to help you achieve your dreams.
In the first instance, I will invite you to have a brief, 'no-obligations' conversation to ask an immediate questions and, most importantly, for you to decide if I am the right Celebrant for you.
At our main meeting, I will take time to get to know you, both as individuals and as a couple and to understand what sort of ceremony you want. This may include aspects of your heritage or cultural identity that you find important. Together, we will create a ceremony that is uniquely 'you'. If you are struggling to come up with the right words to say to each other when it comes to vows or personal promises, I can offer you guidelines and examples.
You may not know everything that you want to include to begin with. You may want to involve family or friends. It is very much an iterative process, where I support you to discover the art of the possible and to find the right words. We will keep in touch regularly and can meet again if necessary to iron out any details.
You may find it helpful to have a rehearsal. Don't worry - we won't perform the whole ceremony word by word. This would take away the magic from the day itself. But can go through the practical details to set your mind at rest.
Afterwards, I will give you a beautifully presented transcript of the ceremony with a personalised cover and an electronic copy to share with others if you wish.
We literally had our best day ever, I guess that’s usually a given for any wedding couple anyway - but it was everything we wanted it to be. We just wanted to say thanks to you for your huge part in the day. The team at Rudding Park seemed to imply it was by any of their events a really good un’.The service was brilliant and loved by all - a lot of people like me were only aware of humanist funerals and so it’s been really positively received.We had taken a lot of time to plan (as you know) and wanted things just so; and all of those details were noticed, loved and commented on and our guests loved loved loved it; and so did we.
— Paul & Mark
Cate made our ceremony unique and personal exactly what we wanted. It was full of loving stories with some comedy moments. - Our guest have commented on how beautiful it was making them cry and laugh. From meeting Cate through to the day of our wedding, she has understood our wants and needs. Cate is caring yet efficient as a celebrant and a person.
— Ryan & Chris
Cate was extremely diligent from the beginning and we knew we could trust her. However while we knew from the script it was what we wanted, it's not until the big day that you really know what it's going to be like. However feedback from our guests was that this was one of the most moving ceremonies they've ever been to, with laughter, tears and love. Most said it brought a (happy) tear to their eye.
— Ruth & Ed
Cate wrote a beautiful ceremony for us after spending some time with us to learn about what was important to us. We had no idea what to expect on the day but Cate guided us through everything. She ran a great rehearsal so that everyone involved knew what to expect and helped to devise the best layout. On the day she was fantastic and so many people commented that it was the best ceremony they'd been to as it was so personalised and told the story of 'us' really well. Cate also provided us with some beautiful documentation which she had tailored to be in the same style as our wedding stationary. A really nice touch.
— Claire & Alix
Cate Quinn
Where I work
I work mainly in Harrogate, but also work across North, South and West Yorkshire and am willing to consider greater distances if requested
Fees from...
Price on application
How to contact me
cate.quinn@humanistceremonies.org.uk
Phone
Website
HUMANIST CEREMONIES™ is the network of more than 550 celebrants, trained by national charity Humanists UK to a gold standard to provide memorable and meaningful humanist ceremonies to non-religious people. Operating throughout England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, we deliver authentic, tailor-made and heartfelt ceremonies for life’s key moments. They are always inclusive and welcoming, regardless of the beliefs of those attending.
You can trust Humanist Ceremonies celebrants: We are DBS-checked, fully insured, and regularly peer reviewed for quality assurance. We are committed to a code of conduct, and have a transparent and robust complaints process in the rare case of a problem. We all pay a monthly fee to Humanists UK to further support the work of the charity, and are part of a regional network for like-minded celebrants for support and learning.
Humanist weddings
A humanist wedding ceremony is a wonderful option to celebrate your wedding in the way you choose: without religion but with meaning, and totally true to the two of you. They are uplifting and heartwarming occasions, personal to each couple to reflect your personalities and interests, and your love story. Sincere and significant, your ceremony will be crafted to create an occasion which is unique and fitting to you both.
