An Intimate Humanist Microwedding at Merchant Taylors' Hall, York
Kirsty and James chose their favourite historic city, York, as the destination for their intimate May microwedding. With just sixteen guests, they happily prioritised connection and experience over tradition and formality, and every moment of the day reflected exactly who they are.
Images by Natalie Hamilton
A Relaxed Start: Getting Ready Together in York
Choosing a late afternoon ceremony gave Kirsty and James the gift of time. They spent a leisurely afternoon wandering their favourite historic spots in the city, eating ice creams, sharing cake, and having their portraits taken by photographer Natalie Hamilton. James says "visiting York always feels like stepping into a fairytale", and on their wedding day, that feeling was more true than ever.
Arriving at Merchant Taylors' Hall: A Historic York Wedding Venue
On arrival at Merchant Taylors' Hall, wedding guests were greeted with a glass of prosecco and a sweet Pastel de Nata, a delicious nod to Kirsty's Portuguese heritage. While guests enjoyed the welcome drinks in the ceremony room, Kirsty and James shared a private drink and a dance together in the main hall, accompanied by Simply Strings. It was a quietly magical start to the ceremony, allowing them both to relax in each other’s company.
A Personalised Humanist Wedding Ceremony
The smaller ceremony room at Merchant Taylors' Hall was a beautiful setting, intimate, historic, and perfectly suited to history-lover Kirsty's brief. Kirsty and James walked down the aisle together to Marianelli's evocative Liz on Top of the World from Pride and Prejudice, setting exactly the right tone.
During their personalised Humanist ceremony, I reflected on their shared values and told the story of how two friends and colleagues became a couple, and all the adventures they had shared along the way. I glanced up at one point to spot several guests quietly crying happy tears, always a sign the script has hit the spot. There was plenty of laughter too, and Kirsty and James looked utterly relaxed and joyful throughout.
Personal Wedding Vows, Ring Exchange, and a Celtic Handfasting
Kirsty and James each wrote their own personal wedding vows, a heartfelt mixture of sincere promises and quirky observations that could only have come from two people who truly know each other. They exchanged rings before taking part in a handfasting ceremony. Having travelled from the Scottish Highlands, this Celtic tradition was a perfect final flourish, a meaningful symbol of their new bond and a wonderful way to close the ceremony.
Celebrating in Style Across York
After confetti and photographs outside the stunning medieval guildhall, the newlyweds led their guests to one of their favourite historic pubs, The Punch Bowl on Stonegate, before the evening continued in a private dining room at The Ivy. A York microwedding done beautifully.
What Makes a Humanist Microwedding So Special?
A Humanist wedding ceremony is, at its heart, a celebration of two people exactly as they are. There are no religious requirements, no prescribed words, and no one-size-fits-all structure. Instead, every element of the ceremony is built around the couple, their story, their values, and the people they love most.
A microwedding takes that philosophy even further. With a smaller guest list, usually fewer than thirty people, couples can be truly intentional about every detail. The venue, the music, the words spoken, the traditions included, all of it can be chosen with care rather than compromise. Kirsty and James are a perfect example: a Portuguese welcome treat, a Scottish handfasting, a Pride and Prejudice soundtrack, a drink in their favourite pub and vows that were funny, tender, and entirely their own. No template could have produced that day.
There is also something quietly powerful about celebrating with only your nearest and dearest around you. With sixteen guests, Kirsty and James could look out across the room and see only the faces of people who truly knew and loved them. That intimacy changes the atmosphere of a ceremony completely, and it is something I find deeply moving to be part of as a celebrant.
If you are drawn to the idea of a meaningful, personal ceremony in a beautiful historic setting, a Humanist microwedding might be exactly what you are looking for.
Planning a Humanist Wedding in York or Yorkshire?
I would love to help you create a ceremony that is as unique as you are. Whether you are dreaming of an intimate microwedding or a larger celebration, get in touch to find out more about how we can work together.
Suppliers
Kirsty + James’ talented team:
Natalie Hamilton Photography
Merchant Taylors’ Hall
Sonia Rose MUA
Simply Strings Trio
Into the Meadow Wildflowers
The Ivy, York
Ceremonies with Rachael
“Rachael was an absolute dream, easy to work with, flexible and great fun! We had a 16 guest micro ceremony in York, we were looking for something really personal and engaging. We didn’t want something everyone had heard before. Rachael delivered and more. The ceremony was touching, light hearted and sincere. We had such a good time and did not want it to end. We had many compliments afterwards too!
We also really enjoyed the process before the day too, it was surprisingly fun to answer a questionnaire about our relationship and things we felt were important to ourselves.
It was the perfect day and Rachael was a huge part of that.”
