Argyll & Bute Archives - Fuze Ceremonies

Nancy Braid

August 15, 2017by Fuze Admin

Nancy Braid, Celebrant

"I became a humanist wedding celebrant because involving family and friends can make the marriage such a personal, intimate and memorable occasion".

Nancy is available to conduct Wedding, Civil Partnerships, Renewal of Vows, Baby Naming and Funeral Ceremonies

Having worked in the hospitality industry for almost 30 years, Nancy commenced as trainee cook, whilst taking day release classes and evening classes to gain her qualifications.

She is known to follow her heart and moved to London to the “big city” to gain further knowledge in the catering and events industry, looking after events and groups of 500 upwards on a regular basis.

However, her love for Scotland was too strong and several years later she returned home.

Nancy's knowledge of events and managing them reach new heights when she embraced working with an outside catering and events company, a very fulfilling and satisfying job whilst it allowed her to travel throughout Scotland visiting some of Scotland's wonderful islands like Tiree, Coll and Islay, and occasionally travelling South again to manage events for the British Open Golf Championships.

It also very much placed her at the forefront acting as Master of Ceremonies for many weddings and other prestigious events announcing in all guests plus the sometimes lengthy and interestingly titled top table guests.

Over the last few years though she has chosen to specialize in weddings, which in turn has found her becoming more and more interested in Humanist weddings; the intimacy and personal involvement of friends and family truly do make this a memorable occasion, of which she feels a wish to be part of ensuring that each couple has that unique memory to take with them for the rest of their lives.

In her spare time Nancy enjoys cycling, swimming, walking and reading. She also still enjoy being hands on in the kitchen and has a reputation for “creating” unique but tasty meals for friends and family.

Nancy is based in Ayrshire and covers Argyll & Bute, Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway, East Renfrewshire & Renfrewshire, Edinburgh & Lothian, Glasgow City & East/West Dunbartonshire, North & South Lanarkshire, Scottish Borders & Stirlingshire.

You can contact Nancy on nancybraid@fuzeceremonies.co.uk or you can see more of Nancy on Facebook & Instagram

Wendy Dallas

August 15, 2017by Fuze Admin

Wendy Dallas, Celebrant"I love helping people turn their wedding dreams into reality. Every wedding is special and my role is to help you create a day you will remember forever".

Wendy is available to conduct Weddings, Civil Partnerships, Vow Renewals, Baby Naming & Funeral Ceremonies

Wendy will help you plan whatever type of ceremony you are dreaming of, whether it's a wedding, a baby naming or a renewal of vows. She believes that anything is possible and she will work with you to create those magic moments. Wendy's background is in education. She has worked with learners in many countries and loves meting new people. The role of celebrant is ideal for her people and communication skills. She is an accomplished public speaker with a sense of fun.

She also believes that every life is full of shared memories and cherished moments. Every life is a story to be told. She will help you find peace and comfort by conducting a very sensitive and dignified funeral service.

Wendy is based in Dumbarton and covers Argyll & Bute, Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire & Renfrewshire, Glasgow City & East/West Dunbartonshire, and North & South Lanarkshire.

You can contact Wendy on wendydallas@fuzeceremonies.co.uk or you can see more of Wendy on Facebook and Instagram

Thomas Slavin

August 7, 2017by Fuze Admin

Thomas Slavin, Celebrant

"It's your day, it should be special. Let me help you make it phenomenal".

Thomas is available to conduct Weddings, Civil Partnerships, Vow Renewals, Baby Naming & Funeral Ceremonies.

Whether it’s your Wedding, Civil Partnerships or Funeral, the day should be bespoke and exactly what you want. Using his knowledge, experience, enthusiasm and passion Thomas will help you create the perfect ceremony.

Thomas strongly believes that no two lives are the same and as such celebrating the end of a loved one's life should be as unique and bespoke as possible. Grief frequently creates overwhelming feelings of negativity and hopelessness sometimes stopping us focusing on the joy, inspiration and memories our departed have left behind.

Thomas's ultimate goal is to provide a tailored, personal and fitting tribute that will not only ensure the best possible send off but also bring comfort and a sense of peace to all.

As a people person Thomas's career has taken him on a varied, somewhat exciting path. He has always worked with the public and enjoy all aspects of public speaking. Often described as having an infectious, humorous but ultimately caring personality he considers it an honour and the utmost privilege to be able to assist anyone who should require guidance, comfort or help in the preparation and delivery of the ceremony.

Thomas has one son and has been with his partner for over 13 years and after 11 years in a civil partnership, they decided to get married!! Thomas now looks forward to many happy years as a married couple.

You can contact Thomas on thomasslavin@fuzeceremonies.co.uk or you can see more of Thomas on Facebook and Instagram

Brian Baxter

July 6, 2014by Fuze Admin

Brian Baxter, Celebrant

“I take enormous joy in helping others to create their own unique ceremony and to assist them in having the most memorable day of their lives.”

Brian is available to conduct Weddings, Civil Partnerships, Vow Renewals, Baby Naming & Funeral Ceremonies.

Brian Baxter has witnessed and ably assisted with well over 1000+ Wedding Ceremonies across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, particularly so when delivering his Highland Wedding Master of Ceremonies (Toastmaster/ MC) provision. Brian is a highly skilled public speaker and has a Robert Burns recital gift. He has an impressive Master of Ceremonies CV. Some clients have said that he is “the calm in the storm”.

He takes great joy in witnessing the freedom that a Humanist Ceremony gives to his clients, making the occasion even more memorable for the newlyweds, family and guests. He is passionate about creating and delivering dignified and meaningful funeral ceremonies too. In 2020 he decided to study for and gain the Diploma in Public Speaking and Humanist Ceremonies with UKCAPSA. After completing the diploma, he was "chuffed tae bits" when he was asked to become a Humanist Celebrant with the Fuze Foundation and Fuze Ceremonies. Delivering his first ever legal wedding ceremony in September 2020.

Brian married Val in 1989. They have one son. When not delivering weddings, vow renewals, baby naming and funeral services, Brian and Val like to take exotic Cruise Ship holidays, tae the sun!

Since age 16, Brian has had a staggering 40+ years military experience. At age 40, he took some time out from the military, ran a pub for a spell and worked in the Chamber of Commerce, Dundee, as a manager delivering learning & development to clients in a variety of age groups. He also had a 3-year period working for Local Government, as Team Leader of an Anti-Social Behaviour Team! It was back full time with the military again in 2010, and he retired fully from the army in July 2023. He says - "because it was time to use the "bus pass!"

These past working experiences and life skills gained have aided him in developing his consulting, listening, and toned communication skills, ensuring that he always listens to his clients & guides them in their aspiration to create a unique, special, unforgettable, dignified, touched with fun, a bit of witty banter and a truly personal ceremony.

Brian is by far, one of the smartest dressed male celebrants in Scotland. Owning more kilts and trews than a kilt shop, and more dress suits than any high street clothing outlet!

Brian will travel from his home in Scone to conduct your ceremony anywhere in Scotland. Please be aware though that this may involve additional fuel, accommodation and/ or travel costs in order to do so. Just ask.You can contact Brian on brianbaxter@fuzeceremonies.co.uk or you can see more of Brian on Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok

Yvonne Hannah

May 7, 2014by Fuze Admin

Yvonne Hannah, Celebrant

Yvonne is available to conduct Yvonne is available to conduct Weddings, Vow Renewal, Baby Naming & Funeral Ceremonies.

Yvonne just loves getting to know people, a bubbly, happy person who gets super excited about love and anything shiny. She adores writing personal and unique love stories, creating, and conducting a ceremony that will not only be remembered by you for years to come, but by your family and friends too.

As a Fuze bride herself, Yvonne has firsthand experience. From meeting with you both for the first time, throwing around ideas on symbolic gestures like handfasting, or drinking from the quaich, through to being there for you both on the day. She appreciates how exciting each stage is and knows how wonderful it is to hear your own personal story as you make your vows to one another.

The idea of becoming a Humanist Celebrant came as she traveled around the NC500 with her husband Allan and their 3-year-old Cocker Spaniel, Skye. As a couple, their joy of traveling around Scotland and its islands played an important part in their wedding ceremony. As they reminisced about how special their wedding day was, Yvonne decided that she was going to train to become a Marriage Officer herself.

Humanist ceremonies are about you, there are no limits on what shapes your ceremony or where you have it, and that is a beautiful thing. Get in touch with Yvonne to share your story and start to build your perfect ceremony.

Yvonne is based in Fife and covers Aberdeenshire & Moray, Argyll & Bute, Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway, Edinburgh & Lothian, East Renfrewshire & Renfrewshire, Glasgow City & East /West Dunbartonshire, North & South Lanarkshire, Perthshire, Fife & Angus, Scottish Borders and Stirlingshire

You can contact Yvonne on yvonnehannah@fuzeceremonies.co.uk or you can see more of Yvonne on Facebook , Instagram and Tik Tok

Chris Alexander

May 5, 2014by Fuze Admin

Chris Alexander, Celebrant

Chris is available to blether for and conduct Weddings, Civil Partnerships, Vow Renewals, Baby Naming & Funeral Ceremonies.

As an actor Chris has found himself travelling the world. A passion for folk and their stories and the connections, long or short that immeasurably inspire us all our days.

It’s crucial to Chris that your ceremony is your story. In joy or grief.

As a person it was a saunter on El Camino Santiago that ignited a want to aid people. “We share stories all the time. A simple hello could have a million possibilities.” As an outdoor lover, a pal to nature and Munro bagger, Chris is happy to do any ceremony, wherever you want. Mountains, beauty spots of Scotland(What a country) to jumping in the sea(After we’ve checked for sharks). Or the local hall! Nothing is off limits. Mother Nature is a wonderful sculptor.

It was a natural flow to combine the skills as an actor and place it in humanist ceremonies. I love working with people. Travelling is a passion. “It seemed to me, to continue meeting new folk, hearing stories and sharing those stories to the people they love the most, becoming a celebrant is a new bubble of joy. It’s an honour to give the journey of a life to people that love the person or people.”

A humanist ceremony is the perfect way to include anything you want. Let's have a blether.

Chris is based in Ayrshire and conducts ceremonies throughout Scotland.

Buen Camino!

You can contact Chris on chrisalexander@fuzeceremonies.co.uk or you can see more of Chris on Instagram

Douglas Gilgallon

May 2, 2014by Fuze Admin

Douglas Gilgallon, Celebrant

Douglas’s passion in life has always been people. At the age of 16 he turned his back on a promising apprenticeship with an American Engine company because he realised he wanted to work with people and not machines. Over the past 25 years Douglas has had a career in Social Work, where he worked extensively within the Glasgow homeless scene, and in the last 10 years with adults with disabilities.

Douglas brings with him a quarter of a century worth of service to people. Over that time, he has honed his interpersonal skills, and his empathy, warmth and compassion are the driving force behind his desire to serve others.

Douglas lives in Glasgow with his wife Pauline. They have been married for 27 years and have 3 daughters and three rescue dogs.

In his spare time Douglas is an avid Munro Bagger and has climbed over 40 Munro’s to date. If ever you needed a guide or advice on some great Scottish Mountains for that special ceremony, he is your guy.

Douglas is also a keen guitarist and learned long ago just how much music moves people. He is always being asked to bring his guitar to parties as it’s a fantastic way to bring people together.

Douglas first attended a humanist funeral service in 2004 and it completely opened his eyes as to what was possible in terms of saying a farewell to a loved one. He loved the idea that a service existed where the focus was based around honouring the memory and the life of the individual.

Douglas has always had a talent for writing, and is the go-to person amongst his family and friends whenever a heartfelt letter or special words are required for a unique occasion. This combined with his 25 years’ experience capturing information for clients, and formulating provision and support based around that information, means Douglas is more than able to help you capture the story that you want told at your ceremony. Be it a marriage ceremony, a civil partnership, a renewal of vows, a baby naming ceremony, or helping with the difficult task of saying goodbye to a loved one, he can help by creating something special and memorable for you.

Douglas is based in Glasgow and conducts ceremonies in Argyll & Bute, Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway, East Renfrewshire & Renfrewshire, Edinburgh & Lothian, Glasgow City & East /West Dunbartonshire, North & South Lanarkshire, Perthshire, Fife & Angus, Scottish Borders and Stirlingshire

You can contact Douglas on douglasgilgallon@fuzeceremonies.co.uk or you can see more of Douglas on Facebook , Instagram and Tik Tok

Simon Houston

April 8, 2014by Fuze Admin

Simon Houston, Celebrant

Simon is available to conduct Weddings, Civil Partnerships, Vow Renewals, Baby Naming & Funeral Ceremonies.

Simon lives in Glasgow, has been married 25 years and has three wonderful children and a gorgeous Pug called Rita. He is a writer, public speaker and part-time stand-up comedian who is delighted to combine his many life skills to become a Humanist Celebrant. His career as a journalist has seen him work as a news correspondent and features writer all over the world. He got himself into the occasional hair-raising scrape while working as a war reporter in the Balkans and Middle East - and if you have a spare three hours, he'll happily tell you all about it!

A natural-born storyteller, he brings a wealth of experience to his new role with Fuze Ceremonies. Simon is a people person and a listener. He loves interviewing real people and hearing all about their own unique and interesting journeys - before bringing those stories to life, capturing the serious, the fascinating and the fun. He has become a skilled obituary writer who prides himself on his compassion, empathy and attention to detail.

Recently, he turned his hand to stand-up comedy and has performed in clubs around Scotland while also making his debut at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe.

Having attended a number of Humanist weddings and funerals in recent years, he found himself magnetically drawn to the role of a Celebrant and looks forward to implementing his writing and speaking skills to deliver memorable ceremonies.

You can contact Simon on simonhouston@fuzeceremonies.co.uk or you can see more of Simon on Facebook and Instagram

Sam Conroy

April 8, 2014by Fuze Admin

Sam Conroy, Celebrant

“My passion is to help others create little pieces of happiness too, both in celebrating love and celebrating life.”

Sam is available to conduct Weddings, Civil Partnerships, Vow Renewals, Baby Naming & Funeral Ceremonies.

What's the secret to happiness? You can find it in nature, in family, in shared history, and maybe, just maybe, you can find it here. J.M Barrie - creator of Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and a thousand magical memories - said it best: 'Not in doing what you like, but in liking what you do, is the secret to happiness'.

Sam is based, not in Neverland but in the heart of lovely Scotland. Living with her husband, daughter and her adorable dogs (her world!), She loves nothing more than spending time with family and friends. For many years Sam has worked within the social care sector supporting and working alongside some of society’s most vulnerable and disenfranchised groups, roles that have not only allowed her to garner great interpersonal skills but have enabled her to do the other thing she loves the most, working with people.

Now, as a qualified celebrant, Sam gets to do that in a different way, by helping people to celebrate life rather than helping them to relearn how to live it. She can't think of any better way to spend the rest of her working days, than surrounded by love! Each ceremony is exclusive, exquisite, personalised and unique. Inclusive and welcoming. Infused with joy, happiness and love and most importantly, it is infused with you, your loved ones and those you hold dearest to you.

Mr Barrie was right. And Sam doesn't just like what she does - she loves it. And can't wait to work with you, to plan the most magical and beautiful script, and deliver the most memorable ceremony on your very special day.

Sam is based in Cumbernauld and covers Argyll & Bute, Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway, East Renfrewshire & Renfrewshire, Edinburgh & Lothian, Glasgow City & East /West Dunbartonshire, Inverness-shire, North & South Lanarkshire, Perthshire, Fife & Angus, Scottish Borders and Stirlingshire

You can contact Sam on samanthaconroy@fuzeceremonies.co.uk or you can see more of Sam on Facebook , Instagram and Tik Tok

Alan Deeney

April 8, 2014by Fuze Admin

Alan Deeney

Alan is available to conduct Wedding, Civil Partnership, Vow Renewal, Baby Naming & Funeral Ceremonies.

Alan has been a community mental health nurse for 15 years, and first became interested in humanist ceremonies whilst working as a pro-am photographer. Being involved in small weddings and baby naming’s, Alan became passionate about helping couples and families to have a day personalised to them, this was when he made the decision to complete the SQA Celebrant & Public Speaking Diploma.

Alan has always been drawn to people's unique styles. Fashion of every kind is something that Alan has great interest in, particularly where Dr Martens are worn. Alan has a love of DMs and has a pair for every occasion.

With years of experience working in end of life care, Alan prides himself on his care and compassion but will bring cheerfulness where appropriate. Alan believes every occasion whether happy or sad should be designed to reflect everyone’s desires.

Married to his wife Lorna for 12 years, Alan has a grown-up stepson and stepdaughter who were supportive throughout his journey to becoming a celebrant. He enjoys spending time with his family, and the light of his life, his 6yr old grandson, family means everything to him. Alan is also a member and the treasurer of a local allotment association in his local area. He has a second home (caravan) in central Scotland where he retreats to on weekends and wherever possible.

Alan is based in the Inverclyde area and covers Argyll & Bute, Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway, East Renfrewshire & Renfrewshire, Edinburgh & Lothian, Glasgow City & East /West Dunbartonshire, North & South Lanarkshire, Outer Hebrides, Perthshire, Fife & Angus, Scottish Borders, Stirlingshire and Western Highlands & Islands.You can contact Alan on alandeeney@fuzeceremonies.co.uk and you can see more of Alan on Facebook and Instagram

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