Thank you for visiting my website, and congratulations on your engagement.
I’m Philip Mallon, an independent celebrant based in Livingston, between Edinburgh and Glasgow. I work across Scotland to create ceremonies that are personal, meaningful, and unique to you.

I have always wanted to be a celebrant, not just for weddings, but for all of life’s most important moments, including legal weddings, blessings & renewals of vows, funeral & memorial ceremonies, and naming & welcoming ceremonies. With over 20 years’ experience filming weddings and life events, I knew this was the path I was meant to take, and I still feel privileged to do it.

As an independent celebrant, I can legally conduct weddings and civil partnerships, while offering the flexibility to shape the ceremony around you. Whether you’d like something with a humanist style, spiritual elements, religious touches, or something entirely different, I’ll help bring your vision to life.

Wherever you are in Scotland, together we can create a ceremony that feels authentic, memorable, and truly yours.

Legal Expertise
As a registered celebrant authorised by the National Records of Scotland (NRS), I have the legal authority to solemnise marriages and civil partnerships across Scotland. This ensures that your wedding is not only deeply personal but also fully recognised and legally binding.

Independent Freedom
Being an Independent Celebrant under the Axial Foundation means I am not tied to any single faith, philosophy, or rigid script. 

As an Axial celebrant, I can honour all beliefs, religious, spiritual, cultural, or completely non-religious, depending on what each couple or family wants. This freedom allows you to shape a ceremony that is fully personalised, reflecting your story, values, and preferences.

Unlike registrars, who must follow a set script, Humanist celebrants, who must be non-religious, or faith ministers, who are tied to one tradition, Axial celebrants offer the rare combination of legal recognition + inclusivity + complete ceremony flexibility.

Inclusive Approach
One of the reasons I joined the Axial Celebrants is because of its inclusive belief: that people from all faiths, spiritual paths, or none at all can come together in celebration. In over 20 years of filming weddings, I have met couples who wanted a ceremony that gave space for both sides of their families and their differing traditions. Some leaned toward religious rituals, others wanted to acknowledge spirituality without feeling forced into a purely non-religious stance. I know this challenge personally, at my own wedding, I wanted to give a nod to my Christian upbringing, even though it’s not part of my present beliefs, while also respecting my wife’s spiritual, non-religious perspective.

Personalised Meaning
That’s why I became a celebrant: to help couples create a meaningful ceremony that avoids having to choose “one side or the other.” Your ceremony can give a nod to heritage, faith, spirituality, or simply focus on your love story, and it can be crafted to suit you both perfectly. With me, you are free to design a ceremony that is heartfelt, inclusive, and truly yours.

Your ceremony can be any length that feels right for you. If you’re nervous, we can make it simpler and easier to manage. You can include personal stories, how you met, first dates, holidays, funny mishaps, the proposal, and make the day truly yours.

I can also help incorporate meaningful traditions from Scotland, such as handfasting, quaich drinking, or an Oathing Stone ceremony, where you place your hands on a stone while making your vows, symbolically setting your promises in stone as binding and permanent. I am equally happy to include other customs from around the world that reflect your heritage, culture, or family background, helping to make your wedding personal, respectful, and meaningful.

With my years of experience in videography, I am happy to offer advice on other aspects of your day as part of my complete service. My approach is always with care, patience, and attention to detail, ensuring your celebration reflects your personalities, values, and the unique story you share together.