Rich Gordon Independent Humanist

18/08/2025

Today has been a very good day.

Not only did I get to have an amazing day out with my daughter, enjoying the last few moments of the summer holidays, indulging in our shared passion for roller coasters, I also got some amazing news.

I’ve been formally approved as a full member with SICA; the Scottish Independent Celebrant Association.

This is a big deal as they don’t just let anyone join. 😅 Riffraff from Fife have to work hard to earn membership!

I’d like to extend my profoundest gratitude to fellow celebrant Angela Maughan Ceremonies whose mentorship and general friendship have been tremendous.

I’m also going to thank Mary who graciously permitted me to share the live stream of her late husband Malcolm’s funeral to enable this process to conclude.

SICA is an organisation that offers much more than just celebrants. I look forward to contributing to this and hopefully provide something meaningful to society. 🥰

Photo quite unrelated; just me feeling happy the other week playing sax at Boturich Castle on Loch Lomond.

https://www.facebook.com/ScottishIndependentCelebrantsAssociation

05/08/2025

Rest well, Malcolm. You’ve earned it. I hope you enjoyed the send off. 🥰

31/07/2025

10 years ago this October, I had the privilege of sharing an epic moment with this gentleman. His name was Malcolm and he climbed his final Munro after 36 years, and hired me to play pipes at the summit. He was such a lovely man and chatting to him was so easy. We remained friends ever since and in 2020 I was invited to Leicestershire to play at his brother’s wake. Fast forward to this year and sadly Malcolm passed away after a short battle. However, this remarkable man lived every day of his remaining life to its fullest, raising a whopping £4k for charity by undertaking a tandem skydive. I have been honoured again to both pipe at and deliver his funeral service next week in Loughborough, I suppose it’s very fitting that I should be there to play his final summit again. Learning about his life has been an inspirational experience. A truly remarkable man who overcame a great deal of adversity and never once stopped exploring the world. He climbed many literal and metaphorical mountains in his life and didn’t let anything hold him back. We can all learn so much from this man. I’m truly blessed to have known him and his lovely wife. Rest well Malcolm, I will see you again some day i’m sure.

01/07/2025

Today I had the honour of working back at Brewsterwells Crematorium, with the same family again as I did at another funeral last year. It’s always lovely to be invited back, although I do appreciate that the circumstances are less than ideal.

I also worked with James Ashton & Son for the first time as celebrant today.

Now you may be wondering why there is a photo of a car here?

Well, much to my malign, my car decided that 3/4 mile from the crematorium was the ideal location to stop working.

Mercifully it was a short walk there, and half way between the car and the crematorium, Callum from Ashton pulled over in the hearse to rescue me.

So it was very much a day of unique experiences. I’m just glad it wasn’t as hot and muggy as it has been today. Not ideal conditions to do a quick march in a kilt!

Anyway, I made it and was able to perform my duties, providing a bit of piping at the end.

My gratitude as always to all, and my warmest wishes. 🥰

29/04/2025

It’s a tad infuriating that Instagram won’t cross-post videos to Facebook (owned by the same company) when you apply music to the video. 🤔

Anyway! Here’s Errol Park, which surprisingly is in the village of Errol in Perthshire.

It’s a stunning venue with a plethora of beautiful places to have your ceremony, both indoor and outdoor.

Very easily accessed from Perth and Dundee as it’s about half way between them.

As always, I can provide musical accompaniment to all ceremonies I perform.

20/04/2025

Some wedding venue inspiration for you. Pratis Barns sits high up above the East Neuk of Fife, overlooking Leven, Lundin Links and Largo. It offers breathtaking views around the Fife coast from Elie all the way to Burntisland. It also offers great views over East Lothian and on a very clear day you can see Edinburgh and Leith. It’s a secluded venue just off the main road from Windygates to Cupar, and is easily accessible. The venue continues to get better every time I go back there. There’s a large mansion on site with accommodation for the bridal party. Plenty of room for parking, coaches and any other vehicles (maybe not aircraft!).

26/02/2025

Since yesterday I’ve had about 20 of these messages, but this one made me laugh.

I’m disappointed he hasn’t asked for his rug back though.

25/02/2025

So, I'm in the process of a wee rebrand here. I'm still Rich Gordon and I'm still a celebrant, but I really want to push the fact that as a trained celebrant and a very qualified musician, I can do both for your non-legal ceremonies.

I'm happy to hike into the hills with you, serenade you with my pipes and then deliver the bespoke ceremony that we've worked on.

Here's me at one of many visits to Eilean Donan Castle up in the northwest Highlands, which is probably the most iconic castle in Scotland.

Of course, not every wedding needs to be in a well-known place. From back gardens to cliffs overlooking ruined castles, we do have a considerable amount of tremendous locations for your elopement/symbolic marriage or even vow renewals.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

21/08/2024

A message from our Burials and Cremation Team

Each service at Perth Crematorium is a deeply personal experience for family and friends and we want to give everyone the time and space to pay their respects and share their memories of their loved one in their own way.

To allow guests at every service to take that time for themselves, we ask that if you are attending a service you arrive no more than 20 minutes before the scheduled service time. We can have several services in a day and if you arrive too early you may unintentionally be encroaching on another family's time. You are also likely to find it easier to park if you arrive after the early service has already departed our car park.

Thank you for your understanding and support to ensure that everyone can have the time and space they need during their moment of grief.

19/08/2024

Today I had the honour of conducting my first funeral at Brewsterwells Crematorium for a most formidable woman.

I’ve piped there many times but today was my first behind the dais.

In addition to conducting the service I also piped and saxed. 😅 Let no one say I don’t perform well under pressure!

My deepest gratitude to Gibson of Tayport, and to the extended Mackie family for bestowing upon me this great honour today. 🥰

14/08/2024

If you didn’t know, Dundee Crematorium is currently undergoing refurbishment in the chapel, so funerals are being conducted at nearby hotels such as Invercarse Hotel or here today at The Landmark Hotel Dundee.

Incidentally this is the very room I had my wedding reception at in 2016. Very strange to be back sending someone on their final journey today.

A pleasure as always to work with Sturrock, Comb & Davidson, and to work with Funeral link for the first time today. 🤗

24/01/2024