7 , ▁and ▁no ▁form ▁of ▁religious ▁ceremony ▁is ▁necessary . ▁Since ▁a ▁decision ▁of ▁the ▁Reg istr ar - General ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁stat ut ory ▁references ▁to ▁religious ▁mar ri ages ▁must ▁be ▁" read ▁in " ▁as ▁referring ▁to ▁" rel ig ion ▁or ▁belief ", ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁ensure ▁compatibility ▁with ▁the ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Act ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁and ▁allow ▁human ists ▁to ▁conduct ▁legal ▁human ist ▁mar ri ages , ▁which ▁like ▁civil ▁mar ri ages ▁are ▁also ▁non - rel ig ious . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁Human ist ▁Society ▁Scotland ▁conducted ▁more ▁mar ri ages ▁each ▁year ▁than ▁the ▁largest ▁religious ▁body , ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Scotland . ▁ ▁Civil ▁partners hips ▁became ▁available ▁to ▁same - sex ▁cou ples ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁grant ▁rights ▁and ▁respons ib ilities ▁virt ually ▁identical ▁to ▁civil ▁marriage . ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁Scottish ▁Government ▁launched ▁a ▁public ▁consult ation ▁on ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁same - sex ▁marriage , ▁with ▁the ▁Scottish ▁Government ▁indicating ▁it ▁" t end [ ed ] ▁towards ▁the ▁view ▁that ▁same - sex ▁marriage ▁should ▁be ▁introduced ". ▁On ▁ 4 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁Scottish ▁Parliament ▁passed ▁a ▁same - sex ▁marriage ▁bill ▁by ▁a ▁vote ▁of ▁ 1 0 5 ▁to ▁ 1 8 . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Middle ▁A ges ▁and ▁early ▁modern