Highland Toastmaster & Highland Wedding MC

05/03/2025

Braw!

Can we all please welcome Brian Baxter “The Highland Celebrant” and Fuze Foundation and Fuze Ceremonies who is a finalist In the Entrepreneur of the Year category Sponsored by Hugh James

We caught up with Brian to find out a bit more about him:

"Between 1979 to 2003 I served with the Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion and 1st Battalion The Black Watch – 24 years and 99 days and from 2005 to 2023 – 51st Highland Volunteers and the 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland – 18 years.
Total military service – 42 years."

"In March 2020, I completed my diploma with the United Kingdom Celebrant and Public Speaking Academy, and became a Scottish Humanist Celebrant with Fuze Ceremonies, delivering both legal marriage and funeral ceremonies all over Scotland. During the first three years of my role as a Celebrant, I continued to serve full time in the army. I have also taken great pride as a volunteer SSAFA Branch Case Worker and Fundraising Manager for the past 14 years and I am about to take on the role as a SSAFA Mentor for all of our Scottish military community in April 2025.
Being recognised and having been shortlisted for the Scottish Veterans Awards 2025 is a great honour. To be nominated for the Entrepreneur of the Year award, is truly humbling and I look forward to this recognition in continuing to provide support, advice, guidance and mentoring to our veterans in the future."

"My best Achievement to date is having now legally married 200 couples, including some serving personnel is absolutely awesome. Being part of and setting the scene for any couple's “big day” gives me a real buzz. Also provided a fitting tribute to those service personnel and veterans that have sadly passed away."

"The not-for-profit Fuze Foundation was established in 2012, dedicated to making a positive impact on charitable organisations. In addition to this, it is committed to tackling the growing epidemic of funeral poverty head on, having provided hundreds of funeral ceremonies free of charge for financially stretched families. The Foundation also offers not-for-profit Legal Humanist Marriages in Scotland and campaigns for equality, diversity, and social justice."

Good luck to Brian and we can't wait to celebrate with you all on the night!

25/02/2025

I am extremely proud to announce that I am a shortlisted finalist at this years Scottish Veterans Awards!

Scottish Veterans Awards are due to be held at Prestonfield House on the 30th of April in Support of The Army Benevolent Fund Charity and Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity.

The Veterans Awards accorss the UK are sponsored by Thales Group, and the lead sponsor in Scotland is DXC Technology.

The shortlisting process was extremely difficult.

The organisers want to inspire our future service leavers that great things can happen. It's us that hopefully, will act as role models and, in some cases, mentors, remembering that.........

Positivity breeds Positivity.

To see who the finalists are

https://veteransawards.co.uk/2025/02/25/meet-our-shortlisted-finalists-for-the-scottish-veterans-awards-2025/

03/02/2025

We at SSAFA are always on the lookout for volunteers, donations and projects that will assist our serving folks and veteran communities including their families.......

Could you give up some of your time in 2025 and volunteer with SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity to help support the Armed Forces, veterans and their families in your local community?

Our SSAFA branches in Scotland have a variety of interesting volunteer roles available 👇
www.ssafa.org.uk/volunteer-for-ssafa/

27/01/2025

Weddings – According to the Highland Brian Baxter - Humanist Celebrant with the Fuze Foundation and Scottish Wedding MC

Fuze Foundation
Humanist Celebrants with Fuze Ceremonies
Association of Scottish Toastmasters
Highland Toastmaster & Highland Wedding MC

21/01/2025

With Piper and a half - Dean Saunders Piper

The 1st of many a Burns Supper MC/ Recitals for the next couple of weeks.

Burns 2025 will see me travel even to deepest darkest Engurlanshire for a supper doon there.

Taking folks Burn's Suppers tae the next level!!

24/12/2024

We are at sea tomorrow, Xmas day.

Have a good one, one and all!

🎅 🎄 🍸 🍹

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas’

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎅 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and V***n!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” 🎅🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 🎄🎄

Ready to ye'al from the Dominican 🇩🇴 Republic on Boxing Day.

20/12/2024

When I introduce myself to the wedding guests at all Weddings, I mention where most of my fees go to. It's a holiday ;)

Well, we are heading to our Balcony Cabin two week cruise on P&O Arvia in the Caribbean. WiFi and the internet are limited over the festive period.....

To my brides, grooms, civil partners, and Same S*x Couples, along with my corporate clients from 2024, all the very best for 2025 & have a happy Christmas/ holiday season.

I am looking forward to yet again providing 's Services for newly engaged to be married couples and MC provision to corporate business's next year and beyond. You never know, as a Humanist Celebrant I might also be marrying you..... (Not at the same wedding, though.)

Still some dates available for 2025 and 2026 for the . Enquire early in order to not be disappointed.

07/12/2024

The last time I was in this very room was for Jodie Sinclair and Chris Sin Sinclair wedding, in April 2023.

Tonight though, it's working again with WDB Ultimate Weddings & Events for clients "Blue Water Oil" as Toastmaster.

Theme tonight is 🎪 Anyone calls me the "Greatest Showman" or "Ring Master" they'll be put straight 😆

Only joking, I love the interaction with inebriated guests!!!!

28/11/2024

I want to thank the USA's service members, veterans and their families for your/their service and sacrifice.

To the Allied Forces Foundation and Allied Forces Foundation Alumni folks.

To all of my American couple's that I have had the honour to marry - legally or as affirmation or elopement. I wish you well and enjoy your 🐔

Enjoy your day "Ye all"

10/11/2024

Ready to remember.

"May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, May the rain fall softly upon your fields until we meet again, And may God hold you in the hollow of His hand."

20/10/2024

3 military veterans at the The Scottish Wedding Show

From left to right.......

John Hart Feeney , then its the smartest one oot o' the three of them and then its Alasdair Henderson