How Much Does a Celebrant Get Paid in the UK?

Nov 11
Many people ask "How much does a celebrant get paid in the UK?"

For lots of would-be celebrants their biggest question is actually “Can I make enough money to leave my job and pursue celebrancy full-time?”

In this blog we will provide an honest and realistic overview of celebrant earnings in the UK, factoring in the types of ceremonies performed, how frequently celebrants work, the expenses involved, and how long it takes to become established.

Beware of celebrant training providers who exaggerate income earning potential as they are simply trying to get more people to  enrol on their training. At Celebrant Training School we pride ourselves on our honesty, transparency and practical training with individual support to ensure people can fulfil their dreams of becoming a professional celebrant. For us, having realistic expectations matter.

Beware of Exaggerated Claims

It’s important to be cautious of celebrant training providers who exaggerate earnings to attract trainees. Claims that funeral celebrants can earn £50,000+ in their first year or charge £1,000 per wedding as a beginner are unrealistic and often misleading.

At Celebrant Training School, we pride ourselves on honesty. As founder and principal trainer, I have spent over 20 years in public service as a business teacher, senior school leader, and as a headteacher. I understands the importance of realistic planning when transitioning from paid employment to celebrancy.

I now take great pride in supporting trainees with a practical, individualised approach to their own transitioning from employment into self-employed into celebrancy.

I believe in giving you the full picture—not an exaggerated sales and marketing pitch—so you can make an informed decision about whether celebrancy is right for you.

How Much Do Celebrants Earn Per Ceremony?

The fees celebrants charge for their services depend on several factors, including the type of ceremony, location, and experience. Realistic fee ranges in the UK are as follows: 

Funerals: 

£200–£350 per funeral service.

Celebrants are paid a local fee regardless of their experience because although Funeral Directors largely book celebrants, it is the family who pays the fee (via the Funeral Director's invoice). Consequently, funeral directors and arrangers have no incentive to go for cheaper celebrants and would rather all the celebrants they use charge the same price for simplicity and accuracy. Only the most experienced and sought after celebrants tend to be paid above the local rate and funeral directors will often agree a higher rate with the family if they anticipate the celebrant's job will be more complex than usual. Funeral Directors have a long-term interest in looking after "their" celebrant which is why selecting who to work for is an important aspect of being self-employed. 

Weddings: 

£400–£1000 per wedding ceremony.

As celebrants win bookings directly from couples they have more control over the agreed fee. Wedding celebrant fees vary widely depending upon location and the experience of the wedding celebrant. More affluent areas of the UK and wedding venue "hotspots" will command much higher rates, e.g. London, Edinburgh, South East of England, Cheshire and North Yorkshire.

When wedding celebrants are in their first year, they will need to be very competitive  and charge lower than existing local wedding celebrants to get initial bookings and to get established. Over time, with experience and with a long list of 5-star online reviews, wedding celebrants can charge more. 

Experienced, prestigious and premium wedding celebrants can command fees of £1,500+ but these celebrants are the exception. The average wedding celebrant fee in the UK is £750 per wedding. 

Other ceremonies:

Services like vow renewals or baby naming ceremonies are not in high demand like funerals and weddings but the fee can range from £150–£600.

How Often Do Celebrants Work?

It’s important to set realistic expectations, particularly for those just starting out.

Funerals:

 In their first year, once newly trained funeral celebrants have introduced themselves successfully and professionally to their local funeral directors, if they win their trust, they can expect to perform 1-2 funerals per week depending on if they do this full or part-time.

Established celebrants with around five years of experience may perform 2-4 funerals per week, again depending on whether they do this full or part time. As long as celebrants do an excellent job for funeral directors and their families and they constantly work on developing their network of funeral arrangers, they can anticipate a steady and reliable income.

Weddings: 

For wedding celebrants, the first year is usually slower. Most will perform 1-5 weddings in their first year, as it takes time to build an online presence and secure bookings. Once established (after perhaps 3-5 years), successful celebrants can  perform between 20-50 weddings per year, depending on their reputation, their marketing efforts and whether they work full or part-time.

Combined Wedding and Funeral Celebrants

Many celebrants start with funerals for immediate income and later expand into weddings, providing a more balanced workload, a mixture of clients, variety of work and a higher income.

Expenses to Consider

As a self-employed professional celebrant whilst your income comes from fees, you will also have a range of expenses to pay for which will reduce your overall income. This again varies depending on whether you do funerals only, weddings only or both.

Funerals: 

Funeral celebrants typically have fewer expenses:
  • Marketing: Limited to business cards and printed materials for introducing yourself to funeral directors, costing around £50 per year.
  • Travel: Generally local, with annual travel costs ranging between £300-£700.
  • Insurance: Not required, though some choose to purchase public liability insurance (optional, £70-£150 per year).

Weddings: 

Wedding celebrants have more start-up costs and higher expenses:
  • Marketing:  A professional website with online payment functionality, leaflets for local wedding venues, and listings on wedding planning platforms like Hitched.co.uk or Bridebook are essential. Annual costs can range from £500-£2,000.
  • Travel: Wedding Celebrants normally travel further to venues so travel costs can range from £500-£1000 per year.
  • Insurance: Again, this is optional however, some venues require on-site wedding suppliers to show they have their own public liability insurance. Insurance costs range from £70-£150 per year).

Cash Flow Realities: Funeral vs. Wedding Celebrants

One of the biggest differences between funeral and wedding celebrancy is the speed at which income is earned

Funerals Celebrants: 

Newly trained funeral celebrants can begin earning money almost immediately by visiting funeral directors and securing bookings. Payments are often made within 2-3 weeks of getting booked, ensuring a quick and steady cash flow.

Wedding Celebrants: 

Whilst the average fee for a wedding is £750 rather than £250 for a funeral, wedding celebrants face a longer lead time. Couples typically book their celebrant 6 months to 2 years in advance, paying a booking fee (usually 50%) at the time of booking to "save the date" and the balance closer to the wedding. It can take 6-12 months to establish a reliable cash flow, making wedding celebrancy a longer-term albeit a more profitable investment.

Various scenarios to summarise 

The following table shows potential net income for different celebrancy scenarios over time and whether it is approached as a part-time or full-time venture. These figures are based on realistic expectations for newly trained and experienced celebrants, factoring in average earnings for funerals, a lower average wedding fee in year 1 compared with a higher average wedding fee once established and average expenses for funerals and weddings.

Scenario Year 1 Once Established
P/T Funerals Only £11,500
(50 funerals a year)
£17,000
(70 funerals a year)
PT Weddings Only £3,000
(5 weddings a year)
£24,000 
(25 weddings a year)
F/T Funerals Only £18,000
(75 funerals a year)
£34,000
(140 funerals a year)
F/T Weddings Only £4,000
(8 weddings a year)
£44,000
(45 weddings a year)
F/T Funerals & Weddings £15,000
(50 funerals + 5 weddings a year)
£41,000
(70 funerals + 25 weddings a year)

Building a Sustainable Career

Celebrancy, like any new business, requires time and effort to establish. It’s faster to begin earning as a funeral celebrant, as bookings can be secured almost immediately by visiting funeral directors. Wedding celebrants, on the other hand, must invest in a website, SEO, and social media marketing, and bookings typically come 6–24 months in advance.   For these reasons, many celebrants start with funerals and gradually expand into weddings. Maintaining part-time employment during the first year can also help ensure financial stability while you build your client base.

Why Choose Celebrant Training School?

At Celebrant Training School, our mission is to help you achieve your goal of running your own celebrant business. Unlike other training providers, we don’t exaggerate potential earnings or blur the realities of this career.

As founder and principal trainer I bring years of experience as a business educator and school leader, including as headteacher. I provide realistic, practical and personalised support to help you succeed.

Ready to Start Your Journey?

Celebrancy offers the chance to do meaningful, fulfilling work while earning an income that suits your lifestyle. Whether you’re starting part-time or aiming for full-time celebrancy, our courses provide the skills, support, and business tools you need to thrive.

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