A wedding celebrant is a professional who creates and officiates bespoke and personal wedding ceremonies tailored to each couple’s story, preferences, and values. Unlike registrars, who conduct legally binding ceremonies in a set format, celebrants are not bound by council restrictions, legal scripts or rules. This means celebrants can deliver deeply personal and creative ceremonies in any location—established wedding venues or alternative settings like a woodland clearing, a beach, or a family garden.
In England and Wales, celebrancy is an unregulated industry, meaning there are no legal requirements to become one. However, practical, high-quality training is essential to ensure you deliver professional and memorable ceremonies for couples and get amazing online reviews which will help grow your celebrant business.
Wedding celebrants trained in the UK can work in any location including abroad.
Many couples want more than the standard, one-size-fits-all
ceremonies offered by registrars. They’re looking for a wedding that feels
personal, fun, and meaningful—a celebration that reflects their values,
culture, and relationship. This is where celebrants shine.
Couples who opt for celebrant-led ceremonies handle the
legal side of marriage separately, often booking a quick registrar appointment
before or after their celebrant ceremony. For as little as £57, (£46 + £11 for your marriage certificate) they can
"do the legals" and then focus on creating their dream wedding day
with a celebrant at the helm.
If you’re exploring celebrancy, there are many celebrant training providers and you’ve likely come across
some myths. Let’s clear them up:
False. While some training providers market their courses as
“certified”, or “accredited,” there is no legal requirement for celebrants to
hold a nationally recognised qualification. Those that exist are academic and often out of date. What matters is high-quality, practical training that equips you to deliver excellent personal ceremonies to modern couples.
Not true.
Celebrancy is unregulated in the UK, so you don’t need to pay for any membership of a celebrancy organisation. There is no such thing as a celebrant licence in England or Wales. Celebrant organisations that offer membership benefits are simply selling celebrant training courses. What you do need is the right training and
support for you.
Starting your career as a wedding celebrant involves a few
key steps:
Look
for a course that is led by a current and successful wedding celebrant. Investigate celebrant courses that offer practical, business-focused content, individual assessment of skills and ongoing support.
Beware of "one-size fits all" group instruction that will not be personalised. Be cautious also of marketing “add-ons” like directory listings, template websites, or outdated advice that won’t help you attract couples.
Your training should cover client meetings, storytelling, ceremony writing,
public speaking, and working with different types of couples—including fusion
and interfaith couples. If you want to be successful, it should cover all the current marketing and sales techniques needed to secure bookings from Millennial and Gen Z couples.
Newly trained
celebrants often begin with a few pro-bono ceremonies to gain confidence and
collect reviews. Over time, you can refine your skills and adjust your pricing as your portfolio of testimonials grows.
As a celebrant, your ability to connect with couples is key.
Engaged couples value personality, creativity, and testimonials above all else.
While registrars focus on administrating the legalities, celebrants are free to craft wedding ceremonies that are fun, personal, truly unique and memorable.
Learn
at your own speed with comprehensive modules covering every aspect of wedding celebrancy.
Work directly with an experienced educator and one of the
UK’s most recommended celebrants to hone your skills.
We don’t provide:
- Listings on
directories that couples won’t use.
- Template websites
that look like everyone else’s.
- Outdated
marketing advice from a pre-pandemic world.
Instead, we focus on equipping you with the
practical skills and confidence you need to succeed. Our training includes
real-world guidance on getting bookings, working with couples, creating stunning ceremonies, and securing outstanding online reviews to grow your business.
In England and Wales, wedding celebrants don’t conduct
legally binding ceremonies. Instead, couples handle the legal paperwork with a
registrar before or after their celebrant-led ceremony. This gives celebrants
the freedom to focus on creating personal and meaningful celebrations. It means couples are less stressed on their wedding day and can focus instead on having a fun and relaxed start to their wedding day.
