Do you want to be a wedding celebrant? Have you researched ‘how do I become a wedding celebrant?’ Have you been to several weddings and thought ‘I could do that’? Perhaps you’ve stood up and read at a ceremony before and people have told you how wonderful you’d be at doing the job.
Whilst these things are great starting points, there is so much that goes into the job that is worth knowing. Celebrancy is life changing but it is also something which takes time, consideration, and a lot of hard work.
Skills You Will Need
To become a wedding celebrant, you need many skills and abilities. To become an amazing celebrant there are some specifics that are imperative.
Communication
You need to be able to communicate clearly and confidently to give people exactly the day they want. The clearer you are in what you’re saying, the less opportunity there is for any confusion or information not being received or given.
Listening
If you’re not listening to what your clients want, you’re not going to deliver what they want. You may miss vital points of their love story, you might not include a poem or reading, you might not catch a subtle underlying theme of their favourite book or film franchise. Listening is key and is totally different to simply hearing what they say.
Creativity
After listening and communicating what will be happening within the ceremony, you need to be able to be creative enough to put together something incredible, a ceremony they will never forget. Cutting and pasting a ceremony from google, or from one client to the next is a huge no go!
Research
It is very possible that your clients may want you to include something within the ceremony that you are totally unfamiliar with, for example, if someone is a huge fan of the Harry Potter franchise and you’ve never seen the films or read the books, then you’re going to need to learn about it. Likewise, if someone asks you to choose a poem or reading for them that suits the vibe, you will quickly learn that Pinterest is your best friend. Googling these things is fine but look further afield than top 10 wedding poems.
Public speaking
It goes without saying really, being able to speak confidently and eloquently in front of a crowd of wedding guests is a must. That said, don’t ever try to change your accent or dialect, it’s what makes you unique.
Time keeping and punctuality
Covers so many bases, but you need to deliver a script in the agreed time. You need to arrive at a venue at an agreed time. You need to keep the ceremony to an agreed time. So many things that are time sensitive, poorly organised or lacking in awareness will affect the overall outcome.
It Isn’t About You
A celebrant is an invisible Compère’ it isn’t your show; it is not your day. It is about those the ceremony is for. You are there to officiate and host, not to be the centre of attention.
You can tell a story and make people listen without having people look mainly at you. The focus should be on those whose wedding it is. Think of it like an Audiobook…but live. Knowing where to stand is a key point here. Move out of the way for moments in the ceremony where photos are poignant. Do not third wheel on that first kiss.
What Kind of Wedding Celebrant do You Want to be?
Choice Celebrant Training is all about being authentically you and being given choices. Which is why it is important for you to perhaps choose what sort of wedding celebrant you want to be.
Do you think you’ll specialise in a certain type of ceremony? Festival style weddings are very much on the up rise over the last 18 months with people wanting something less formal. Would that suit you?
Are you more inclined to offer something more traditionally beautiful with lots of heartwarming moments? A lot of clients still want this type of wedding too.
You really don’t need to niche yourself straight away. Finding your feet and your place within celebrancy is a constant work in progress.
Every Wedding Celebrant is Alternative
If a client wanted something that wasn’t alternative, they’d choose a church wedding or a registrar. The whole idea of having a celebrant is having an alternative to what was the traditional norm.
What Does a Wedding Celebrant Wear?

Tough question, but generally whatever you want and feel most comfortable in. Of course, it is important to ask each booking if they have a preference. That said, if you’ve marketed yourself correctly, they should have booked you already knowing your general vibe.
If you feel most comfortable dressed all in black, or the other end of the scale in bright yellow leopard print shirts, it is so important to be authentically you. Be true to who you are as if you are hoping to attract clients by looking a certain way, you will be found out.
How Many Celebrants are There Already in Your Area?
Always a topic of conversation. If you join Facebook groups (of which there are a lot, by the way) you’ll often see the same conversation time and time again, people saying that ‘the industry is saturated’.
In your local town, how many coffee shops, hairdresser’s barbershops are there? People gravitate towards their personal preference. Celebrants are no different, because we all are SO different, each one being best suited to a certain demographic perhaps. Favourite saying ever:
‘Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe’.
There aren’t too many celebrants.
Train to Become a Wedding Celebrant
Training is essential to become a wedding celebrant as there is much to learn. Unity ceremonies, ceremony construction, creating content, gathering information, writing memorable and meaningful ceremonies and ceremony delivery are all required skills every wedding celebrant needs.
Choice Celebrant Training will help you learn and develop these skills, enabling you to become an amazing wedding celebrant. We’ll also teach you how to market yourself as a celebrant and if required provide you with a professional and fully functioning website. ‘How do I become a wedding celebrant?’
Sign up for a wedding celebrant training course and choose you celebrant trainer.
Blog by Glenn
Wedding Celebrant Trainer