How Much Does it Cost to Become a Celebrant in the UK?

Are you considering becoming a wedding or funeral celebrant in the UK?
Have you searched online and seen courses with price differences?
How do you want to train, online or in a group?
How much does it cost to become a celebrant in the UK? These are important factors to consider.

Celebrant Training in the UK

To become a celebrant in the UK, it is highly recommended to undergo a specialised wedding or funeral celebrant training course. Training will provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills required create and lead weddings, funerals, and other life event ceremonies.

There are several organisations in the UK that offer celebrant training, each with their own unique curriculum and certification process. The duration and cost of these training courses vary depending on the provider. On average, you can expect to invest anywhere between £800 to £2300 for your initial training with a specialised celebrant training company.

Online Celebrant Training

Online celebrant training can be either on a one on one basis with a Celebrant Trainer, or in a group. We do not provide online group celebrant training as we prefer all our trainee celebrants to have a personal training experience with quality time with their chosen Celebrant Trainer.

Online celebrant training is cheaper than group training and more convenient.
No need to travel
Learn from your own home
Choose a time/day which suits you
Spaced out learning
More time to take in information

Group Celebrant Training is held in a meeting place group environment over a few days.  Group training costs more than online training but it does give the opportunity to meet other trainee celebrants. It is also ideal for those who want to complete their training outright.

Costs Associated with Celebrant Training Courses

In addition to the training fees, there are some additional costs that you should factor in when considering a celebrant training program. These costs may include travel expenses, food, accommodation (if the training is conducted in a different location), pet sitting costs, child care and any additional materials or resources required for the course. It’s important to research and compare different training companies to make sure the course is suitable for your needs.

Celebrant Business Start Up Costs

Once you have completed your training and obtained the necessary certification, there are some additional expenses that you will need to consider. These expenses can vary depending on your individual circumstances and the type of celebrant services you intend to offer. Additional things to pay for to work as a wedding or funeral celebrant include:

• A domain name for your new business where you website will be held.

• A blog based website so your potential clients can find you.

• A professionally designed logo and branding.

• Business stationery

• Insurance to protect yourself and your clients as it’s important to have professional liability insurance as a celebrant. You should expect to pay around £100 to £300 per year for your insurance. (Some training companies include basic insurance within their yearly membership fees).

• Equipment and supplies, you will need to invest in certain equipment and supplies to conduct your ceremonies effectively. This can include a good quality ceremony folder, a portable PA system, microphones, speakers, music players, and ceremony props. The cost of these items can vary depending on the quality and brand and it is important to note you won’t need them straightaway (except a ceremony delivery folder). Those in our Choice Celebrant Community borrow these items from each other to keep the cost of their businesses down.

• Marketing your business is essential to be found and booked. You may choose to give out leaflets, advertise in online or hard copy publications, join an online directory (of which there are many), or place Google or social media ads. All of these will require a marketing budget and will need to measure this to see how it works for you to ensure you aren’t paying for something which isn’t giving you any financial return? Spending £15 a month for an online directory listing which hasn’t generated you any enquires let alone any bookings can be better spent elsewhere.

Wedding celebrants will have more of a financial outlay than funeral celebrants with marketing which includes events and wedding fairs. We provide detailed advice and information on how to get the most out of your marketing budget to our Community Celebrants.

Featuring That Celebrant Guy

Additional Costs for Celebrants

After the initial training, many celebrant training companies may offer ongoing professional development courses and workshops. These courses are designed to help you enhance your skills, expand your knowledge, and stay up to date with the latest industry trends.

These additional courses can be beneficial for your professional growth and credibility as a celebrant and they may range in price from £100 to £500 per workshop, depending on the duration and content. When you join some celebrant training organisations, these course fees may be included In an annual membership fee as they are when you train with Choice Celebrant Training.

Celebrant Membership

Some celebrant training companies will include one year’s membership in the initial training course fee. This fee may include useful sport and information, a profile on their website in a directory of their celebrants, or it may be an occasional newsletter by email.

Once a year has passed an annual or monthly fee will be required to stay a member of the training organisation. These fees vary from company to company and are determined by what level of celebrant membership each member chooses. It is important to know you do not need to belong to a training organisation to gain work as a celebrant and you should decide if paying to do so is beneficial to your celebrant business.

Membership generally starts from £150.  but what are they offering you for the annual membership fee? Are they providing you with insurance as part of the yearly membership fee? (This may not be as good as it seems as you may require higher or different levels of cover than what insurance they offer provides you with).

Does the training company hold online presentations, advice, workshops, guest speakers talking on celebrant related topics, or are you habitually paying a monthly or yearly fee just to be in a Facebook group of which there are many free ones with celebrants from all over the world offering help, advice, and support?

Will you receive continuing help and support once your training is over? Many state they offer this.

Speculate to Accumulate

As the saying goes, ‘speculate to accumulate’. Running a celebrant business can be rewarding but challenging. Celebrancy requires more than money to make it a successful business; your time and dedication to building up your brand to gain bookings are required.

Any investments you make in either your time or money will eventually see a return. How fast you want that return depends on how much time, money, and effort you are prepared to put into being a wedding or funeral celebrant.