How to Become a Funeral Celebrant

An online search for ‘how to become a funeral celebrant’ or ‘how do I become a funeral celebrant’ will give you many links to various celebrant training courses and courses who train funeral celebrants. Many are good, some are mediocre, some aren’t good. They all have one thing in common, they all state they train funeral celebrants. How do you know which one is right for you?

Research How to Become a Funeral Celebrant

Research is essential in all areas of celebrancy, as is directed, up to date and correct training. With such a lot of different companies to look at, how do you choose which one is the right one to train you for your specific requirements? The answer, research each one and see what each one offers and what training you will receive.

Celebrant Training Companies or Companies Training Celebrants

There are many organisations to be found who solely train wedding and funeral celebrants. This is the purpose these organisations were formed. In contrast there are companies who offer celebrant training and other varieties of training too; from dress making to gardening.

How Much Does it Cost to Train as a Funeral Celebrant in the UK?

Organisations solely offering celebrant training may have similar course fees than companies training celebrants. Low prices attract many as the cost of living is so high in these current times. It is very important to know what skills and information will be learnt and given during any training course. A higher price may or may not determine the level of relevant skills and learning you will receive and researching what you will learn is essential.

A cheaper course price could work out to be more expensive in the long term if further training is sought or desired in relation to the training received.

What Kind of Funeral Celebrant Do You Want to be?

Did you realise there are funeral celebrants who offer different styles of ceremonies than others? If your answer is no, you aren’t alone. Celebrancy offers different areas of ceremony styles just as other creative jobs do. Some of us are traditional funeral celebrants, some of us are alternative funeral celebrants, some of us are Pagan funeral celebrants, some of us are Humanist funeral celebrants, many of us are creative and forward thinking funeral celebrants, and some of us specialise in certain kinds of ceremonies such as natural burials. Most funeral celebrants will create memorial, scattering of ashes and ceremonies for babies and children.

What we all have in common is we are all alternative, as we offer different ceremonies to those led by any religious leader who takes a ceremony and we all create and deliver funeral and celebration of life ceremonies. Every funeral celebrant should be prepared to spend many hours researching, liaising with the people, loved ones and families we work for. We must be open to all beliefs or spiritualities’ without imposing our own.

There are some who do not put in as much time as others, some who use a script and say the same things for every ceremony.

Why do You Want to be a Funeral Celebrant?

This question maybe asked in a variation of words during your training, and whatever reason you have, only you know if this job is for you.

Do you know what the job entails? It is so much more than being able to speak in public. It is a job with long hours to gather information in a respectful and diplomatic way from people at the saddest times of their lives. They may need to see you several times, they are putting their trust in you and need assurance you can meet their needs.

It is being able to listen to people, not just hear what they are saying, with the skills to pick out information that is necessary for the ceremony and learn that other information is not to be recorded. Sometimes they may just wish to vent or impart very personal information to you. 

You must have excellent writing skills and know how to construct a ceremony correctly.  As celebrants we must think on our feet and make suggestion we must have compassion, empathy.

We must be highly organised and sometimes work within tight deadlines. Celebrants will often arrange or order the music for the ceremony and help put together the order of service. Holding space, making sure everything runs smoothly, in order and within any allocated timeframe. 

All this and the ability to speak well in public are requirements of being a funeral celebrant.

Being a funeral celebrant certainly isn’t easy money, nor is it an easy job. Evening and weekend work can be part of being a funeral celebrant. Being a funeral celebrant is hugely rewarding. To know that you have made the most difficult of times special and allowing your clients to give their person a good funeral rather than a funeral that just serves a purpose.

Become a Funeral Celebrant

If this job appeals to do, our advice is to train to do it properly. You may hear current celebrants say there are too many celebrants and there isn’t enough work. You may be told funeral directors have many celebrants on their books. These can both be true, but that shouldn’t stop you perusing something that interests you. You will get work if you are prepared to put in the work to do so. Remember, you only get out what you put in.

We Will Help You to Work as a Funeral Celebrant

Those who train with Choice Celebrant Training have access to our community which includes Zoom presentations with funeral directors. Who better to give advice than those who book celebrants?

We will teach you how to proactively engage with funeral directors and teach you how to be found by funeral directors too.

We can also provide you with a website and teach you how to gain bookings from it. You will also be part of a growing community of new and established funeral celebrants; sharing knowledge and experience with each other.

Who is better suited to teach you these skills than somebody who is actively working as a funeral celebrant.

You are the Future of Funeral Celebrancy

Many celebrants are producing ceremonies that are from the past. Outdated terminology which is steeped in Christian funeral terms.  It’s time for change.

We must look to the past, but we certainly don’t have to stay in it, we need to look to the future, and you are the future of celebrancy. To answer the question, ‘how do I become a funeral celebrant’, visit our Funeral Celebrant Training Course page and choose you celebrant trainer.