AMC becomes the first UK celebrant training provider to earn IAPWO accreditation

The Academy of Modern Celebrancy has become the first UK-based celebrant training provider to receive IAPWO Accredited™ status, following an evaluation of its Wedding Celebrant Certification Course and Celebrant Business Kickstarter by the International Association of Professional Wedding Officiants. Both programmes were approved in May 2026, with AMC awarded top marks across multiple categories.

This is a significant milestone. Not just for AMC, but for every celebrant who has trained with us — and everyone who will.

What is IAPWO?

The International Association of Professional Wedding Officiants is a globally recognised body dedicated to raising professional standards in wedding officiation and celebrancy. IAPWO’s accreditation programme evaluates training courses against its CPWO education standards, assessing everything from ceremony preparation and performance to legal compliance, business operations, and professional conduct.

When a programme earns the IAPWO Accredited™ designation, it means the content has been independently reviewed, scored, and formally approved. It’s not a rubber stamp. It’s a rigorous evaluation by people who know the industry from the inside.

What did AMC score?

Both AMC programmes received CPWO Educational Credential Points (ECPs) across all seven assessment categories.

The Wedding Celebrant Certification Course was awarded top points in:

• ceremony preparation,
• ceremony performance,
• customer relations,
• legal compliance,
• business operations,
• professional communications, and
• professional conduct.

The Celebrant Business Kickstarter was evaluated and scored across the same seven areas.

We’re proud of those results. They reflect the same standard we’ve held ourselves to since we began: training that prepares celebrants to do the work, not just pass the course.

What does this mean for AMC graduates?

If you’ve completed AMC’s Wedding Celebrant Certification Course or our Celebrant Business Kickstarter, your training now counts towards the CPWO — Certified Professional Wedding Officiant credential issued by IAPWO.

The CPWO is a globally recognised professional qualification for wedding officiants and celebrants. Earning it requires accumulating CPWO Educational Credential Points from IAPWO Accredited™ programmes, and both of ours now qualify. If pursuing international professional recognition is something that interests you, this is a direct route in.

Why does it matter that we’re the only UK provider?

Because it confirms what our graduates already know: that AMC’s training meets an international standard that most programmes simply don’t reach. IAPWO’s evaluation is independent and consistent. When they award accreditation, it’s because the content genuinely holds up.

For celebrants who work with couples based outside the UK, or who officiate internationally, IAPWO accreditation carries real weight. It’s a credential that means something in markets where AMC’s name may not yet be as familiar as it is here.

For those building a career at home, it adds another layer of professional credibility behind your qualification, one backed by an independent global body rather than a self-assessed industry standard.

What’s next?

AMC’s IAPWO Accredited™ status sits alongside our existing recognition as an Ofqual-registered training provider — which means our programmes are subject to rigorous, ongoing checks against Ofqual’s quality standards. The two reinforce each other: one rooted in UK regulatory oversight, the other in international professional standards for wedding officiation specifically.

We’ve trained over 1,000 celebrants since we opened our doors, and supported a community of more than 1,700 members. This accreditation is a reflection of what that community has built, and what the next generation of AMC celebrants will benefit from from day one.

If you’re considering wedding celebrant training and want to know what sets AMC apart, this is a good place to start. Take our free quiz to find out if celebrancy is the right fit for you, or head straight to the Wedding Celebrant Certification Course to find out what’s included.