Looking for a side hustle that fits around your life, pays well, and genuinely means something?
If you’ve ever wondered whether you could become a celebrant alongside your current job, the answer for many people is a resounding yes. Celebrancy is one of the few part-time roles that blends flexibility, creativity, public speaking, and real earning potential — all while helping people mark the moments that matter most.
In this guide, we cover:
- Can you be a celebrant part-time?
- How much do part-time celebrants earn in the UK?
- What does the work actually involve?
- Is celebrancy realistic alongside a full-time job?
- How to train as a celebrant with the Academy of Modern Celebrancy
Can you be a celebrant part-time?
Yes — and lots of celebrants choose to keep it that way.
Wedding ceremonies are typically at weekends, often between April and October. Much of the preparation, client communication, and scriptwriting can be done in evenings, around family commitments, or in the pockets of time that work for you.
On the Beyond The Ceremony podcast, international officiant Shawn Miller — who runs a team of 36 celebrants across Canada and the US — describes exactly this:
“Everyone does it on the weekends and the evenings because they love it, and they get to make some extra money and be involved in this beautiful industry.”
— Shawn Miller, Young, Hip and Married
That flexibility is one of the biggest draws. As a celebrant, you decide:
- How many ceremonies you take each month
- Whether you focus on weddings, funerals, or naming ceremonies
- Whether you work peak-season Saturdays or prefer weekday bookings
- Whether you grow slowly or build faster
It’s your business. You set your capacity.
How much do part-time wedding celebrants earn in the UK?
How much does a celebrant earn? It’s one of the most commonly asked questions — and the figures are genuinely encouraging.
In the UK, wedding celebrants typically charge between £800 and £1,500+ per ceremony, depending on experience, location, and the level of bespoke service.
To put that in context:
- 1 wedding per month at £1,000 = £12,000 per year
- 2 weddings per month at £1,000 = £24,000 per year
- 3 premium weddings at £1,500 = £4500 in a summer
And that’s before you consider funerals, naming ceremonies, vow renewals, or other ceremony types. For many people, celebrancy becomes one of the most worthwhile side hustles available — especially compared with traditional hourly part-time work.
What does a part-time celebrant actually do?
Celebrancy is far more than standing up and reading from a script. It’s a skilled, heart-led role.
As Shawn puts it: how you deliver a ceremony matters just as much as what you say.
“Anybody can read a script, but what we want to do is bring life into those words and draw guests in.”
— Shawn Miller
Your responsibilities as a celebrant typically include:
- Meeting couples or families to understand their story
- Writing and editing a bespoke ceremony script
- Supporting clients with vows, readings, and symbolic elements
- Delivering the ceremony with confidence and presence
- Managing bookings, contracts, and client communication
It’s part-time in hours, but it deserves your full attention and care. Shawn is direct about this:
“You don’t get the option to be off. You have to show up.”
— Shawn Miller
Even one ceremony a month is a profound responsibility. The families and couples you work with are trusting you with some of the most significant moments of their lives.
Why celebrancy is so rewarding
Beyond the flexibility and the income, celebrancy gives you something that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Confidence you didn’t know you had
Standing in front of 100 guests and leading a ceremony builds a particular kind of confidence — the sort that spills into other areas of your life too. Our celebrants regularly tell us how surprised they are by the transformation. You develop public speaking skills, emotional intelligence, and a real leadership presence. You show up as the best version of yourself.
There’s even a concept called enclothed cognition — the idea that what you wear changes how you think and feel. As a celebrant, you get dressed, you show up, and you step out. It’s remarkable what that does for your sense of self.
A creative outlet that genuinely means something
You’re not following a rigid template. Every script you write starts from scratch with that particular couple or family in mind. It’s storytelling, craft, and creativity all in one.
The post-ceremony high
Ask any celebrant, and they’ll tell you about the post-ceremony high. That moment when you step away knowing you gave everything, that you’ve created something that will stay with people. Whether it’s the joy of a wedding day or the privilege of supporting a family through grief — it’s unlike anything else.
It’s a feeling you simply don’t get from most part-time jobs.
Is Celebrancy realistic alongside a full-time job?
Yes — but boundaries matter, especially once you start to get busy.
Wedding season can fill up quickly. Saturdays book out fast. If you say yes to everything, celebrancy can take over your calendar before you’ve had a chance to think about it.
Shawn explains how even experienced celebrants need to manage this:
“I could work every weekend all year long if I wanted to. Learning to carve out that time — that can be a challenge.”
— Shawn Miller
If you’re working part-time, it helps to:
- Decide your availability before bookings start rolling in
- Protect key family dates well in advance
- Set a realistic maximum number of ceremonies per month
- Build systems early to streamline admin
With a bit of structure in place, a part-time celebrant practice is entirely sustainable — and many AMC graduates keep it that way for years.
How to train as a celebrant with the Academy of Modern Celebrancy
The Academy of Modern Celebrancy is a leading UK training provider for independent celebrants, with over 1,400 graduates building businesses of their own.
Our online training is designed precisely for people who are juggling this alongside work, family, and other commitments. You learn at your own pace, with access to bite-sized video modules, downloadable workbooks, live weekly Q&A sessions, and a dedicated 1-2-1 mentor who has already walked the path you’re starting.
Whether you want to train as a wedding celebrant, funeral celebrant, naming celebrant, or go for the full Master Celebrancy programme, you can start part-time and build at a pace that works for you.
We’ll also teach you the business side — how to price yourself, attract bookings, build a website, and market your services — so you’re not just a brilliant celebrant, but a confident business owner too.
Can you be a celebrant part-time?
Yes. Many celebrants start part-time and run ceremonies around a full-time job. Weddings are often at weekends, and the preparation — client calls, scriptwriting, admin — can usually be done in the evenings and around your existing commitments.
Is celebrancy a good side hustle?
Celebrancy can be a brilliant side hustle if you enjoy working with people, writing, public speaking, and creating experiences that genuinely matter. It offers flexibility, strong earning potential per booking, and the satisfaction of helping others mark major life moments. It’s not passive income — it takes real skill and effort — but for the right person, few part-time roles come close.
How much do wedding celebrants charge in the UK?
Wedding celebrant fees vary, but many UK celebrants charge between £800 and £1,500+ per ceremony, depending on experience, location, demand, and how bespoke the ceremony is. As you build your reputation and refine your style, your rates typically grow with you.
How much can a part-time celebrant earn?
Earnings depend on your pricing and how many ceremonies you take. Charging £1,000 per wedding and doing one ceremony per month could generate around £12,000 per year before expenses. Scale that up, and the figures become genuinely significant, particularly when you factor in funerals, naming ceremonies, and other ceremony types alongside weddings.
What does a celebrant do, day to day?
A celebrant typically meets clients, gets to know their story, writes and edits a personalised ceremony script, supports with vows and readings, liaises on logistics, and delivers the ceremony on the day. They also manage bookings, client communication, invoices, and marketing. It’s a creative, people-focused role with genuine variety.
Do you need qualifications to become a celebrant in the UK?
There is no single legal requirement to hold a qualification as a celebrant in the UK, but professional training is strongly recommended. Quality training equips you with ceremony structure, scriptwriting, confident delivery, client care, and the business skills to build a sustainable practice. It also gives you the credibility that couples and families are increasingly looking for.
How long does it take to train as a celebrant?
It depends on the provider and how you study, but many people train alongside work over several weeks or months. AMC’s structured online programmes are designed for busy adults — bite-sized modules, flexible pacing, and mentor support mean you can fit training around your life rather than the other way round.
Is it hard to be a celebrant part-time?
It can be demanding during peak wedding season, particularly if you take on a lot of Saturday bookings. The key is boundaries and realistic capacity planning from the start. With those in place, a part-time celebrant practice is entirely manageable — and many celebrants choose to keep it that way for years.
Can celebrants do legal weddings in the UK?
In England and Wales, independent celebrants cannot currently conduct legally binding marriages. Many couples do the legal paperwork at a registry office and then have a fully personalised celebrant-led ceremony — either on the same day or at a separate celebration. This is increasingly popular because it gives couples complete creative freedom over their ceremony.
Do you have to work weekends as a celebrant?
Often yes, especially for weddings. However, some celebrants actively choose weekday ceremonies, elopements, vow renewals, funerals, or naming ceremonies to create a more flexible diary. The more ceremony types you offer, the more control you have over when you work.
What skills make a good celebrant?
Strong communication, empathy, confidence with public speaking, writing ability, organisation, and calm leadership on the day are all important. Great celebrants also know how to create an atmosphere, read a room, and make people feel genuinely at ease. The good news is that many of these skills are developed through quality training and practice — they’re not things you either have or you don’t.
Is celebrancy emotionally challenging?
It can be. Weddings are high-pressure, and funeral celebrancy can be emotionally intense. Celebrants need good self-management, professionalism, and the ability to be fully present for their clients even on difficult days. AMC’s training covers this directly — including how to look after yourself as a celebrant so you can keep doing the work you love.
Can you become a celebrant without social media?
Yes, but you’ll still need ways for people to find and trust you — a well-presented website, directory listings, strong reviews, and relationships with local venues and suppliers all matter. Social media can help, but it’s not the only route. AMC’s training covers a range of marketing approaches so you can find the ones that suit your style.
Alternatively, you may be able to find a Celebrant agency that looks after that side of the business for you.
How do you get your first celebrant bookings?
Many celebrants start by creating a clear service offering, building a simple website, getting listed in a reputable directory such as The Celebrant Directory, and networking locally with venues and suppliers. Asking happy clients for testimonials and referrals makes a real difference early on. AMC’s training includes dedicated modules on marketing and business set-up so you’re not starting from scratch.
How do I know if I’d be a good celebrant?
If you enjoy people, love storytelling, care about meaningful moments, and can hold your nerve in front of a crowd — you may be very well suited. Take our celebrant quiz to explore whether your communication style, values, and strengths are a good match. You might be closer to your ideal side hustle than you think.
So, is celebrancy the best part-time job?
If you’re looking for a side hustle with strong earning potential per booking, work that feels meaningful rather than transactional, a creative outlet that builds real confidence, a role that fits around family life or a full-time career, and a way to be genuinely present at life’s biggest moments — then celebrancy could be one of the best part-time careers going.
Take our quiz to find out if you’ve got what it takes.
Team AMC
Our team of writers and contributors at The Academy of Modern Celebrancy are dedicated to educating Celebrants and helping them build thriving Celebrant businesses. Our team is made up of Celebrants and Industry experts dedicated to sharing their expertise with you.
The Academy of Modern Celebrancy also has a thriving community of over 5000 celebrants that we are dedicated to helping grow their businesses and taking celebrancy from a hobby to a lifestyle.
The Academy of Modern Celebrancy has trained over 1300 celebrants worldwide, and employs award-winning Celebrant Mentors who know what it takes to make it in the industry. We train the best celebrants out there across the UK, Europe and the USA.
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