Everything We Learned at CelebrantTopia 2025

“The best summit I’ve ever been to – and I’ve been to a lot!”
“Such an inviting and inspirational two days!”
“My head is bursting, I’m completely inspired!”

These are just a handful of the glowing responses from celebrants who joined us this February for CelebrantTopia 2025 – and the buzz hasn’t stopped since! For two extraordinary days, ambitious celebrants from across the country came together for what proved to be a game-changing virtual summit.

A Celebration of Excellence and Innovation

The energy was electric as 13 incredible industry experts took to the virtual stage, delivering powerful talks, engaging panels, practical workshops and thought-provoking roundtables. From SEO wizardry to legal wisdom, mindset mastery to creative branding – every session sparked new ideas and possibilities for growing remarkable celebrant businesses.

The fantastic feedback continues to pour in, with attendees already implementing their learnings and sharing their successes in our community. The summit wasn’t just about learning – it was about connecting, growing, and being part of something truly special in the celebrancy world.

Key Insights from Our Expert Speakers

Building Your Brand Identity

Emily Burt, founder of Studio Lawen, led an enlightening branding masterclass focusing on authentic connection. She shared practical steps for creating a brand that truly reflects your personality while attracting ideal clients. Emily emphasised the importance of defining your brand values and incorporating them into every aspect of your business.

Key action points:

• Define your brand positioning, vision, and mission
• Create clear brand pillars that reflect your personality
• Ensure your marketing materials authentically represent your values
• Focus on connecting with your dream clients rather than trying to appeal to everyone

Mastering Social Media

Lou Chudley from Spark Social unveiled the latest Instagram trends for 2025, offering practical guidance on algorithm optimisation and content strategy. Her session equipped celebrants with tools to boost visibility and engage meaningfully with potential clients through the strategic use of Stories, carousel posts, and Instagram SEO.

Legal Essentials

Heather Stanford, dubbed the Legal Fairy Godmother, tackled the crucial yet often overlooked aspects of running a celebrant business. Her session demystified contracts, terms and conditions, and GDPR requirements, providing both paid and free resources for building robust business foundations.

The Future of Marriage Reform

Professor Russell Sandberg delivered an insightful overview of potential changes to marriage laws in England and Wales. His session explained the need for modernising current laws to recognise various ways people form relationships today, highlighting the proposed shift from regulating buildings to regulating celebrants.

Key action points:

• Write to your MP about marriage reform and persist in following up
• Read Russell Sandberg’s book and other resources on marriage reform
• Stay informed about the Law Commission’s proposals
• Understand the potential impact of reform on independent celebrants
• Educate yourself about the current legal framework
• Prepare for potential changes in celebrant recognition
• Join advocacy efforts for comprehensive reform

SEO Success Strategies

Justine Coombs shared straightforward SEO techniques specifically tailored for celebrants. Drawing from her personal success in growing her celebrancy business through SEO, she provided practical strategies for improving online visibility and attracting ideal clients.

Key action points:

• Create a website that serves as your primary marketing tool
• Focus on strategic keyword placement without stuffing
• Regularly update your website with fresh, relevant content
• Join SEO challenges and utilise free resources to improve rankings
• Monitor your true current rankings rather than personalised results
• Take advantage of local SEO opportunities in your area

Join Justine’s Facebook group- Simple SEO for Celebrants

Venue Networking Mastery

Tara Heath-Arnold shared her journey from corporate professional to successful celebrant, revealing strategies for building strong venue relationships. Her session provided practical approaches to researching, connecting with, and maintaining relationships with venues to become their celebrant of choice.

Creating Memorable Ceremonies

Award-winning celebrant Laura Crockett shared expertise on incorporating music into ceremonies. Her session provided practical guidance on creating the perfect ceremony soundtrack, from pre-ceremony ambience to exit songs. She emphasised the importance of proper planning and backup systems to ensure flawless execution.

Key action points:

• Always check music versions and licenses before ceremonies
• Build strong relationships with musicians and verify cues before the ceremony
• Create backup playlists for different ceremony moments
• Understand the various music systems you might encounter at venues
• Guide couples on music selection while considering ceremony flow
• Have contingency plans ready for technical difficulties

Business Operations and Tax Efficiency

Chris and Helen from JamPot provided valuable insights into efficient business management for sole traders. Their session covered essential aspects of financial management and tax efficiency that every celebrant needs to consider.

Key action points:

• Keep detailed records of all business expenses from day one
• Consider working with an accountant early in your business journey
• Understand what you can claim as business expenses
• Use accounting software to track income and expenses
• Set up a flexible financial model that works for your business
• Stay compliant with tax regulations and deadlines
• Track mileage and travel expenses accurately

Finding Your Voice

Sam Brown’s session on tone of voice provided celebrants with practical tools for creating a distinctive brand voice. She emphasised the importance of consistent communication across all touchpoints, particularly for emotional services like weddings and funerals.

Key action points:

• Create a tone of voice toolkit using Sam’s template
• Maintain consistency across social media, website content, and customer interactions
• Define your brand positioning and core identity
• Use AI tools thoughtfully to generate on-brand content
• Review and audit your current communications
• Ensure your language resonates with your target audience
• Apply your tone of voice consistently across all marketing materials

Mindset and Growth

Miranda Ash tackled the crucial topic of imposter syndrome, providing practical exercises and strategies for building confidence. Her session combined mindset coaching with actionable steps for personal development, including tools for overcoming self-doubt and embracing individual worth as a celebrant.

Key action points:

• Practice positive affirmations and visualisation techniques
• Identify and challenge self-limiting beliefs
• Use mindfulness practices to build confidence
• Focus on your unique strengths rather than comparing them with others
• Set clear goals for personal and professional growth
• Reach out for support when needed
• Celebrate your achievements and progress

Looking Forward

CelebrantTopia 2025 highlighted the dynamic nature of the celebrancy industry and the importance of staying current with trends, technology, and best practices. The summit emphasised the value of community, continuous learning, and authentic business building.

Missed out on CelebrantTopia 2025? You can still access all the valuable insights and practical strategies shared during the summit. Grab the complete summit recordings at The Celebrant Directory. And keep an eye out on our social media for details of future events.