Ever wondered what a celebrant does? It’s not all dress up (although that’s one of the perks!) Perhaps you are unsure how you’d run a celebrant business, meet with couples and families and actually officiate the ceremonies themselves?
Intrigued as to how to get started as a celebrant too? In this blog, we will cover what a celebrant does in 5 key points and how this role could work for you!

1. Officiates Ceremonies
Ok so let’s cut to the chase, the main part of the role is of course to officiate ceremonies! Whether a wedding, a funeral, a naming ceremony or something super special and symbolic, as celebrants we get to celebrate life in all it’s glory and make people happy. Even the funeral ceremonies are geared up to celebrate the life of the deceased and share the good times.
A celebrant’s role is to capture the heart of the family or couple and pull this together and officiate a ceremony filled with meaningful content.
Part of the job involves going to some of the most beautiful locations too, dealing with lots of different weather and travel expectations and being wowed by the view at pretty much at each and every ceremony!
2. Writes Ceremonies Scripts
Storytelling is a huge feature of any celebrants role. Writing ceremonies starts from getting to know the couple or family and getting super creative. You don’t need to be an established author or script writer, but just a love for sitting in a quiet space and writing about people’s stories and ideals.
Some scripts can be as short as 10 minutes, some 60 with the majority of ceremony scripts being around 25 minutes. Each ceremony is usually very tailored to the family and to the celebrant too. For example some can be super traditional, and others hilarious and outrageous! The beauty of a celebrant is that every one is unique.
3. Supports families and couples
The best part of the job is how we support families through some of the toughest moments and some of the best moments of their lives.
When conducting a funeral, you are helping families to tell their stories and ultimately through some of their griefing process. You are helping them to celebrate the life of their loved one.
When working with a couple on their wedding, you are preparing for a celebration of their love. Most couples spend many months building up to the day and you’ll role is the gel that brings it all together and gives it meaning.
You’ll become friends with each and every person you work with and will guide them through some of the biggest moments in life.

4. Networks with vendors and dream venues
Styled shoots are an amazing opportunity for celebrants to network with their industry – yes you can even do these in the funeral profession too! You can choose to organise a styled shoot with your dream suppliers or you may be approached to join a concept in motion. By collaborating on shoots which are typically TFP (time for prints), you will be able to tag suppliers across your social media and on your website resulting in more couples and families finding you.
Venues love to host styled shoots but you can also take it upon yourself to arrange a visit even if they already work with a “preferred celebrant.” As celebrants, we’re storytellers and each and everyone of us have a different style. You could approach venues who aren’t actually licensed for ceremonies, because with a Celebrant they have freedom of choice!
Runs their own business and controls their income
As celebrants, we have the ultimate flexibility and are accountable for our own time. Running a business can seem a little daunting to begin with but with The Academy of Modern Celebrancy, one of your modules will include how to run a successful celebrant business.
You’ll be able to plan in consultations with couples and families and you’ll find Celebrancy is very much a lifestyle rather than standard 9am-5pm job, with the most incredible rewards!
Photo credits: Bobbie Lee, Andreas Holm, Katherine Newman Photography
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 2.8k celebrants that we are dedicated to helping grow their businesses and taking celebrancy from a hobby to a lifestyle.
AMC host the global celebrant summit, Celebrantopia, each year, where experts from the Celebrant world share their expertise and passion for Celebrancy.
The Academy of Modern Celebrancy has trained over 600 celebrants, 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.
Take the Quiz to find out if you have what it takes!
Not sure where to begin? Start here:
Are you a Celebrantin the making?
Find out if you have what it takes to be a celebrant and if now is the time for you to start this new chapter.

Download the Ultimate Guide to becoming a Celebrant & find out how you can make this happen!

If you liked this article you may enjoy ...
AI for Celebrants: Finding the Balance Between Technology and Personal Touch
At the Academy of Modern Celebrancy, we understand the excitement and trepidation surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) in our industry. As celebrants, we pride ourselves on creating unique, heartfelt ceremonies that capture the essence of the individuals we serve. So, where does artificial intelligence fit into this deeply personal craft? Read on for our AI for…
5 key insights for Funeral Celebrants in 2025
At our recent Funeral Roundtable at CelebrantTopia, we had the privilege of hearing from Sarah Wickham, a celebrant with over 12 years of experience who has witnessed firsthand the transformation of the funeral industry towards more personalised services. Sarah is a passionate advocate for eco-friendly funeral practices and even operates her own natural burial ground,…
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…
As seen in









