What Does a Celebrant Do?
A celebrant conducts ceremonies for life transitions and rites of passage such as weddings, vow renewals and other relationship celebrations; baby namings and welcomings; and funerals and memorial services.
Some celebrants specialise ceremonies for particular kinds of occasions such as funerals or weddings, whilst others offer their services for a full range of ceremonies, including age related rites of passage, celebrations of new identity, and non religious blessings of new homes, businesses or endeavours.
Technically any person leading a ceremony can be described as a celebrant, including, religious and civil ceremonies. A celebrant may follow a particular religious or spiritual path, such as humanism, but the majority of professional celebrants provide bespoke ceremonies for people regardless of their outlook – often as an alternative to traditional religious ceremonies and rites of passage.
The tasks of a professional celebrant begin well ahead of the ceremony itself and may include any or all of the following:
Advertising their services
Via websites, leaflets and other published materials; giving talks to community groups; hosting stall, e.g. at wedding fairs; liaising with related professions such as funeral directors/ homes, wedding planners and venues.
Initial contact with potential clients
Usually by phone or email, outlining the services they offer, discussing the ceremony, and answering any questions clients may have.
Meeting with clients
This is a core part of what a celebrant does. Whatever the occasion for the ceremony, a celebrant will need to gather all the information that they need in order to create a fully personalised ceremony. A celebrant also supports their clients by offering advice and suggestions as to how each ceremony might best be structured and what it may include.
Designing and writing ceremonies
Another core task of celebrancy. A professional celebrant usually provides their clients first with an Order of Service / structured outline of the ceremony and then with a full written draft of the ceremony itself. Providing clients with a full written draft is particularly important when a celebrant will be speaking on their behalf, e.g. giving a eulogy or telling a couple’s love story. Most drafts will also include opening, closing and linking words, and often readings, blessings or central ceremonial words, e.g. for the farewell moment of a funeral, the completion of a wedding or handfasting or the naming of a baby.
Ongoing contact with clients
This may include further face to face meetings, emails and phone calls; discussion, exchanging and reading through of drafts; in the case of weddings and other family celebrations- visiting ceremony venues; liaising with other family and friends who may be contributing to or taking an active role in the ceremony; supporting clients with writing vows or speeches; answering clients’ questions and providing any reassurance needed; checking in with clients on eve of services.
Liaising with related professionals
These may include wedding venues, photographers, videographers and musicians; or in the case of funerals, funeral directors/ homes, chapel attendants and crematorium staff.
Checking practical arrangements
This could include ensuring that any necessary equipment is in place and/ or checking any music or other audio visual elements.
Undertaking Legal Responsibilities
This applies to celebrants in some parts of the world where they are able to conduct legally binding marriage ceremonies.
Conducting the ceremony
As you have seen, what a celebrant does on the day of a ceremony is a relatively small part of the whole jon of being a celebrant!
Train to do all of this and more
Our courses here at School of Celebrancy are carefully designed to train celebrants to prepare for every aspect of this work; and to equip them with all the skills and knowledge they will need to provide beautiful, bespoke ceremonies for any occasion.