All Hail the New Celebrant!

I’m thrilled to share that I’m now a certified independent wedding and vow-renewal celebrant! After a month of studying with The Celebrant Coaching and Training Academy and my excellent tutor, Dinah Liversidge, I've learned so much. There are a few ways to study: in-person sessions, one-on-one online meetings, and pre-recorded online classes. I decided to go with the pre-recorded option since it fits my learning style. The journey began with an initial suitability Zoom call, and the cost of that was deducted from my course fee of £750.

This fantastic course comprises six engaging modules accredited by the Association of Independent Celebrants (A.O.I.C.). You’ll find pre-recorded videos, downloadable slides, workbooks, and assignments to enhance your learning experience for each section. The modules include: 1. The Role of the Celebrant, 2. Wedding Questionnaires, 3. You’re a Writer, 4. The Ceremony, 5. Your Brand and Potential Niche, and 6. Social Media and Marketing.

Module 1 explores the wonderful world of wedding celebrants in the UK and around the globe. It shares valuable insights into the legal guidelines surrounding their ceremonies and offers tips on how to stay updated with the latest information.

Module 2 takes you through Dinah’s twenty-step process that a celebrant and their clients use from the first enquiry to the exciting big day! Alongside this, there’s the fantastic Wedding Questionnaire workshop to explore. The resources provided are comprehensive and extensive, leading to the creation of a master wedding questionnaire that truly shines. I'm particularly grateful to Dinah for providing a concise overview of Canva, a platform surpassing Microsoft Publisher's capabilities. It’s safe to say I’m now hooked on Canva!

Module 3 helps you start writing your first ceremony script. I created two ceremony outlines based on two fictional couples' questionnaires. These outlines include a clear beginning, middle, and end, complete with poetry, readings, and other suggestions. I wrote outlines for a wedding ceremony and a commitment ceremony. I'm now addicted to writing - I can't stop!

Module 4 focuses on the ceremony, including essential tips for planning the big day, incorporating ritual and tradition, and other ceremonies you can create and deliver as a wedding and vow-renewal celebrant. This module culminates in the development of ceremony packages that you can later offer to clients. I created a commitment ceremony, an adoption ceremony, and a graduation ceremony. The highlight of this module is writing a complete ceremony script for one of the example couples mentioned above. I chose to write a wedding script for William and David.

Module 5 centres on creating a brand and identifying a niche. I defined my six core values and personal qualities and wrote a belief statement based on my ideal clients. This process was enlightening and prompted me to reflect on these essential issues.

Module 6 delves into utilising social media, developing a marketing plan, and writing a second complete script for the remaining fictional couple mentioned earlier. I decided to write a commitment ceremony script for Jenny and Craig.

Dinah Liversidge is a born teacher, and I say this as a teacher with thirty-five years’ experience. Her videos and resources are clear and thought through, and what is refreshing these days is that she doesn’t read from the slides or a script. Most points are illustrated with an example or personal anecdote, and I felt I got to know her, at least a little, even though I was taking the pre-recorded route. I also felt like she was speaking directly to me. She is prompt with her feedback, praises where praise is due, and gives constructive ideas for improvement. I would recommend this training to anyone planning on becoming a celebrant.

I feel so thankful to Dinah for reigniting my passion for writing and poetry! She has been a tremendous help in crafting my first scripts and giving me the confidence to start my journey as a novice celebrant. I’m excited to share that I’ll be officiating my first wedding for some dear friends in September, and I truly feel ready to embark on this process together with them. What’s remarkable is that I’ve used many of my assignments to create my first ceremony packages, build my website, and even develop my entire ‘About’ page. Thanks to Dinah, I now have a clear brand vision, a solid understanding of my niche clients, a shiny new certificate, and an exciting new name: Stuart Butterworth - the Caring, Can-do Celebrant!

Here is a link to Dinah’s website: https://www.celebranttrainer.com

Stuart Butterworth - the Caring, Can-do Celebrant