The Naming and Couples Celebrant Training Programme

The National Qualification Level 3 Diploma in Naming & Couples Celebrancy…your stepping stone to a great new profession!

Civil Ceremonies is proud to have been instrumental in the introduction of Celebrant-led ceremonies into the UK and for over 22 years has been the leading national commercial provider of Naming Ceremonies, Wedding and Partnership Celebration Ceremonies, Commitment Ceremonies, Renewal of Marriage and Partnership Vows. These are the ceremonies we will teach you to create and conduct.

Since we started training our own Celebrants in 2002, we have trained hundreds of Celebrants and arranged thousands of ceremonies. So we understand what families and couples look for in a Celebrant. This experience and expertise will be shared with you to give you the best possible training.

Your training

For details of how to obtain a place on the course, please contact us in the first instance for an initial discussion and details of the application process.

The training is in 2 stages; distance-learning that you complete at home, followed by residential training. Your training will be completed at the end of the residential training week, unless further work is required.

Stage 1: Distance Learning Training

The distance-learning element of the course provides a great deal of background knowledge. It includes an overview of the history of rituals and ceremonies, important legal issues around ceremonies in the UK, communicating with clients, business skills and other essential information.

Please allow plenty of time to complete this stage of the training and for assessment to take place. You will be working at your own pace during this stage and people vary with the time they need to complete it, but we will advise you. We need to receive your distance learning work in time to assess it before Stage 2, the residential course. We advise starting the distance learning a minimum of 9 weeks before the residential course. This is generally the recommended time frame to complete this stage if you have other work commitments. If you can spend more time, you can complete it more quickly. Please note that your distance learning needs to be submitted 3 weeks before your residential course.

Stage 2: Residential Training

The residential course is challenging and immensely practical. You will receive practical training in interviewing clients and writing ceremony scripts. We will also advise you how to promote your services. A large amount of reference resource is also available throughout the course. The residential training is hard work and intensive but thoroughly enjoyable!

By the end of the training programme you will have learnt:

• How to set up, promote and administer your business.
• How to explain the ceremonies that you conduct to others and understand the current legal situation with regard to ceremonies in the UK.
• How to put together the essential structure of a ceremony including appropriate inclusion of both secular and religious content and appropriate symbolic actions, music and poetry.
• What constitutes a truly personal ceremony and awareness of potential pitfalls.
• How to interview clients to obtain relevant information and effectively translate the information into a well-written ceremony script.
• How to deliver a ceremony with confidence and sensitivity.
• How to make the best use of space available at ceremonies and understand movement and logistics.
• How to present clients with a beautifully presented souvenir script to keep.