Everything you need to know about to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies, to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we will give you a behind the scenes look in to life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, Award-winning Celebrant, radio personality and celebrant mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.
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Beyond The Ceremony Podcast Episode 25: Nature-Based Celebrancy in Scotland with Amanda Luscombe-Smith
Season 2 · Episode 25
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 • Duration 25:37
If you have ever pictured what a celebrant's office might look like, chances are it was not a hillside in the Scottish Highlands with a loch in the distance and a dog at your heels. But for Amanda Luscombe-Smith, The Great Glen Celebrant, that is not a fantasy.
That is a Tuesday.
A former drama student and theatre educator who spent 20 years at Eden Court Theatre in the Highlands, Amanda came to celebrancy through one of the most human experiences there is, writing and delivering her father's eulogy. In this episode, host Laura Crockett sits down with Amanda to talk about how that moment changed everything, what it really means to build a nature-based celebrancy business in Scotland, and why being completely yourself is the most powerful thing you can do for your career.
Whether you are dreaming of ceremonies on a lochside, wondering 💭 if your existing skills could transfer into celebrancy, or exploring what training looks like in Scotland specifically, this one is for you.
"Be true to who you are. The people that really want to be with you, that want to choose you, will find you." Amanda Luscombe-Smith
💡 In this episode, you'll learn:
🏴 How Amanda went from 20 years teaching drama at Eden Court Theatre in the Highlands to standing in the sea conducting a wedding ceremony
🏴 Why writing and delivering her father's eulogy was the moment everything clicked, and how that experience now shapes the way Amanda approaches every funeral she leads
🏴 The real behind-the-scenes work of celebrancy that surprises almost every new celebrant, including voice notes, questionnaires, and why the foundation skills from training matter more than you think once you are out in the real world
🏴 What nature-based celebrancy actually looks like in practice, including a beach wedding involving wrong tides, a rowing bride, hay bales, and a jellyfish sting, all in the same ceremony
🏴 How Amanda markets herself as an independent celebrant in Scotland where humanist celebrants can legally marry and she cannot, and why she sees that challenge as one of the things that made her better at her job
🏴 The M10 process and how couples handle the legal side of marriage when working with an independent celebrant in Scotland
🏴 Why funerals in the Scottish Highlands are different to the rest of the UK, and the extraordinary freedom to hold ceremonies almost anywhere with permission
This episode is perfect for:
💫 Anyone in Scotland considering celebrancy as a career; this episode covers the landscape honestly and without sugarcoating
💫 Aspiring celebrants anywhere who are still figuring out their niche; Amanda's journey is a masterclass in trusting your identity over chasing the work
💫 Qualified celebrants navigating a crowded market who want to understand how to stand out authentically
💫 Anyone drawn to outdoor, nature-based, or non-venue ceremonies who wants to see what building a business around that specialism actually looks like
💫 Anyone drawn to outdoor, nature-based, or non-venue ceremonies who wants to see what building a business around that specialism actually looks like
For more on how celebrancy works across the UK and beyond, Episode 21 is a brilliant companion listen, where Laura Crockett speaks with Málaga-based celebrant Marcia Bravo about building a celebrant career in Spain 🇪🇸 after loss, another story of finding your place and trusting the journey.
After this episode, you will understand that your niche is not something you manufacture. It is something you discover by doing the work, trusting who you are, and letting the right people find you.
Thinking About Celebrancy in Scotland 🏴?
Scotland's celebrant industry is growing fast, and as Amanda explains in this episode, being an independent celebrant there is genuinely different to the rest of the UK.
The legal landscape for wedding celebrants has its own distinct pathways, and understanding them before you train means you can build your business with clarity and confidence from day one.
The good news is that for funeral and naming celebrants, the rules are the same as the rest of the UK. And for wedding celebrants, as Amanda's own career shows, the legal distinction does not limit your ability to build something brilliant. It just means knowing who you are and who you are for, which, if this episode teaches you anything, is the whole game anyway.
Want to understand the full picture before taking the next step?
Or take our free quiz to find out if celebrancy is the right path for you.
MEET OUR GUEST, AMANDA LUSCOMBE-SMITH
Amanda Luscombe-Smith is a wedding, elopement, funeral, naming, and adoption celebrant based in Drumnadrochit in the Scottish Highlands, by the shores of Loch Ness. Trading as The Great Glen Celebrant, she trained with the Academy of Modern Celebrancy and has built a business rooted entirely in who she is. A nature-loving, adventurous, word-weaving celebrant who came to this work after 20 years in theatre education and the deeply personal experience of writing her father's eulogy, Amanda creates ceremonies outdoors across the Scottish Highlands, in all weathers, in all seasons, and occasionally in the sea. She believes the natural environment is the most magical backdrop for every milestone in life, and she has the jellyfish sting to prove it.
Laura has been an independent celebrant for 5 years and absolutely loves it. It makes her so proud seeing how far she’s come in that time. Laura feels like she’s found her calling and is so excited to keep progressing and growing her Celebrant business! Laura creates all kinds of ceremonies, including Weddings, Funerals, Vow Renewals, and Naming Ceremonies. Before she was a celebrant, Laura was a breakfast radio presenter, so her happy place is either at the front of a ceremony or sitting behind a microphone!
At home, Laura is married to Johnathan (a primary school teacher and her biggest cheerleader) and a mummy to two boys – Woody and Dougie. Laura is also a dog mum to Betty and Barney, the cockapoos! They can often be found curled up by her side when she’s writing scripts or lying by the radiator in the office when she’s on couples calls!
💒 Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered. 💒
Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, award-winning celebrant, radio personality, and host of Beyond The Ceremony.
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast Episode 24: The Power of Words in Ceremony Writing with Julie Chudleigh of Latansani
Season 2 · Episode 24
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 • Duration 39:10
Every celebrant knows that words matter. But do you know why a single adverb can cause harm at a funeral? Or how a mixed metaphor can unravel an entire ceremony in seconds? The language you choose as a celebrant does not just describe a moment. It creates one. And in this episode, host Laura Crockett is joined by someone who has spent over 30 years thinking deeply about exactly that.
Julie Chudleigh of Latansani is a celebrant, one of our fabulous Academy of Modern Celebrancy mentors, a former head of English, and someone who came to celebrancy through a remarkable series of life events including loss, lockdown, and a training course that changed the way she thought about herself entirely. In this conversation, she brings her lifetime of expertise in language and education into the world of ceremony writing, and the result is one of the most genuinely useful episodes Beyond The Ceremony has ever recorded.
Latansani, by the way, is an Arabic word meaning forget-me-not. Which tells you everything you need to know about how Julie approaches her work.
"Language shapes everything. And in ceremonies, it lands more deeply than in any other set of circumstances." Julie Chudleigh of Latansani
💡 In this episode, you'll learn:
💎 Why the words you choose as a celebrant can either create genuine connection or unintentionally divide a room, and the surprisingly subtle ways that happens
💎 The problem with clichés, mixed metaphors, and accidental comedy in ceremony scripts, including why "he was the glue that held the sandwich together" is a cautionary tale every celebrant needs to hear
💎 Why adverbs are more dangerous than you think in a funeral script, and the single word that can reframe an entire death in a way that causes real harm to grieving families
💎 How deep listening and a genuine family script review process can be the difference between a ceremony that feels personal and one that the very people it is meant to comfort
🌟 Still exploring whether celebrancy could be your calling?
MEET YOUR HOST, LAURA CROCKETT
💒 💒
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast Episode 23: Wedding Law Reform, The Consultation Explained with Sophie Easton and Russell Sandberg
Season 2 · Episode 23
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 • Duration 47:31
Something significant is happening in the UK wedding industry right now, and if you are a celebrant, a couple planning a wedding, or anyone working in the wedding world, this episode is not one to skip.
The government has launched a public consultation on wedding law reform, and the initial position is that independent celebrants should be allowed to legally marry couples. That is not legislation yet, but it is the closest the celebrant industry has ever come to one of its biggest ambitions.
And the window to respond is open right now.
In this episode, host Laura Crockett is joined by two of the most important voices in this conversation: Professor Russell Sandberg, Professor of Law at Cardiff University and one of the UK's foremost experts on marriage law reform, and Sophie Easton, campaign lead at the Give Couples Choice movement, the organisation that has been championing this change since 2020. Together they walk through exactly what the consultation on wedding law reform is, what it means for celebrants, and most importantly, what you need to do before it closes.
This is potentially the biggest change to UK wedding law in 200 years. Your response genuinely matters.
"The thing that can kill this is a lukewarm reception. It needs to be underlined that this is absolutely something the government should prioritise." Professor Russell Sandberg
💡 In this episode, you'll learn:
💎 What the government consultation on wedding law reform actually is, in plain English, and why Russell describes reading it as feeling like Christmas
💎 The seven chapters of the consultation, and exactly which three Sophie says every celebrant should prioritise in their response
💎 Why volume matters as much as quality, and why even ticking through the questions without writing lengthy answers still makes a difference
💎
And if you are ready to read more about the Wedding Law Reform Consultation (remember the most important one is #27, which can be found in chapter 6),
MEET YOUR HOST, LAURA CROCKETT
💒 💒
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast Episode 22: Brits Abroad, French Weddings with Jess May
Season 2 · Episode 22
Wednesday, July 22, 2026 • Duration 32:09
Most celebrants spend years trying to figure out their niche. Jess May accidentally fell into one of the best in the business, and almost missed it entirely because she kept ignoring the emails, and now she is leading French weddings abroad!
Here is the short version: Jess somehow ended up listed on a French wedding supplier directory, had no idea how she got there, and spent years deleting the enquiries. Then she moved to the south coast, noticed she was 20 minutes from the ferry, dug out her A-Level French, and thought: why not? That "why not" has since turned into booked weddings at châteaux, ceremonies in the south of France, and a niche that is genuinely hard to replicate.
In this episode of Beyond the Ceremony, host Laura Crockett is joined by the brilliant Jess May of Jess May's Special Days, a wedding and funeral celebrant with 13 years of experience and one of the most distinctive voices in the industry. They talk about how an accidental directory listing became a business direction, why you do not need to be bilingual to work in France, how to price destination travel without losing money or your dignity, and why your niche is probably already sitting in your inbox waiting for you to notice it.
"When you undersell yourself, you are betraying your entire industry." Jess May
💡 In this episode, you'll learn:
💎 How Jess accidentally ended up on a French wedding directory and why ignoring it for years was, in hindsight, one of the best business decisions she never made
💎 Why UK couples marrying in France often actively prefer a British celebrant, they can meet for coffee before the big day, and why that changes how you market yourself
💎 The honest truth about pricing destination travel, including all the hidden costs Laura and Jess both learned the hard way, and why "just flights and accommodation" is never the full picture
💎 Why you do not need to be fluent in French to work as a celebrant there, and how passion, preparation, and "rapidly improving French" can be more than enough to start
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast Episode 21: Starting Over in Spain, Celebrancy, Loss, and a Leap of Faith with Marcia Bravo
Season 2 · Episode 21
Tuesday, July 7, 2026 • Duration 30:54
A wedding celebrant in southern Spain, ceremonies at sunset, couples flying in from across the world, and the freedom to work from wherever the sun is shining. It sounds like a dream. But the real story behind how Marcia Bravo got there is even more extraordinary than the life she's living now.
What do you do when grief leaves a hole so big that a new city just won't fill it? If you're Marcia, you learn to ride a bike, start Spanish lessons on your birthday, volunteer with the Red Cross in Cádiz, sell your house the day before your flight, and start again at 49 in Málaga. Then, during the COVID lockdown, with one hour of outdoor time a day, you find celebrancy, and everything clicks.
In this episode of Beyond the Ceremony, host Laura Crockett is joined by AMC mentor and Málaga-based wedding celebrant Marcia Bravo for an honest, warm, and genuinely eye-opening conversation about what it really takes to build a celebrant career in Spain. This one is for anyone who has ever wondered if it is too late to start over, or thought that a career change of this scale simply isn't possible for someone like them.
"Celebrancy found me. I didn't find it. And we clicked." Marcia Bravo
💡 In this episode, you'll learn:
💎 How Marcia turned personal grief into one of the most courageous career changes you'll hear on this podcast, and why she says she would do every bit of it again
💎 What celebrancy in Spain actually looks like day to day, including why planners hold far more power than venues, and why that changes how you build your client relationships
💎 The one financial reality that catches almost every celebrant in Spain off guard: automatic VAT registration from day one, and what it means for how you price your ceremonies
💎 Why you do not need to speak Spanish to work as a celebrant in Spain, but why learning it gives you a real edge with planners and on ceremony days
💎 How the Spanish wedding season works, why ceremonies often start at five or six in the evening, and what August means for your diary
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast Episode 20: Intro to Season 2 with Laura Crockett
Season 2 · Episode 20
Thursday, June 18, 2026 • Duration 18:23
Celebrancy is one of the fastest-growing careers in the UK (and world) right now, and Beyond The Ceremony is the podcast that takes you inside it. Whether you're a qualified celebrant, somewhere in your training, or just wondering if this could be the career change you've been looking for, you're in exactly the right place.
Season 2 is here. And honestly? It's going to be even better.
In this opening episode, host Laura Crockett welcomes you back for Season 2 of Beyond The Ceremony, and if you're new, she gives you everything you need to know about the show, her story, and why right now is such a brilliant time to be part of the celebrant world.
Laura shares a candid look at the state of the celebrant industry in 2026, including a shift in couple booking behaviour that is catching a lot of wedding suppliers off guard, and why the growing number of celebrants, especially in the UK, is actually good news for everyone in the profession.
"75% of the work is done before the day itself. 25% on the day. Being somewhere that you feel creative is really, really important." Laura Crockett
💡 In this episode, you'll learn:
💎 Why couples are booking their celebrants later in 2026, and what that means practically for your wedding business and your diary
💎 Why a growing celebrant market is a sign of a healthy profession, not a threat to your bookings
💎 The 75/25 rule that every new celebrant needs to hear: how the real work of celebrancy gets done long before you stand up at a ceremony
💎 How Laura rebuilt her celebrant business from scratch after relocating, and how she went from scared to her busiest year ever in three years flat
💎 Why Laura finally trained as a funeral celebrant in 2024, and the deeply personal reason that changed her mind about it
💎 What's coming in Season 2, including more practising celebrants, destination wedding episodes, international guests, and a full episode on the power of words in ceremony writing
💒 💒
MEET YOUR HOST, LAURA CROCKETT
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast Episode 19: Your Celebrant Questions Answered
Season 1 · Episode 19
Wednesday, December 17, 2025 • Duration 26:43
As Season 1 of Beyond the Ceremony comes to a close, host Laura Crockett steps behind the mic for a final, solo episode, answering all of the celebrant questions you’ve been sending in this season.
Laura is a practising celebrant and mentor at TheAcademy of Modern Celebrancy, and for this finale, she opens up her sparkly pot of audience questions and answers them live, unscripted, and honestly.
From the practical realities of running a celebrant business to confidence, boundaries, creativity, and career sustainability, this episode offers a grounded look at what celebrancy really involves behind the scenes.
💡 In this episode, Laura explores:
How celebrants manage seasonal work and income throughout the year
What the off-season actually looks like in practice
When and how your brand identity develops, and why it’s allowed to change
The best advice Laura has received, and why “be yourself” really matters
Whether age, experience, or background affects how celebrants are perceived
How much time truly goes into preparing a ceremony
Planning holidays, rest, and boundaries in a people-focused business
Why community and fellow celebrants are essential for emergencies and support
Life events that deserve more celebration, including vow renewals and parenthood
What’s worth investing in beyond training to build a sustainable celebrant business
The role of ongoing learning and professional development over time
This episode is especially valuable for anyone exploring celebrancy as a career, newly trained celebrants finding their feet, or those curious about the realities of working in this space long-term.
It’s honest, reassuring, practical, and full of small insights that only come from lived experience.
If you’ve enjoyed this season, leaving a rating on or over on would be greatly appreciated. Or even a simple , where you can watch each episode unfold and finally put a face to the name. Sharing the podcast with friends or family considering becoming a celebrant would be wonderful as well.
But for now, a BIG thank you for being part of the journey.
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast Episode 18: Celebrancy in Scotland
Season 1 · Episode 18
Friday, November 21, 2025 • Duration 37:43
Ever wondered what really sets celebrancy in Scotland apart when it comes to weddings, ceremony choices, and the way celebrants work?
In Episode 18 of Beyond the Ceremony, Laura is joined by the brilliant Niki Smith, an Independent Celebrant and Chair of The Fulcrum Foundation, an organisation that provides inclusive legal weddings and civil ceremonies across Scotland.
Bringing decades of experience in dance, teaching, community arts, and events, Niki has a rare gift for understanding people and drawing out the heart of their stories. Her ceremonies are filled with warmth, depth, and meaning, and her insight into Scotland’s celebrancy landscape is a masterclass in empathy, flexibility, and human-centred practice.
This conversation opens up what celebrancy in Scotland really looks like — not just in law, but in lived experience, creativity, and the way celebrants hold space for every kind of story.
In this episode, you will learn:How celebrants work within Scotland’s inclusive marriage landscape
Niki explains how authorised celebrants operate in Scotland, how belief-based authorisation works, and why couples often turn to independent celebrants for the freedom to shape a ceremony that genuinely reflects who they are.
Why personalisation matters more than format
You’ll hear real stories of couples who blended faith traditions, honoured religious family members, included hymns or readings, or simply wanted their values reflected in a meaningful way.
Why choice, empathy, and curiosity sit at the heart of Scottish celebrancy
Niki describes how celebrants support couples through deeply personal conversations, helping them articulate what matters most and shaping ceremonies that feel authentic.
The realities couples face under restrictive systems elsewhere
Although the episode never discusses the Give Couples Choice movement, it does reveal how couples react to being told they “must” do things a certain way, and why Scotland’s flexibility resonates so strongly.
Why this episode matters
💒 Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered. 💒
MEET YOUR HOST, LAURA CROCKETT
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast Episode 17: Marriage Law Reform
Season 1 · Episode 17
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 • Duration 38:11
Marriage law reform has been a long-awaited topic in the world of celebrancy, raising one big question: will independent celebrants ever be able to legally marry their couples?
In this episode, host Laura Crockett is joined by Professor Russell Sandberg, a leading expert on law and religion, whose research has helped shape national discussions on modernising wedding law in the UK.
Together, they unpack what’s been happening behind the scenes, what the government’s next consultation could mean, and how celebrants can play a part in shaping the future.
Russell shares his insights into the Law Commission’s recommendations, the government’s recent response, and why education and public awareness are crucial steps forward. Despite the slow pace of reform, there are real reasons for optimism, and independent celebrants have an opportunity to be part of the conversation like never before.
💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:
What’s happening with the upcoming marriage law reform consultation, and how it came about
Why humanist marriages are likely to be legally recognised, and what that means for independent celebrants
How celebrants can educate MPs, share real stories, and have their voices heard
Why the move towards regulated officiants could be a positive step for everyone
What we can learn from reform in other countries, where change is already underway
As Russell puts it, reform might move slowly, but progress is happening, and the more informed, visible, and united celebrants are, the stronger their case for recognition will be.
A must-listen for every celebrant who believes in equality, inclusion, and the right to celebrate love your way.
💒 Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered. 💒
MEET YOUR HOST, LAURA CROCKETT
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast Episode 16: Celebrancy In Ireland
Season 1 · Episode 16
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 • Duration 41:47
Connie Keogh has built a celebrant life that is equal parts practical, theatrical, and utterly joyful. Based in Ireland, Connie is the force behind Hitched by Connie, a registered Solemniser who loves the less ordinary, the inclusive, and the beautifully human.
In this episode of Beyond The Ceremony, Connie talks to Laura Crockett about how she found celebrancy, and what it actually looks like to lead legal ceremonies in Ireland.
Connie’s story is full of lovely twists. She explains how a tiny £40 caravan and a mobile prosecco bar led to falling in love with celebrant ceremonies.
She also walks us through the mechanics of being a Solemniser, the register process, the legal rules you need to know, and how non-denominational celebrants can include religious elements when couples want them to.
If you want a clear, friendly explanation of how weddings work in Ireland, and a warm, realistic view of what life as a celebrant looks like there, this conversation is for you.
Connie is frank about the highs and the hidden hours; she shares unforgettable ceremony memories, and she offers practical advice for anyone thinking of training.
Highlights
🕊️ What a Solemniser is and how the register works in Ireland.
🕊️ How non-denominational celebrants can safely include religious or cultural elements.
🕊️ Connie’s leap from engineering to events, and how a tiny caravan sparked a whole new career.
🕊️ The realities of ceremony days, travel, late nights, and the emotional come down.
🕊️ Practical tips for new celebrants on finding your tribe, planning your diary, and saying yes without burning out.
This episode is for
Those curious about celebrancy in Ireland, how it differs from the UK, and what the title Solemniser means.
Anyone who wants an honest view of the job beyond the Instagram highlights.
Celebrants who work with mixed faith or multicultural couples and want ideas for inclusive ceremonies.
Anyone considering a creative career change, especially those who want flexibility and meaningful work.
if celebrancy is calling you, take the training, find your people, and get started. There is room for creativity, legality, and compassion to live side by side.
💒 Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered. 💒
MEET YOUR HOST, LAURA CROCKETT
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💎 The story of a funeral that went wrong, what happened, and whatevery celebrant can learn from it
💎 How Julie structures her consultation process to navigate multiple voices, conflicting opinions, and the moments when what a family tells you and what they actually need are two very different things
💎 Julie's forthcoming poetry book, Ferocious Women, why she wrote it, and a live reading from the collection that gives a genuine glimpse of what language can do when it is used with real intention
💎 Why teachers, writers, and anyone with a background in communication often make some of the most instinctively skilled celebrants in the industry
✨ This episode is perfect for:
Qualified celebrants who want to sharpen their scriptwriting and think more intentionally about the language they use in ceremonies
Academy of Modern Celebrancy students who are working on their scripts right now and want to understand the deeper craft behind the words they are choosing
Teachers, writers, or public speakers considering celebrancy who want to understand how their existing skills translate directly into ceremony work
Anyone who has ever sat in a ceremony and felt that something in the language was slightly off, but could not quite put their finger on why
After this episode, you will never write a ceremony script the same way again. You will notice adverbs you never noticed before, question every metaphor you reach for, and understand why the most powerful thing you can do for a family or a couple is to listen with the intention of getting it exactly right.
Julie is a celebrant and former head of English with over 30 years in education across the UK and internationally. She founded Latansani, an Arabic word meaning forget-me-not, as the name for her celebrant business, and it captures exactly what she is about. Julie wants every ceremony she leads to be unforgettable, for all the right reasons. A mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy, a lifelong lover of language, and a forthcoming poet, Julie brings a depth of craft to ceremony writing that is genuinely rare in the industry.
Laura has been an independent celebrant for 5 years and absolutely loves it. It makes her so proud seeing how far she’s come in that time. Laura feels like she’s found her calling and is so excited to keep progressing and growing her Celebrant business! Laura creates all kinds of ceremonies, including Weddings, Funerals, Vow Renewals, and Naming Ceremonies. Before she was a celebrant, Laura was a breakfast radio presenter, so her happy place is either at the front of a ceremony or sitting behind a microphone!
At home, Laura is married to Johnathan (a primary school teacher and her biggest cheerleader) and a mummy to two boys – Woody and Dougie. Laura is also a dog mum to Betty and Barney, the cockapoos! They can often be found curled up by her side when she’s writing scripts or lying by the radiator in the office when she’s on couples calls!
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered.
Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies, to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, award-winning celebrant, radio personality, and host of Beyond The Ceremony.
The one question every celebrant should be asking their couples to answer right now, question 27 (in chapter 6), more powerful than a Google review at this moment in time
💎 What the Dignity Framework is, why it matters for how you conduct ceremonies, and the food and drink question that has the whole industry talking
💎 Why authentic, personal responses based on your own experience will always land better than polished legal language or any kind of template response
💎 How long this is likely to take to become legislation, what David Lammy said on camera before leaving the role, and why the timeline depends heavily on the strength of the consultation response
💎 How to actually submit your response to the wedding law reform, online, by email, or by post, and why you can save your progress and come back to it
✨ This episode is perfect for:
Every qualified celebrant in the UK right now; this affects your business directly, and your response is needed
Aspiring celebrants and students who want to understand the landscape they are training into and why this moment matters
Couples who have had a celebrant-led wedding or are planning one; your voice carries weight in this consultation
Anyone in the wedding industry- photographers, venue owners, planners- who has ever watched a celebrant ceremony and thought: this is exactly what weddings should be
If you want the broader picture on why wedding law reform has been so long in the making, Episode 17 is essential listening. Laura Crockett explored the Give Couples Choice campaign in depth with Russell Sandberg back in Season 1, and it gives this episode the context it deserves.
After this episode, you will know exactly what to do, what to read, which questions to focus on, how long to set aside, and why filling in that consultation on wedding law reform might be the single most useful thing you do for your celebrant career this year.
Take our quiz to find out if you have what it takes, and whether now is the right time to start your journey!
MEET OUR GUESTS, SOPHIE EASTON AND RUSSELL SANDBERG
Sophie Easton is the campaign lead at the Give Couples Choice movement, the organisation at the forefront of pushing for wedding law reform in the UK. Sophie has been instrumental in building momentum around the consultation and mobilising the celebrant community to respond.
Professor Russell Sandberg is a Professor of Law at Cardiff University, specialising in religion and law, and one of the UK's leading academic voices on marriage law reform. He is the author of The Need for Reform on religion and marriage law.
Laura has been an independent celebrant for 5 years and absolutely loves it. It makes her so proud seeing how far she’s come in that time. Laura feels like she’s found her calling and is so excited to keep progressing and growing her Celebrant business! Laura creates all kinds of ceremonies, including Weddings, Funerals, Vow Renewals, and Naming Ceremonies. Before she was a celebrant, Laura was a breakfast radio presenter, so her happy place is either at the front of a ceremony or sitting behind a microphone!
At home, Laura is married to Johnathan (a primary school teacher and her biggest cheerleader) and a mummy to two boys – Woody and Dougie. Laura is also a dog mum to Betty and Barney, the cockapoos! They can often be found curled up by her side when she’s writing scripts or lying by the radiator in the office when she’s on couples calls!
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered.
Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, award-winning celebrant, radio personality, and host of Beyond the Ceremony.
💎 How your niche is probably already visible to everyone around you, and why asking your couples and peers is far more reliable than trying to figure it out yourself
💎 Jess's standout piece of advice on pricing that every celebrant in the industry needs to hear, newly qualified or not
💎 Why evolving your business after years in the industry is not a reinvention; it is just growth, and why you should honour that in yourself rather than fight it
✨ This episode is perfect for:
Qualified celebrants who have been doing this for a while and are wondering what their next chapter looks like
Aspiring celebrants who are overthinking their niche and need permission to just start, then figure it out
Anyone living near a coast or a ferry port who has quietly wondered whether destination work could be part of their business
Newly qualified celebrants who need to hear Jess's pricing advice before they set their first fees
Jess started in 2013 when no one knew what a celebrant was, and there were barely any others doing it. If you want to hear how the industry has changed from someone who has lived it, this is the episode. And if you want to understand how to build a business that genuinely evolves with you over 13 years, this is also the episode.
After this episode, you will understand that your niche does not have to be planned; it has to be noticed. And that the most powerful thing you can do for your business, and for the entire celebrant industry, is charge what you are actually worth.
🌟 Still exploring whether celebrancy could be your calling?
💒 Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered. 💒
Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, award-winning celebrant, radio personality, and celebrant mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.
About the People in This Episode
Jess May, Guest
Jess May has been a wedding and funeral celebrant for 13 years, and she comes with a yawn-free guarantee. Based on the south coast of England and trading as Jess May's Special Days, she is one of the UK's most experienced independent celebrants and, by her own admission, considerably more than just the pink-haired lady. Her ceremonies are built on humour, emotional honesty, and a deep conviction that a wedding without a proper ceremony is just a party. Jess trained in 2013 with the Fellowship of Professional Celebrants, well before origin stories were a thing, and has spent over a decade cheerleading for couples and throuples who want that. She is now carving out a growing niche in the French destination market and co-hosts the Opening Ceremony podcast.
Laura Crockett is an award-winning wedding and funeral celebrant based just south of Stratford-upon-Avon, covering the Cotswolds and West Midlands. She is a mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy and the host of Beyond the Ceremony, the podcast dedicated to modern celebrancy, unfiltered. Laura has been working as a celebrant since 2019 and is passionate about helping aspiring celebrants find their calling and build careers they genuinely love.
💎 How destination couples handle the legal side of marriage in Spain, and why the Gibraltar route is more popular than most people realise
💎 Marcia's advice for anyone sitting on the fence about training, and why she says the fact that you're even thinking about it is already your answer
✨ This episode is perfect for:
Anyone living in Spain or Europe, and wondering whether celebrancy could work as a career where they are
Aspiring celebrants who feel they have left it too late or that the change is too big; Marcia started at 49
Qualified celebrants curious about destination weddings and how the international market actually operates
Anyone drawn to the idea of building a celebrant business with a different kind of lifestyle at the centre of it
If you're interested in how celebrancy works in different parts of the world, Episode 18 is a great companion listen, where Laura Crockett explores celebrancy in Scotland with Niki Smith and digs into how regional differences shape the way celebrants work.
After this episode, you'll know exactly what building a celebrant career in Spain involves: the lifestyle, the business structure, the legal landscape, and the discipline it actually takes, so you can decide whether this path is genuinely for you.
🌟 Still exploring whether celebrancy could be your calling?
💒 Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered. 💒
Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies, to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, award-winning celebrant, radio personality, and celebrant mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.
About the People in This Episode
Marcia Bravo, Guest
Marcia Bravo is a vibrant, warm destination wedding and elopement celebrant based in Málaga, southern Spain. She specialises in multicultural, multiracial, and bilingual ceremonies, weaving together English and Spanish for couples travelling to Spain from all over the world. Known for her trademark earrings, bright clothes, and boundless energy, Marcia is with her couples from the very first conversation right through to their wedding day. She also offers a range of new beginnings ceremonies for couples stepping into a fresh chapter together. Marcia is a mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.
Laura Crockett is an award-winning wedding and funeral celebrant based just south of Stratford-upon-Avon, covering the Cotswolds and West Midlands. She is a mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy and the host of Beyond the Ceremony, the podcast dedicated to modern celebrancy, unfiltered. Laura has been working as a celebrant since 2019 and is passionate about helping aspiring celebrants find their calling and build careers they genuinely love.
💎 How to get involved and shape the season, because Laura genuinely wants to hear from you
✨ This episode is perfect for:
Anyone brand new to the show or to celebrancy, this is your best starting point for Season 2
Aspiring celebrants wondering what a real, working celebrant's journey actually looks like
Qualified celebrants who want to understand what's shifting in the industry in 2026 and stay ahead of it
AMC students who want to hear from the perspective of someone who has trained, built, moved, rebuilt, and is now thriving
If you listened all the way through Season 1, welcome back, and if you're just joining us, Season 1 is well worth going back to. Episode 2 is a brilliant place to start, where Laura Crockett breaks down exactly what a celebrant's working day actually looks like, from the desk work to the ceremony day itself.
After this episode, you'll understand not just who Laura is and why she does this work, but what the celebrant profession actually looks like on the ground in 2026 and why this is one of the most exciting moments to be part of it.
🌟 Still exploring whether celebrancy could be your calling?
Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered.
Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies, to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, award-winning celebrant, radio personality, and celebrant mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.
Laura has been an independent celebrant for 5 years and absolutely loves it. It makes her so proud seeing how far she’s come in that time. Laura feels like she’s found her calling and is so excited to keep progressing and growing her Celebrant business! Laura creates all kinds of ceremonies, including Weddings, Funerals, Vow Renewals, and Naming Ceremonies. Before she was a celebrant, Laura was a breakfast radio presenter, so her happy place is either at the front of a ceremony or sitting behind a microphone!
At home, Laura is married to Johnathan (a primary school teacher and her biggest cheerleader) and a mummy to two boys – Woody and Dougie. Laura is also a dog mum to Betty and Barney, the cockapoos! They can often be found curled up by her side when she’s writing scripts or lying by the radiator in the office when she’s on couples calls!
Every engagement truly will help fuel and make Season 2 possible. And if there’s something you’d love to hear covered next, Laura would love to hear from you. Email us at hello@academyofmoderncelebrancy.com.
While this episode focuses specifically on Scotland, the deeper lessons carry across the whole celebrancy profession.
Scotland shows what becomes possible when celebrants are trusted to work with skill, emotional intelligence, and creative freedom. And this is exactly why the foundations taught at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy matter, wherever you choose to practise.
The episode highlights, in practice, the very skills the Academy of Modern Celebrancy builds:
Deep listening
Empathy as a working tool
Crafting story-rich scripts
Holding space for culture, religion, and personal meaning
Delivering ceremonies with confidence and presence
These core abilities are essential for:
Independent celebrants in Scotland offering vow renewals, symbolic ceremonies, and non-legal weddings
Celebrants anywhere in the world, where personalisation is becoming increasingly important
Future celebrants who may later seek authorisation through belief organisations in Scotland
No matter where you work, your Academy of Modern Celebrancy training gives you the creative and professional toolkit required to serve people with authenticity, compassion, and confidence, and this episode shows exactly why those foundations matter.
Who this episode is perfect for
Anyone considering a career as a celebrant in Scotland
Trainee celebrants wanting to understand how stories shape ceremonies
UK celebrants curious about how Scottish flexibility could influence future models
Anyone who loves hearing about the heart-led side of ceremony work
🌟 Enjoyed the episode?
Still exploring if celebrancy is right for you?
Take our quizto see if this path might be the perfect fit.
Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies, to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we will give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, Award-winning Celebrant, radio personality, and celebrant mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.
Niki Smith is a fully qualified Independent Celebrant and the Chair of The Fulcrum Foundation. Based in Glasgow, she brings a lifelong passion for people, storytelling, and creativity to every ceremony she leads. With a vibrant background that spans professional dance, teaching, playwork, events management, and the running of community and arts facilities, Niki has spent her entire career working closely with people and championing their stories.
Dedicated, dependable, and full of heart, Niki prides herself on going above and beyond to ensure every ceremony feels unforgettable. She brings professionalism, creativity, and a touch of playfulness to every step of the journey. If anything goes awry on the day, her dance background means she’s more than capable of redirecting attention with a smile. Niki believes ceremonies should be alive with love, laughter, and connection, never dull or predictable, and she brings that philosophy to every event she leads.
Laura has been an independent celebrant for 5 years and absolutely loves it. It makes her so proud seeing how far she’s come in that time. Laura feels like she’s found her calling and is so excited to keep progressing and growing her Celebrant business! Laura creates all kinds of ceremonies, including Weddings, Funerals, Vow Renewals, and Naming Ceremonies. Before she was a celebrant, Laura was a breakfast radio presenter, so her happy place is either at the front of a ceremony or sitting behind a microphone!
At home, Laura is married to Johnathan (a primary school teacher and her biggest cheerleader) and a mummy to two boys – Woody and Dougie. Laura is also a dog mum to Betty and Barney, the cockapoos! They can often be found curled up by her side when she’s writing scripts or lying by the radiator in the office when she’s on couples calls!
Take our quizto see if this path might be the perfect fit.
Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies, to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we will give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, Award-winning Celebrant, radio personality, and celebrant mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.
Professor Russell Sandberg is a leading voice in the field of Law and Religion, known for his insightful work exploring how law connects with culture, belief, and everyday life. Based at Cardiff University, his research delves into the history and evolution of marriage law and the role of faith and freedom within it.
With a particular focus on reform and inclusion, Russell’s work has helped shape national conversations about modernising wedding law in the UK and recognising the vital role of independent celebrants. Passionate about making law understandable and human, he brings a rare blend of academic rigour and empathy to the discussion around how we celebrate love, equality, and choice in modern society.
Laura has been an independent celebrant for 5 years and absolutely loves it. It makes her so proud seeing how far she’s come in that time. Laura feels like she’s found her calling and is so excited to keep progressing and growing her Celebrant business! Laura creates all kinds of ceremonies, including Weddings, Funerals, Vow Renewals, and Naming Ceremonies. Before she was a celebrant, Laura was a breakfast radio presenter, so her happy place is either at the front of a ceremony or sitting behind a microphone!
At home, Laura is married to Johnathan (a primary school teacher and her biggest cheerleader) and a mummy to two boys – Woody and Dougie. Laura is also a dog mum to Betty and Barney, the cockapoos! They can often be found curled up by her side when she’s writing scripts or lying by the radiator in the office when she’s on couples calls!
If you liked this episode, stick around for episode 17, all about celebrancy in Scotland, to be released soon.
🌟 Enjoyed the episode?
Still exploring if celebrancy is right for you?
Take our quizto see if this path might be the perfect fit.
Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies, to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we will give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, Award-winning Celebrant, radio personality, and celebrant mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.
Hitched by Connie is a Wedding Celebrant and RegisteredSolemniser who brings an unconventional background and infectious energy to every ceremony. After 25 years as a Chartered Civil Engineer in construction, Connie made the leap to celebrancy, driven by her love for the less ordinary and her passion for daring to be different. Whether it's a misty morning meadow, a secluded beach, a wild woodland, or an opulent castle courtyard, she guides couples with confidence to create personalized wedding ceremonies filled with humor, style, and heart.
When she's not celebrating love, Connie enjoys time with her husband and four children, her vintage caravan wedding bar "Marilyn" (featured on Hitched Collective), and her passion for wine; she holds a WSET Level 3 with Distinction. A self-proclaimed show-off who loves making people laugh, she's motivated by couples ready to celebrate in an "unboring" way.
Laura has been an independent celebrant for 5 years and absolutely loves it. It makes her so proud seeing how far she’s come in that time. Laura feels like she’s found her calling and is so excited to keep progressing and growing her Celebrant business! Laura creates all kinds of ceremonies, including Weddings, Funerals, Vow Renewals, and Naming Ceremonies. Before she was a celebrant, Laura was a breakfast radio presenter, so her happy place is either at the front of a ceremony or sitting behind a microphone!
At home, Laura is married to Johnathan (a primary school teacher and her biggest cheerleader) and a mummy to two boys – Woody and Dougie. Laura is also a dog mum to Betty and Barney, the cockapoos! They can often be found curled up by her side when she’s writing scripts or lying by the radiator in the office when she’s on couples calls!
