If you love weddings, have time on your hands on the weekends, and are interested in doing something different, you might enjoy being a Marriage Celebrant.

Working as a Marriage Celebrant can be a flexible and enjoyable way to make some money additional to your job, or to your work as a stay-at-home-parent. Marriage Celebrants get to be there with couples when they make their vows, making it a really special career option.

To become a Marriage Celebrant you do need a Certificate IV qualification and you need to remember, there’s a lot of competition out there. It’s a great role for those with a creative background as you will be writing and delivering ceremonies and that’s a lot of fun! If you’re really good at it, but feel that marriages aren’t your game, you can also study to become a funeral celebrant. This is definitely a tough job, but it pays well and funeral homes can send you a steady stream of work on both weekdays and weekends.

Setting Up

Becoming a Marriage Celebrant costs anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. There’s a specific course you’ll need to do, and does take time to become accredited. Apart from the study course, other set up costs include registration as a celebrant, as well as business cards, a website and perhaps a Facebook Page.

Advertising in your local paper in the area you wish to work will be a must – but word of mouth with be your best bet. Attending Wedding Expo’s and listing your services in wedding directories is also great exposure and will get your name out there.

If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a Marriage Celebrant, we’d recommend getting in contact with the Attorney General’s Department. You should also check out some of the companies that are offering the recognised courses for becoming a celebrant in Australia, including:

The Celebrants Training College
Celebrant Training

Why You’ll Love Being A Marriage Celebrant

Becoming a Marriage Celebrant is flexible and can be really enjoyable. Mostly you will be working weekends, which makes it easy to fit in with a busy family. The money also isn’t bad, and depending on your area, demand and notoriety, celebrants usually start from $400 per service. You’ll get a chance to meet lots of couples from all walks of life, and have a creative impact on their wedding.

What You Should Think About

Being a Marriage Celebrant can be a stressful job, particularly if the couple who have hired you have strong demands or specific needs from you. It’s also not something you can do without any startup money. As well as the course there are fees to keep your Marriage Celebrant license every year, and there are costs associated with travelling to weddings, and maintaining a stylish wardrobe for your jobs

At the end of the day, there isn’t huge money to be made becoming a Marriage Celebrant. However, if you just want some extra weekly money, flexible hours and have a love of the wedding industry, than this could be the job for you!