My First Year as a Celebrant: A Rollercoaster, a Revelation, and the Best Decision I Ever Made
If you had told me 12 months ago that I would spend my first year as a full-time celebrant juggling funerals, weddings, naming ceremonies, networking events, radio interviews, and the occasional “WTF am I doing?” moment…I would probably have laughed, cried, and then asked for a very large G&T.
But here we are. One year in. One year braver. One year wiser. And one year more certain that I have found the job I was absolutely meant to do.
Starting with a Plan…Sort Of
Like all good business owners, I began with a business plan. And like many good business owners, I have…not quite finished it.
But I did start it, and that counts. Eighteen months ago, I delivered my very first funeral service while still working full‑time, squeezing ceremonies into evenings, weekends, and any spare moment I could find. Then, in January 2025, I took a deep breath, left my job, and officially launched my celebrant business.
My original vision was simple: funerals would be my bread and butter, and weddings and naming ceremonies would be my “year two” adventure.
Spoiler alert: the universe had other ideas.
The Work That Found Me
In my first year as a full-time Celebrant, I have had the privilege of:
· Meeting 62 families and officiating funerals for their loved ones
· Leading 2 graveside burials
· Guiding 2 ash interments
· Delivering 2 weddings
· Creating and delivering 2 naming ceremonies
That is a lot of love, loss, laughter, tears, stories, hugs, and cups of tea. Every family, every couple, every tiny new human - each one has shaped me as a celebrant and as a person.
Learning, Growing, and Occasionally Face‑Planting
I threw myself into CPD like a woman on a mission:
· Celebrant Toolkit – Kick Start 2025
· Selling Yourself
· Kick Start Your Business Success
· Cyber Security
· Funeral Services for Infants
· Create Your Business Plan
· Burials, Interment and Ashes
· New Business Worxs – Start Up Support
And somewhere in between all that, I completed my ICPC Level 3 Certificate in Civil Celebrancy in the UK Qualification.
I also travelled to Weston‑super‑Mare and Reading to deliver services, visited more funeral directors than I can count on one hand (Bowyers, Brooks, DJ Bewley, FW Jones, GF Hunt, Paul Delleny, Blackwells, Odettes, Co‑op, A E Smith, Hilliers and E Woottons to name a few), and attended crematorium open days and cemetery visits like they were tourist attractions.
Because in this job… they kind of are.
Putting Myself Out There (Even When It Felt Awkward)
Networking became a surprising part of my life this year - and not always an easy one.
I have spent my whole career working inside organisations: you join a company, absorb its values, understand its purpose, and then quietly get on with doing a good job. Your work speaks for you. You don’t have to stand in a room and announce your brilliance like a human glitter cannon.
So, stepping into the world of self‑employment, where you are the product and you have to talk about yourself…well, let’s just say the art of blowing my own trumpet leaves me reeling inside. I still don’t love it. I am still learning. And I still occasionally want to hide behind a pot plant at networking events.
But - and this is a big but - I owe a huge shout‑out to my pal and celebrant buddy Jon Hammond, who patiently talked me through the art of selling yourself without feeling like you are auditioning for The Apprentice. His advice has been gold, and I am very slowly getting braver.
And despite the internal screaming, I did it. I showed up at Chippenham Buzz, Angels Networking, Copper & Blossom Wedding Suppliers Networking, BIN in Swindon and the opening of Hilliers, Kin House in Wootton Bassett. I shadowed a wedding, attended two wedding fayres, visited venues like Avebury Farm and Wick Bottom Barn, and had four wedding meetings that reminded me just how much I adore love stories.
I even joined Hitched - which felt like a rite of passage, even if it hasn’t been particularly fruitful so far. But hey, we live and learn, and not every platform will be the golden ticket.
Unexpected Side Quests
Because being self‑employed is nothing if not creative, I also:
· Invigilated at Kingsbury Green and Abbeyfield School
· Gave a U3A presentation
· Welcome people who come to Ceroc dancing - I am the door person
· Picked up ad‑hoc work from ex‑colleagues
· Started a two‑day‑a‑week admin job
· Appeared on Radio Bath twice
· Ran stands at the Birth Network Baby Show and Little Pickles Market
· Designed and delivered a Moment to Remember Ceremony for Wiltshire Tree House, a charity that provide bereavement support for children and young people in Swindon and Wiltshire
It turns out that building a business sometimes looks like weaving together a patchwork of opportunities, income streams, and “say yes and figure it out later” moments.
My Celebrant Cohort: The Cheer Squad I Didn’t Know I Needed
One of the unexpected joys of this journey has been the incredible bond formed with my ICPC Celebrant June 2024 cohort. We may have started as classmates, but we have become something much more - a little celebrant family who live in each other’s pockets on WhatsApp.
We support each other, we listen, we vent, we laugh, we wobble, and we cheer each other on through every win, slip, or stumble. They have been my sounding board, my late‑night reassurance, my “you’ve got this” crew, and the people who truly understand the emotional weight and privilege of this work.
So, to Annette Gant, Cathy Hemsley, Jon Hammond, Louise Bates, Mary Parfitt, Sarah Bramley, and Paul Maxin - thank you. I love you guys, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart. Your support has carried me through this first year more than you know.
The People Who Held Me Up
Every new business owner needs a cheer squad, and mine has been golden. Maxine Ward, Stuart Atherton, Shannon Kuykendall, Richard Beauvoisin, Heather Morrison, Jo Ruston, Cleo Kerr, Rachel Facey, Gabriel Swift, Sarah Sampson, Ben Buttigieg and anyone I have neglected to mention - you have been my sounding board, my sanity, and my “you’ve got this” brigade.
And then there’s my family. My biggest supporters. The ones who believed in me even on the month when the money didn’t come in and Mum quietly stepped in to help. I will never forget that, thank you Dot Wheadon.
Thank You to The Funeral Directors
I want to say a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful funeral directors in Wiltshire, Swindon and Bath who have supported me, trusted me, and continued to have faith in what I do. You welcomed me in, gave me opportunities, encouraged me, and believed in my ability to serve families with compassion and care.
Without you, I have no business. Without your trust, I have no platform. And without your support, I would not be the celebrant I am becoming.
I am truly grateful.
What I Have Learned (So Far)
This year has taught me:
· Owning a business is scary, exhilarating, and a full‑blown rollercoaster
· My biggest saboteur is me - and I am learning to get out of my own way
· Asking for help is not just okay – it is essential
· You will have “WTF am I doing?” moments, and you will survive them
· Not every idea is a good one (looking at the £200 advert I placed in a free publication with zero leads)
· TikTok and Instagram are confusing, but not impossible
· Plans don’t always happen on schedule - sometimes you pivot, and that’s fine
· Trust yourself, lean on your people, and cry or laugh as required
· Humans are beautifully different, and every story matters
· I have the best job in the world, and I love every minute of it
Looking Ahead to Year Two
If year one was about learning, surviving, and saying yes…Year two is about stepping into my confidence, refining my craft, and building this into my full‑time career.
I am proud. I am grateful. I am excited. I am skint…but I am just getting started.
Lots of love - Sarah xx