Irish Wedding Celebrant Susan Eyles completed the Celebrants Collective Wedding Celebrant training in October 2020. Since then she has become a valuable member of the Coastal Ceremonies wedding team and together they're making great strides in their corner of Ireland's wedding market.
We interviewed Susan to find out how she found our wedding celebrant training course and to see what her celebrant life is beginning to look like. You'll be inspired by Susan's celebrant story.
What did you do before becoming a celebrant or in addition to being a celebrant now?
As well as being a celebrant I also work as a wedding executive in a 5 star resort hotel on the west coast of Ireland.
What experiences or past skills do you think help you with being a celebrant?
I think to have a genuine interest in couples, their personalities and open communication are all key ingredients that will help me be a better celebrant.
What made you want to train to become a celebrant?
I have been in my current job for 13 years (my longest ever job!!) and I felt a bit stagnant. So I decided to do something for myself and after speaking to Clara Malone who runs Coastal Ceremonies, I thought to myself I love weddings and meeting new people and finding out how they met - it just seemed to be the right key to fit in the lock!
What did your friends and family think of your decision to become a celebrant?
They thought it was a great idea, my family and friends are so supportive. They all think that I will be a natural at it!
Why did you choose to train with the Celebrants Collective?
It was through Clara that I found about about Celebrants Collective. What is not to love about two supportive empowering women in Natasha and Claire who deliver this course? Thanks to Clara for putting me in touch with them!
Did you have any worries about being a celebrant which the course has helped you resolve?
I do struggle with speaking in public, it's something I've never had to do or have managed to dodge on purpose! For me I do want to push myself out of my comfort zone and I have to say with the tutorials you feel so motivated afterwards and I do feel my confidence has grown since the beginning of the course.
What was your most favorite part of the course and why?
I have really enjoyed all aspects, the course itself, the journey and how easy it is all laid out for us. I also love meeting the other trainee celebrants and hearing their journey. The group tutorials are amazing and fun, it is like a breath of fresh air.
How has your training with the Celebrants Collective helped you to become a confident celebrant?
Through the support of Natasha and Claire, my confidence has grown. I loved it when Claire said to me after handing in my Love Story video assignment to think of it like you are taking a bath not a shower. I don't know why but that has really stuck in my head to just slow down a little and I can hear my inner voice saying breathe, just relax and be present.
What’s been your biggest takeaway so far about training to be a celebrant?
Knowing that there is so much support from Natasha and Claire and the other celebrants. It's like a little family and we all have each others backs!
What kind of celebrant do you think you’re shaping up to be?
I hope I will bring meaning, love and lots of fun to my celebrant role.
How have you been making a name for yourself since you became certified?
I am very lucky to be part of Coastal Ceremonies, we have written a blog for Olivia Buckley International who is one of the top wedding planners in Ireland. We have been featured in a national newspaper and Clara has been working really hard on the website so we are getting great traction from that with enquiries. I also contacted all of the suppliers that I have worked with over the years to let them know what I am doing so word of mouth (Ireland is a small country!) will help us also.
What would be your advice to someone looking to train to be a wedding or funeral celebrant?
I would say, go for it! It's a really positive experience, it's something new for yourself and you will have no regrets.
Isn't Susan fabulous? We've enjoyed every minute of getting to know her and witnessing her journey as an amazing wedding celebrant.
You can find Susan here at www.coastalceremonies.com
Love this interview and the glorious rich photos! You write so well Susan