Eastbourne-based certified celebrant, Celine Gucher has trained in both our wedding and funeral celebrant training courses, and now she is more than ready to take her first big steps into the celebrant world. With her new celebrant business and website - Creative Heart Ceremonies up and running and having spread the word about her new career path, Celine is looking forward to getting her first bookings and putting everything she has learnt into practice.

Read on to learn more about Celine's celebrant journey.

What did you do before becoming a celebrant or in addition to being a celebrant now?

In addition to becoming a celebrant, I also teach fitness classes and run a community choir called The Happy Place Choir in Eastbourne.

What experiences or past skills do you think helped you with being a celebrant?

I've had many different roles over the years, all of which have made me the person I am today. However, I think that standing in front of a class and teaching people over the past 10 years has given me the confidence and communication skills to become a celebrant. I also manage a choir which requires good people skills and the ability to organise and promote large public performances. I have a degree in Writing and Publishing and love writing, so creating ceremony scripts also appealed to my storytelling and creative side!

What made you want to train to become a celebrant?

The pandemic caused a great upheaval in both my personal and professional life and I was looking for something new and exciting. The more I found out about what being a celebrant involved, the more intrigued I became. It ticked all the right boxes and seemed like one of the best jobs in the world. I love people and the opportunity to be a small part in people's lives during a pivotal moment, be it a wedding or funeral, is such an honour and a privilege.

What did your friends and family think of your decision to become a celebrant?

My friends and family said that I would make a great celebrant and that I should just go for it!

Why did you choose to train with the Celebrants Collective?

I did a lot of research into several courses and was about to sign up to a course but something was holding me back. When I came across the Celebrants Collective, I felt an instant connection to Claire and Natasha. They came across as real people and were clearly incredibly passionate about the course. I didn't want to do an online course where you are studying in isolation and the weekly tutorials really appealed to me. The support you get as a student is amazing and it has surpassed my expectations.

Did you have any worries about being a celebrant which the course has helped you resolve?

My main worry about becoming a celebrant is trying to find my place in the celebrancy world and overcoming my nerves when it comes to leading a real ceremony. As a newly qualified celebrant with no experience, I know it is going to be a challenge to be taken seriously! Claire and Natasha are both extremely encouraging and always remind us to be ourselves and be proud of the work we do.

What was your most favorite part of the course and why?

I have really enjoyed the online tutorials and listening to the podcasts. I also enjoyed many aspects of the course itself, especially the assignments. The combination of video and written coursework was really helpful especially if you are an audio-visual learner. 

How has your training with the Celebrants Collective helped you to become a confident celebrant?

I've undertaken both the funeral and wedding celebrant courses. Both courses have equipped me with the knowledge and skills I need to become a more confident celebrant. I also feel that should I face any fears or struggles going forward, the Celebrants Collective will be there for me to offer positive energy, advice and support.

What’s been your biggest takeaway so far about training to be a celebrant?

That there is no right or wrong! I have also adopted Claire's suggestion to 'act as if'. As in, if I act as if I am already a successful celebrant, good things will start to happen! 

What kind of celebrant do you think you’re shaping up to be?

I hope to be an authentic, friendly, thoughtful and compassionate celebrant who is in tune with my clients and responsive to their needs and wishes. I love people and listening to their stories and want to deliver the best possible celebration that they can have. I want to offer the highest standard of service and give 100% to my role as a celebrant.

How have you been making a name for yourself since you became certified or in the process of getting certified?

I have only just qualified as a wedding celebrant and am very close to completing the funeral course!So far, I've built my website and added it to Google my Business. I am about to set up my social media pages and will also get myself listed on the Celebrants Collective Directory. I have also been telling people about what I have been doing to get the word out there. 

What would be your advice to someone looking to train to be a wedding or funeral celebrant?

I would strongly encourage them to explore the Celebrants Collective courses. The courses not only equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to qualify as a celebrant, you also have the opportunity to meet and talk to other trainee's during the tutorials and be part of the Facebook groups. It's a great way to connect with others and become part of a community of like-minded people. Natasha and Claire will always have your back and offer many words of wisdom.

We are so proud and excited to have Celine in our Celebrants Collective community and we know she'll be a fabulous celebrant ambassador.

You can find Celine here.

If reading this makes you really excited about training to be a celebrant, make sure to check out our homepage for more on our celebrant training online and in-person courses.