Cheshire-based certified celebrant, Caroline Howarth trained in our wedding celebrant training course and now conducts weddings, civil ceremonies and vow renewal ceremonies in Cheshire.
Read on to learn more about Caroline's celebrant journey.
What did you do before becoming a celebrant or in addition to being a celebrant now?
I worked in PR & communications.
What experiences or past skills do you think helped you with being a celebrant?
Writing copy, customer stories, presenting and training.
What made you want to train to become a celebrant?
I turned 50 in 2021, my eldest son went to Uni and I wanted to do something additional to my day job in social housing which can be tough at times, something I felt at ease doing, something lighter, brighter and fun.
My cousin was getting married in 2019 and she talked to me about celebrants and her plans and this is where I got the spark of the idea from!
What did your friends and family think of your decision to become a celebrant?
They said go for it! They were really supportive and encouraging, and close friends thought it was a great idea, many of whom I've known for years who have seen me in my day job which gave me the confidence to go for it.
Why did you choose to train with the Celebrants Collective?
I looked around a lot, and loved the Celebrants Collective because the course was structured, I could do it at my own pace. It didn't feel pressured at all and Claire and Natasha were warm, friendly and knew everything! After my first few sessions and live tutorials I knew I had found my place and people!
Wedding Celebrant Caroline Howarth
Did you have any worries about being a celebrant which the course has helped you resolve?
Oh yes! Time management, organisation and money blocks were big things for me and I have listened to these parts more than once. There was plenty that extended my thinking and viewpoints more than I realised, which was very welcome.
What was your most favourite part of the course and why?
Online tutorials! They make me feel part of a great gang and I love hearing other peoples stories and questions and always come away feeling supported, uplifted and ready for the next stage. Getting action points to do and think about are also great for keeping me on track.
How has your training with the Celebrants Collective helped you to become a confident celebrant?
I feel I have more than a great bedrock to start from. I feel fully equipped and supported to get out there and get my first gig. I feel my initial idea of 'I could do that' has become a reality, pushing me outside of my lovely cosy corner into something I feel I can do a really great job at.
What’s been your biggest takeaway so far about training to be a celebrant?
What an incredible contribution to a couples wedding we can make and being part of that feels so magical to me.
What kind of celebrant do you think you’re shaping up to be?
I'm not sure quite yet, but I hope an open and warm one, willing to adapt and make suggestions to every couple.
How have you been making a name for yourself since you became certified or in the process of getting certified?
Due to Covid making its way around the family since November, I haven't had much chance, but I have three things I'm doing which were discussed at the last tutorial I attended:
- Visit two more venues.
- Do more mailings to new venues I have discovered.
- Post at least two new social posts a week!
Oh, and attend more tutorials and join the next part of the programme.
What would be your advice to someone looking to train to be a wedding or funeral celebrant?
Take a look at all that's involved, which bits make you most scared and what you think you can do about them. Think about how you would fit it into your current life and what would be your wins.
My win for 2022 would be getting to do a least one wedding, any more than that's a bonus. Think about what your wins would be and make new ones as you tick them off and continue your plans!
We are so proud and excited to have Caroline in our Celebrants Collective community and we know she'll be a fabulous celebrant ambassador
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.