If you’ve been thinking about becoming a celebrant in Ireland, you’re in the right place! Whether you’re drawn to leading beautiful, heartfelt wedding ceremonies or creating meaningful funeral services, training as a celebrant is an exciting and rewarding path.

At the Celebrants Collective, we offer flexible, online training that allows you to gain the skills and confidence you need to become a professional celebrant—without having to travel or commit to in-person sessions.

So, if you're based in Ireland and wondering how to get started, here’s everything you need to know about training to be a celebrant with us!

What Does a Celebrant Do?

A celebrant is someone who creates and leads bespoke ceremonies for life’s most significant moments. In Ireland, this usually includes:

• Weddings – Crafting and delivering personalised wedding ceremonies for couples, whether secular, spiritual, or symbolic.
• Funerals – Writing and officiating unique funeral services that celebrate a person’s life with warmth, care, and respect.
• Other Ceremonies – Naming ceremonies, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and more.

Being a wedding or funeral celebrant means you have the freedom to design ceremonies that truly reflect the wishes and values of the people you work with, and also your own values.

How Do You Become a Celebrant in Ireland?

The great news is that there are no official licensing requirements to become a celebrant in Ireland. This means that anyone with the right training, passion, and dedication can start a career as a celebrant.

Our celebrant training gives you everything you need to step into this role with confidence.

Our Online Celebrant Training Covers:

• Wedding Celebrant Training – Learn how to create and deliver unforgettable wedding ceremonies that reflect each couple’s love story.
• Funeral Celebrant Training – Develop the skills to write and lead personalised funeral services that bring comfort and meaning to families.
• Professional Celebrant Business Skills – Learn how to set up, market, and grow your celebrant business in Ireland.
• Flexibility to Learn at Your Own Pace – Our online courses fit around your lifestyle, whether you’re working full-time, raising a family, or simply want to learn in your own time.

Will I Be Able to Legally Marry Couples in Ireland?

At present, independent celebrants in Ireland cannot legally marry couples. The legal aspect of the marriage must be handled by a registered solemniser (such as a HSE registrar or a religious/spiritual representative).

However, many couples in Ireland choose to have a legal signing first, followed by a celebrant-led wedding ceremony that truly reflects their love and values. This means there is still a huge demand for wedding celebrants in Ireland! 

Once trained as a wedding celebrant, if you decide that you also wanted to carry out the legal marriage registration as well, then there are further independent steps that you'd need to take. 

You need to be registered on the Register of Solemnisers, which is maintained by the General Register Office (GRO). There are two main ways to qualify:

1. Through a Religious or Secular Body – Most solemnisers are nominated by an approved organization (e.g., a church, Humanist Association, or Spiritualist Union). If you’re part of such a group, they can apply for you to be added to the register.
2. As a Civil Solemniser – If you’re interested in performing weddings as part of the HSE (Health Service Executive), you would need to become a civil registrar, which is a government position.

Once nominated, your details will be submitted to the GRO for approval. If accepted, you’ll be legally able to conduct marriages under the guidelines of your organization.

At present, individuals cannot register as independent solemnisers unless they are affiliated with a recognized group.  But as we mentioned previously, many Irish celebrants do not carry out the legal registration and still have a thriving business as wedding and/or funeral celebrants.

Why Train with Us?

At the Celebrants Collective, we believe that great celebrants aren’t just trained—they’re nurtured and supported. Students who train with us get:

Expert-Led Training – Learn from experienced celebrants who have officiated hundreds of ceremonies.
Ongoing Support – Gain access to a community of fellow celebrants for advice, networking, and encouragement.
Proven Success – Our graduates go on to build thriving celebrant businesses across Ireland, the UK, and beyond.

Start Your Celebrant Training Today

If you’re based in Ireland and ready to begin your celebrant journey, our online wedding and funeral celebrant training is the perfect place to start.

Find out more and enrol today at www.celebrantcourses.com.

Let's help you get started with this new and exciting celebrant journey!