What do we cover in Our Funeral Celebrant training?

Both our Wedding Celebrant Training programme and our Funeral Celebrant Training programme are Endorsed by NOCN (National Open College Network) .

Our training is delivered one-to-one, using Google Meet or Zoom, to allow the training to be delivered to students not only all around the UK, but recently to students in Europe and the US, Australia and Canada.

The training was designed to be adaptive to allow students to learn in the best way for their individual needs. Having written the course and also delivering it, Dinah Liversidge (Founder) can be flexible in the methods of delivery.

Course Details

Instructor

Dinah Liversidge

Level

Beginner

Duration

22-26 Hours

Investment

Weekly 1-1 online £1,430

Face to Face at our Centre £1,880

Book an Informed Decision Call

Course Content

Session One – The Role of an Independent Funeral Celebrant

In this foundational session, you will gain a clear understanding of what it means to be an Independent Funeral Celebrant and what sets this role apart from other officiants.

We will explore where the celebrant fits within the overall funeral proceedings, ensuring you understand your responsibilities and contributions.

You’ll also learn about the key skills required for this profession and how they can be assessed and developed over time.

Additionally, we’ll discuss the emotional challenges of the role and provide strategies for maintaining your mental well-being while supporting grieving families.

Session Two – Working with the Bereaved

This session focuses on the delicate and essential process of working with the bereaved.

You’ll be guided through the first meeting with a grieving family, learning how to approach these conversations with empathy and professionalism.

We will also take you step by step through the entire process—from the initial enquiry to delivering a meaningful service—ensuring you feel prepared to provide compassionate and structured support.

Session Three – Outlines and Where to Begin

Developing a well-structured ceremony is at the heart of a funeral celebrant’s role.

This session will help you create a ceremony framework, ensuring a clear beginning, middle, and end.

You will also gain insight into what to expect when officiating at both crematorium and graveside services, equipping you with the confidence to navigate these different settings effectively.

Session Four – Writing Bespoke Funeral Ceremonies

Writing a heartfelt and unique funeral ceremony requires skill and creativity. In this session, we’ll share ten essential tips for crafting personalised celebrations of life.

You’ll also have the opportunity to begin drafting your first ceremony, receiving expert guidance on how to structure and refine your writing to ensure it truly honours the deceased and resonates with their loved ones.

Session Five – It’s All in the Questions

Asking the right questions is crucial to uncovering the stories and memories that shape a meaningful funeral service.

This session will explore how to conduct thoughtful and effective conversations with the bereaved, providing you with key questions designed to elicit deep and personal responses.

By mastering these techniques, you’ll be able to craft ceremonies that truly reflect the life and legacy of the individual being honoured.

Session Six – Marketing Your Funeral Celebrant Business

Building a sustainable and successful celebrant business requires strategic marketing and community engagement.

This session will guide you through the essentials of raising your profile, establishing credibility, and connecting with families in need of your services.

We’ll explore the concept of the marketing funnel, as well as techniques for growing your business independently, without solely relying on Funeral Directors for referrals.

Session Seven – Role Play Exercise

In this interactive session, you will take part in a role-playing exercise where you will conduct an interview with your tutor, acting as a client.

This practical exercise allows you to apply the questioning techniques covered in previous sessions, create a ceremony outline, and develop a full funeral script.

Personalised feedback will be provided, helping you refine your skills and gain confidence in the process.

Additional Training Included – Child Protection: An Introduction (NSPCC)

As part of your funeral celebrant training, we include NSPCC’s CPD-certified “Child Protection: An Introduction” online course to ensure you are equipped with essential safeguarding knowledge. Funerals can be emotionally complex for children and young people, and as a celebrant, you may find yourself supporting grieving families where children are present. Understanding how to recognise, respond to, and report concerns appropriately is a vital skill, ensuring that you handle sensitive situations with care and professionalism. By completing this training, you will gain confidence in addressing safeguarding concerns and supporting families in a way that prioritises the well-being of all involved.

This comprehensive training consists of four modules designed to help professionals recognise, respond to, report, and record concerns about a child’s welfare.

The course is suitable for anyone working independently or within an organisation who may come into contact with children, young people, and their families. It includes:

Introduction (30 min) – Understanding child protection fundamentals.
Module 1: Recognise Possible Abuse (50 min) – Identifying signs of neglect, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.
Module 2: Respond Appropriately (40 min) – How to act when a concern arises.
Module 3: Report Your Concerns (30 min) – Ensuring the right people and authorities are informed.
Module 4: Record Your Observations (20 min) – Documenting concerns accurately for safeguarding purposes.
Conclusion (10 min) – Key takeaways and next steps.

This training is delivered online and can be accessed at any time over a one-year period. Upon completion, you will receive a personalised certificate of achievement, reinforcing your commitment to safeguarding and professional excellence in your role as a funeral celebrant.

What’s Included



Your Very Own Printed Workbook

We send our professionally printed workbooks to you a week before we start so you can have a visual aid as we learn together.



24 Hours of One-to-One Training, learning and Assessments



3 Hour CPD Certified Child Protection Online Training with NSPCC

We include this training to ensure our funeral celebrants are equipped to handle sensitive situations involving children with confidence and care.

Audio, Video, Outline & Full Transcripts of Each Session

We believe in being as inclusive as possible for all learners. This is why we provide recordings of our sessions in a selection of formats to help you go back to them in a way that works for you.



Online assessments for individual feedback and support



Lifetime access to our resources + your session recordings

Why choose this training?

Our seven-week Life Celebrations and Funerals celebrant training programme also consists of seven, one-hour training sessions.

These are scheduled for the same day and time each week over a seven-week period. Between these sessions, students are expected to complete assignments.

In total, over the seven-week period, students should anticipate spending a total of between 22 and 26 hours to complete the training and the required research and assignments.

As Individual as You Are

Both our Wedding Celebrant Training programme and our Funeral Celebrant Training programme are Endorsed by the NOCN and you’ll receive Certification from them on completion of your course.

We also provide all students with their own online learning folder with assignments, printable workbook, resources PLUS recordings from each session in video, audio & written formats.

Book an Informed Decision Session

Let’s Stay in Touch

Book a Call

Courses for Celebrants

Professional Development

07942 188 101

dinah@celebranttrainer.com

Best Celebrant Training Welsh Enterprise Awards 2025

Reviews from my students and coaching clients:

    
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Bev Ferguson 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I have recently completed a 7-week one-to-one course via Zoom with Dinah on how to become a funeral celebrant. I can't praise and recommend Dinah and the course enough. It was just what I needed to gain understanding, knowledge and build confidence that this is something I could do.

Dinah is so open and generous when sharing her experience and advice. I really enjoyed meeting her each week to learn. The materials sent through the post at the beginning: a hard copy folder of the resources, pens, mints, tea bags, a poetry book all make you feel welcome and that this is a professional outfit.

There is an abundance of Google drive resources too inc templates and recordings to support your learning during the course and continue after. The homework is so practical and relevant and I enjoyed completing it.

And it's not the end - Dinah's support, advice, training and networking continue.

Thank you Dinah. I look forward to keeping in touch and working through my plan to deliver my first ceremony.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Charlotte Raphael 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I have just completed my training with Dinah to become a wedding celebrant which I have thoroughly enjoyed. Dinah is an excellent teacher and also extremely generous in sharing all the knowledge, tips and experience she has gained across her career. This is a fantastic course if you are considering becoming a celebrant and I feel very lucky to have been taught by Dinah.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   juliet4314 levesley 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 13 is now my lucky number! That’s because I’ve spent 13 weeks having 1-2-1 training with Dinah and it’s no exaggeration to say it’s changed my life.
I completed my wedding training at the end of 2025 and I’ve just finished my 7 week funeral celebrant training.
From the initial introductory meeting, the pre-course package including training materials and personal items chosen specifically to aid my training needs to the hour long weekly sessions on zoom, everything was 5 star.
At almost 56 years of age I never thought I’d be changing career and becoming self employed. This is the difference Dinah has made to my life. I can’t thank her enough and thoroughly recommend her for celebrant training and coaching.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Dimal Patel 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I’ve just completed the Funeral Celebrant course with Celebrant Coaching and Training Academy, and I can honestly say it has been a valuable and rewarding experience. Dinah has been incredibly supportive throughout, offering thoughtful guidance, encouragement, and truly helpful feedback at every stage of the course. Her knowledge, professionalism, and genuine passion for helping others succeed really stand out.

Thank you, Dinah, for all your valued feedback, patience, and support throughout this journey. I’ve learned so much and feel far more confident moving forward as a Funeral Celebrant. I would highly recommend this course to anyone considering this path.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Kath Chapman 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Training with Dinah has been an absolute joy. I love her approach - it aligns deeply with how I work - and I’ve enjoyed the challenges set through the course, especially the real-life case studies. Her feedback on the assignments was extremely helpful and she’s been nothing but supportive the whole way through. I’m so grateful that I found her and couldn’t recommend her training more. Thank you Dinah, you’re a star.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Melanie Bryceland 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I thoroughly enjoyed the course at Celebrant Coaching and Training Academy.  It is comprehensive and covers everything you will need to know to start your own Celebrant business.  Dinah is a patient, helpful and kind coach.  She explains everything very well and you don't ever feel like you are asking silly questions.  I highly recommend her. Melanie
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Alison Haley 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I thoroughly enjoyed my 6-week 1-to-1 Celebrant Training Course with Dinah. The structure of the course was excellent and Dinah was so patient, knowledgeable and encouraging at all times. I wanted to do well, in the course, for her as much as for me.

In the hourly sessions there was so much to cover, but Dinah was incredibly organised, making the notes and transcripts available after each session.

I thought I would be daunted by the assignments but they were laid out really well and I soon realised that completing them, as fully as possible, was as invaluable as the time spent learning from Dinah. They encouraged further in depth research and added to the knowledge Dinah was able to impart during the course.

The course content flowed naturally and the resources folder was packed full of vital information that I will continue to refer to as I continue my journey as a celebrant.

Dinah is a truly exceptional trainer and I feel fully equipped to go out into the world and start my new vocation as a funeral celebrant. I would recommend anyone who has a desire to become a celebrant (funeral, wedding or both) to take this course.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Sharron Stevenson 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Having previously completed my funeral celebrant training the year before, I thought I’d have a go at the wedding one.  As before, I was not disappointed, Dinah delivered a fantastic course, although hard work, it is easy enough to cope with and if you have any difficulties, Dinah was always on the other end of the phone for support and encouragement.  One to one training works better for me and I would highly recommend her.  Thanks again Dinah, you are very much appreciated 🙏
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Keeperoffish 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I have carried out my Celebrant training with Dinah at the Celebrant Coaching and Training Academy, and I can honestly say it was brilliant. The course she delivered was well planned out and very well delivered. Dinah was well versed in learning styles and was able to tailor the delivery in a fashion that suited my needs perfectly. I was able to gain a fantastic insight to the role being taught and felt well supported throughout the course. I would highly recommend Dinah and the academy to anyone considering the life and role of a Celebrant.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Karen Thomas 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I recently trained with Dinah on her self-paced Funeral celebrant's course. I completed the Funeral course in a few weeks and then went straight onto the wedding celebrant course. Both were thorough and I love the hard copy folder of each. I did all the work online, but having the printed version for reference is a useful scaffold.
Dinah was very quick to assess my assignments and gave useful feedback.
I can recommend the courses. I'm Looking forward to a one to one with Dinah in the near future.