
Ceremony and Celebration – start the year and your celebrant training here!
15/16 & 22/23rd February 2025 (online across 2 weekends)Are you wondering what a celebrant does, what makes a good ceremony, or how to become a celebrant? This course gives a realistic preview of the role, explores a range of ceremonies, and starts to build essential skills. It is recommended as the first course towards the Certificate in Celebrant Studies (although other entry points are possible). You will gain a firm understanding of the nature of ceremony and ritual and the role of the celebrant in Aotearoa-New Zealand, build essential writing and delivery skills, and receive a framework for the planning and design of a broad range of contemporary ceremonies.
Weekend 15 and 16 February 9.00am – 4:00pm each day and
Weekend 22 and 23 February 9:00am – 1.00pm each day ie the course runs across two weekends
Note: We are delivering this programme fully by Zoom, but be assured that we have mastered how to keep you so engaged that time will fly on Zoom. Feedback from past participants shows that you build both skills and a professional network and have fun in the process!
Early enrolment gives you a discounted course fee – closes 11 January). To enable smooth processing of enrolments and adequate time for pre-course student preparation, we prefer enrolments at least 2 weeks before course commencement.

Marriage Celebrant Essentials
starting Thursday 27th FebruaryThis very popular, on-line, short course provides all the essentials for starting out on the right foot as a marriage celebrant. MCE ensures a thorough knowledge of the legalities imposed by the Marriage Act and recent changes affecting celebrants. You will be well set up for applying to be appointed as an independent marriage celebrant by Internal Affairs (Births Deaths and Marriages, BDM), and dealing with the tricky legal questions that invariably arise in a public role. You will learn about designing ceremonies at the simpler end of the spectrum.
This course is ideally complemented by the Ceremony and Celebration course, also in February, which provides a thorough foundation for working as a celebrant and opens possibilities for offering a wider range of ceremonies. The timing of these two courses dove-tails perfectly, so it is highly recommended to enrol for both if your circumstances allow.
Enrolment at least 5 weeks before each course commencement secures the earlybird rate and allows good time for pre-course student preparation. Enrolments less than one week before course commencement incur a 10% surcharge to cover the additional admin.
MCE February Dates:
Thursday 27 February: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Thursday 6 March: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Thursday 13 March: 7:00pm-9:30pm

Marriage Celebrant Mastery
Starting 15 April 2025 in weekly evening sessionsThis course is for those who wish to be fully trained as professional marriage and civil union celebrants providing bespoke personalised ceremonies. It builds upon our prerequisite Marriage Celebrant Essentials (MCE) course and therefore assumes a thorough working knowledge of the legalities imposed by the Marriage Act and the Civil Union Act.* We will explore the full design process and a spectrum of creative enactments that can be incorporated into contemporary ceremonies of commitment to meet the needs of client couples. You will delve into interviewing, vow coaching and managing rehearsals, as well as how to enhance both your ceremony writing and delivery.
The course is delivered in 5 evening sessions 7.00pm – 9.30pm starting Tuesday 15 April and ending Tuesday 13 May. It is practical, inspiring and very rewarding for those wanting to excel in the role.
*Note: Practising celebrants who have already conducted 5+ marriage ceremonies may apply for direct entry into this course (and bypass the MCE pre-requisite)
Earlybird entry is available until 10 March (saving you $50). After this date course fee is $625 incl GST.
We like smooth enrolments and for students to have time for precourse preparation. Enrolments received less than a week before course commencement incur a 10% surcharge to cover the additional admin required.

Marriage Celebrant Essentials
starting Thursday 27 March 2025Join this very popular, on-line, short course for aspiring marriage celebrants. THIS COURSE FILLS QUICKLY! It provides all the essentials and ensures a thorough knowledge of the legalities imposed by the Marriage Act and recent changes affecting celebrants. You will be well set up for applying or renewing your appointment with BDM, and dealing with the tricky legal questions that invariably arise in a public role. You will learn about designing ceremonies at the simpler end of the spectrum. For those keen to stay in the flow and move into ceremonies which are fully personalised, this particular MCE dovetails perfectly with the more advanced Marriage Celebrant Mastery starting 15 April.
Secure your enrolment in both courses early to benefit from the lowest course fees.
Note: MCE Earlybird discount (saving you $50 off the full price of $370 is available until 27 February) Enrolments received within the week before course commencement incur a 10% surcharge to cover the additional admin required.
Thursday 27 March 2025: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Thursday 3 April 2025: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Thursday 10th April 2025: 7:00pm-9:30pm

Professional Practice – Pt 1: Build Your Celebrant Brand
Monday 24 & 31 March and 7 April 2025Prerequisite: Ceremony & Celebration or fully completed Marriage or Funeral strand.
This is the first part of our newly formatted Professional Practice paper.
Student feedback has indicated that celebrants often start making decisions about their brand early in their training, and would appreciate some guidance to help avoid expensive mistakes. We are therefore trialing splitting our Professional Practice in to 2 parts. This first part will help you to define and/or refine your brand and to establish the systems to manage and support your practice.
The course consists of three Zoom evening sessions held 7.00pm-9.30pm on Monday 24 & 31 March and 7 April.
Please enrol before 17 March for lowest fee of $325 and to provide adequate time for pre-course work which will require some research on which to base your celebrant branding and systems. After this date a surcharge will apply to cover the necessary additional admin.
Part 2: Polish Your Practice will be available mid-year for anyone wanting to graduate in 2025.

Funeral Celebrant – superb combo of online and face-to-face training
starting Thursday 31st July 2025Our newly formatted combination of online and face-to-face funeral celebrant training has proved enormously successful in taking advantage of the convenience of Zoom and the added depth of in-person training. If you are considering how to learn to competently and confidently design and lead funeral ceremonies in NZ, there is no better option. You build some skills and knowledge in the online classes and then meet for an intensive, practical weekend in Wellington. Here you get the inside view of a Funeral Director, see a mortuary, visit a natural burial cemetery and urupa, and get live funeral delivery practice. This enriching experience builds your collegial network at the same time!
It is beneficial if you have already completed the Ceremony and Celebration paper, although practising celebrants and others with experience in the industry and/or with loss and grief may also apply. (Contact the Director to discuss your suitability). Grab this opportunity for the ultimate funeral celebrant training package.
Note the dates:
Thursday 31 July: 7:00pm-9:30pm online
Thursday 7 August: 7:00pm-9:30pm online
Thursday 14 August: 7:00pm-9:30pm online
Thursday 21 August: 7:00pm-9:30pm online
Saturday 30 August: : 10:00am-5:00pm face-to-face in Wellington
Sunday 31 August: 9:00am-3.00pm (Please note: the weekend times allow for those travelling and may be adjusted depending on group size)
Earlybird rate applies through to 25 June, after which the fee increases by $65.
Precourse work is sent prior to the first Zoom session. To provide a smooth start for the group, we need all enrolments/course admin to be concluded 10 days before commencement – enrolments after this incur a 10% surcharge. Please enrol early.