Marriage Celebrant Essentials (July)
starting Tuesday 21st July 2026Original price was: $425.00.$350.00Current price is: $350.00. incl. GST
This 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.
Class times on Zoom:
Tuesday 21 July 2026: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Tuesday 28 July 2026: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Tuesday 4 August 2026: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Earlybird rate applies through till 22 June
Enrolments less than one week before course commencement incur an additional admin surcharge
This paper is complemented by Marriage Celebrant Mastery which will be offered once more this year in Sept/Oct in time for graduation for those who have completed all other requirements. See other course listings.
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Marriage Celebrant Mastery
Starting Tues 18th August 2026 in weekly evening sessionsThis in-depth course is designed for those seeking to become fully trained, professional marriage and civil union celebrants offering bespoke, personalised ceremonies.
Building on the foundation of our Marriage Celebrant Essentials (MCE) course, this MCM course assumes a strong working knowledge of the legal responsibilities outlined in the Marriage Act and Civil Union Act.*
You’ll explore the full design process and a broad range of creative elements that can be woven into modern ceremonies of commitment. Through practical, hands-on learning, the course covers:
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Interviewing techniques
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Vow coaching
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Enhancing your ceremony writing and delivery
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Responding to the diverse needs of couples
- Managing Rehearsals
Whether you’re aiming to deepen your celebrant practice or elevate your professionalism, this course is practical, inspiring, and fun!
Course Format:
Tuesdays, 18 August – 15 September
⏰ 5 weekly evening sessions, 7:00pm–9:30pm (via Zoom)
*Practising celebrants who have already conducted four or more marriage ceremonies may apply for direct entry, bypassing the MCE prerequisite.
Enrolment Details:
To ensure smooth enrolment and allow time for pre-course preparation, we strongly recommend registering early. Earlybird rate available until 21 July, so please enrol early!
Professional Practice – Build Your Brand
Monday 13, 20 & 27th July 2026Prerequisite: This is designed for students who have already completed at least one Certificate paper. Practising celebrants wanting to improve their management and marketing systems are also welcome to enrol in this as Ongoing Professional Development (OPD) which is recognised by Celebrants Aotearoa.
Student feedback has shown that celebrants often start making decisions about their brand early in their training, so to help avoid expensive mistakes, our Professional Practice strand is divided into two, shorter, stand-alone courses, each with a distinct focus. This first one (BYB) helps you to define and/or refine your brand and to establish the systems to manage, market, and support your practice. This course can be taken at any point during your training.
The course consists of three Zoom evening sessions held 7.00pm-9.30pm on Monday 13, 20 & 27 July and an applied assignment on which you will receive individual feedback.
To provide adequate time for pre-course work (which will require some research on which to base your celebrant branding and systems), and to take advantage of the earlybird rate, please enrol by 31 May.
Polish Your Practice (PYP), the ceremony design part of Professional Practice, will be offered both in May and September, and is best undertaken towards the end of your Certificate programme. We hope these two opportunities enable as many current students as possible to complete course requirements and graduate as part of our special 30th Anniversary event in Auckland on 21/22 November. It would be wonderful to have you there – so save the date!
Polish Your Practice (Prof Practice – Pt 2)
starting Monday 21 September 2026Prerequisite: This paper is one of the two short courses that make up our Professional Practice strand. It is typically completed last in your CertCelSts qualification, but may be taken prior to Pt 1 – Building Your Brand. Please contact the Director if you are uncertain about your eligibility.
Polish Your Practice consolidates your learning across the four quadrants of professional celebrant practice to refine your craft. It focuses on strengthening client engagement for more complex ceremonies, deepening your understanding of ceremonial purpose, and advancing your capability in working with diversity, difference, and sensitive contexts.
In addition, we examine emerging sector issues, including the role of technology and artificial intelligence in contemporary celebrancy. Participants may request specialist topics of interest, allowing the cohort’s needs to shape elements of the curriculum.
The course is delivered over four Zoom sessions, held weekly, 7.00pm-9.30pm (NZT) on these dates:
Monday 21 September 2026
Monday 28th September 2026
Monday 5th October 2026
Monday 12th October 2026
Sessions combine discussion, case studies, skill-building exercises, ceremony delivery, and facilitated peer reflection. If you are aiming to graduate this year, please note this is the final opportunity to complete this paper in 2026.
Enrol by 31 August for earlybird rate
Marriage Celebrant Essentials (June)
starts Tuesday 23 June 2026 on ZoomThis very popular, on-line, short course provides all the essentials for starting out on the right foot as a marriage celebrant. It 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 and practical tips to build your confidence.
Class times on Zoom:
Tuesday 23 June 2026: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Tuesday 30 June 2026: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Tuesday 7 July 2026: 7:00pm-9:30pm
This June MCE course flows on from Ceremony and Celebration, the foundation paper for the Certificate in Celebrant Studies. If you are serious about working as a professional celebrant, this combination will give you a strong start towards realising your dream. Note that MCE is also offered in July to give you some flexibility to choose your preferred dates. You can do MCE and C&C in either order. Both the June and July MCE courses will flow seamlessly into Marriage Celebrant Mastery in August.
The Earlybird rate for the June MCE class closes 19 May after which the standard course fee of $425 applies. Saving a few dollars always helps, but the main reason to enrol early is that this course often sells out so it is advisable to secure your place. To enable smooth processing of enrolments and adequate time for pre-course student preparation, we require enrolments at least one week before course commencement. Enrolments after this date incur an admin surcharge.