This last month on the Celebrant Institute has been a really big month for answering your questions, the celebrant industry in general, and the world just continues to change.
I'm really proud of what we've made this month and would have no hesitation in recommending you become a member, even if it's just for this month, so you get a chance to read and learn like your colleagues are.
Before I get to the celebrancy news and information, I wanted to selfishly share my April Fools gag for this year: The Frequent Vower Program where every fifth wedding is free! Watch it on your platform of choice: YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok, or Facebook.
– Josh
💍 Diamond engagement ring sales are down, because engagements are down, which explains how weddings are today
So the long and the short of it is that the average couple dates for two and a half to five years before getting engaged, then the wedding is somewhere between three and eighteen months away, but that timeline has been extended because not only were people not out meeting their future fiancé in 2020, 2021, and even into 2022 due to and worries about getting COVID.
Keep on reading on the website
🌏 Aboriginal Celebrants Network
From Bobbi:
My name is Bobbi Murray, I'm a Barkindji, Ngiyampaa and Malayangapa woman in NSW and a Celebrant who is trying to connect with other Aboriginal Celebrants and supporters.
Since there is nothing of the sort already, I am trying to develop a network that connects us all and the ability to refer, share ceremony elements and ideas and cultural practises, advice and mentoring of new celebrants.
The Network does not replace any associations we may be in, nor does it cover any insurances or costs of any kind. it's just a way for us to connect.
If you would like to join us... here is a link to sign up and we'll be in touch with further information.
👀 The new Insights Podcast - real interviews with real couples on how they chose and booked their celebrant
We had an idea to interview real couples about how they made their wedding planning decisions. In the wedding and celebrant industry there's always a lot of talk about which website works or how couples make their decisions, whether it really is "the bride's day" or whatever other nonsense people say.
So we wanted to cut through the noise.
Listen to Maddie talk about how she and Jeremy made their decisions, why they chose Sue as their celebrant, and how other celebrants ruled themselves out, then read our summary. Listen to Scott and Charissa talk about how they actually found it really hard to find the right celebrant for their sunrise hot-air-balloon wedding, and how much Charissa loved the Easy Weddings directory.
- To listen you need to either upgrade, or become, an Insights level member, it's $25 a month, or you get a month free for an annual membership.
- And we would love to feature your couples on the podcast, please share this link - celebrant.institute/interview - with couples who either are recently married in the last few years, or are getting married in the next year.
If you refer someone to become a member, or a couple to do the interview, we'd love to offer you a free month's membership in return, just let us know.
💻 What do you put on your website if you're a new celebrant?
Silvia asks:
I really want to find out how to start a website when you haven’t done any weddings yet. I’ve looked at many celebrant’s websites and find myself overwhelmed.
🎓 Ongoing Professional Development 2024
The 2024 OPD topics have been released.
🎤 Public speaking skills you can bring to weddings, thanks to Steve Jobs and John Mulaney
📧 How SaneBox restored my love and faith in my email inbox, and how it can do the same for you.
📲 Is Card Buddy your new favourite ceremony writing app?
🧾 Glean insights from the 2024 Easy Weddings and WeddingWire state of the wedding industry annual reports.
That's another month at the wedding coalface and we're proud to support and help you. Celebrant Institute paid members can ask a question any hour of any day at celebrant.institute/ask. Why become a member you ask? Because you appreciate this monthly email and want to read everything online at celebrant.institute/blog.
– Josh and Sarah
You are enjoying another Celebrant Institute production and you're receiving this email because you're a celebrant. If you aren't a celebrant then I don't know how you ended up here. If you've been forwarded this update and you'd like to subscribe for free, you can do that here.