Names carry weight. They hold our identity, our heritage, our transformation.

Whether it’s a baby being welcomed into the world, an adult claiming a new chapter of themselves, or a chosen family gathering to celebrate a name that finally fits—a naming ceremony can be a profoundly moving experience.

Have you ever felt the stirrings of wanting to hold space for moments like this?

Where your compassion, your ability to see people, and your deep appreciation for life’s transitions could become part of something truly meaningful?

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Ceremony, host Laura Crockett is joined by the vibrant Jess Thrush, a joyful and down-to-earth celebrant from the Ribble Valley who brings warmth, humour, and heart to everything she does.

From being a busy mum of two to qualifying with AMC in November 2022, Jess’s journey into celebrancy is refreshingly real and deeply inspiring. She shares how naming ceremonies have unexpectedly become some of the most emotionally resonant work she does, not just for the families involved, but for herself as well.

This isn’t just about babies and balloons. It’s about identity. Acknowledgement. Belonging.

• Why naming ceremonies are so much more than people realise
• The deep honour of celebrating not just new life, but new beginnings at any age
• Jess’s honest and heartwarming journey into celebrancy (and how it fits around family life, pub lunches, and countryside walks!)
• The emotional intelligence and empathy this work calls forward
• How ceremonies rooted in joy, humour, and authenticity can leave the biggest impact

You don’t need to be perfect.

You just need to care deeply, show up fully, and trust that your natural gifts—your heart, your presence, your words—are enough.

Listen in to this week’s conversation and see what resonates. Because sometimes, witnessing someone step fully into who they are can be the moment that wakes something up in you, too.

Take our quiz and discover if celebrancy is for you.

If celebrancy already excites you, you can view our courses here!

Jess is a mum of two young boys, originally from Cheshire but now embracing the country life in The Ribble Valley. After qualifying with AMC in November '22, she dedicates herself to creating unforgettable, lighthearted, joy-filled ceremonies for weddings, naming days, and vow renewals. When not crafting beautiful moments for her clients, Jess can be found enjoying country walks with her dogs, savoring a good gin, or settling in for a relaxing pub lunch in the picturesque surroundings of her adopted home.

Website | Instagram | Facebook

Laura has been an independent celebrant for 5 years and absolutely loves it. It makes her so proud seeing how far she's come in that time. Laura feels like she's found her calling and is so excited to keep progressing and growing her Celebrant business! Laura creates all kinds of ceremonies, including Weddings, Funerals, Vow Renewals, and Naming Ceremonies. B...

Have you ever felt a quiet nudge, like your heart is trying to tell you there's something more meaningful out there for you?

Something that uses your natural empathy, your deep listening skills, your love for people and stories?

In this week’s soul-stirring episode of Beyond the Ceremony, host Laura Crockett sits down with the incredible Penny Boycott, whose transformation from registrar to celebrant will leave you inspired—and possibly questioning if you’ve been quietly called to do the same.

This isn’t just a career shift story.

It’s a deeper invitation to reflect on how your whole self—your life experience, your intuition, your desire to connect—might be leading you somewhere truly impactful.

The differences between registrars, humanist celebrants, and independent celebrants

How the path of celebrancy can unexpectedly become a journey of healing and purpose

Why your most human traits—empathy, presence, storytelling—are your most valuable tools

What it feels like to be trusted with the most intimate, joyful, and vulnerable life moments

How your existing experience (even from unrelated careers!) may have prepared you more than you think

When you create a ceremony that truly reflects someone's essence, you're giving them the gift of being seen, perhaps more deeply than they've ever been seen before.

Whether you’ve just discovered celebrancy or have been quietly curious for a while, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what this work really looks and feels like, beyond the ceremony.

Tune in to this eye-opening episode and let it sit with you. Because sometimes, that quiet voice inside? It knows exactly where you’re meant to go next.

TAKE OUR QUIZ and discover if celebrancy could be your soul-aligned career path!

Meet Penelope Jayne—known to friends and clients alike as Penny. She is a Yorkshire-based independent celebrant who brings over two decades of experience supporting couples and families in celebrating and acknowledging their most significant life moments.

With a warm smile and genuine approach, Penny embodies the belief that every day deserves celebration, whether that's savoring a freshly brewed latte, treasuring time with family, or enjoying a proper chocolate bar. Her passion shines through in her dedication to creating ceremonies that are truly individual, meaningful, and authentic, reflecting the real essence of the people she serves.

As our head of learning here at the AMC, as well as an independent celebrant, Penny brings both extensive experience and heartfelt enthusiasm to guiding aspiring celebrants on their journey.

Website | Instagram | Facebook

Laura has been an independent celebrant for 5 years and absolutely loves it. It makes her so proud seeing how far she's come in that time. Laura feels like she's found her calling and is so excited to keep progressing and growing her Celebrant business! Laura creates all kinds of ceremonies, including Weddings, Funerals, Vow Renewals, and Naming Ceremonies. Before she was a celebrant, Laura was a breakfas...

Join us for a heartfelt conversation about the meaningful impact celebrants have on life's most significant moments!

In this episode, host Laura Crockett welcomes fellow AMC mentor and celebrant sister, Tara the Celebrant (Tara Heath-Arnold), to explore the profound importance of celebrancy.

Tara shares her journey from a fast-paced corporate career in financial recruitment to finding her true calling as a celebrant.

After completing a Master's in English Literature and taking time to reassess her career path, Tara discovered celebrancy (thanks to her husband's suggestion that she should "marry someone like John Barrowman!").

The Emotional Significance of Ceremonies - Tara and Laura discuss why celebrant-led ceremonies create such profound connections during life's milestone moments.

Being a "Safe Pair of Hands" - Why celebrants must be prepared for both when things go right and when they don't quite go according to plan.

Cultural and Religious Flexibility - How independent celebrants can weave together different traditions, faiths, and cultural elements to create truly personalized ceremonies.

The Beauty of Ongoing Relationships - Tara shares the joy of being invited back to mark multiple milestones with the same families, from weddings to naming ceremonies.

Transferable Skills - Discover how skills from previous careers—public speaking, people engagement, and storytelling—can make celebrancy a perfect second career.

Finding Your People - Why consistency and visibility matter in building a successful celebrancy business, and how "your people will find you" when you're authentic.

Whether you're considering celebrancy as a career path or simply interested in understanding what makes celebrant-led ceremonies so special, this conversation offers valuable insights into the heart and soul of this meaningful profession.

Tara's Advice for Aspiring Celebrants:

"If your gut instinct is telling you this is right for you and you have the right skills for it, then go for it, but give yourself time as well... You've got to be consistent, you've got to be visible, and you've got to take the highs with the lows... Your people will find you."

Considering celebrancy as your next career move?

Tara offers this advice: "If your gut instinct is telling you this is right for you and you have the right skills for it, then go for it, but give yourself time... It takes time, and you've got to be consistent, and you've got to be visible, and you've got to take the highs with the lows, because that's what life is."

Take our quiz and find out if celebrancy could be your perfect career path!

Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered.

Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies, to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we will give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, Award-winning Celebrant, radio personality, and celebrant mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.

Learn more about The Academy of Modern Celebrancy here.

After a long career within the financial recruitment industry, progressing from the position of Sales Support to Regional Director, Tara decided it was time to step away from the corporate world.

She then completed a bucket list ambitio...

Join us in this episode where Laura Crockett, your host, takes you behind the scenes of what REALLY happens in a day in the life of a celebrant.

Ever wondered what celebrants actually DO all day?

Spoiler alert: it's so much more than just showing up on the big day!

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to being a celebrant - some work part-time, some full-time, and others juggle celebrancy alongside another career.

Laura shares her own experience as a full-time celebrant (while also being a mum to two young children who are only in nursery 16 hours a week!).

The Six Types of Days in a Celebrant's Life - From networking and site visits to script writing and ceremony days - Laura breaks down what each type of work day actually involves.

Marketing Never Stops - Why even established celebrants need to keep networking (Laura shares the Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola example that changed my perspective).

Wedding Fairs & Funeral Director Visits - How to make the most of these crucial networking opportunities that build your business.

The Truth About Site Visits - Why checking out ceremony spaces in advance makes you more professional and prepared.

Admin & Website Days - The behind-the-scenes work that keeps your business running smoothly.

Meeting Couples & Families - How these crucial conversations work differently for weddings, namings, and funerals.

Script Writing - The creative heart of what we do (and yes, you need to love writing!).

Ceremony Day Preparation - We run through Laura’s 90-minute pre-ceremony routine and why she has a special playlist to get me in the zone!

Whether you're just curious about celebrancy or actively considering it as your next career move, this episode gives you the unfiltered reality of what this beautiful profession is really like.

If you're someone who loves connecting with people, telling their stories, and creating meaningful moments, this could be your calling!

Take our quiz and find out if celebrancy could be your perfect career path!

Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered.

Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies, to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we will give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, Award-winning Celebrant, radio personality, and celebrant mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.

Learn more about The Academy of Modern Celebrancy here.

Laura has been an independent celebrant for 5 years and absolutely loves it. It makes her so proud seeing how far she's come in that time. Laura feels like she's found her calling and is so excited to keep progressing and growing her Celebrant business! Laura creates all kinds of ceremonies, including Weddings, Funerals, Vow Renewals, and Naming Ceremonies. Before she was a celebrant, Laura was a breakfast radio presenter, so her happy place is either at the front of a ceremony or sitting behind a microphone!

At home, Laura is married to Johnathan (a primary school teacher and her biggest cheerleader) and a mummy to two boys - Woody and Dougie. Laura is also a dog mum to Betty and Barney, the cockapoos! They can often be found curled up by her side when she's writing scripts or lying by the rad...

Welcome to the very first episode of Beyond the Ceremony! Where you will get to know your host, Laura Crockett—a celebrant obsessed with this incredible profession .

We are beyond excited to launch this podcast dedicated to modern celebrancy - unfiltered, honest, and packed with everything you need to know about what it takes to be a professional celebrant in today's world.

In this first episode, Laura shares her personal journey into celebrancy—one that started with her own wedding in 2017.

Here’s the thing: her ceremony lasted just 17 minutes.

SEVENTEEN MINUTES!

What should have been a deeply memorable moment ended up feeling rushed and forgettable. That experience lit a fire in Laura to help couples create ceremonies they’ll cherish forever.

• What exactly is a celebrant? Laura breaks it down and explores the wide range of ceremonies we create—from heartfelt weddings to meaningful funerals and joyful naming celebrations.
• How Laura went from a newlywed who had never even heard of celebrancy… to building an award-winning career doing what she loves.
• How lockdown unexpectedly fueled a huge demand for celebrants—and what that means for the industry today.
• The reality of building a flexible celebrant business while raising a family—and the step-by-step timeline from side gig to full-time career.

Fast forward to today—Laura is a double award-winning celebrant, and she gets to do work she truly loves every single day!

Whether you're considering celebrancy as your next career move or simply curious about what happens beyond the ceremony, we can't wait to take you on this journey with us!

Could celebrancy be your calling?

Take our quiz to find out if you have what it takes—and whether now is the right time to start your journey!

Beyond The Ceremony Podcast: Modern Celebrancy. Unfiltered.

Everything you need to know about how to succeed as a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies, to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we will give you a behind-the-scenes look into life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, Award-winning Celebrant, radio personality, and celebrant mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.

Learn more about The Academy of Modern Celebrancy here.

Laura has been an independent celebrant for 5 years and absolutely loves it. It makes her so proud seeing how far she's come in that time. Laura feels like she's found her calling and is so excited to keep progressing and growing her Celebrant business! Laura creates all kinds of ceremonies, including Weddings, Funerals, Vow Renewals, and Naming Ceremonies. Before she was a celebrant, Laura was a breakfast radio presenter, so her happy place is either at the front of a ceremony or sitting behind a microphone!

At home, Laura is married to Johnathan (a primary school teacher and her biggest cheerleader) and a mummy to two boys - Woody and Dougie. Laura is also a dog mum to Betty and Barney, the cockapoos! They can often be found curled up by her side when she's writing scripts or lying by the radiator in the office when she's on couples calls!

Website | Instagram |

This podcast covers everything you need to know about being a modern celebrant. From top tips on how to create unforgettable ceremonies, to success stories from some of the best in the biz, we will give you a behind the scenes look in to life as a celebrant. Hosted by Laura Crockett, Award-winning Celebrant, radio personality and celebrant mentor at the Academy of Modern Celebrancy.