Celebrants are trained professionals who believe in the power and effectiveness of ceremony and ritual to serve basic needs of society and the individual.

The Celebrant's mission is to help the client create a ceremony that reflects his or her beliefs, philosophy of life, and personality. The beliefs of the Celebrant are immaterial in this process.

Celebrants come from all walks of life and a college degree is not a prerequisite. We are looking for highly motivated students who have an interest in ceremony and ritual, public speaking experience, excellent writing abilities, organizational skills and a love of the arts and working with people. Foreign languages and computer skills are a plus. Above all, the Celebrant candidate must be committed to creating personalized ceremonies for people of all beliefs and value systems.

• Click Here for Ceremony Videos

The Celebrant Foundation & Institute offers three certificate tracks:

• Weddings and other Ceremonies for Couples
• Funerals and other Ceremonies for Healing
• Ceremonies for Families and Children

Students are immersed in the history of rituals and traditions around the world, the choreography and management of ceremonies and ceremonial public speaking. They also have opportunities to learn from experienced Celebrants before they officiate on their own.

Students will read from authors who provide the foundation for the study of ritual, mythology, weddings and death and dying, including such texts as:

• The Rites of Passage by Arnold van Gennep
• Deeply into the Bone by Ronald Grimes
• The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell
• Rites of Passage by Wall & Ferguson
• The Conscious Brideby Sheryl Nissinen
• Gay & Lesbian Weddings by Toussaint & Leo
• Joining Hands and Hearts by Susanna Macomb
• Sacred Dying by Megory Anderson
• Remember Well by Sarah York
• The Mourner's Dance by Katherine Ashenberg

Where do I take classes?
For area students who so choose, classes are taught at our North Jersey Institute in Montclair, New Jersey.

For distance students, classes are taught in an innovative online program in small groups via real-time chat. Your journey to becoming a Celebrant will be enhanced by interaction with your online chat group and experienced Celebrants.

All students will have access to our online classrooms and the online library, which feature sample ceremonies of all types, sample contracts and client interview questions, and more. The classrooms contain your homework assignments and readings, as well as a message board where you can discuss Celebrancy topics with students all across North America.

Online learning is an excellent way to learn! “Students who took all or part of their class online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction.” Source: US Dept of Education, Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning (2009).

Computer Requirements
Whether you are taking the program in person or online, you will be required to use the online features of the course. To access these features you must have:

• High speed internet access to participate in online chat classes
• The most recent Mozilla/Firefox or Internet Explorer browser to use the online classroom
• The most recent Java software to access the chat room
• The ability to send and open documents in Microsoft Word and PDF formats

Feel free to call our office if you have any questions about times, dates, schedules, or fees.

You can reach us at 973-746-1792. or email us at: information@celebrantinstitute.org

The course runs from October 1, 2010 through April 30, 2011.

• In October 2010, you will participate in an online independent study program. All materials will be posted in an online classroom, and you will have access to an ongoing online student forum to discuss the readings with your classmates from all over the country as you go along. The Foundation also provides you with streaming online videos of Celebrant-conducted ceremonies for you to observe.

• From November 2010 to the end of January 2011, with time off for holidays, you will take the core course "Fundamentals of Celebrancy", which covers the theory behind creating ritual and ceremony, symbolism, the building blocks of good ceremony, the creation and practice of effective ceremonies, and ceremonial public speaking.

• From February to the end of April 2011, you will begin your specialty course in the certificate program of your choice; Weddings, Funerals or Families & Children. Classes meet for one hour per week.

• You will graduate as a Certified Celebrant in May 2011, date to be announced.

Celebrant Student Special 2010-2011 Payment Plan for $2,100.00, effective after August 2nd, 2010. Notice: Available to students who pay by check only, not available for credit card processing.

• $300.00 Sept 19
• $300.00 Oct 1
• $300.00 Nov 1
• $300.00 Dec 1
• $300.00 Jan 1
• $300.00 Feb 1
• $300.00 March 1

All tuition payments can be made by Visa/MasterCard or by personal or bank check in US dollars.

You may take two certificate courses simultaneously with approval of the Academic Director. Tuition for the additional certificate is $700, payable with your second installment.

Additional Costs:

Students are required, during the course of study, to arrange and pay all fees for a qualified professional vocal evaluator to assess their public speaking and presentation abilities. Additional textbooks that may be required to be purchased are solely the responsibility of the student and not the Celebrant Foundation & Institute. The vast majority of study materials is included in tuition and is downloadable from the Institute's web site.

Refunds. Tuition is refundable until you (a) receive your password to access the course materials or (b) the first day of class, whichever comes earlier.

Where do I take classes?

For area students who so choose, classes are taught at our North Jersey Institute in Montclair, New Jersey.

For distance students, classes are taught in an innovative online program in small groups via real-time chat. Your journey to becoming a Celebrant will be enhanced by interaction with your online chat group and experienced Celebrants.

All students will have access to our online classrooms and the online library, which feature sample ceremonies of all types, sample contracts and client interview questions, and more. The classrooms contain your homework assignments and readings, as well as a message board where you can discuss Celebrancy topics with students all across North America.

Computer Requirements

Whether you are taking the program in person or online, you will be required to use the online features of the course. To access these features you must have:

• High speed internet access to participate in online chat classes
• The most recent Mozilla/Firefox or Internet Explorer browser to use the online classroom
• The most recent Java software to access the chat room
• The ability to send and open documents in Microsoft Word and PDF formats

How do I apply for admission?

Students interested in applying for admission should contact Cynthia Reed, Director of Academics or Charlotte Eulette, North American Director at (973) 746-1792. To apply, you will need to submit the following:

• your resume
• an application cover sheet (attached); and
• a personal statement on why you want to become a Celebrant.

The Institute may then conduct an in-person or telephone interview with you. Your application materials may be submitted by fax to (973) 744-1775, email to Charlotte@Celebrantinstitute.org or by mail to:

Celebrant Foundation & Institute
93 Valley Road, Second Floor
Montclair, New Jersey 07042
Attn: Admissions Committee