Six months of Elin Edwards Celebrant ❤️
Six months ago, I launched a business. This week, I qualified as a funeral celebrant — making me now a “Master Celebrant” across weddings, namings, funerals - and celebrations of life. So it felt like the right moment to grab a paned - and write the first proper blog post I've been promising myself I would since January!
Where it started…
Going self-employed for the first time in my life was, quite frankly, terrifying. There's no script for "what if this doesn't work," and there's no script for "what if it does" either. I had trained as a wedding celebrant, developed a brand I loved - Queen of Hearts energy and all - and then had to do the slightly mad thing of actually telling people about it.
I launched just before Santes Dwynwen - Wales' very own day of Cariad - love. And I spoke about my new project on the sofa of S4C's Prynhawn Da, and on BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru. Looking back, that was a brilliant, slightly chaotic way to start - there's nothing like a TV camera to make a new business feel suddenly, terrifyingly real.
… and how it’s going
In six months, I have:
Met some gorgeous couples and heard all about their love stories. Booked weddings - and in fact smashed my first-year booking target in that time alone!
Delivered my first Celebration of Life — all while still mid-training — for the most wonderful superstar and her family
I secured grant funding to design and launch my Queen of Hearts branding and all her gorgeous marketing assets (have I mentioned how much I love it - I worked with designer Seymour Creative, he absolutely took my vision and made it a reality!)
Launched my socials pages with my usual passion for red, Eurovision and featuring Barbie herself (join me on insta - I continue to be bamboozled by the algorithm!)
Trained and specialised in handfasting (with the Queen of Handfasting herself Glenda Procter) - an ancient Celtic ritual I now offer as part of my wedding ceremonies
Qualified in Namings in February (my absolute FAVOURITE type of ceremony!)
…and now funerals, making me a Master Celebrant! So there’s also been a lot of training alongside the business start up.
Took part in two styled photo shoots with some talented fellow suppliers - honestly, the options are limitless when it comes to imagining what’s possible at a wedding
Become a recommended supplier at some beautiful Welsh venues
Attended my first few wedding fayres, I even went on the Independent Celebrants Retreat in March with fellow celebrant colleagues who've become firm friends, and… written more ceremony scripts than I ever imagined I would!
Some musings…
Couples want to feel like themselves. Every couple I've worked with has, at some point, said some version of "I want it to be authentically about us and for our guests to relax" That's the whole job, really - finding the words and vibe of a ceremony that is just them to a tee.
Bilingual ceremonies matter more than people expect. I knew there was a gap for Welsh-speaking celebrants in Wales, but I didn't fully appreciate how much it would mean until I started chatting to couples. A ceremony which has two languages is special - couples and guests love a sprinkling or more of Cymraeg, it’s our language after all.
Funeral celebrancy is a different kind of privilege. Delivering my first Celebration of Life taught me more about this work than any training could. Being trusted with someone's whole life story, at the worst moment of someone else's, is something I take incredibly seriously — and something I am so proud of.
I am still slightly stunned that "what if I tried this" has become "I have a booking diary."
What's next?
The next six months are about cementing as well as growing. I have some gorgeous weddings to officiate which I can’t wait to share more on. I'm formally launching my funeral celebrancy, hoping to build relationships with funeral directors across South Wales, and continuing to take on weddings, namings and the occasional Master of Ceremonies booking (a brand new offering, with all the Queen of Hearts energy you'd expect - which I’ll be rolling out soon!).
If you're getting married, welcoming a new life into your family, or need someone to help you say goodbye to a person you loved — I'd love to hear from you. And if you've followed along, liked a post, or sent me an encouraging message in the last six months: diolch. I see you superfans! And if you’ve booked me - well then you know I adore you and we’ll be friends for life.
Here's to the next six months.
Diolch o galon, Elin ❤️
