November 11, 2025
Paying It Forward: Becoming a Celebrant Mentor
I took an exciting new step in my celebrant journey, training with Humanists UK to become a celebrant mentor.
I took an exciting new step in my celebrant journey, training with Humanists UK to become a celebrant mentor.
Mentors play a vital role in supporting new celebrants as they go through their training, from the first residential course right through to conducting their first ceremonies. Whilst each celebrant trainee follows a structured programme that combines coursework and practical experience, the relationship with their mentor provides incredibly useful practical experience observing meetings and ceremonies and learning from an experienced celebrant who has been there and done that.
As a mentor, my role is to help trainees build confidence, refine their craft, and develop their own authentic voice. I’m there to answer questions, offer feedback, and share what I’ve learned from working across so many weddings and funeral ceremonies here in North Wales and beyond.
Every ceremony is different. Every couple, every family, every story deserves to be told with care and creativity. That’s what drew me to Humanist celebrancy in the first place, supporting people through life’s transformative moments with care and attention to detail. But for new trainees, that also means there’s a huge amount to learn.
I remember how invaluable my own mentors were in building my confidence, moving into an entirely different sector, and how grateful I am to them that they shared their knowledge with generosity. So as I approach five years of being a celebrant, becoming a mentor feels like a natural next step. Over the years, I’ve had countless informal conversations with newer celebrants who wanted advice, from structuring a ceremony to handling tricky family dynamics to finding their voice in the ceremony space. Formally stepping into a mentoring role for Humanists UK allows me to share that experience more purposefully, while helping others grow in confidence and skill.
It’s also a reminder of how supportive our Humanist Ceremonies network is. Training as a Humanist celebrant is rigorous and collaborative, and the mentoring process ensures that new celebrants never feel like they’re working alone. Even after training, that network continues in regional groups and informal WhatsApp groups, a circle of people who care deeply about creating meaningful, personal ceremonies.
Whether I’m writing a non-religious wedding ceremony or a celebration of life, mentoring reinforces something that’s always been central to my work: professionalism, care, and continual growth. Supporting new celebrants means reflecting on what makes a ceremony truly work: the tone, the pacing, the emotional flow, all of which feed directly back into my own practice.
So while mentoring is about giving back, it’s also a way to stay sharp, inspired, and connected. It keeps me learning, questioning, and evolving, exactly the same approach I bring to every ceremony I write.
That might mean I ask if you’re comfortable with our meeting or ceremony being observed, either in person or online when possible. You are always welcome to say no if this is something you’re not comfortable with, but in my experience, the couples and families I support are often very open to the idea of paying it forward, which is something I’m awlays deeply grateful for.
If you’ve stumbled across this post online and are curious about Humanist ceremonies, or considering becoming a celebrant yourself, you can find out more on the Humanists UK website. And if you’re planning a wedding or funeral ceremony in North Wales, Snowdonia, or Cheshire, you’re in the right place. I’m Kate Rostance, a Humanist Celebrant based in Conwy, North Wales.
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Kate Rostance is a humanist wedding celebrant based in North Wales. She creates ceremonies that are relaxed and full of meaning - with a touch of humour and plenty of heart. She works across North Wales, including Snowdonia, Anglesey, Gwynedd, the Llyn Peninsula, Cheshire and beyond.
Find out more about Kate, her approach to weddings, or what happy couples have said about her.
