For almost five years I've been a stay-at-home mum to my girl and boy twins. I have absolutely loved the freedom of choosing how we spend our days, the fact I was a parent in the Bluey era, and I feel grateful I was able to be with them for those gorgeous, funny early years.
But there was a part of me that felt lacking. I found myself always trying not to answer, "Just' a mum", to the question, "And what do you do?". The knowledge that my children were about to start full-time school was there, nudging me to do something more, too.
I was doing occasional freelance writing jobs here and there, but I didn't have the drive to pitch, pitch, pitch like the career requires. I waited for the work to come to me so, unsurprisingly, it was infrequent and, unsurprisingly, I was only earning pocket money.
© InstagramSo, when my friends asked me to be a celebrant at their wedding, I jumped at the opportunity to do them a favour – and I had SO much fun, from planning to writing to delivering the ceremony. It actually ended up being life-changing (not to sound too dramatic).
Ahead of my first time as a celebrant, stepping out of my comfort zone was worrying. I was nervous - it felt such a huge honour that anybody would put their wedding ceremony in your hands.
READ: I overhauled my entire life on a whim – here's what happened
In the half-hour leading up to the ceremony, you would have found me loitering near the chilled sandwich fridges in the cafe next to the venue trying to cool my nerves (it didn't help that it was a London heatwave day!). But ultimately, that first day felt like I was stepping into something, rather than out; stepping into a role that just felt perfect for me.
I decided - right then and there, on the veranda after the ceremony, Prosecco in hand, that I wanted to do this fun, joyful thing full-time.
© Ellie Louise PhotographyI suddenly felt like the things I loved - writing with a purpose, meeting people, hearing meet-cute love stories - had come together in one incredible job. A job I had never really stopped to think of existed as a career.
DISCOVER: How to be happy: 30 expert-approved tips to become your most optimistic self
I signed up to do a course (with The Academy of Modern Celebrancy) the very next morning after my friends' wedding. I didn't want to pause, dwell, and talk myself out of pursuing this exciting, new thing.
Obviously, I had reservations that it might not work as a full-time job and that I'd struggle to set up my own small business and manage to get bookings, but I knew that I wanted to try.
And that desire to try felt quite new. I remember thinking (and I probably shouldn't put this in print!) , "I love marrying people so much I would do this for free! If they pay me and it turns into a 'Proper Job' that's a bonus". Clearly, my enthusiastic side was ten steps ahead of my pragmatic, business side.
© andrewjukesphotography.co.ukI really thought I was born without ambition, and I was fine with that. I enjoyed previous jobs (in media - advertising, radio, magazines) for the fun of the water cooler gossip, the freebies, the parties... the basic fact of life that you have to earn to afford to live.
But I was never seeking promotions or staying late; if I stayed late it was under duress and once, offered a promotion at the radio station, I turned it down because I didn't want to manage the people who were my friends.
READ: I'm about to turn 40 - this is how I'm tackling my midlife crisis
This job has opened up something new in me - I adore what I do and I'm proud that I feel like I can do it well (how un-British of me!). I love that I can put 11 exclamation marks in an email to a couple and I don't have a boss to pull me up for being unprofessional. I feel happy in the knowledge that I can fully be myself - this job revolves around enthusiasm, and so I can be unashamedly, geekily, and unreservedly enthusiastic.
My job title is basically 'celebrate' and what could be happier than that?
© Forget Me Not ImagesI'm so grateful to my friend Emma for asking me to lead her wedding, I know it wouldn't have occurred to me to be a celebrant otherwise. If you're considering a new career, but not sure what direction to go in, talk to your friends - there might be something you're good at that you've not considered, or you're too close to see.
My other advice is clichéd, but I'll dish it out all the same: don't be overwhelmed by the whole, tackle each little bit at a time.
If I'd looked ahead when I took step one (applying for the celebrancy course) at all the other steps (coursework, creating a website, designing business cards, meeting other suppliers, booking wedding fairs, writing and delivering real ceremonies, calculating costs and revenue) I'd probably have been debilitated with imposter syndrome. But I tucked my little head down and just took it a step at a time, trying to find the fun in each new part as I went.
Celebrant-led ceremonies are amongst the biggest wedding trend predictions, as Google searches for ‘celebrant weddings’ soar by 49%, according to Hitched's Wedding Trends Report. Read the full report here.
Find out more about Sarah's work as a celebrant at instagram.com/sarahclarkecelebrates and visit HELLO!'s Happiness Hub for more inspiring stories.
