Show notes
🌎 From Vancouver to Vows: How Young Hip and Married Built a Global Love Movement
Imagine a wedding on a mountaintop, a sunrise elopement on the beach, or a ceremony on paddleboards in the middle of the ocean. For Vancouver-based officiant and coach Shawn Miller, that’s just another day at the office.
As the co-founder of Young Hip & Married, Shawn has spent the past 15 years helping couples celebrate love in all its forms, from wild adventure elopements to deeply personal city ceremonies. What started as a life-coaching business he built with his wife, Erica, has grown into one of North America’s most recognisable wedding brands, with a team of 30+ officiants across Canada and the US.
In this episode of Beyond The Ceremony, host Laura Crockett chats with Shawn about the business of love.
From how he turned a simple idea into an award-winning collective, to what it really takes to create ceremonies that feel better than they look. Expect big inspiration, a few Harry Potter wedding stories (yes, really 🦉), and a fresh perspective on what’s possible when you build a celebrant business with heart.
🎧 Episode Highlights
✨ How Young Hip and Married grew from a coaching idea to a multi-location team
💍 What celebrants can learn from Shawn’s approach to storytelling and delivery
🌲 Behind the scenes of elopements, helicopter weddings, and ceremonies in nature
💡 Why your voice and energy matter more than the script
🌈 Celebrating all forms of love, and what that means in practice
💫 This Episode of Beyond The Ceremony Is For You If…
You dream of building a celebrant business that feels joyful and expansive
You love the idea of crafting ceremonies that truly reflect your couples
You’re curious about international celebrancy and how it differs from the UK
You want to rediscover the “why” behind the work you do
This conversation is a beautiful reminder that celebrancy isn’t just about words, it’s about connection, presence, and heart. Shawn’s story proves there’s no single way to do this work; what matters is creating ceremonies that feel true to the people at the centre of them. Whether you’re just starting your celebrant journey or dreaming bigger with your business, this one will reignite your love for the craft.
Shawn Miller Photographer Credit: Erica Miller Photography
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💒 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.
MEET SHAWN MILLER
Shawn Miller is the co-founder of Young Hip & Married, a North American wedding company on a mission to banish boring ceremonies and help couples build meaningful, lasting marriages. Based in the US, Shawn’s journey into celebrancy began in 2004 with his own wedding to his wife, Erica, an experience that sparked their shared passion for helping couples create authentic, joy-filled celebrations.
With Shawn’s background in coaching and Erica’s training in psychology and photography, the pair launched a relationship-coaching business in 2010, which quickly grew into Young Hip & Married. What started with a few ceremonies soon expanded across Canada and the US, bringing together a team of over 40 officiants, photographers, and coaches, all dedicated to creating ceremonies that reflect who couples truly are.
Today, Young Hip & Married has become a multi-award-winning collective recognised by WeddingWire, The Knot, and the BC Wedding Awards. Whether it’s an intimate elopement on a mountaintop or a grand celebration surrounded by family and friends, Shawn and his team continue to redefine what a modern wedding ceremony can be: personal, vibrant, and full of heart.
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MEET YOUR HOST, LAURA CROCKETT
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!
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