The Operational Problem
Celebrants Australia needed its website to serve two equally important audiences. The public needed a reliable way to browse registered celebrants and find the right fit for their ceremony, while practicing celebrants needed a professional home for membership, updates, and peer connection.
The platform had to present a clear directory experience for consumers without diluting the value of membership for industry professionals. It also needed secure payment workflows, straightforward registration, and a private area where members could exchange ideas and practical support.
Why Off-The-Shelf Failed
Generic directory or association plugins could handle isolated features, but not the full combination of searchable listings, paid memberships, and protected community interaction in one coherent experience. That would have forced staff into fragmented manual administration.
What We Engineered
Programmable Soda delivered a custom website that cleanly separates public discovery from member-only functionality while keeping everything under one consistent platform. We implemented a full directory of registered celebrants so couples can compare profiles and shortlist the right person for their ceremony. For professionals, we added direct online membership sign-up with integrated payment handling and a private community area where members can share insights, experiences, and practical advice with peers. The result is a maintainable operating model that supports both public trust and member engagement without competing user journeys.
Systems Integrated
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Registered Celebrant DirectoryPublic visitors can browse and evaluate a complete directory of registered celebrants.
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Online Membership CommerceCelebrants can sign up and pay membership fees directly through the website.
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Private Community GroupMembers can share experiences, advice, and information in a protected collaboration space.
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Unified Public and Member ExperienceOne platform supports consumer discovery and professional engagement without confusion.
Business Outcome
Celebrants Australia now has a single platform that supports both growth and community operations. Public users can discover suitable celebrants more easily, while members can join, pay, and participate in professional discussions through structured workflows. The organisation gains stronger control over directory quality, member engagement, and day-to-day administration.
“The new platform gives the public an easy way to find celebrants, while our members can join, connect, and collaborate in one place.”
