Ceremony Testimonials

“Leigh Ann facilitated two extraordinary ceremonies for us! Her capable leadership and keen attention to detail meant we could relax and trust that everything would come together effortlessly. But Leigh Ann’s real gift is in the way she works with intangibles: how do you take a dream, an unfinished thought, a sense of meaning, and put it into a realized plan for a ceremony? But she did just that! Leigh Ann has a way of holding space so the heart of things comes forward. Through the professional resources she utilizes, she brought a caring respect for all our wishes and lightness and depth to the entire process. Her attentive facilitation meant we took the time to reflect on the coming changes in life in a conscious way, and that has been a lasting lesson in many areas of my life. I wholeheartedly recommend her to you.” –Michele and Chris, British Columbia, Canada

“Leigh Ann is an incredible facilitator! She led an extremely touching ceremony, allowing us to exhale during the wedding madness and open our hearts. As a lesbian couple, we had concerns that some of our family might bring homophobic fears to the wedding. Leigh Ann created a ritual so we could feel supported by our closest community. She Ann brought diverse people together and made them feel comfortable around a singular issue, our love! These connections were some of the life-giving energy sources that enabled us to start at 5 am on our wedding day and keep going way past midnight. That ceremony will always reside in a special place in our hearts. We highly recommend Leigh Ann as a facilitator of weddings or any other important moments you want treated with respect, honored for sacredness, and celebrated for the joys and challenges that life brings.”
–Carrie and Jennica Huff, Greenfield, Massachusetts

“My wife and I interviewed a half-dozen officiants before we were lucky enough to find Leigh Ann and Kim. Upon meeting them, we immediately felt their love for each other, and this passion directly translates into their work.

Working with Kim and Leigh Ann was a collaboration we will appreciate for a lifetime! Leigh Ann wrote the ceremony for us; and Kim officiated a witty, funny, serious and heart-felt experience for all. The flow of the ceremony was amazing. Kim maintained an upbeat, seamless wedding, and incorporated a multitude of events—including speeches from our mothers, a family remembrance ritual and sand ceremony. She was even able to incorporate a family member who passed away the day before into the ceremony. I could continue the praise for pages, but lastly, the summary of our Love Story was not only great for our attendees but heartfelt by us.

Leigh Ann and Kim create an unbelievably personal ceremony to meet your needs. They balance giving creative freedom to the couple, while using their experience, for this once-in-a-lifetime event.”
–Domenic and Patricia, Novi, Michigan

“Leigh Ann brings a depth of wisdom, experience, training and talent to this sacred work. As a facilitator myself, who has participated in many of her ceremonies over the years, it is obvious that Leigh Ann has been called to support people in expressing all that is good, true and beautiful about the journey of life, at every stage—each cycle honored with reverence. Her focused awareness, endearing humor, clarity of articulation and compassionate demeanor places people at ease and opens their hearts. She embraces communities from diverse walks of life and this shines in her ability to respond to her clients needs. If you choose to work with Leigh Ann, it will be a highly memorable experience.”
–Tanya Thunberg, LMSW, ACSW, RYT, Ann Arbor, MI

“I’ve had the immense pleasure of experiencing Leigh Ann’s ceremonies over the past 15 years, including: my own Blessingway while pregnant; Baby-Welcomings for my girls; ceremonies marking love (Weddings) and death (Memorials), and seasonal transitions of the Earth. The skills, knowledge and creativity Leigh Ann brings are notably fantastic, but are surpassed by the pure vibrancy she offers. Whether a small or large celebration, she cares deeply that the ceremony represents the needs, desires and personalities of those involved. Leigh Ann’s community-building skills create a circle of warmth and trust–encouraging people to open their hearts wider than they may have expected possible. After participating in Leigh Ann’s ceremonies, I feel lighter, more hopeful, joyous, and able to live authentically. I am beyond confident that any transition will be cherished and celebrated by Leigh Ann in a way that makes its participants feel blessed. I could not possibly recommend her any higher.”
–Holly Ferrise, MSW, MPH, Ann Arbor, Michigan

“I had the privilege of attending a memorial service, a Celebration of Life, for a young woman who was deeply loved by a diverse community. Leigh Ann’s design and leadership of this ceremony was truly spirit-inspired, meeting the challenge of unifying people from all ages, races, identities and religions with grace and confidence. The ceremony was inclusive, stressed the most universal aspects of the Sacred, and beautifully wove together numerous speakers and presenters into a cohesive ritual flow. Leigh Ann’s expressions were at once poetic, real and engaging, creating a soothing and enlightened experience for all. Despite the despair of such a tragic loss, the community was indeed uplifted by this exceptional ceremony crafted by Leigh Ann, a tremendously gifted community-builder.”
–Laura Sanders, MSW, ACSW, Ann Arbor, MI

“Thank you for leading our beautiful Circle of Support Ceremony the morning before our wedding. The way you involved all of us, Mary, myself and our core group of friends in creative expressions of caring made me feel very supported for the wedding to come as well as for our entire life together. It was blissful to be outside in our backyard, half of us in the shade, half in the sun, on blankets, while you asked participants to offer reflections about our strengths as a couple and loving wishes for our future. I especially liked the way you integrated our personal beliefs into the ceremony, yet created space for diverse participants to feel a part of it all. While the rest of our wedding was fun and certainly transcendent, for me, that circle was the most peaceful and grounding part of our entire celebration.”
–Joshua B., MS, Science Teacher, Whitmore Lake, MI

“We were devastated when we lost our first born twin, 10 month old, Micah. Intense heartache overwhelmed our souls. We struggled with how to celebrate our precious son’s life that was cut heartbreakingly short.

Within the first few minutes of speaking with Leigh Ann about our loss and how we wanted to celebrate Micah, I knew she was the perfect person to lead us through this difficult part of our journey. She came to our home and carefully listened for hours as we told our story. I could see the empathy in her eyes and her competence for helping us achieve a beautiful and meaningful celebration for our son was obvious.

Shortly after our initial meeting, Leigh Ann drafted an incredible ceremony founded upon our story, vision, and values. Every detail was rich with meaning. Over the next few weeks, we fine-tuned the ceremony together until it was absolutely perfect. Helping to create a beautiful celebration for Micah was a healing process for me. Difficult and heart-rending, but also empowering and therapeutic.

Micah’s Life Celebration was absolutely perfect, in every sense. Leigh Ann led our family and friends gracefully through the difficult process of mourning, celebrating, remembering, and honoring our precious Micah. She provided us with comfort, peace, and memories that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. For that, we are forever grateful.

If you would like to learn more about our precious Micah, please visit Micah Smiles.
—Jennifer and Noah Canvasser, Ann Arbor, MI

“Leigh Ann comes to this work with a lifetime of conscious connection with Spirit in a holistic and loving manner. I’ve participated in her women’s circles, herbal workshops, and baby welcoming ceremonies. She’s helped me explore new paths and guided me to deeper understandings. She is particularly talented with symbolism and fashioning ceremony to be most meaningful for all participants. I would highly recommend Leigh Ann for anyone planning a ceremony. She is a beautiful listener and co-creator.”
–Inowendiiwinquay (Terrie DeBonis), Saline, MI