About Me
Hi there! My name is Michelle, my pronouns are she/her, and I love all things quirky. Find out more about me and whether you think we'll be a perfect fit below.
If gender reveal parties are your thing, I’m not the Celebrant for you.
If you’d like to have a Dr Who regeneration gender reveal, a Viking funeral or you want to arrive at your BTVS themed wedding with Mr Pointy, then beep me.
If you want to celebrate changing your name to reflect how you really feel inside, call me. I want to ensure you have the options to celebrate your significant life moments, in the way that makes your quirky little heart sing.
It doesn’t matter if I’m planning your wedding or a naming ceremony or a funeral, the most important thing for me is to ensure it’s authentic.
Why is Michelle the ideal Celebrant for You?
Michelle Clayford (she/her), is a trained celebrant based in Leeds who will help you mark life’s important moments in unique ways. As a curious person who loves finding out about what makes people tick, Michelle embraces being a little weird and wonderful. If you’re also ‘different’, then she might be the Celebrant for you. Do expect to be asked all sorts of questions as she digs into the heart of who you are or who your special person was. (e.g What’s your favourite dinosaur? Stegosaurus in case you were wondering.) Don’t expect staid stuffy ceremonies!
Michelle’s varied career means that she’s able to hold space and walk with you as you grieve and explore difficult topics. Asking the right questions enables you to open up and express your wishes and emotions.
Grief is a difficult time- you may be experiencing a range of emotions from sadness, anger, relief and numbness. Having worked with people of all ages, in some very difficult circumstances, Michelle is comfortable adapting language and explanations to a wide range of people. You’ll find that she can hold the space for you to grieve and enable you to explore your memories of your loved one to create a loving and authentic service.
You can also look at non traditional ways to have a funeral and celebrate their life, especially if they requested having a direct cremation or burial. A crematorium service is not for everyone and most people need more than 20mins to celebrate their life. Michelle is very happy to explain all your choices so you make the right decision for you and your family.
In terms of other ceremonies that Michelle offers-
Romance, if you’re considering getting engaged or wanting a Vow Renewal, then do reach out to her for information. Michelle offers a variety of wedding ceremonies and can talk you through your options. If you’re struggling to express how you’re feeling, or unable to think of ways to state your love for your partner/s, then reach out and Michelle will help. If you don’t like writing things down, you can record it. There are lots of ways to convey yourself- be it in song, poetry or readings.
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Click here for the Happy Times page.
Phoenix Ceremonies are all about a rebirth- whether you are ready to celebrate changing your name to reflect how you really feel inside, or celebrating a divorce or survived a serious health issue. Ensuring you have the options to celebrate your significant life moments, in the way that makes your quirky little heart sing is what it’s all about. Why not reach out to have a chat and see where it takes you?