Welcome to my world!
Updated April 25th, 2022
My first blog post!
So you’ve read my bio, you’ve read my introduction but you want to know more? Am I the one for you?!
Well let’s get to the nitty gritty details shall we?! Let’s get to the real stuff not the Instagram friendly blurb!
My name is LeighAnne and I am a certified Celebrant based in Plymouth in Devon. Also known as Bird, Birdy pants or the Fairy Godmother! I live with my husband Matt and my daughter Lucy, 19.
I love Dolly Parton, Oprah Winfrey, Elton John, Stormzy – well let’s just say it’s quite an eclectic mix of idols I have! I have a big extended family who I spend lots of my time with. I have a beautiful garden that I spend my quiet time in, but don’t be fooled. It looks great but not because I am a good gardener, it’s a more ‘throw money at it’ type thing! I am so easily pleased with the simple things in life. I love my house and buying pretty things but the simple things move me the most.
I left my job as a Funeral Director last year after 12 years. More than a decade of giving your all to such a sensitive and demanding role? Honestly? I was exhausted. Alongside the job I ran my own charity which again focused on bereavement. Dealing with such an emotive subject literally day and night meant I had nothing left. So over the last 12 months I have spent time focusing on the simple life, regrouping and discovering the big wide world again!
I realised I loved the people my job afforded me but it was the subject matter I could no longer do. I had previously trained as a Funeral Celebrant alongside the day job many years before, and after building up such a great rapport with so many of my clients I was often asked to perform services, and then realised actually I am really good at this! So the idea to expand into family and wedding services seemed so natural. My husband will take credit for that idea but it was so obvious I don’t think he can really claim it.
So in March I went back to my old friends at The Fellowship of Professional Celebrants and trained in family ceremonies under the very excitable and enthusiastic #TheFunkyCelebrant Michelle, and met again with the amazing Founder Terri Shanks. These ladies know their stuff and for me made me believe I did have what it takes to become a fabulous Celebrant. I have spoken in the House of Commons and the Palace of Westminster because of the charity and I realised if I could captivate an audience there I could do it anywhere!
I knew this was my new path as it felt so natural. I have always been a storyteller, and to be able to write and create, for a job, was just so exciting!
But for me it was more than that. This was a new way of life. A life filled with joy, discovering the new yet very real me. It was a chance to be creative when I had never realised that I was! As my gorgeous daughter stated ‘being creative is not the ability to paint or sew, it’s about seeing something, pulling from it the beauty that is within and putting your twist on it’ and I believe that is so true and just what I can do for families and couples on the biggest day of their lives. Tell their story in creative and unique ways. However at 42 changing your whole way of life is, I’m not afraid to admit, pretty scary! It is daunting to leave something you were good at, a role you were respected in and making good money from. But I have realised we get one life and my sole purpose is to be happy and healthy. All the rest? Simply details and ego!
My social media you will find is honest, refreshing, and most importantly real. Yes I will share those stunning wedding or baby photos but I will also talk about life. Love is so intrinsically intertwined into life so lets talk about it all! Let’s be excited, let’s be honest but most importantly let’s do it together!
I am so glad you have found this page and I can’t wait to go on this journey with you.
Buckle up, it’s going to be a wild ride!
With love, LeighAnne x