A Wedding Ceremony That Sounds Like The Two Of You.
By the time you walk down that aisle, you'll have made a thousand decisions. This is the one that gets easier once you find the right officiant.
I'm Michelle Sponseller, a Certified Master Celebrant and wedding officiant in Central Michigan. I write every ceremony around the two of you, your story, your traditions, the promises you want to make. I've stood at the front of a lot of ceremonies, so I know how to handle the unexpected, keep things moving, and step aside at exactly the right moment, because no one wants an officiant in their first-kiss photo.
Let's talk about yours.
Call or Text: 989-400-0264
Email: michelle@celebrantmichelle.com
The Ceremonies I Officiate
Every couple arrives with a different picture of the day. Any of these can happen in a church, a barn, a backyard, a park, or a quiet spot by the water.
Your ceremony can be religious, non-religious, interfaith, or anything in between. It can include cultural traditions, a unity ritual, or none at all. I welcome every couple, including LGBTQIA+ couples, and I'm honored to help you celebrate your love exactly as it is.
Weddings
A backyard, a barn, a church, or a banquet hall. Twenty guests or 200. Wherever and however you gather, your ceremony is built around your love story and the personal touches that make it yours.
Elopements
Small doesn't mean skipping the story. Your elopement is still built around how you found each other and what you're promising, just without the crowd.
Vow Renewals and Commitment Ceremonies
For couples marking 10 years or 50, and for couples who want to celebrate their commitment with or without a legal marriage. A chance to say the words out loud, surrounded by the people who matter most.
Sign and Go
Just want to make it official? A short, simple ceremony with the legal vows, the pronouncement, and the signing of your marriage license. No fuss, and still a moment worth marking.
Every Ceremony Is Personal
Personalized doesn't mean swapping your names into a standard script. It means the ceremony is built around the two of you, your history, your humor, and the life you're building together.
Sometimes that shows up in the story. Sometimes it shows up in a ritual that could only belong to you. A few examples of what that can look like:
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A peanut butter and jelly sandwich unity ritual, each partner adding their half, because some things are just better together.
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A shot of Jameson shared at the altar in place of a unity candle, a toast to the marriage before the first kiss.
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A themed wedding, with the ceremony woven around the couple's shared love of favorite movie, tv show or hobby.
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A handfasting, with cords chosen in colors that meant something to each family.
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A single sunflower on an empty chair, honoring a grandmother who couldn't be there to see it.
Whether your ceremony is traditional and formal or playful and a little unexpected, it should sound like the two of you.
The shape of the ceremony follows the couple, not the other way around.
How The Process Works
The first conversation. Reach out by phone, email, or the contact form at the bottom of this page, and we'll set up a relaxed 30-minute chat by Zoom, phone or in-person. Bring your ideas, your questions, even your "we have no idea yet." There's no obligation, just a chance for us to get acquainted and see if I'm the right fit for your day.
Call or Text: 989-400-0264
Email: michelle@celebrantmichelle.com
Making it official.
Once you decide to move forward, we'll sign a simple agreement that spells out exactly what you can expect from me, along with your date, [the deposit to hold it,] and any deadlines along the way, and when your draft will be ready. No guessing, no confusing timelines, just a clear plan we both understand. I only book one wedding a day, so I'm never rushing from one ceremony to the next. Your day gets my full attention.
Getting to know you. Then comes my favorite part, our second conversation. Grab a cup of coffee and tell me about the two of you. How you met. The proposal. The little things you love about each other. We'll also talk about your vows and any traditions or personal touches you'd like woven in, so your ceremony feels like yours from the very first word.
Writing Your Ceremony
I write a ceremony shaped to the two of you, weaving your story together with the traditions and personal touches you've chosen. Classic or quirky, it all has a place. I've written in handfastings and unity candles, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, shots of Jameson, and full-on themed weddings. You'll receive a draft to review, and we'll adjust it until it feels right.
Rehearsal. A rehearsal takes the jitters out of the big day, and I'd love to be there for yours, as long as I don't have another ceremony on the calendar. We'll confirm it when you book. I'll walk through the flow of the ceremony, from the opening words to the pronouncement, so you'll know when readings, vows, and the ring exchange happen. On the day itself, you can simply enjoy it.
The ceremony.
I arrive an hour early to check in with your DJ and photographer about music cues, timing, and the moments they won't want to miss. Then I'm free to greet you, share a calm word if you need one, and get ready to begin. When it's time, I'll be right there with you, leading the ceremony we shaped together. Afterward, you'll receive a copy to keep, a reminder of the day you said yes to each other.
The paperwork. The vows make it meaningful. The license makes it legal. I take that second part as seriously as the first, making sure your license is signed correctly, including your names as they'll appear after the wedding and the signatures of your two witnesses, age 18 or older. Then I return it to the county clerk and track it until it's delivered and recorded, so you leave married in every sense of the word.
Choosing Sign and Go?
Short and sweet is perfect. After a quick call to pick your date and place, we'll meet up, share the vows, sign the license, and you're married. Simple doesn't mean rushed, and your moment still gets my full attention.
Fees
Wedding costs have a way of growing, with holiday surcharges, peak-season pricing, and fees that show up late in the planning. Mine don't. The price is the same whether you marry on a quiet Tuesday or New Year's Eve.
Every wedding, elopement, vow renewal, and commitment ceremony is a flat $500. That includes our conversations, a ceremony written just for the two of you, your rehearsal when my calendar allows, and completing and filing your marriage license.
Sign and Go ceremonies are $250, paid in full at booking, and include the legal vows, pronouncement, and filing of your license.
Half of your fee secures your date, and the balance is due two weeks before your ceremony. Travel within 30 miles of Mt. Pleasant is included. Beyond that, a small mileage fee applies.
Trained and Accredited
Good officiating takes more than an online form and a weekend ordination. I'm a Certified Master Celebrant, trained through the Celebrant Academy, InSight Institute, and Academy of Modern Celebrants, and I teach end-of-life ceremony work for the Celebrant Academy. I'm accredited by American Marriage Ministry, Universal Life Church, American Humanist Association, and Open Ministry, and a member of the International Association of Professional Wedding Officiants.
That training is what stands behind your ceremony: how to listen well, how to write a ceremony that holds a room, and how to deliver it with the care your day deserves. Before this work, I spent more than 20 years in local government, where I learned to stay calm and think on my feet when things don't go to plan. Very little rattles me, so whatever the day brings, your ceremony stays on track.
If You'd Like To Talk
Whether your date is set or you're still deciding between spring and fall, I'd love to hear from you. Tell me a little about the two of you and what you're imagining, and we'll find a time to chat. Every great ceremony starts with a simple hello.
Call or Text: 989-400-0264
Email: michelle@celebrantmichelle.com