Sarah & Adam at settlement hill farm
We ABSOLUTELY LOVED working with Leslie for our wedding! She was very attentive to our wants took the time to get to know both of us; so that the ceremony truly represented our personalities and our families. The custom ceremony she wrote for us was priceless to us and perfectly encompassed the way we were feeling on our wedding day. Then on top of all that she is super fun, so the process was enjoyable. We highly recommend her and will be contacting her again when we have a child for the baptism!
Sarah & adam's video link!
Molly & jay at the glensheen mansion
I don't even know where to start, so I'll go back to the first time I spoke with Leslie on the phone. My husband and I were shopping around for officiants for our October 4th wedding and Leslie's name came up in a search. I thought it would be really neat to have a female officiant. It would be something different and a bit untraditional, which was what we were looking for. I knew from the first 10 minutes of our phone conversation that Leslie was "the one!!" Her commitment to detail came out right away. From that point on, Leslie was our gal! She had our backs the whole way and was extremely helpful during the entire planning process.
Leslie also decorated our ceremony/reception. I could not believe how reasonably priced she was. We got the absolute best decorating for a fraction of what others offer. She is very detailed when helping plan for decorations and has a breakdown of pricing. We were both extremely satisfied with Leslie's decor. I still get people who comment on how gorgeous our wedding looked!
The wedding ceremony was absolutely unforgettable. Leslie was phenomenal. Everyone was blown away by how well she was able to make our wedding ceremony truly unique. I must say (and no, I'm not just saying this because it was my own wedding!), I have never been a part of a more beautiful and meaningful wedding, and it is all thanks to Leslie. Her light and energy makes anyone feel comfortable from the instant you speak to her. We are so very lucky to have had Leslie be our officiant. Because of her, our special day was truly magical and unforgettable. Thanks, Leslie!
We met with Leslie several times before our wedding. We so much appreciated the personal level of service that she provided. Our marriage ceremony was written just for us and it made our day so special. Leslie was always so positive and very helpful with suggestions. She took a lot of stress off of us during our planning and we are very grateful.
Leslie also provided flowers and decor for the backdrop of the ceremony and reception and it made everything come together perfectly.
We can't thank Leslie enough for everything she did; I would recommend her in a second!
"We were married this fall and were lucky enough to have Leslie do our ceremony. She was very flexible with planning our ceremony and let us have input. The entire ceremony was truly us. We had many compliments on how personal the ceremony was. She was comfortable to work with and answered all of my questions quickly. We had planned to do a unity candle but our wedding day was windy. She offered to stop at the store, pick up sand and vases and worked in a sand ceremony instead. Truly above and beyond!"
happily wed!
Leslie's execution on our wedding day was flawless. Our decor was perfect and the ceremony was a dream.
EVERYONE raved about her afterwards and wanted to know "how we knew her", because it was so personalized. We joked afterwards that Leslie and her team were ninjas - when we went to check on the decor at the conclusion of the wedding, it was already cleaned up! We have no idea how they quickly and quietly took care of tear down without a single person noticing --- fabulous!
I was a bride who looked at all reviews, so I've racked my brain to see if there is any "constructive criticism" I can give.... I've got nothing. I would recommend Leslie to anyone and everyone.
lara & eric at columbia manor
My husband and I couldn't have found a better officiant for our wedding day! We wanted a special, spiritual ceremony that was reflective of the two of us. We met with Leslie a few times over the course of wedding planning and she really got to know us (it helped that we also did some premarital counseling with her too!) and created a unique ceremony just for us. She was easily accessible for questions and correspondence. Our ceremony was absolutely beautiful and characteristic of the two of us. Thank you Leslie!
Grace & Darrell at bearpath country club
D. CHARLES PHOTOGRAPHY
KBTOO PHOTOGRAPHY
Laura & tj at the semple mansion
Meagan & Travis at Aria
"We couldn't have picked a better officiant for our wedding!! Leslie wrote an absolutely gorgeous ceremony totally tailored to us. We would both highly recommend Leslie as a wedding officiant. If you do make the wise choice of choosing her, TAKE HER PREMARITAL CLASSES!!! I can't tell you how much we LOVED them and how much they legitimately improved and deepened our love and bond. She's a truly fascinating person with incredible insights. Our hour appointments oftened turned into two or three hour sessions because we could not get enough!! I believe we did about four sessions with her, but based on our ceremony our guests thought she had known us for years. At the rehearsal she made sure everyone knew what they were doing and had a no nonsense attitude which I appreciated. She's a beautiful speaker and really goes out of her way to write something specific to you. If you don't want a run of the mill ceremony and instead are looking for a personalized, intimate and beautiful ceremony, Leslie is your girl!! We already miss our sessions with her. Thank you, Leslie!!!"
In the press...
Featured Weddings!
Trista & mike at the woods chapel
I had the honor of officiating for Trista and Mike at the totally charming Woods Chapel. The two of them were referred to me through a friend…and for that reason I also attended their reception. The atmosphere that they had created for their wedding celebration was stunning. Of course the ceremony was pretty too! Haha…but really, at their reception hall I felt like I had entered an enchanted place, it could not have been more perfectly put together. The woodsy natural greens blended with a sense of watery coolness and blues, it felt whimsical and magical, and will stand out as one of my favorite weddings ever! I feel so fortunate to have been a small part of a gorgeous day!
Louise & Steve at the como conservatory
Natalie & Joey pop up wedding at the lab theater
This was one of my favorite experiences of 2013! Yes, it is absolutely true that Natalie and Joey made a totally fabulous DIY setting…I adored her bright happy tassel bunting! However…my favorite part was that this wedding was kind of a flash mob style event…the Bride & Groom had their friends and family gather for the purpose of an “Engagement/Going Away” party. They are both heading off to teach internationally…when the Maid of Honor got up on stage to “toast the engagement” the attendees had not realized that the rest of the wedding party had slipped away to change into Wedding Attire!! So when the Maid of Honor said “since everyone is here already I think they should just go ahead and get married…is there anyone here who could do that?” I got the privilege of saying “Yes! I can!!” (It was like…is there a doctor in the house? Haha…)
Natalie & Joey’s guests were completely surprised! It was a beautiful happy celebratory wedding…and I was so so lucky to share in their evening of love!
Christopher & lance at the Semple mansion
Dave & Alaina at the valley vineyard
Kayla & peter at home in the prairie!
"Leslie was amazing! Our entire experience went so smoothly, from the very first consultation meeting to the ceremony on our wedding day. Leslie was incredibly flexible and listened to all of our ideas and thoughts. We could tell she really tried to get to know us so she could add special details to our ceremony that were completely unique to us. She is a wonderful writer and the speech she created for our wedding was lovely! We got so many compliments from all of our guests about what a beautiful and unique ceremony we had. Many people requested to see a copy of the text because there were so many powerful passages. Leslie took control at our rehearsal and her experience and knowledge helped make everything run smoothly. I felt completely taken care of and never felt stressed or worried. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Leslie. She is kind and thoughtful and patient and really knows what she is doing!!"
Jodi & Steve at Aria Mpls
As seen in The Knot
"An urban loft wedding at Aria mpls"
Leslie of Positively Charmed was absolutely amazing. She continually exceeded our expectations throughout the entire process. Going into our planning, we had no idea who we wanted to marry us. We talked about having a family member or friend officiate, but decided that was a lot of pressure. We ended up finding out about Positively Charmed from our venue and decided to set up a meeting.
From the moment we sat down, we instantly felt comfortable with Leslie. She took a lot of time to meet with us and get to know us and our relationship. She laid out her process with us and said we could meet with her as many times as we wanted in the months leading up to our big day. After that first meeting, we instantly knew we wanted her to officiate our ceremony.
In the near months leading up to our ceremony we met with Leslie again and she put together the most amazing, customized ceremony for us. We were blown away. We read her script together at home. We laughed and cried and I think we only had one tiny edit in the entire thing.
When it came time for our rehearsal, Leslie did an amazing job leading the dry run. She kept it simple yet informative. Everyone knew what they were supposed to do. It was short and to the point so we could get back to having fun with our loved ones.
The day of our ceremony, Leslie was absolutely perfect. Our ceremony was the most beautiful, true, insightful, loving event. She did such a good job of capturing our relationship and describing it to all that were in the room.
We were so fortunate to have discovered Leslie of Positively Charmed. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for an officiant and a truly personalized ceremony. She's the best! And it was nice to have someone in charge of the ceremony details who is a professional. Having a loved one do the ceremony would have been memorable, but having Leslie manage the details and not have to worry about them was worth so much more and we will have the best memories of our ceremony forever.
SWEET T PHOTOGRAPHY
kelly & dave at gale woods farm
"We couldn't have accomplished such a successful wedding event without the guidance of Leslie Johnson. Her advice, input and knowledge of how a wedding ceremony should flow was outstanding. Her many years experience as an officiant AND an event coordinator was so very valuable, and her decorating expertise and hands-on assistance (that we desperately needed) went above and beyond our expectations! People still talk about our wedding and I have received so many compliments about our officiant; it was the best wedding ceremony I have ever been to :)"
creating , orchestrating & officiating amazing marriage ceremonies &COORDINATION OF MICRO WEDDINGS
Elizabeth & Jeremy at the Semple Mansion
bellagala weddings video
elizabeth & jeremy's video link!
leslie ann johnson
612.382.2960
leslie@positivelycharmed.com
emily & chuck at the van dusen mansion
Kristen & Ben's Fairy Godmother Project wedding!
Where can I even begin? Sometimes it seems people get so caught up in the party portion of the wedding, that they forget about the ceremony and the real root of the entire event. The greatest advice I can give to a new bride is to find yourself a wonderful officiant who you connect with and who can tell your story. That is what Leslie provides. Upon meeting her, I felt instantly connected. I can sense a persons energy from the first moment and hers was the sort that just draws people and holds them close to her. Kind, open, caring, genuine, deep, brilliant, artistic, creative….these are the virtues I found in Leslie. Not to mention, humanitarianism….as she was donating her service and most of all, her passion, time and energy to us. Building a ceremony with Leslie was never a chore or a job. It was fun. It was something that we looked forward to. It was a true journey. She wanted to really know us and who we are so she could tell us OUR story from OUR hearts. She would often refer to it as "translating" our emotions and feelings and "braiding" them together. Through our meetings I found myself learning even more about my significant other and how we viewed this union spiritually and emotionally…in regards to energy, family, life, etc… It was a wonderful experience, and I will never forget the day Leslie handed Ben and I our rough draft. We both read it together, tears flowing. As if she took the feelings in our hearts and put them into the words we couldn't. Leslie encouraged our journey of writing our own vows. She counseled us both so that we could stay at an even keel. She led our rehearsal, guiding the whole wedding party and empowering us all to show our emotions and be unique. This was OUR ceremony and she was instrumental in making sure it was a true reflection of us. The ceremony was incredible and by far the best part of the entire wedding. Many tears, and so many people felt inspired by what we shared through Leslie. What I walk away with most is the the desire and inspiration to rewrite my vows to the love of my life every single year. Thank You Leslie for being the vehicle that drives me to be a better and more expressive wife and not being afraid to share my feelings with the world. You are amazing and I will always recommend you to every newly engaged couple….reminding them of the importance of a genuine and personal officiant. You will always have a special place in my heart and I look forward to having you there in 10 years when we renew our vows again. Nobody else could help tell our story the way you can.
When we first contacted Leslie we thought we only wanted a signing ceremony, but she met with us and in an hour of conversation, she brought us to realize that to commemorate the event, we might want a more formal and personalized ceremony (without an increase in her fee). Within two days, she emailed us a fleshed out ceremony for our editing and approval. When out of town guests arrived unexpectedly, she was unflustered by our including more guests at the service than originally expected. Her office was nicely appointed for the service and all of the guests felt comfortable and welcome. The Semple Mansion, where Leslie's office is located, is a beautiful space with many opportunities for photos. Leslie's experience with wedding parties helped us get some great pictures around the building. We have recommended her to two other couples who are looking to marry in the near future. We are very grateful to Leslie for making a day that my husband and I expected to be special, into one which will be unforgettable.
"Leslie was more than I could have hoped for in a wedding officiant. Neither myself nor my husband belong to a church, and I was worried about having a ceremony by some random officiant that would feel impersonal and generic. Leslie was recommended by a mutual friend and I am so grateful! She took the time to get to know us and worked with us to get our ceremony exactly right. She listened to feedback and I was impressed with how she was able to distill all our thoughts and hopes for the wedding into a cohesive ceremony.
Beyond the ceremony, she's fun, creative and enthusiastic. She's been around the Wedding Block a time or two and was very helpful with ideas and planning and, in general, keeping me de-stressed and headed down the aisle. Obviously, I can't say enough positive things about the experience we had or recommend her highly enough."
JENNIFER WHALEN PHOTOGRAPHY
& THE FAIRY GODMOTHER PROJECT
melissa & ryan at the semple mansion
Ryan and I fell in love with Leslie after one meeting. We were shopping around for an officiant and she was stop number 1. When we were on our way to stop number 2 we felt like we were cheating on Leslie, because we loved her that much. She got who we are right away. Never made us feel uncomfortable. Was very easy to talk to. We had a few meetings where we just talked for hours and didn't realize it. She came up with the most perfect custom wedding ceremony. I JUST LOVE HER!
Rachel & tim at centennial lakes
Guest photography
Positively Charmed Custom Wedding Ceremonies
Megan & Julie atMinnetonka orchards
"We met with Leslie on 3 separate occasions for about 2 hours each. It was always easy, casual conversations, but it amazed me how many little details of our relationship and interaction she picked up on and took note of. She brought all of those little details into the custom ceremony she created for us which was so nice because then the ceremony felt like it was uniquely ours. We had multiple wedding guests ask us if the officiant was a friend of ours who had known us for a while. Overall, Leslie was great to work with, listened to us and what we wanted for our ceremony, and just made the most important part of our big day very unique, personal, and incredibly meaningful for us. Thank you Leslie!"
"We met with a few officiants and I knew right away that Rev Leslie Johnson was the one. She has a passion for making the day special and she created a custom ceremony that could not have been more beautiful. She also worked with the photographer and DJ to make sure everything was in place and everyone knew what to do. It was perfect!"
emily and alejandro
sunrise at the stonearch bridge
jennifer togal photography
I cannot say enough fabulous things about Leslie! My husband and I still talk about what a blessing she was to us on our big day. We eloped and she honestly made everything she said to us and about us more special than we ever dreamed. She is kind, caring, soft and so easy to talk to. If you want her to help decorate your special space, we also highly recommend that as well!
I lived in Minneapolis for over five years and worked on a lot of weddings myself...have BEEN to many, as well. Leslie is by FAR the best officiant I have ever heard, spoken with, dealt with. We obviously, just love her and want everyone else in MPLS to feel the same about their special day:)
My husband and I got married in September, and we could not be happier with Rev. Leslie Johnson's services! She was an amazing officiant--thoughtful, respectful, empowering.
She let us personalize the ceremony as much as we wanted, which was important to us. Leslie also found a way, with her beautiful choice of words, to unite our multi-faith backgrounds/beliefs. (And this is coming from me, who is a writer by profession.)
Leslie met with us several times at our venue to make sure we felt comfortable with all the little details, too. It definitely made us less nervous for the big day.
We highly recommend Leslie at Positively Charmed--especially to interfaith couples like ourselves!
danielle & TJ at abulae
Leslie is phenomenal. It's difficult to put into words how much magic Leslie added to our **best day ever** :). We found Leslie via a search on the knot and she was actually the first officiant we met with. I can't recall how long our first meeting was supposed to last, but I do know that we were there over two hours, talking, laughing, and feeling as if we were catching up with an old friend. Walking out of Leslie's (gorgeous) office, we were sold. We met with a few other people to do our due diligence, but there was no question.
Leslie truly LISTENED to what we wanted for our ceremony; we had (what we felt were) a few unique requests to balance our preferences with family tradition. Leslie understood and incorporated them beautifully. Not only did Leslie listen, but she also provided suggestions and advice. We appreciated that - she is the expert! She has a fantastic arsenal of quotes, ideas, etc. that really do come together to create a customized ceremony.
Throughout the wedding planning process, we also identified the need to rent decor. As our "wedding MVP", of course, Leslie was our choice! Again, she listened to our vision and executed it beautifully. Leslie met with our florist to ensure consistency and alignment with all decor elements - truly going above and beyond.
We loved our meetings with Leslie preceding the wedding day. As I stated before, it was as if we were meeting with an old friend (but also a wise mentor and truly incredibly spiritual guide). Leslie was thorough, organized, and simply "on it".
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