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You’re about to cross an important threshold. I'd love to help you honor it with intention and heart. Welcome! I’m Carol Ludwick, a Certified Lifecycle Celebrant™, professionally trained in ceremony creation and the art of ritual. I craft custom ceremonies that help each rite of passage take shape and take hold so it can be fully felt and carried forward. Welcoming a Child * Joining in Union Recognizing a Milestone * Celebrating a Life My work begins with deep listening, gathering your memories and reflections with care, including as many voices as you need to help tell the story. From there, I weave these offerings with your values, beliefs, and traditions into a bespoke ceremony - one that can be witnessed, shared, and remembered. I'm here if you'd like me to help you mark your milestone in a way that feels rich and grounded, rooted in your unfolding story. Curious to learn more?
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Drumming to honor my ancestors at Inveraray Castle in Scotland
where my great, great grandmother Isabella was born. |
Creative, Custom Ceremonies with Soul
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It is my pleasure to work with people
from all backgrounds and belief systems. |
At heart, I'm a storyteller
I’m a late blooming, former girl next door who grew up believing in the magic of a good story. Winnie the Pooh introduced me to his friends in The Hundred Acre Wood, Ookpik the owl took me on his travels , and I helped Nancy Drew solve mysteries on summer vacations. (I was the girl who carried a notebook on the beach, questioning folks as I searched for clues.) I've spent years immersed in writing and acting—pursuits that honed my instinct to listen with empathy, to engage and connect, to sense the subtleties and suss out the details and to present a story with authenticity and grace. But what brought me here was the passing of my mother. Our family was not affiliated with any organized religion and I didn't know who would lead the funeral. A friend suggested that I be the one to create the ceremony. Anything for my beloved mama, so I jumped in. One of the best leaps I've ever made. I didn't know it at the time that the role I was actually filling was that of a celebrant. Heck, I'd never even heard the term. But I knew in my heart that I wanted to help people tell their stories and that the ritual element I so loved would enrich and deepen the experience. When I found The Celebrant Foundation and Institute, I was in disbelief. Wait, there's a school that teaches about the history and practice of ceremony, ritual and rites of passage? I could weave my skills with my passion? I had come home. |
Carol crafted a wonderful celebration of life ceremony for my wife. She was able to capture the story I wanted to share with everyone through her great writing and her warm and engaging nature. Talking to Carol felt like I was talking to a friend, and she helped me cope with this very hard and emotional process."
~ Maria
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The urge to mark milestones is primal. So, follow the drumbeat! Let it call you to gather in ceremony, to celebrate growth, support transition and honor life's passages. Let it call you back to nature, to attune to the passing of her seasons and revel in her ability to soothe, fortify and enchant us. When gather in community, we can share the warmth of a welcome home, the rush of a new commitment, the glow of a job well done and the deep sigh of a life well lived. We bear witness to the stories of those we love and to the beauty that surrounds us as the wheel continues to turn. |
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Let me bring your story to life...
You can reach out via text, call or email.
I look forward to connecting!
I look forward to connecting!
773-852-8575
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Locations Served:
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North Shore Chicago:
Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Glencoe, Northfield, Winnetka, Kenilworth, Wilmette, Glenview, Northbrook, Evanston, Skokie, Morton Grove Chicago Downtown:
Gold Coast, Magnificent Mile, River North, Streeterville |
Chicago North Side:
Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Roscoe Village, North Center, Ravenswood, Buena Park, Uptown, Edgewater, Andersonville, Rogers Park Chicago West:
West Loop, West Town, Ukrainian Village, East Village, Noble Square |
Chicago Northwest:
Logan Square, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Avondale, Irving Park, Jefferson Park, Pulaski Park, Old Irving Park, Sauganash, Edgebrook, O'Hare, Portage Park Edison Park Chicago South:
Pilsen, Bridgeport, University Village, Little Village, Chinatown, Back of the Yards |
Western Suburbs:
Oak Park, Park Ridge, Arlington Heights, Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Naperville, Itasca, Palatine, Lake Zurich Destination Wedding
Anywhere outside of the Chicagoland Area |