Carol - Acorn to Oak Ceremonies: Signature Storytelling - Heartfelt Officiating
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You're about to cross an important threshold-
I'd love to help you honor it with intention and heart.


If you are longing to have your wedding ceremony
feel as magical as your relationship...


If you are yearning to celebrate your new child
and weave them into the fabric of your family...


​If you are grieving the loss of a loved one
but don't know how to begin to honor their journey...

I've got you. 

​​Welcome! My name is Carol Ludwick. 
I am a certified Lifecycle Celebrant,
a professionally trained ceremony specialist.

You can think of me as your rite of passage guide!


​I'll weave your values, beliefs and traditions into a custom ceremony
​that will hold sacred the space for you to mark your milestone

in a rich and memorable way, rooting it in your unfolding story.
​
​
Let's connect...
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Drumming to my ancestors at Inveraray Castle in Scotland.
Creative, Custom Ceremonies with Soul
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Weddings
Handfastings
​​Vow Renewals

Learn more...
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Milestones
Birthdays/Anniversaries
New Job/Retirement
Learn more...
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Memorials
Celebrations of Life
Ash Scatterings

Learn more...
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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 we meet in the energy of 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!
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773-852-8575
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[email protected]
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Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant Carol Ludwick
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Locations Served:
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

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  • Acorn to Oak
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