My Roots
Where I'm From
I was born and raised in Blackpool, Lancashire. My dad is a joiner, my mum is a retired maternity nurse, and I have two younger sisters. Growing up, our house was lively, steady and happy. My parents worked night (my mum) and day (my dad) to provide for the family. I remember the comforting sound of Dad’s circular saw going in the garage as he made things like window frames and kitchen units, the smells of friction-burnt wood and Swarfega wafting through the house competing with those of Mum’s plug-in air fresheners. I remember loving the responsibility of gently waking Mum up with a cup of tea so she had time to get up, eat, get ready and go to work her next night shift at the hospital on Delivery Suite.
Given we lived in a seaside town we didn’t go to the beach all that much! But in the summer, Dad would take us camping in the Lake District, giving Mum some respite from 3 girls running up and down the house and yelling “shhh Mum’s in bed” at each other. We were, and still are, a hard-working, down-to-earth and loving family with a great sense of humour. Our routine now is to get together every Sunday for a roast dinner and a catch-up. As Dad says: it doesn’t matter what the day brings, you’ll always be home for yer tea.
That’s my version of Love in a Northern Town when it comes to my growing up.
How I
Got Here
In our house, Dad always had the radio on or played cassettes through his massive JVC floor speakers. I’d yell from the top of the stairs, “Dad turn it down, I’ve got school in the morning!” But I absorbed all of it and obsessed over pop music, memorising Smash Hits cassette inlays and writing down the Top 10 chart every Sunday.
That obsession led to a two-week placement at my local radio station at 15 years old, which turned into 14 years in radio. As a broadcaster and MC, I learned timing, how to entertain, work with big personalities, stay calm under pressure, and make quick decisions when plans go out the window.
Those skills opened doors to international events, building and leading large volunteer workforces for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada. Events feel like home to me because I’m doing what I do best: organising, bringing people together, and getting to see the best of people. Kindness, camaraderie, everyone rolling up their sleeves to help. I just love it.
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A little more...
Running alongside all of that was a 25-year DJing career, where I played bars, clubs, after-parties for Coronation Street stars and A-list footballers, and when I moved to Canada, I played major events and weddings. DJing honed my ability to read a room, hold an audience, and create unforgettable moments.
Looking back, radio taught me to tell stories, events taught me to organise and lead calmly, and DJing taught me to read the room. Bringing all of that together to craft authentic, personal ceremonies feels like exactly where I'm meant to be!
It's why crafting ceremonies feels like home to me.
Description
My Light Bulb Moment
In 2024 when I moved back to the UK after 11 years living in Canada, I knew I was ready for something new. I didn’t know yet what that next thing would be, but I knew I wanted to be part of big life moments and DJing didn’t seem to be quite the answer it once was. I didn’t worry too much about figuring it out though, as I’ve learned life has a way of helping you out as long as you’re doing what brings you joy. Well, hiking brings me joy, so I joined a hiking club. Through that, I met a fellow hiker who told me she was a celebrant and told me all about her experience. Talk about a penny dropping for me! The whole purse emptied out!
Being a celebrant brings together everything I’m great at and love: community, stories, meaningful moments, organising, creating, being of service, and contributing to the magic of an occasion. It really felt like I’d landed on the role I was always meant to perform in the world, and that all my experience leading up to it was preparation for it.
What I Bring to Your Ceremony.
I have a presence and a great ease with myself that helps people to relax and trust. I can be a bit daft and silly when it’s called for too. I’m known to hug the big fridge my husband and I bought as our Christmas present to each other and sing to it “before you came into my life I missed you so bad” (that lyric is from the classic Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”).
If that made you smile, we’ll get on great 🙂
It’ll be a privilege for me to meet you - you have a great story waiting to be told, so when we meet, count on me asking you a lot of insightful questions to get to know you. I’ll listen to your answers carefully, and turn what you’ve told me into a ceremony that’s personal to you and true to who you are.
On the day, you can trust that I’ll be prepared, on my game, and in charge of what needs to happen. All you have to do is be there and be yourself.
My
Values
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What you see is what you get
I can’t expect you to feel at home if I don’t, so rest assured that whether we’re meeting for the first time or it’s a few times later and I’m standing at the front of the room on your big day, I’m the same Caroline. Calm, smiley, down to earth and very much at ease.
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A safe pair of hands
With a combined 25+ years of live radio and big events under my belt, I’m prepared for the foreseeable and ready to handle the unforeseeable without missing a beat. I take the responsibility of your ceremony seriously and it’s crucial to me that you have nothing to worry about as far as your ceremony is concerned.
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An open and loving heart
I love meeting people from all walks of life and hearing their stories. I love saying yes to great ideas. When these loves come together the effect is one I can only describe as pure joy! As you trust me with your or your loved one’s story, know that you’ll have a captive audience in me and I’ll be an open book in response.
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Everyone’s story deserves to be heard
My purpose is bringing people together in one form or another, and I really care about the people I work with. Your story will get the space it deserves to be told and brought to life in the way you want it to be.
Life
Beyond Ceremonies
When I’m not writing ceremonies, I’m usually outside. I love hiking, exploring the nearby Lake District, Forest of Bowland and Ribble Valley. My husband Paul is Canadian, so since moving to the UK, we’ve loved exploring new corners together. There’s something really special about taking him to places I’ve known forever; seeing a familiar landscape through his fresh eyes makes it feel like a brand new discovery.
When we lived in Canada (Paul’s home country and where we met), I threw myself into everything because I hate to miss out, and learned to speak French to a reasonable level, ski, and ice skate. Now, I’m not saying you should have a French-speaking ceremony on an ice rink, though I’m all for it if you are! I’m just saying that whatever wild idea you have, it’s highly likely I’ll be on board with you. In fact, knowing me I might even suggest we push the boat out even further!
07988 270 890
caroline@loveinanortherntown.com