Wedding Ceremony Harpist St. Tarcissus

The beautiful St. Tarcissus from the harpist's vantage.

I believe the groom told me that, including the bridal couple, they were expecting 15 people at their wedding ceremony!  The couple wanted a relaxed atmosphere but also, of course, a sense of occasion. I was happy to help, and luckily the harp can really make a large space feel more intimate and warm for a small group.  It was a beautiful ceremony, and the bridal couple looked relaxed and radiant.  Your classic big win!

Gorgeous, bold fall colors!

Visit www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com to plan music for your large or small wedding!

Reception Harpist, Glessner House, Chicago

Glessner House Courtyard.
There's a stairway just to the right of the open door.

First of all, I should tell you that I was not here for a wedding (sigh).  It was a corporate event, and it was lovely, but I kept thinking about how fabulous this venue would be for a wedding!  

If you are not familiar with this historic mansion, it is located on the near South side of Chicago, very convenient to downtown and the expressways.  The neighborhood is really very polished and lovely, and it sounds like there are parking options as well. The staff at the house were super helpful, and they have a wonderful website with lots and lots of options detailed, and prices!! 

The guests I played for had their dinner in the proper dining room, but the courtyard is certainly large enough to set up tables or even a tent.  If you're looking for a distinctive, historic venue, this seems worth checking into for sure!

The formal dining room easily accommodated 50 people.

If you're looking for just the right music to set your perfect mood, please visit www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com.

Wedding Reception Harpist, Chandler's Chop House, Schaumburg

Set up for cocktails in the lounge outside the banquet hall.

This was my second time at Chandler's and my impression remains the same:  this is a well run venue.  The wedding I was to play for was running a bit late, and the staff handled it beautifully.  Once the guests and wedding party were all assembled, the event planner, Farrah Singh of Simply Azure Events kept things moving along smoothly.  

On this visit I was playing for cocktails and then moving in to play for as much of the dinner as possible.  I like their little fireplace area outside of the banquet hall, but it is just a little better in cold months when the fireplace can be in use.  They had sunflowers scattered around inside the fireplace for the Summer, and that was cute.  Once I was in place for the start of the lunch service I played the bride's special request, "Fur Elise". This is a piece generally played on piano, but harpists steal from piano repertoire all the time, so no problem!  It was a lovely late Summer wedding.

If you're planning your Summer wedding, maybe I can help!  www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Wedding Ceremony Harpist Cantigny, Wheaton

The beautiful view from the seating area on the East side of Cantigny.

The Cantigny complex is large and varied.  There are a number of public gardens, picnic groves, a visitor's center, and a historic mansion. I believe they do weddings in several locations, but I have only ever been on the East side of the mansion.  There, you will find terraced lawns that work their way down to reflecting pools and one of the loveliest views around.  This location has the added distinction of keeping all of your guests in the shade, as long as your wedding begins after about 5 pm!

The bride and groom on this day wanted the lovely "Flower Duet" song from the opera "Lakme" for the wedding party, then it was "Bridal Chorus", more commonly known as "Here comes the Bride"!  I was able to include "Bianco Fiore" (as the recessional) to honor some guests who were Italian, and "Evening of Roses" (in the prelude) for some who were Jewish.  Everything was a beautiful reflection of the bridal couple!

If you would like to see if I know any of your favorite songs, please visit my website:  www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

The view as you descend the hill at Cantigny.

Wedding Ceremony Harpist Holy Apostalic Church of the East, Chicago

The musician's view at Holy Apostalic Church of the East

I've only played Coptic Christian ceremonies a few times through the years, so this was a real treat for me.  The bridal couple were both born here, so they wanted the music I played to reflect their Americanism, and then the service itself was conducted in Assyrian, including lots of chanting.  For their processional, we used Pachelbel's Cannon in D, and a new piece that I've not yet recorded, The Nightingale by Deborah Henson Conant.  Afterwards, the couple came to the front of the church and had a receiving line complete with light refreshments served and music provided.  It was a beautiful blend of the old and the new in their lives.

The flowers at the wedding were really very special, so I bothered the busy florists at work and got one of their cards.  They are based in Northbrook, but assured me that they go anywhere.  In addition to their lovely work with flowers, they hung the bunting and assembled the crystal vases on site.  Flowers by K.H. is the name of the firm.

If you are interested in honoring traditions old and new, call me and see what we can come up with together!  I can be reached directly at: (773) 881-0706

The gorgeous flowers continued all the way down the aisle.