Unity Temple, Oak Park Ceremony Harpist

My harp at the beautiful Unity Temple in Oak Park!

It was such a thrill to play in this historic building!  The layout is unusual to say the least, and the brides wanted quite a bit of specific music, so it took some coordinating!  They wanted to have piano and harp, which is unusual, so I had to check around for piano duets that I could adapt, or plan to accompany the piano as a solo instrument.  Piano can work quite well with harp, but you have to make allowances for the fact that (especially if it is a grand piano) it will be louder than the harp.  Not to worry, I made sure that the piano had the main melody, and I embellished!  We played "Air" from Handel's Water Music, and Canon in D, but the most fun was the tiny little bit of "Bridal Chorus" or "Here Comes the Bride" that we slipped in.  Since we actually had two brides coming down the aisle, it seemed to delight everyone!

For the recessional, one of the brides wanted "Entrance of the Queen of Sheba", also by Handel.  It is a newer piece for me, but it has been coming up more and more often.  I now have that particular selection in versions for harp and piano, harp and violin, and harp solo.  It was a joyous occasion that perfectly suited the bridal couple.  If you would like to see if we can find a program to suit you, just email me at Renee@Harp123.com!

Starved Rock Wedding Ceremony and Reception Harpist

This was the beautiful setting for my first ever wedding at Starved Rock State Park.  This site is really wonderful.  The river is just beyond, and the entire site is shaded!  Additionally, the parking lot is close enough for an easy load in, but the patio area is far enough back that we did not have random people passing through.  The wedding itself was so lovely, and the bride chose "Let it Go" from "Frozen" for her tiny flower girls to process in to.  The girls were so thrilled, and accomplished all of their flower girl duties admirably!

I thought this was a fabulous idea for securing wedding paraphernalia in a potentially windy situation. Plus, so cute!!

Then we were off to the Lodge for dinner.  The DJ played for the cocktail hour while I moved the harp.  I played for dinner and, after the couple had visited all of the tables, I heard from the lovely bride.  She told me that many of the guests over the age of 40 had expressed their satisfaction with the music, as the harp music allowed them to eat and visit without having to shout to be heard  It was a successful day all around!

Riverside Receptions, Geneva Wedding Ceremony Harpist

The ceremony room at Riverside Receptions has a nice long aisle!

This was the second time I have been to Riverside Receptions, and this go around I got to see the inside space!  I thought it was set up really thoughtfully, with a nice area for me at the back of the hall, and good sight lines so that I could see the wedding party getting ready to process in.  

This particular bride had a son who played the violin, and she wanted him to be involved in the music.  No problem!  He and I emailed back and forth and agreed on "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", and I sent him the violin part.  Both he and his mom felt a rehearsal before the day of the wedding would be a good idea, so he came over to my house about 10 days before the wedding.  Everything went smoothly except that, in the many details of the actual wedding day, he forgot to pack a music stand.  Again, no problem.  I had an extra stand in my car, and we were right back on track.  He played so beautifully, and everyone was happy.  

I am always willing to accompany your friends and family if they would like to sing or play an instrument.  This young man was quite accomplished, but I can successfully accompany beginners, as well.  We can rehearse ahead of time, and then run through the selection again just before the wedding.  There is no extra charge for this service, and it is a lot of fun for everyone involved!

No harp music for the reception, but the room is so beautiful that
I couldn't resist a photo!