Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Holiday Inn, Elk Grove Village

Set up for the ceremony.

This bride really did things well.  When she contacted me initially, she informed me that while the event was to be an American style wedding, many of those attending would be of Nigerian descent, and that a 3 pm Nigerian wedding would likely not start right at 3 pm.  We had a little chat, and decided to specify a time frame that I would set aside for the wedding, acknowledging that the start time within that time frame was unknowable!  It really helped me, as I came with extra music organized, and was not staring into the back of the hall the entire time wondering if I was going to get a signal in the next 30 seconds to start.  Truly, the time just before the processional is the most difficult for any wedding musician (as you want everything to be as smooth as possible) and having a realistic idea of what is going to happen is just wonderful!

This bride loved soft music, so she decided to go with "Storybook Love" from the movie "The Princess Bride" for her bridal party.  This is frequently an overlooked option, especially when you consider that the song is so familiar to so many people!  The bride walked down to "A Thousand Years" and, bless her heart, although it was a relatively short aisle, she walked slowly enough that I was able to play both sections of the song!  I think perhaps I will ask her to coach all of you... walk slowly, brides!  You are so beautiful, and we all want to enjoy the moment!!!

For the recessional, she chose the more up tempo "I'm Your's" by Jason Mraz.  The best part for me was that one of the groomsmen was actually singing along a little!  Yet another good argument for using pop music at a wedding... people enjoying hearing songs they know!  

Non-Wedding Harpist at "South Pacific"

My harp at Cahn Auditorium, Evanston

Kind of a change of pace for me; I am spending most of August playing in a pit orchestra for the Rogers and Hammerstein classic, "South Pacific."  The production is lovely and romantic, even if there isn't a wedding!  If you happen to be there, please stop by the pit and say hello!

Wedding Ceremony and Reception Harpist, Salvatore's, Chicago

The patio at Salvatore's

Salvatore's is really a Lincoln Park institution, but it is still a little off the beaten path.  It is nestled just North of Fullerton, back in a neighborhood of one way streets that makes getting there just a bit of a challenge.  Once you arrive, though, the street is quiet and there is valet parking!  The building used to be a hotel, and was converted (many years ago) to apartments and a restaurant.  The patio where they hold weddings is completely shaded and looks out on the landscaped courtyard of the apartment building.

The bride and groom wanted a mixture of pop and classical music, so the mothers of the bride and groom processed to "Air on the G String" by Bach, and then the bridesmaids entered to "Ribbon in the Sky" by Stevie Wonder.  I had forgotten how wonderful "Ribbon in the Sky" sounds on harp!  Look for this to appear on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks, for sure!  The bride walked in to "A Thousand Years" and everybody recessed to "Marry You" by Bruno Mars.  I updated my arrangement of this piece, and I am finally completely happy with it, so you can expect a video of that soon, too!

After the ceremony, I moved indoors to play for the cocktail hour while the bridal party took pictures.  Things were moving along really efficiently, so my stated "cocktail hour" time actually ended up extended into the dinner, so of course I kept playing!

If you are looking for a convenient everything-in-one place venue in the city, you really should see Salvatore's.  And of course, consider harp music!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

The dining room at Salvatore's.
The patio is just through the doors on the left.