Engagement Party Harpist, Prestwick Country Club, Frankfort

Aren't the decorations lovely?

I live quite far South, but I didn't even know that this club existed. The website for Prestwick Country Club says that they host members and non members for special events, but there wasn't a lot of other information available.  What I can tell you from experience, though, is that the club looked incredibly beautiful with its Christmas decorations, and that the table settings and indeed the plates coming out of the kitchen all looked absolutely beautiful, too. This club may be a little out of the way even by my South Side standards, but it is definitely worth consideration.  I always think that anyone who plans a December or early January event gets extra wonderful decorations just by default, and how amazingly smart is that?

Engagement parties are so much fun to play!  I swept through many of my favorite wedding and love themed music, with lots of Christmas music thrown in.  I have been lucky enough to play for this lovely family before, and they are of Italian heritage, so they also get some opera arias, and a particular Christmas tune that I love, but that only musicians and Italians ever seem to know. What can I tell you? Everyone had a good time, myself included!

If you would like to include Christmas music at your event, you can see all of my holiday songs listed here!

The "room" is actually two rooms joined by an archway. Cocktails were
in this section with the cool high ceiling.

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago

A picture of my harp at Holy Name Cathedral from a different day.
Honestly, no time for pictures on this day!!

As you might imagine, the music staff at Holy Name is really wonderful. The Cathedral is so busy that playing there frequently feels like trying to jump into a game of double-dutch jump rope! I always arrive early, because in cold months it is important to find someplace for the harp to come up to temperature. Once the previous wedding is finished, there will be just under 20 minutes to move the harp, set up, tune, and rehearse. It is a challenge!! On the plus side, the wonderful Music Director, Ricardo Ramirez, almost always chooses a responsorial psalm that I get to accompany, which I definitely look forward to. It is so much fun to play chords for the wonderful Cathedral cantors to sing over! Another often used focus is Schubert's "Ave Maria" accompanied by harp, or on this day, harp and violin. Beautiful! 

I managed to get set up really efficiently on this day, and rehearsal was short and easy, so I also played 15 minutes of prelude music. Like many churches with amazing pipe organs, Holy Name knows exactly how to employ the organs (yes, they have 2!) to greatest effect.  After I finished the prelude music, the violin and the upstairs pipe organ began the processional for the parents and wedding party from the loft, with me joining in from down front. Then, when it was time for the bride, the organ took over and opened up completely; it is an amazing sound for a dramatic moment!! 

Wedding Reception Harpist, The Lincoln Inn, Batavia

That's the corner area where the wedding party sat. 

This was such a charming reception! The bridal couple, and indeed all of the guests were members of a Seventh Day Adventist Congregation nearby. Since Seventh Day Adventists adhere to a Sabbath day of rest of Saturday, the wedding and reception were both scheduled for Sunday morning. I actually think that brunches, or "wedding breakfasts," as I believe they are called in Britain, are overlooked as a practical yet romantic alternative to evening affairs.  The Lincoln Inn in Batavia is perfect for this.  The owner was telling me that they host a popular Sunday brunch every weekend, so you could easily stop by and see what you think of the facility and its food without having to schedule an appointment! On this morning, we were in the Springfield Room, and it is quite remarkable. It is sort of an "L" shaped room, which is generally kind of a drag, but not in this case. The owners, very cleverly, installed a corner area that is perfect for the wedding party. Everyone sits elevated just a bit, and the reality is that the bridal couple is able to be seen from every bit of the room!  In addition, there are a number of large windows for natural light, and some large wall mirrors to disperse the light throughout. All in all, a super pleasant room.

The couple had requested hymns and classical music, so the music was very soothing. Brunch was served buffet style, and everything looked wonderful and well tended.  Definitely a place worth remembering!

See? This is why you need to plan December events...
the floral possibilities are so romantic!!