Cocktail and Reception Harpist, Morton Arboretum, Lisle

My position for cocktails. You can get a glimpse of the Ginkgo terrace beyond.

I have actually been to the Arboretum before, but always on the other side of the highway at the Thornhill Education Center. This was my first time in the Ginkgo room, and I was really impressed! First of all, I should mention that is was just beastly hot on this particular day, so I think the guests really enjoyed having the option of being out on the terrace, or enjoying the amazing view from the air conditioned Ginkgo Room! The staff expertly turned the public area just outside the Ginkgo Room into a cocktail venue, and everything was set to begin as the Arboretum closed to the public for the day.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a photo of the dinner reception area (as it was filled with guests by the time I moved in) but the view is show stopping, and worth a trip to see for yourself.  

For my part, I try to change things up as much as possible. My cocktail selections include elegant standard by Gershwin, more recent popular tunes like "Marry You", and things you would never expect like "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes!  For dinner, I often play well known classical melodies, but that choice is really for the client, as additional popular selections can be really lovely, too.

You can hear some of my cocktail repertoire on my YouTube channel:  youtube.com/c/ChicagoWeddingHarpistReneeWilson. 

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Congress Plaza Hotel, Chicago

The Florentine Room at the Congress Plaza Hotel

Really, there can't be another room like the Florentine Room at the Congress Plaza Hotel. It is absolutely stunning, and seems to be in good repair. I wish I could say the same for the rest of the hotel. This was an agent job for me, which means I never met the bridal couple, and indeed do not even know their names. The wedding ceremony seemed to go according to plan for the most part, but the hotel was so difficult for me to deal with, that I can only imagine that the couple themselves have some stories to tell. This hotel has dealt with labor problems over the years, and perhaps that is part of the issue.  While looking online, I found that many of the reviews of this venue are extremely old. Be careful is all I am saying. I want good things for all of you!

Ceremony Harpist, Century Memorial Chapel, Naperville

Set up to the left of the altar area.

Century Memorial Chapel is a well known wedding venue in Naperville, and I have been there quite a few times over the years. It is truly one of the best run facilities, as it comes with its own wedding coordinator who will keep you (and more importantly, everyone else) on schedule and organized! My only caveat is that it is a fairly dark space, and this is not at all represented on their publicity materials. On the website, it looks sun drenched and light colored. I feel the photos I took this day are fairly representative of the real look of the place. It is absolutely fine, but you will want to visit to make sure it is what you are expecting!

I ended up moving back just a bit to accommodate the wedding party!!

The lovely bride brought together love songs from many generations, including "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley, "Endless Love" by Lionel Richie, and "Marry Me" by Train. When it was time for the processional, she kept to tradition with Canon in D and Wagner's Bridal Chorus. One of the best aspects of Century Memorial Chapel is that you walk out of your wedding ceremony (to Mendelssohn's Wedding March, in this case) and into one of the most beautiful park like settings imaginable!  

The aisle at Century Memorial Chapel

Please visit my "Song Lists" page if you would like to see all of the repertoire possibilities for your wedding!

Prelude and Cocktail Harpist, Stan Mansion, Chicago

I was set up to welcome guests as they entered the street level lobby.

The Stan Mansion was a new venue for me, and it is quite an unusual layout! I think calling this a mansion might miss the point just a little bit.....It was actually built in 1923 as a building to house a fraternal organization (Knights Templar first, and then the Masons). Because of its original purpose, it has an enormous and glorious meeting room!

The meeting room, with side galleries, is really amazing!

The groom wanted his guests to be greeted with music while they signed the guest book, and he requested all R and B music. I took advantage of the opportunity to add some wonderful new arrangements to my book, and you can expect to see some of them popping up on my YouTube channel soon!

The basement or "Lower Level Ballroom"

Although I loved the venue, there are two aspects that I think need careful consideration. First of all, it is not handicap accessible, or at least there was no one there to explain how I could manage more easily, so you'll want to check. Secondly, you'll want to see the "Lower Level Ballroom" early on in your planning process if you will need that space. It was clean, to be sure, but doesn't seem like it was originally a public space, and isn't the same level of amazing as the rest of the facility.