Ceremony and Cocktail Harpist, Herrington Inn & Spa, Geneva

The rain plain for Herrington Inn & Spa is still really lovely!

 Well, we were supposed to be outside at the Herrington Inn & Spa, but it has been a really rainy summer. Luckily, the venue manager, Raquel, is a really capable person, so she called the event for indoors in enough time so everything could be beautiful for the couple! The room layout at the Herrington is pretty distinctive. I played for the ceremony, as you see, then I moved over to the small balcony, and played for the cocktail hour below. It made everything super seamless, and I was able to play right up to the introductions, as all that was needed was a quick move backwards, and the French doors were closed off! I would really recommend this venue for both beauty and flexibility!

In other news, I learned my first Rolling Stones tune, and can report that "Wild Horses" sounds great on harp!

See all my repertoire at www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist and Violinist, Armour House, Lake Forest: A Cautionary Tale

 This is a picture from a 2021 wedding I played at the Armour House, and I am using it because there really wasn't a chance to take a photo this time. It was raining when we arrived, but the couple insisted that they would have their wedding outdoors. They suggested that we could keep our instruments dry if we positioned ourselves in the pavilion that you can see (a little bit) at the very back of this photo. That was true, although it would mean moving the harp a fairly large distance in the rain, up and down 3 sets of stairs. We went ahead and moved out, only to have them decide they preferred to be inside, and that we needed to move back inside as soon as possible. Of course, we also did that. In the end, their wedding was beautiful, and we were happy for them. The harp was not in as a good of tune as it would've been if I hadn't spent the majority of my setup time moving back and forth, and they didn't get as much prelude music as they would've normally gotten. So, the two pieces of information that I would want clients to consider from our experiences this day would be:

1. A venue manager is not really acting as your wedding planner. They will likely make decisions based on keeping you happy with your venue choice, and those might not be the best decisions for the big picture of your wedding.

2. Moving your musicians multiple times, especially if it is a fast move, may come with loss of quality and/or quantity of music. Someone holding an instrument looks very mobile, but with cases, stands, chairs, and sound equipment, it can be much more complicated.

Jacob Murphy and me, a little damp from the move,
but ready to go!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, Cathedral of St Raymond of Nonnatus, Joliet

The Cathedral is just magnificent

 I have played at quite a few Catholic Churches, but I was completely bowled over by St Raymond of Nonnatus! When I am a guest at a church, my job is to try and understand how they do things, and blend in as seamlessly as possible. I have my own set of Gather Comprehensive hymnals, which helps quite a bit. On this day, we used the Mass of Creation, and also the Ave Maria for the flowers to Mary. It was so beautiful, and it was an honor to be in this amazing church!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, Chateau Del Mar, Hickory Hills

 

I hadn't been to Chateau Del Mar in a while, so it was nice to see the property looking great! We were having some pretty wild storms on and around July 3rd, so it was a relief to both:

1. Be inside, and 

2. Have it still be super beautiful and light filled, as I know the couple wanted.

I was so busy getting in and drying off, that the picture of me in my corner is the only good legitimate picture I have. I'm going to upload a screen grab from a  video below, because the room was lovely, and I can't get Google to let me load the video <sigh>.

This on a dark and stormy day.... I know!!

Ceremony Harp, Violin, and Cello, St George, Cicero

 

Set up to the right of the altar, ready to go!

Sometimes, you just want more sound, and a trio with harp, violin, and cello is a perfect solution! I've played at St George before, and it is always such a treat! We did classical prelude selections as the guests came in, and then "Bridal Chorus" when the chandelier went on (St. George's cue that the bride is starting down the aisle). The effect was stunning!

If you would like to plan a larger ensemble for your celebration, I would love to help!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Joliet Ballroom, Joliet

The Grand Ballroom in downtown Joliet is the perfect venue for live harp music! The ceremony space is located in the old ticketing area of the train station, and it features a fantastic staircase for the processional. The space is all hard surfaces, though, and really benefits from the way live music, and particularly harp music, can warm up a room. The couple chose a classical piece (Air from Water Music by Handel) for the wedding party, and then the bride processed to Young and Beautiful. It was stunning!

If you are planning a wedding at the Joliet Ballroom, I would love to help you find your perfect music! Learn more at www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

All set up with a view to the staircase!

Proposal Harpist, The Joinery, Chicago

This is only some of the set-up!

 I always like to protect the privacy of my clients, so it can be hard to share much from a proposal, especially this time. The prospective groom planning the proposal is a magician, so the set up was very cool, but also seemed proprietary, so here we are. I can tell you that:

1. The Joinery is a fantastic place for a proposal. We were able to complete a fairly complicated set up very smoothly, and the venue manager there, Shay, is really just the best.

2. This was the first time I did a proposal where the groom was already at the site, and had concocted a story to bring the prospective bride to the site on her own. She was definitely and delightfully surprised!

3. She said YES!!

Planning a proposal? I am in!!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony and Cocktail Harpist, Nicholas Conservatory, Rockford

 

I normally don't leave the Chicago Metro area, but when this couple contacted me, they shared that it was a specific recording of mine that had caught their attention, and that they felt they really wanted me to play for their wedding. Rockford isn't horribly far for me, so I figured out a travel charge, and we agreed I would come out to play. The couple were absolutely delightful from beginning to end, and I loved playing their music choices (2 Smashing Pumpkins tunes, Tonight, Tonight, and 1979, and Short Change Hero by The Heavy). After the ceremony, I moved out to the patio to play for cocktails. 

This video, from The Nicholas Conservatory, is also capturing the nearby waterfall, so it's not optimal from a recording perspective, but it was so fantastic in person!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Wedding Shower Harpist, Oakville Grill & Cellar, Chicago

The Oakville Grill & Cellar is a fantastic place for a wedding shower! They have a second floor that you can have completely to yourself, including a terrace! I greeted the guests with music for their cocktail hour, and then moved out to the terrace to play for the luncheon. It was such an elegant, relaxing affair!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, Morton Arboretum, Lisle

This was a gorgeous wedding at The Morton Arboretum, but it was crazy busy! We were supposed to be outside, but rain was threatening, so we moved inside. I know the harp looks like you would just grab that one thing and be off, but I have tons of other equipment - cases, extra strings, music stand etc. The Founder's Room was quite the hub of activity, as the other vendor's pulled the decorations and chairs inside, too. So, no picture of the amazing room, as it was a work in progress all the way up to when we began playing. Oh, that's right! It was a "we" job, in this case, the wonderful violinist Sara Vettraino of Belle Music. If you're thinking of having strings at your wedding, harp and violin is a fantastic combination!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Prelude harpist, Pickerill Estate House, Yorkville

There's an area surrounded by trees on
one side of the house

This was my first time to the Pickerill Estate House, and it was lovely. The soon to be wed couple wanted recorded music for their walk down the aisle, but they brought me in to play live music while the guests assembled. I have a lovely repertoire of classic R and B, and I mixed it with some more current favorites so everyone got to hear something they knew. It was a beautiful day!

There's a lovely covered patio on the other side!

Ceremony Harpist, Assumption Catholic Church, Chicago

The gorgeous ceiling at Assumption Catholic Church

The musical needs at a Catholic wedding ceremony or mass are very specific! I have a long history of playing in the Catholic Church, and even own a set of the Gather Comprehensive Hymnals, so I am well prepared to jump in and help! The major need today was for prelude, as the ceremony started almost an hour late. I kept playing, and I think that helped everyone stay calm! When it was time, the large wedding party came in to Cannon in D, which is an excellent choice when you have a processional that you know will be quite long. I was also happy to play Ave Maria, when the bride brought flowers to the Mary Shrine. It was lovely!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony and Cocktail Harpist, Firehouse Chicago, Chicago

Glorious early summer wedding!

 There's something about Firehouse Chicago that is hard to put your finger on - just a warmth that lends a relaxed vibe to any event. This particular event seemed to include a lot of folks from the immediate neighborhood, so it was extra relaxed! The wedding party bounced down the aisle to "You're My Best Friend" by Queen, and the bride walked to "A Thousand Years". I stayed after the ceremony, while they celebrated with cocktails, and then they headed inside for dinner. If you're looking for a lovely venue for a small to midsized wedding, you definitely should have this place on your short list!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Cocktail and Introduction Harpist, Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago

 This absolutely gorgeous wedding was at the Bridgeport Art Center. I started in the cocktail room, just opposite the elevator. At the Bridgeport Art Center, the elevator is kind of famous, because there is usually a bar set up inside! By the time guests got a beverage on their way up, and then were greeted by a harpist as soon as the elevator doors opened, they knew they were in for an epic evening! I played Bollywood favorites mixed with a few western choices for all of cocktail hour. When the curtain to the dining room opened, I quickly changed orientation, so I could play for the bride's entrance - it was a lovely touch!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Wedding Ceremony and Cocktails Harpist, Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago

The Fountain Room at Garfield Park

This was already my second time to Garfield Park Conservatory in 2026! I really like ceremonies with the fountain as a backdrop, and guests were able to enjoy the show room next door for cocktails, so they got a really nice feel for the venue in general.

The couple requested I learn "To Zanarkand" for the wedding party processional, and I think it came out really nicely. They used "Zelda's Lullaby" for the bride's processional, and "Married Life" from "Up" for the recessional. It reflected them, and that is always the best thing!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Anniversary Party Harpist, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Oak Brook

The family arrived super early, so I wasn't able to get pictures of the space, but here I am ready to play Bollywood music for the couple's 50th anniversary. The guests really enjoyed hearing something they never had before (Bollywood selections on harp), and I even learned a special song for the celebrating couple!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago

 Garfield Park Conservatory is just a revelation every time you visit, and it is such a pleasure to play for weddings there! This beautiful wedding featured "To Zanarkand" from Final Fantasy for the wedding party. It was a special request (meaning I had never played it before), and they really loved it! Here is a video of me right after I learned it, if you are curious:

 https://www.youtube.com/c/chicagoweddingharpistreneewilson

What special request would you have me learn??

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Wedding Mass Harpist, St Clare of Montefalco Church, Chicago

Weddings after Christmas are so nice with all of the
holiday decorations still up!

 The first wedding of 2026 was so lovely!! The church still had all of the Christmas flowers out, and everything was warm and cozy. I always enjoy playing a Catholic wedding mass, because the needs are so very different from any other type of ceremony. I own a set of Gather Comprehensive, so the process is generally very smooth. We used the Mass of Creation, and it was really lovely!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com