Ceremony and Cocktails Harpist (and Violinist!), Armour House, Lake Forest

I have been to the Armour House quite a few times over the years, and it is a really lovely venue. This wedding was no exception, but what was different is that I forgot to take pictures! Luckily, another vendor took this short video of Jacob Murphy and I warming up for the processional. The selection is "Young and Beautiful" by Lana Del Rey, and it was used for the entrance of the bride.

Violin is a wonderful addition to any wedding or cocktail hour, and Jacob is a fantastic player! Enjoy!

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Reception Harpist, The Armour House, Lake Forest

The Armour House is one of the iconic wedding locations in the greater Chicago area, and I am always delighted to be there. It is not always possible to play from the veranda, because the harp can really end up baking if the sun is out in full, but the weather really cooperated on this day. Or at least it did for the first 50 minutes of the cocktail hour! Then the storm rolled through, and I was grateful that the indoor areas are so lovely and accommodating!

I played briefly in the room just off the veranda, and then moved to the grand staircase for dinner. There is no shortage of gorgeous areas in this venue!

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Cocktail Harpist, The Armour House at Lake Forest Academy, Lake Forest

The veranda is the perfect place to tuck a harp!

 

This wedding was such a pleasure, because I had actually been present when they got engaged! The groom had planned a fantastic proposal in summer 2020, and the couple invited me back for their cocktail reception at The Armour House. Repeat customers are always a pleasure, but this was just a delight! The little veranda is perfect for a harp, as I caught people going in and out, as well as those who stayed on the patio. The Luniks Entertainment DJ set up my built in mic so that the sound was relayed inside, too. The groom thought to plan some special requests, so I now know "Wildest Dreams", and it sounds great on harp!

Harpist's view!

Special requests are always available, and you can learn about the process on my website: www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Armour House, Lake Forest Wedding Ceremony Harpist

The harpist's view back to the house.

The Armour House is a fabulous venue, and it is always a pleasure to be there.  This particular couple planned to include a Japanese tea ceremony during their wedding, so it was extra fun.  They needed music for that, and chose the song "Sakura, Sakura".  The ceremony is fairly lengthy, though, so I brought a folio of Japanese folk songs with me so that I could cycle through a couple of different tunes to keep things feeling smooth.  It is always such a pleasure to help couples honor their family traditions.  Give me a call (773.881.0706), and we'll see what we can do to make your wedding reflect your heritage!

Armour House Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Lake Forest

The harpist's view of the proceedings at the Armour House!

On my third and final trip to Armour House I was still gathering great ideas for making the long walk for the bridal party seem cohesive and lovely.  Luckily, the bride sent me a list of music that she liked, so we had some great options!  I ended up using two different songs for the bridal party: Trumpet Voluntary and Rondeau.  I started with the Trumpet Voluntary, then moved to the Rondeau, and ended back with the Trumpet Voluntary.  It is a very long aisle, and I am sure the congregation appreciated the variety as the large wedding party made their way down the aisle!  The bride walked to Pachelbel's Canon in D, which is a delightfully long piece that can easily be brought to a close the very moment the bride arrives at her groom's side.

The couple also had a really gorgeous flower arrangement done with petals on the grass.  It marked the spot where the bridal couple stood as they took their vows.  It was so huge that I couldn't quite get it with my camera!

The bridal couple processed to the inside of this flower petal heart!

If you are interested in music for your outdoor wedding, please visit my website at:
www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Armour House Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Harpist, Lake Forest

Set up to the left of the pagoda

My second trip to the spectacular Armour House in Lake Forest found me on the left side of the pagoda.  It was workable, certainly, but I felt farther from the congregation, and I had to turn at an awkward angle to see the wedding party.  Everyone was viewing the harp from the front, which is probably not the most attractive angle on a harp, but I think I am perhaps a little too worried about such things!  Back in reality, it was another gorgeous day, and the beautiful bride choose Pachelbel's Canon in D for her wedding party's walk.  It worked wonderfully.  It is a very long song, and that is a fantastic attribute at the Armour House!  I had plenty of music without making any repeats, and everyone was happy!

This bride also wanted me to play for her cocktail hour on the veranda, and I was delighted to do so.  Guests sipped their champagne and watched the sunset while I played selections from the Great American Songbook by giants like Gershwin and Cole Porter.  Just another beautiful evening at the Armour House!

The bridal couple's view of the harp!

If you need music for your North Shore wedding, please visit:
www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Armour House Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Lake Forest

Set up to the right of the pagoda in the Armour House gardens.

This Summer I was lucky enough to play at the wonderful Armour House in Lake Forest three separate times!  The house is part of Lake Forest Academy, and they are experts at beautiful wedding ceremonies. Here, on my first trip, I am set up to the right of the congregation, and that was my favorite position.  My camera always has trouble with light and dark, so I look like I am sitting in descending gloom, but that is not how it seemed on site at all!  In this position, I had my best view of the house, and consequently the approaching wedding party.  

The most complicated part of any wedding at the Armour House is the processional.  It is an extremely long walk from the house to the front of the congregation.  If you have even a medium sized wedding party, your processional music could easily clock in at 8 minutes, no problem. Additionally, there is no easy way for the wedding coordinator to communicate with me once we are set up and ready to go.  With good professionals at the helm, though, the long walk can definitely be turned into an advantage!  On this day, the bride chose an Irish air entitled, "The Gentle Maiden".  It is not the longest tune ever written, so I found two different versions and combined them.  Presto!  Enough variation to keep things fresh.  The wedding coordinator (whose name I sadly forgot to collect) had the best solution for keeping me informed about the processional... she sent her assistant down to say, "we're ready to start."  It was low tech, but perfect.  The wedding was as smooth as can be!

A view back towards the house.  Kind of a long walk, right?

If you would like help choosing the perfect music for your walk down the aisle, please visit my website:
www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com