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 Harpist, The Croatian Center, Merrillville, Indiana

The Croatian Center was a new venue to me, and I thought it was lovely! I'm not positive that I understand how things are structured there, because the venue website seems to be less about the venue, and more about the caterer, which is Dimitri's? Regardless, the venue is worth checking out. It has a big wall of windows looking out on a garden area. It looks like there are opportunities for outdoor settings, although the day I was there was pretty rainy, so I couldn't say for sure. Still, look at the photo: super gray day, but still plenty of lovely light in the room!💖

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Dessert Harpist, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont

Set up in the dessert room

One of the newest things I am doing is providing dinner or dessert music for Southeast Asian weddings. I have a growing Bollywood repertoire, and I intersperse the selections with western pop for an interesting blend. On this evening, I was at the enormous Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, and they literally rolled the wall back to reveal desserts and harp music - very dramatic!!

www.Harp123.com

Pre-Cocktail Harpist, Empress Banquets, Addison

All set up in the beautiful lobby of Empress Banquets

The mother of the bride knew that the guests would arrive early at the reception, so she planned ahead! I was booked to greet the guests with music, even before the banquet room was open and cocktails were available. I have never done that for an event before, and I thought it was absolute genius! The guests were able to ease into their evening, and then I was able to play for the wedding party while they were lining up. I'm looking forward to doing it again soon!

I would love to help you surprise your guests with harp music! www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Dinner Music Harpist, Venuti's, Addison

Set up in front of the DJ's booth

It is always a pleasure to be at Venuti's in Addison! On this evening, I was providing a little of the "fairy tale wedding magic" that the bride thanked her dad for during the speeches. She wanted harp dinner music for her guests, so we ran the harp (which has a built in mic) through the DJ's system, and it was loud enough for the large room, no problem. She chose many of the songs herself (from my list), so she had a custom playlist for her guests!

The playlists on my website can help you plan your custom playlist, too! www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Anniversary Harpist, Carlisle Banquets, Lombard

The room had a gold color scheme,
perfect for the 50th celebration!

It is always such a pleasure playing for Anniversaries! Carlisle Banquets was beautifully decorated for the holidays, and provided the perfect setting for the amazing couple's 50th wedding anniversary celebration.

The couple wanted to hear "One in a Million You", and it sounds fantastic on harp - I will be playing it regularly from now on!

If you are planning a special celebration, I would love to help!

www.Harp123.com

Ceremony Harpist, The Seville, Streamwood

So elegant!

The Seville in Streamwood is so well run!! The room itself was lovely, and the staff were all quick and efficient. It is so much easier to get set up and focus on the important things when everything is running smoothly around you! The bride and groom had a hand binding ceremony as their unity element. I played "The Lark in the Clear Air" softly in the background as their friends came up and read short passages. It was a sweet beginning to their union!

If you're planning a special ceremony within your ceremony, harp music can help define it beautifully! www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Anniversary Harpist, Cafe La Cave, Des Plaines

 

I do love any sort of an anniversary, and the room at Cafe La Cave was all ready for the celebration! Like at most events, I take a look at the general ages of the guests, and choose music to suit. My two favorite comments to hear are "You played our favorite song" and "I didn't know you could play that on harp"! I feel like I have two simultaneous jobs: to relax everyone, and to surprise them! All my clients can have two special requests outside of my normal repertoire, so there are tons of possibilities! Feel free to reach out if you have questions!

www.Harp123.com

Baby Shower Harpist, Chevy Chase Country Club, Wheeling

 

A beautiful sunlit room, and plenty of space for a harp!

I love going to Chevy Chase because I know it is going to be a smooth, carefree experience. The room is beautiful, and it's the perfect size for harp music! On this day, my clients were celebrating the imminent arrival of a new baby boy, so I got dressed up in blue and played a mix of love songs and Disney songs. A perfect way to spend a Sunday morning!

If you're planning a shower of any kind, I would love to help! www.Harp123.com

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Cotillion Banquets, Palatine

 

This was my first time to Cotillion Banquets in Palatine, and they really seemed to do a nice job there. Sure, it was a bit of a surprise when they turned the lights way down for the wedding, but I had my iPad, so I was fine. The room just glowed in the low light, and I do love a magical, sparkly wedding vibe!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Wedding Reception Harpist, Venuti's, Addison

The dining room at Venuti's

 It is always a pleasure to be at Venuti's in Addison, especially so this time, because it was my first Palestinian wedding! I was setting the mood for the quieter moments when guests were enjoying their dinner. Before and after me? Joyful dancing! It was perfect!

If you are looking to set a calm mood for your dinner guests, harp is a terrific option! www.Harp123.com has repertoire lists to help you. 

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Biagio Events and Catering, Chicago

A perfectly lovely entry hallway with a lot of natural light.

This was my first time to Biagio Events and Catering in Portage Park. It turns out that Biagio has some really different looking rooms within the same complex. After walking part way down the above hallway, I came to two rooms that looked like this:

Not a super surprising banquet hall. 

A few more steps down the same corridor, and I open this door:

Whoa. Not expecting that. Also, cool tables.

And this was the ceremony room for my clients:

This was next to the room with the tables set up and waiting,
but you couldn't see them at all.

Apparently the bride's family built the archway, so don't get
your heart set on that!

So, officially really different, right? I can report that all of the facilities looked super nice and well kept, so there you have it. One facility, some pretty different choices. Also, they seem to operate a restaurant named "Legno" in the corner of the banquet building. I noticed they were connected from the inside, so maybe the food is similar? It sure would be fun to try things before you committed! Enjoy!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Avalon Manor, Merrillville, Indiana

Add caption

This was my first time to Avalon Manor, but I frequently work in Northwest Indiana. This was a lovely ceremony where the mother of the bride took care of everything so that the bride could concentrate on just enjoying her day!

One of the things I liked best about Avalon Manor was the natural light from the big windows. The purple theme and the wonderful flowers looked terrific in the natural light!

The aisle was marked with
huge flower arrangements on pedestals!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, Double Tree Hotel, Alsip

Set up at the one of Double Tree ballrooms, ready for the ceremony!

This was one of those times where the music wasn't initially what I expected, but I wanted to follow the couple's wishes because, well, yeah. The couple wanted Coldplay's "A Sky Full of Stars" for the bride to walk in to, and "A Thousand Years" for their recessional. I have, most often, used those two choices for exactly the opposite ceremony jobs! Upon reflection, though, a slower "Sky Full of Stars" was really appealing and effective, and I just started "A Thousand Years" at the chorus, and I thought it worked great! In the end, they had really personalized music, and I got to look at those pieces in a different way. It was pretty fun.

The Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Alsip is a really appealing venue. The Banquet area has a separate entrance with easier parking nearby, and the hallways are a wide and comfortable location for your guests to gather if you need additional space. They were able to do a really quick turn around of the room, so the ceremony, cocktails, and dinner reception were all in the same room. Nice!

Harpist's view of the room.

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony and Cocktail Harpist, Venuti's, Addison

Lots of natural light and special ceiling decorations!

This was a fairly complicated wedding, but it ended up coming out beautifully! The groom is a violinist, and a music lover in general, so he wanted to play for his bride. I will tell you what I told him.... You will be under a ton of stress that day, so I don't recommend it, but I will help you if you want to do it. He is a brave and determined sort of a fellow, so of course he wanted to do it! We worked to find the proper version of the proper piece (Ribbon in the Sky), and rehearsed at my house before the big day. 

Once I was set up at Venuti's, I began the prelude with all classical music, ending with Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring for the mothers. The groom entered to All of Me, and then the bridal party followed to Canon in D. Finally, it was time for the groom to play. He and I played through Ribbon in the Sky by Stevie Wonder and then, as he went to meet his bride, I picked up and played once more through on my own. It was stressful just like I warned, but he played really well, and it made everything feel very special.

Set up early and ready for rehearsal!

If you or someone else wants to play or sing at your wedding, I can absolutely accompany. There is no extra charge, and the results can be really spectacular!!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Cocktail Harpist, The Meadows Club, Rolling Meadows

Set up outside the banquet room.

I have been to The Meadows Club several times now, and it is always so much fun! When I first saw their cocktail space (see below), I was worried that it wouldn't work well for harp, but I was wrong! The weddings I have played here have all been East Asian weddings, so I have played Bollywood selections interspersed with American pop tunes. The long reception area creates sort of a gallery where guests get a drink and then stroll along stopping to visit and listen. My unusual mix of tunes seems to amuse everyone, and I have had some of the most positive comments from guests at this venue!

This gives you some idea of the size, but there is still more space
in the other direction!

I currently have 40 minutes of Bollywood music, and I try to add something new each season. You can hear how this translates to harp at my YouTube channel. Look for the "Bollywood Songs" playlist!

Cocktail Reception Harpist, The Meadows Club, Rolling Meadows

Ready for cocktails at The Meadows Club

It was a Bollywood kind of week for me!  I am slowly building up my Bollywood repertoire (30 minutes so far), and I was glad to have such a nice venue to play them in!  

I knew that the wedding was to include over 500 guests, so I packed my amp, but I was still more than a little concerned that a single harp would not be up to the challenge.  It actually turned out much better than I could ever have hoped!  This venue features two prefunction areas, and I was stationed in the longer and more narrow of the two. As the guests approached the table to find their seat assignment, I was off to the right.  There were quite a few small children attending, and their parents enjoyed showing them the harp.  After listening for a little, the guests would stroll over to see the other entertainment (a magician and a photo booth).

The couple had selected songs from my standard list of American love songs, so I was able to intersperse the Bollywood songs with tunes like "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz and "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith.  It was fun for the guests and me, too!

The main room at The Meadows Club, still being set for the evening.

Riverside Receptions, Geneva Wedding Ceremony Harpist

The ceremony room at Riverside Receptions has a nice long aisle!

This was the second time I have been to Riverside Receptions, and this go around I got to see the inside space!  I thought it was set up really thoughtfully, with a nice area for me at the back of the hall, and good sight lines so that I could see the wedding party getting ready to process in.  

This particular bride had a son who played the violin, and she wanted him to be involved in the music.  No problem!  He and I emailed back and forth and agreed on "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", and I sent him the violin part.  Both he and his mom felt a rehearsal before the day of the wedding would be a good idea, so he came over to my house about 10 days before the wedding.  Everything went smoothly except that, in the many details of the actual wedding day, he forgot to pack a music stand.  Again, no problem.  I had an extra stand in my car, and we were right back on track.  He played so beautifully, and everyone was happy.  

I am always willing to accompany your friends and family if they would like to sing or play an instrument.  This young man was quite accomplished, but I can successfully accompany beginners, as well.  We can rehearse ahead of time, and then run through the selection again just before the wedding.  There is no extra charge for this service, and it is a lot of fun for everyone involved!

No harp music for the reception, but the room is so beautiful that
I couldn't resist a photo!

Cafe La Cave, Des Plaines Wedding Ceremony Harpist

Note the elegant stairway you can use to make your entrance!

I hadn't been to Cafe La Cave in quite a few years, so it was nice to have a chance to play there again and come out with such a positive impression.  This place is super close to the airport, so I had some fears about noise, which turned out to be completely unnecessary!  I don't know what kind of sound proofing they have done, but I was unaware of any noise what so ever!!  The room itself seems to have been recently renovated, and is bright and pleasant.  It looks like it serves as a private lobby to the banquet facility, but it also worked beautifully as a ceremony location!

Easily the best thing about the facility, though, is Randy.  This guy really knows how to run a wedding.  He kept me informed, gave great cues so that I could change music when necessary, and did it all looking super dapper in his tux!  I should probably admit that one of my pet peeves is support staff that look distractingly casual.  It was nice to see someone who fit in with the elegant wedding party, no problem.

The light just streams into this pleasant space!

There was even a little alcove so I could be out of the way but still easily heard!  

If you are looking for a surprisingly elegant venue near the airport, this is absolutely worth a trip.  

Crystal Light Banquets, Burbank Wedding Ceremony Harpist

Set up for the ceremony at Crystal Light Banquets

This was my first time at Crystal Light Banquets in Burbank, and I came away impressed.  The facility looks to have undergone a renovation in the very recent past, and it is quite lovely inside.  I really liked the fact that they are set up to host one wedding at a time, so you will not have to deal with a loud D.J. next door ruining your quiet ceremony time.

The bride wanted a fairly formal ceremony, and so decided to go with all classical music.  It can be daunting for many people when the time comes to sit down and make a list of the music for the ceremony, but she made use of my repertoire lists, and found that they were helpful. Many of the songs on my list are familiar to people, even if the names may not be.  The bride chose "Clair de Lune" for the combined unity candle and roses to the mothers, and that was an especially lovely moment!

I am always available to all of my clients to help sort out music possibilities.  If you have an idea for music that is not already on my list, I would love to hear it!  Your wedding music should reflect you and your fiancé, and I am delighted to help you find that special mix!

You may enjoy visiting my repertoire pages for ideas:

Classical repertoire
Popular repertoire