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

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

Cocktail Harpist, Chicago Hilton and Towers, Chicago

 The Chicago Hilton and Towers is magic, especially at Christmas time! I welcomed guests with Bollywood favorites as they climbed the stairs for the cocktail reception. Because the Normandy Lounge (barely seen through the columns on the right) is open to this area, I was able to point my amp in that direction and provide music to the guests who were already enjoying cocktail hour, too! Of course, I came properly dressed!

Reception Harpist, Palmer House

Harpist's view of this amazing room!

 I haven't been to the Palmer House in a number of years, so I was really looking forward to being in the Empire Room. As with most historic hotels, it is quite an adventure to get a harp to where you are going to be playing, but it is all worth it! I played Bollywood and western favorites for the guests, and even got to sit up on the stage with the couple themselves! 

The sweetheart table is just there on the right of the stage!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony and Cocktail Harpist, Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, Chicago

All set up for the ceremony!

 The Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk contains so many options! The music needed for most Hindu ceremonies is fairly limited. I played some prelude for the guests, and then the entrance music for the couple and their families. While they finished their ceremony, I moved down to the Riverwalk, so I could greet the guests with music for the cocktail hour! It was so much fun to watch the guests (many of whom seemed to be from out of town) enjoying the panorama that is the Chicago Riverwalk!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony and Reception Harpist, Community House, Winnetka

This is a stunning location, but a very busy one! The tables and decor were still being set until very close to starting time, so I don't have a photo of the entire venue. Suffice to say that it is a lovely garden setting, almost entirely in the shade by a bit later in the afternoon, and the building is nearby with every amenity you might need. I was delighted to play some music for the Nikah ceremony, and then Bollywood and western music for the rest of the evening. I now have about 90 minutes of Bollywood music, some of which you can hear at my YouTube channel:

Bollywood Playlist

The full list of all the Bollywood songs I know can be found at my website:

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Bollywood Harpist, Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center, Schaumburg

I love working with my clients directly, but sometimes it is so much fun to just step into the world of a really accomplished wedding planner, and be part of that vision. Today, I was playing for Victoria Schultz of DVS Events, and the amazing wedding was at the Renaissance Schaumburg. I played 15 minutes of prelude, music for the entrance of the wedding party, and then for the first few minutes of the ceremony. It was glorious!

You can see my Bollywood repertoire at www.Harp123.com

Cocktail Reception Harpist, Drury Lane, Oak Brook

The lobby for the ballroom is very large!!

The Drury Lane complex has so many facilities! I have been here several times, but there have always been too many people around to allow for a photo. On this day, I was playing Bollywood reception music as people arrived, and got themselves settled with a little food and drink. Then, they passed by me again as they headed into the main reception. It is a lovely use of the harp, and helps everyone settle into an evening of delightful things!

My Bollywood repertoire is listed at my main website:

www.Harp123.com

Wedding Brunch Harpist, Grand Oaks Pavilion, Hyatt Lodge, Oak Brook

The Grand Oaks Pavilion is an iconic spot for events in the Chicago area; there's just nothing else quite like it. It nestles into the trees in the most wonderful way, but there is also a nice view of the little lake, too! On this morning, the couple was having their western wedding ceremony down by said lake, and then they all climbed the hill to the wedding brunch. At the couple's request, I played mostly pop music, but added in a few Bollywood tunes as a way to transition into the full weekend of Indian wedding festivities!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Bollywood Harpist, Donald E Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont

This was an enormous, joyful, Indian wedding, but it can be hard to get a good picture.... I actually come to the convention center towards the end of the evening to provide music when the guests are getting their desserts from the buffet. I am set up facing a curtain that will be opened when the time is right, so it looks a little odd in photos! At least in this photo, you can see some of the amazing dessert options behind me! 

I have a fun set of Bollywood hits that I love playing, and am frequently available for the later jobs even at the last minute. Don't hesitate to call if you find you would like to have harp music at your reception!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Bollywood Dinner Music Harpist, The Old Post Office, Chicago

The Old Post Office is a large space, so the couple used harp music to warm it up and welcome their guests! I started out facing this way, so I could greet guests as they made their way into the main seating area. You can see the mandap if you peek behind the curtains!!

Then I turned around so I could welcome them back in after introductions, when they were enjoying the buffet dinner and dessert! Once again, I was working with and for the wonderful DJ Kazi, so the sound would be equal to the large event!

You can see my Bollywood repertoire listed at www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

 

Bollywood Dinner Music Harpist, Shalimar Banquets, Addison

I had never seen Shalimar Banquets completely opened up before, and it was lovely! I was there to provide Bollywood favorites mixed in with some western pop songs, and it worked out beautifully! I was supported by the wonderful DJ Kazi, who made sure the harp sound was able to be heard in such a large space!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Cocktail Reception Harpist, DoubleTree Hotel, Oak Brook

 

The lobby at the DoubleTree in Oak Brook is a very generous size, and harp music warms it up really nicely! On this day, we were celebrating a 25th anniversary, and the party attendees wandered between the various stations providing food and drink while listening to Bollywood favorites. It was a lovely party, and I was so happy to try out my newest Bollywood arrangement - Mitwa!

I now have a complete hour of Bollywood music, and the selections are listed at my main website:

www.Harp123.com

Ceremony Harpist, Westin Chicago Lombard, Lombard

You have to search for the harp a bit, but I needed to get
all of the flowers in the picture!!

The Westin Chicago Lombard is a really lovely venue, and much of that is due to the staff. They were readily available, and so very helpful. Because I have a Bollywood repertoire, I frequently get called for weddings that are combining some Southeast Asian traditions into an otherwise Western ceremony. In these cases, it is always good to have input from the folks who know the space the best, so that I get myself positioned correctly in the room. Everything was incredibly smooth, and the results were just what the bride had in mind!

For more information on my Bollywood selections, please visit 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

Ceremony Harpist, Bolingbrook Golf Club, Bolingbrook

This lovely patio is at the front of the club

 This was my first time to Bolingbrook Golf Club, and I thought it was truly lovely. Wedding guests mixed and moved between the indoor space and the patio, enjoying the food and music. I played quite a few Bollywood tunes, but the bride requested "Clocks" for her processional. By the time they were married, the patio had taken on a magical glow in the dusk!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Reception Harpist, Union Station, Chicago

 

Such an amazing space!

I've played at Union Station before, but this space, The Burlington Room, was new to me. Indeed, it is kind of new on the market, having been recently refurbished in 2016. The concept here was a new one to me: the wedding coordinator planned for an entire dessert buffet to progress around the room with harp as the center unit! I played my Bollywood repertoire, and everyone got something sweet to end their evening - it was lovely!

If you would like to plan a late night snack for your guests, harp can be a wonderful addition! www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Cocktail Harpist, Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel, Schaumburg

I love playing extended cocktail hours with my Bollywood repertoire! It allows me to constantly surprise the guests as I alternate back and forth between American pop and Bollywood favorites! The Renaissance Schaumburg had lots of room for the guests, and they did a fantastic job building out the banquet hall so that there was no sound interference when the DJ started things in the main room. If you would like to see my Bollywood repertoire, head over to my website: www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

I generally don't post pictures of myself, but 
I am super fond of this cheerful gown!

Nikah Ceremony and Reception Harpist, Doubletree, Oak Brook

In my mind, there is no better way to start the new year than a wedding, so I was thrilled! The Doubletree, Oak Brook seems to have oodles of experience with big weddings, and it was a pleasure to see things work out so beautifully for this couple! There was a last minute issue with pandemic precautions, and I believe there may have been a change made with how things were broadcast for those not able to attend the Nikah. The hotel tech experts came and offered solutions, and things were managed quickly! Once we were started, things went smoothly, and we were off to the many specialty stations they had chosen for their pre-reception! I played Bollywood selections while guests mingled, and it was the joyful occasion everyone had hoped for!

If you are interested in my Bollywood rep, you can view it at: www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Bollywood Harpist, The Ivy Room, Chicago

Set up for a short program and dinner music.

I have a small (but growing!) Bollywood repertoire, and it has become a very popular option for my clients in the past few years. Frequently, they will request that I play classical and American pop selections for the first part of the event, and then reveal the Bollywood repertoire as a surprise for their guests. On this evening, the host was celebrating an engagement in their family at the Ivy Room, and I began by playing the cocktail hour in their lower level bar area.

The lower level bar/cocktail area.

Towards the end of the cocktail hour I moved upstairs so that I could greet the guests with music when they entered. The host wanted me to talk just a little about my specific harp, and how it is constructed, so I combined that with the Bollywood selections she had requested. I finished up with some dinner music, and everything moved along seamlessly!

If you would like to incorporate some Bollywood into your event, my repertoire is listed on my website: www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com.