Recently I played an interfaith marriage, and it was the smoothest two officiant wedding I have ever done. Apparently, these gentleman know each other and do these sorts of services enough that they have the whole thing working really well. You can reach Rabbi Tillman here, and Father Bernie can be reached through his assistant at Alink@stannebarrington.org. It was a joyous occasion, and they were fabulous. It doesn't get better than that!
It is always so much fun when couples showcase their shared interests and passions with those gathered to celebrate their union, and this wedding has so many fun components! First, they hired the musicians separately, but (as often happens) we already knew each other anyway! They had a wonderful violinist named Jeff Yang all set to play both the ceremony and reception. For their processional music they chose the adorable "Concerning Hobbits" from the Lord of the Ring movies, and the addition of the violin really made their selection perfect! For their unity ceremony, they chose neither candle nor sand, but went with....... wait for it......... LEGOS!!
Apparently the couple are big lego fans, and the officiant (Anita at Anitaweds.com) had the lovely idea of incorporating that into the ceremony. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate, so we were inside rather than at the hotel's outdoor space, but the reception was in a cute tent set in a green space that allowed for enjoying the garden without everyone being soggy. At the reception, Jeff and I played lots of fun "Great American Song Book" selections; wonderful songs by Gershwin and Cole Porter. Plus, there was wedding cake made to look like giant lego blocks!
Well, the pictures just can't do it justice. When you're in Preston Bradley Hall at the Chicago Cultural Center, there is truly beauty all around, and that is before you start setting up for your wedding. Built in 1893, the hall features a Tiffany glass dome (backlit so you can always enjoy it), mosaics, ornate chandeliers and sconces, and a view of Millennium Park. It is dazzling. The bride descended the grand staircase to "The Prayer", and Katie from Bliss Weddings and Events kept everything moving along smoothly. The bridal couple were theater folk, so they had lots of talented people in their wedding party, and two attendants actually sang the recessional to a taped accompaniment! They used a really fun tune from the Broadway show "The Wedding Singer" and it was super cute, but it wasn't quite long enough for the entire wedding party and left a fair number of attendants still at the front of the church. No problem, because they had booked live music as well! I finished their recessional to Gershwin's "Love is Here to Stay" and things stayed smooth. Another hallmark of a well planned wedding, really, having all contingencies covered. I couldn't possibly say enough good things about Katie and the way Bliss coordinated the wedding, and their website is really fun. Happily, thanks to Chaplain Tom Brandsness, the ceremony itself was lighthearted and sweet, like the couple themselves!
