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 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

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 Cocktail Harpist, The Farmhouse, Plainfield

This was on October 12 - so gorgeous!

 The Farmhouse in Plainfield was a new venue for me, and I thought it was brilliant. They have everything you need, all in close proximity, and the landscaping was absolutely stunning! I was on the job with the wonderful Sara Vettraino of Belle Music, which was a treat, as well. I love the sound of harp and violin, and Sara is a fantastic musician. We played prelude, and then they had recorded music they wanted for the ceremony. We quickly and quietly moved from the back of the ceremony over to the patio for cocktails. Here's our photo from the end of the evening!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Cocktail Reception Harpist, Viceroy, Chicago

 The Viceroy on Chicago's Northside just really knocked me out. The veranda somehow serves up equal parts skyline and sky, and is attached to a little jewel box of a room (see below). For a small to medium sized wedding, you just couldn't ask for a more distinctive space. I played upbeat cocktail choices, and thoroughly enjoyed being in this beautiful space!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, The Haley Mansion, Joliet

The Haley Mansion is one of my absolute favorite venues, because it really delivers a comfortable and beautiful setting for guests and wedding party. We had perfect weather this day, as you can see, and it was an epic wedding. The coordinator was Malia of Wild Flower Weddings, and she was extremely capable and lovely to work with!

The bride chose "River Flows in You" for her wedding party, and "One Summer's Day" for her procession, and it was magic! Those links will take you directly to recordings on my YouTube channel that I made onsite that day 😊

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

Ceremony and Cocktail Harpist, At Home in McHenry

This was an absolutely beautiful wedding, but since it was at a private home, I didn't feel right taking too many photos of the area; I figured the Fox River was a safe backdrop, so I just stuck with that. Plus, what a backdrop!! The bride requested the song "All My Days" by Alexi Murdoch. It wasn't available for purchase, but she hired someone to write it out for her, and I have his contact info in case someone else needs it going forward. It was all very sweet, and I was delighted to be part of the couple's plans!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, Odyssey Venue, Tinley Park

The nearest covered spot
(you can't even see the ceremony site)

Where I ventured out to (once the rain stopped)

This was actually a really hard wedding. I've been to The Odyssey Venue many times, but I just wasn't prepared for the possibility that the client would decide to go ahead with an outdoor ceremony when it was actively raining. Unfortunately, with a wooden instrument, rain is just not something I can withstand. I spent my onsite hour before the wedding desperately trying to figure something out. The venue doesn't have any sort of shelter, and I had only brought a tarp to protect the harp from wet grass below. I was under a staircase for a while, but that was still so far away. During a lull in the rain, I came out to the start of the walkway, put my bluetooth amp as far from me as I could, and used the DJ's mic to go into his system. The DJ was Mathew from Mattrix Music and Entertainment, and he was so much help. It wasn't optimal, and I felt awful that I couldn't supply the music in the way that we had planned, but it was all that was possible. I have a new contract rider in the works for outdoor events, just so that everything will be clear, and hopefully it will be easier to plan for the inevitable challenges that an outdoor wedding presents💙

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, Private Home, Lake Villa

 The setting for this wedding was absolutely gorgeous, and only steps from the backdoor of the family's house. The couple chose "Golden Hour" for their attendants to walk in, and it certainly matched the mood perfectly! I travel with a battery powered amp, and it is super useful in situations like these when you want to bump the sound up just a bit, but there isn't an outlet in sight. Just a little bit of amplification, and my harp can handle a large open area like this really beautifully!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

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!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, Humboldt Park Boathouse, Chicago

Just waitin' for the wedding!

One of the best part of my job is all the different sorts of weddings that I get to play - I sincerely love them all. This was a last minute add-in to my schedule, and it came on a Monday of all things! As is often the case, I didn't have too many details, I just knew that the bride and groom were going to be rolling up in a bus with all their guests, and I had a playlist from the groom. You can imagine my delight when they showed up in a bus that looked something like this:

And thanks to the groom, I had "Ripple" by the Grateful Dead all ready to go! Some Mondays are just good like that!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony and Cocktail Harpist, Oscar Swan Country Inn, Geneva

There are several areas to choose from, but we were in the back.

Geneva and the Oscar Swan Country Inn are at the very edge of my travel zone, but I do like a nice drive in the country! The fall weather just barely held for them (I had my harp briefly covered at one point), and it was a beautiful ceremony. The couple chose "Storybook Love" for their wedding party processional, and it was very sweet! Then, I stayed right where I was, turned my amp up just a little, and went directly into cocktail music. They included playful things like "Despacito" and "You're My Best Friend", and it was a lovely, easy transition into the celebration!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe

I was actually off to the side, but moved here 
to get the photo.

Midway through the week I got a call that a harpist had dropped out, and asking would I be able to cover? Of course! You never do seem to get more information than that, but it isn't really necessary. I just put my head down and start learning the music! This particular venue can be a really long roll with the harp, so I'm not sure I will be back, but it was ever so lovely!

Ceremony Harpist, Oak Park Country Club, Oak Park

The Oak Park Country Club has an amazing rooftop veranda for their wedding ceremonies, and it boasts a sweeping view of the grounds. The bride choose "Halo" for her wedding party to process to, and I am really happy with the new arrangement that I put together. I will definitely be posting that to my YouTube channel soon!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Pre-Ceremony Reception Harpist, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Chicago

This was absolutely brilliant. There were rules in place that would not allow me to play inside, so the couple had me play outside, both before and after their ceremony! Guests mingled on the front steps and enjoyed champagne and harp music until it was time to go in and celebrate the couple. It set a joyful tone for the nuptials, and I could not have loved it more!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, Cantigny Park, Wheaton

I have played at Cantigny multiple times, but this was my first time at the Rose Garden. It is certainly a lovely location, and the ceremony was beautiful. The bride chose "Turning Page" by Sleeping at Last for her processional, and it was very sweet! The full sun was a big challenge, but I had my brand new stroller sun shade so I could still read my iPad, and that was a big help!

This helped the iPad not overheat, and cut down
on glare so I could still read it!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Vow Renewal Harpist, Bolingbrook Golf Club, Bolingbrook

The patio at the Bolingbrook Golf Club is really the loveliest! The club does a great job of having staff available for whatever is needed, and you are mere steps from anything you might wish for. Afterwards, I saw their porch out back - it's a total wow! Vow Renewals can be a different sort of a thing, as the couple is actively living their married life while still planning for the ceremony. Frequently, I have found that the music gets added in a little later than for first time vows, but that's no problem! I have a large repertoire of things you can pick from, even when your big day is just around the corner!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Morton Arboretum, Lisle

This was a new location for me at the lovely Morton Arboretum. We were behind the Thornhill Education Center, and off in a little grove of trees - perfection! The bride was concerned about the long walk from the center, not wanting the music to be repeated before she actually arrived at the aisle, so we hopped on a phone call and worked out a plan. Phone consultations, where I play for you over the phone, are always a great option if there are questions or concerns!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

This little guy was "Ring Security" LOL

Ceremony and Reception Harpist, Jen's Guesthouse, Willowbrook

 Jen's Guesthouse used to be a fine dining establishment called Courtwright's. What remain's the same? The absolutely gorgeous back patio area! It backs up directly to forest preserve, and it is a delightful space. This gorgeous wedding took advantage of the patio for the ceremony and cocktail hour, and then everyone headed inside for a wonderful buffet lunch. It was absolute perfection!

You can see the upper area of the patio in this photo!

www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com