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, At Home in Morton Grove

 

At home weddings are just so lovely and personal, and this one was no exception. The groom met me out front in shorts to help with the load-in! The couple chose classical music for their processional, and asked me to play "Terrapin Station" by the Grateful Dead for the recessional. After the ceremony, they relaxed on the deck with their guests, and I provided some cocktail music to get the evening truly underway. 

If you are a lover of the Grateful Dead, I now have a selection for you!! You can peruse my repertoire list for other off-the-beaten-path selections at www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Ceremony Harpist, At Home in Burr Ridge

 I set up on the back patio and started with an hour of cocktail music as the guests visited before the ceremony. When it was time for the ceremony, I moved to the back of the property, and soon the music was beckoning the guests to head around the tent and take a seat for the wedding. The bride wanted the traditional Canon in D for the processional, but also loved the Bob Seger tune "Living Inside My Heart" from the 1986 movie "About Last Night". A guitarist played and sang the special song during the ceremony, and I played an instrumental version for the recessional! Perfect!

The selection of 80's sheetmusic available online is excellent, so if you have a song from your past that is special, there's no reason not to include it in your plans! Who knows, maybe I already know it! www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, At Home in Crown Point, Indiana

Home weddings are always intimate and relaxed, so definitely a terrific idea during a pandemic! This one was particularly memorable for me, because the groom turned out to be a musician, and he knew exactly what he wanted for his wedding. He chose "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica for the processional, and it was incredible. I did an arrangement for them, so I could get as close as possible to the original, including the opening guitar solo. Since the "aisle" was short, the groom decided to use the one song for everyone, and it was a great decision. It was smoother than changing songs, and it also let the song choice really sink in with the congregation. Making things special for the bride is always at the forefront of my thinking, so I brought the music down before her entrance, and started fresh when I saw her coming down the aisle. They recessed to the Smashing Pumpkin's "Tonight, Tonight", and it all just fit beautifully.

The decorations were so lovely!!

I have a large repertoire, but I am always happy to learn new music! Please see my website for the special request procedure at www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Vow Renewal Harpist, Lincolnshire Marriott, Lincolnshire

Just a beautiful setting!

The lovely woman who was planning this had done without the music she wanted at her original ceremony, and she was not going to go without this time! Originally scheduled for Spring 2020, she was absolutely a delight through all of the uncertainty and rescheduling, and I felt so lucky to be able to play for her! The Lincolnshire Marriott helped by providing a beautiful room that was larger than what would've been needed in pre pandemic times. Everyone was distanced and safe, and ready to celebrate the couple's happy union! Besides picking out "Air" from Water Music to process to, the bride also requested a special song for her young grandson (You've Got a Friend in Me), to make him feel included in all of the plans. Once the reception started, I played a variety of classical music and love songs, including "Color My World," which was the couple's special song back in the day. 

You can check my repertoire list for your special song, but I also learn special request music! www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Wedding Proposal Harpist, Private Home, Burr Ridge

So the groom put some effort in. It was lovely!

Okay, so "private home" is probably not quite right. You should definitely look up 6501S. County Line Road, Burr Ridge, because it has a pretty interesting history; part grand mansion, part real estate over-reach. At this writing, it is available to rent for events, and that's where I came in. The very sweet prospective groom was planning a wonderful evening around his proposal, and he knew the bride had seen and enjoyed my YouTube channel. Some quick thinking on his part resulting in my arrangement of a new favorite of her's (Somewhere Only We Know), and we had ourselves a plan!

Pretty hard to get the scope of this place in a camera phone shot!

The repertoire page on my website is a great place to start any plan! www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com