Ceremony Harpist, Brookdale, Vernon Hills

Set up along Little Bear Lake behind the facility

If the venue is one you are not familiar with, that is because it is a retirement community!! The mother of one of the grooms lives here, and they wanted to make it as easy as possible for her to attend the wedding. Of course, it was an extra bonus that the facility has such a lovely patio with a stunning view! My impression from working with them was that having their ceremony in a non traditional setting allowed it to fall together really quickly, and it certainly turned out exceptionally beautifully!

Since one of the grooms plays guitar, the music was super important. He wanted to make sure that the choices for the processional were not truncated to the point of being unrecognizable, so we worked hard to get all of the timing worked out. When the big day came, everything went according to plan, and the extended family seemed to enjoy the event all the more for the ease it provided their matriarch. I could not recommend a retirement home setting for a wedding more; this was a creative solution that really worked for all concerned!!!

Looking back into the shady patio area, you can just make out my harp!

Are you planning a wedding in an unusual venue?  Let me help!! Renee (312) 860-4997.

Wedding Reception Harpist, Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile, Chicago

Set up for dinner in the Lakeshore Ballroom West

This hotel was new to me, and I thought it was in a terrific location. There is a real glut of hotels just West of Michigan Avenue, such that it is hard to drive down some of the streets, and frequently really difficult to get close enough to load in a harp.  This wonderful hotel is East of Michigan Avenue in a slightly quieter business and residential area, but still close to all of the things your guests would need and want.  

While the hotel is not huge, it had a lovely mid sized meeting room with lots of windows, a lovely city view, and a stylish prefunction area that the party used for their cocktail hour.  Once they came into the main room, I started to play my more modern love songs (think "Marry Me" and "One Thousand Years") interspersed with some quirkier titles ("Eternal Flame" by the Bangles is one of my current favorites).  The group began having everyone toast the newlywed couple, and I continued to provide very quiet background music, which I think helped some of the more nervous speakers!  After the first course, the couple decided to do a first dance, and they choose "Make You Feel My Love" by Adele.  I have a really terrific arrangement of that, and their dance was a super sweet moment, even for someone who had just met the happy couple mere minutes before!

A stylish cake with a wonderful, masculine topper!