Wow. Really? September Already???

Okay.  So I actually do know it is September.  What I am really trying to say is that the Summer just flew by, and early September was kind of lost around here due to the CPS teacher's strike and my kids still being home.  Still, I participated in some really wonderful weddings this summer, saw some awesome venues, and met some vendors I am excited to tell you about, so I am going to try and catch up in the next few weeks.   Here we go.....

Sunday Mass With a Bonus Wedding!

For the past 20 years, I have had the privilege of playing midnight mass on Christmas Eve at All Saints Episcopal Church in Western Springs. This past Christmas, the congregation was thrilled to learn (during the service announcements) that one of its members was newly engaged to be married!  Nearly six months later, I was honored to be asked back to play for the happy couple.  They choose an arrangement that I have never seen before, but it was really wonderful:  they married during a regularly scheduled Sunday Mass!  The officiant, choir, altar servers and wedding party entered to the organ playing a standard entrance hymn, then I played for the bride and her escort.  The bride choose "Gentle Maiden", which has been sort of the breakout hit of the new options I recorded for the website this Spring (you can listen to it here).  I was also able to accompany one of the bride's friends on the Schubert "Ave Maria".

The groom surprised his bride with a bagpiper to lead them from the ceremony to the reception, and I was glad to be able to help them find someone wonderful.  If you need additional musicians, I am always happy to help you locate good, reliable options, and there is no charge for my help.

The reception was in the church hall (complete with harp music) and on the church lawn, and a good time was had by all.  I generally don't include photos of the wedding party, so as not to invade their privacy, but I am going to make an exception.  Below is a picture of Fernie.  She is normally a service dog to one of the wedding party, but added "flower dog" to her list of accomplishments on this day.  Here, she is relaxing in the shade at the reception, like the rock star that she is.

If you need more information on hiring a harpist, please visit www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com.

At Home in Harvard

Well, the picture doesn't quite do the scene justice, but you'll understand once I explain a little.  The wedding took place on a beautiful piece of land out in McHenry County (Northwest of Chicago about 90 minutes).  It was lovely, and the predicted rain held off, thankfully.  You can see a bit of the archway/trellis that the couple used as a focal point on the left, through my harp strings.  I was seated on the grass (under a tree), but once you get the harp into place on grass, you dare not take your hand off of it to get a photo!  The couple took advantage of one of my options for choosing music........ they left some of it to me to decide!  They chose "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" for the bridesmaids, "Canon in D" for the flower girls and the bride, and left the recessional choice to me!  When given this responsibility, I always try to choose something that fits in with the other music that is being used.  In this case, I went with "Come Ye Sons of Art", a lovely piece by English composer Henry Purcell.  It can serve as either processional or recessional, and you can listen to it here.  It is not a familiar piece to most people, but I find that it is an immediate favorite once people hear it.  The piece was written for  Queen Mary's birthday in 1694, so it is a real piece of history, all ready to be incorporated into your own history!

If you would like to hear any of the selections mentioned here, please visit www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com.

St. Barnabas (Chicago) Wedding Ceremony Harpist

It is always a pleasure to work in my own neighborhood, and St. Barnabas is a beautiful church just a few blocks from my house.  This wedding was extra special, because the bride and her mother are both accomplished musicians!  Because of their wonderful connections with other musicians, we had not only harp on the menu, but flute, violins, piano, organ, trumpet, and a huge choir!  I feel I can brag a little on the beautiful bride.  She had all of those options at her disposal, but she knew she wanted solo harp for her entrance, and she choose Pachelbel's Canon in D.  It is so easy to become overwhelmed when choosing your processional music especially, I think, if you have lots and lots of different options.  Start by defining how you want to feel as you are walking down the aisle, and then look for music to match.  Once you have a few ideas, go ahead and try walking to them!  It might sound silly, but you want music that is easy to move to, and the only way to know for sure is to try it out!  If you are lucky enough to have multiple musicians at your wedding, don't hesitate to have them play separately if you want to vary the sound.  The perfect setting for your wedding vows won't be far away!  Please visit my "Processionals" page for ideas!

A New and Different Bridal Boutique

On Thursday, May 17th, I had the pleasure of playing for the grand opening of Bella Bleu Bridal in downtown Park Ridge.  What a gorgeous place!  The store itself is a beautiful vintage building that has been designed and reimagined for elegant bridal shopping.  Their slogan is, "After the Dress", so this is where you can find all of the jewelry, hair ornaments, shoes, and bags needed to complete that perfect dress. Additionally, there are fabulous items here for bridal party gifts.  I spoke with the owner, Andrea, and some of the sales staff as well. Apparently, the owners have been in the bridal accessories business for quite a while, but sales were online only.  The new store in Park Ridge has the feel of a merchant's dream come true, really.  No big-box store cookie cutter appearances here!  Lots of great displays, and helpful staff to let you know how things can be customized for your wedding.  The store is elegant and beautiful, but warm and inviting at the same time. Plus, with its wonderful downtown location (Blu Fish Sushi Bistro just across the street), this store calls out to be part of an afternoon outing!

If you need any help planning your music for your wedding, please feel free to visit www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com.

Patrician Banquet Center (Shererville) Wedding Ceremony Harpist

Early May can certainly feature unpredictable weather, so I was thrilled when Friday turned out to be sunny and warm, and I was able to play in an outdoor venue I had never seen before!  I played at The Patrician Banquet Center in Shererville, Indiana.  Shererville is in Northwest Indiana, but is easily accessible (via a 45 minute drive) from downtown Chicago.  The Patrician is purely a banquet facility and features all of the conveniences that usually come with that business model, but they have one other delightful addition..... a gazebo area off of the back of the building!   The entire patio is truly lovely.  It is a bricked surface that was set up for 120 seated guests the day I played, but looked like it could accommodate more.  The gazebo is large, and actually featured a bench where the bridal couple could sit during the readings!

The bride added some additional outdoor decorations, and I thought this one was particularly charming:

These adorable tin cup flowers were hanging all along the fence.  

My camera didn't really capture the colors, which were white, yellow, and chartreuse.

This lovely bride also made a wonderfully smart decision on her wedding processional.  The patio did not feature a long walk, and the bride felt that her friends and family might very well become nervous and walk quite quickly!  To prepare for this, she chose just one processional for everyone:  Canon in D by Pachelbel.  It is indeed possible to vary things enough in this one piece to suit all of the people coming down the aisle, and still provide a sense of grandeur for the bride's entrance.  

All in all, it was a lovely start to the outdoor wedding season!  If you need music for your wedding, please visit my website, ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com, or call me directly at 773.881.0706.

Westin Lombard Yorktown Center Wedding Facility

Banquet halls are wonderful for their ability to handle large crowds really effectively, but they are not always chock full of charm.  Well, just recently I played for an event at a banquet facility that I found really surprising:  The Lombard Westin!  Officially, the "Westin Lombard Yorktown Center".  As its name implies, it is tucked behind the Yorktown shopping mall in Lombard, and it is a gigantic place.  It is also the last place I expected to find a "room with a view"!  Turns out, there is a lovely reservoir behind the mall, and two of their smaller banquet halls overlook the site.  I saw the Junior Ballroom, and the banquet manager said the room could accommodate 450 people for dinner and still have room for a small dance floor!  I was actually there for a corporate event, so my harp was set up in the hallway outside the Junior Ballroom to greet guests as they arrived (no pictures, sorry!).  Additionally, because the company was going to be having a video presentation, the shades were across the windows, and I couldn't get a great shot of the view. Still, hopefully you can get a sense of the trees and shrubs visible from inside the hall.  Nature!  Right outside a banquet hall window!  I thought you'd want to know.

If you need the perfect music for this or any other venue, please visit www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com.