Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Ravisloe Country Club, Homewood

Yep. It really was this pretty. The courtyard at Ravisloe is amazing.

YouTube has really changed the way people shop for music. I have a YouTube channel with many of my most requested songs, but frequently clients will send me YouTube links of other harpists, and that can be really helpful, too. In this case, the bride had fallen in love with the Romanza movement from Mozart's Eine Kleine Nactmusik. Not only did she love the piece, she loved what one particular harpist did with it (it was slower and more romantic than it is normally done). No problem. If I can understand what you want, I can probably do it, and nothing is easier for a musician to understand than a recording! After a little back and forth we got the whole thing managed, and the bride got exactly what she wanted:  Romanza for the mothers to walk into, Arioso by Bach for the bridesmaids, and Canon in D for the bride. Perfect!

Ravisloe Country Club is a stunningly beautiful location. It is open to the public, and comes with a really rich history and the kind of vintage charm you just can't get everywhere. If you need music to complete your wedding, please visit my YouTube channel to start your shopping!

I didn't play the reception, but I snuck a picture for you.
Great windows, right?

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Cantigny, Wheaton

It is really hard to get a complete perspective on Cantigny.
My harp is in the extreme right hand corner of the shot.

Cantigny is an amazing spot for a wedding. It is somehow vast and impressive while also being intimate. The park does an amazing job keeping visitors behind the wedding party, so as soon as the bride descends the stairs you really feel you have all of this splendor to yourself.

This ceremony was unusual in the fact that I accompanied two fabulous young high school students. They were students of a friend of the bride's, and they both sang and accompanied themselves with guitars. I always figure that my job in these circumstances is to let the soloists shine, and it was certainly very easy to do with these young men! Originally we had planned to have me fill out the accompaniment to "Hawaiian Wedding Song," but since they were already at my house rehearsing, we also tried "Can't Help Falling in Love" and it went super smoothly. A quick call to the bride, and I was added to that for the wedding day, also.

If you are going to have a soloist for your wedding day, I generally arrive a few minutes earlier than normal so that we can run things again. Safely is definitely my motto for weddings! The boys handled the special music with me nicely, and I filled in with prelude and recessional (Bruno Mars!). Total teamwork success!

If you would like to discuss having me accompany your special guests, just call! (773) 881-0706.

Chicago Wedding Reception Harpist, Lost Marsh, Hammond, Indiana

Alas, a stolen photo.  This was the room I was in, and it was beautiful.
It was also filled with very early people by the time I got there, so no harp photo!

It is never too late to call and check on my availability. When the soon-to-be-married couple heard that the musicians they were expecting to play their reception were not going to be able to appear, they gave me a call. I just happened to have the date open, and I was happy to fill in. When someone calls last minute and I am not available, I always email them a list of other harpists, so there is help available regardless. If you really want to add live music to your wedding, it is generally just a matter of making enough calls, and getting someone to supply you with reliable people to contact!

Lost Marsh is a really lovely facility in Northwest Indiana, with expansive views in all directions. I was able to plug into the D.J.'s system, and I played popular music, mariachi music, and even a couple of the bride's favorite bossa novas.  When the calls come in at the last minute, the clients have to choose from the repertoire I already know, but I know a lot of music :)

I am pretty fast at returning emails, but you can always feel free to call, too. Sometimes (especially when things take an unexpected turn) it can be nice to hear an actual human voice!

Email:  reneewilsonharp@sbcglobal.net
Phone:  (773) 881.0706 or (312) 860.4997

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Lake Katherine, Palos Park

The stunning Lake Katherine

Besides being beautiful, Lake Katherine is so very convenient. If you were able to turn around in this picture, you would see a really fantastic party facility with proper running water and a lovely view of the lake. I have been in this facility numerous times for parties, but it is always wonderful when the weather cooperates and you can be lakeside. On this gorgeous day, the only problem we had was a parade of geese that thought they would "play through." The photographer and I (both on site early) gently discouraged this, and all was well!

If you would like to add live music to your outdoor event, please visit www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com.  Goose wrangling provided completely free of charge!

Wedding Ceremony and Reception Harpist, Ruffled Feathers, Lemont

It is actually pretty hard to judge from this picture. Things are mostly
set up but the lights and candles were not yet as they would eventually be.

I think January weddings are so romantic, and this wedding certainly took advantage of all that early January has to offer!  We were scheduled for just after the new year, so all of Ruffled Feathers' holiday decorations were still in place, and the early sunset made sure that everything was sparkly as the guests arrived.  The bride chose the "Glasgow Love Theme" from the movie Love Actually, and then she walked down to "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music. Probably the biggest surprise for me, was the piece that they couple requested for the seating of their relatives.... "The Inner Light" from the televisions series "Star Trek: The Next Generation."  I have been down this particular road with couples on a number of occasions (where one person loves something very specific and the other is a bit lukewarm) but everything worked out great this time.  "The Inner Light" is actually a lovely piece of music that sounds terrific on harp.  If someone knows "Star Trek." they may well recognize it and remember it as a particularly touching segment but, if not, it is just a pretty piece of music.  Basically your classic win-win.  After the ceremony, I moved into the cocktail hour and played some pop things and a bunch of upbeat Irish tunes, and a good time was had by all.

If you would like to consider warming up your winter wedding with live music, please visit www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com!

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Starved Rock Lodge, Utica

A cozy late fall set up at Starved Rock Lodge

The bridal couple lives in Ohio, and much of their family is in Minnesota, so they set out to choose a location halfway in between where they could meet, hang out, and celebrate their wedding.  I have been inside at the lodge for a reception before, but never a ceremony.  I thought it looked really beautiful.  Since the wedding guests were staying at the lodge, however, they were already on site when I arrived, and I wasn't able to get very many pictures.  Above, you can see the general set up, and if you check out the picture below, you can see how the fireplace looks when all of the candles are lit.  It was really warm and appealing.  The curtains above actually have white lights hung from them, so there is yet another light feature that I couldn't even get in the photo!

Since the couple had a large extended family, they put together a processional that really showcased everyone!  I played "Moon River" for the couple's parents, "God Bless the Broken Road" for the bridesmaids, and then a traditional Irish slip jig, "Flying to the Fleadh" for two adorable little girls who danced down the aisle!  Next came the ring bearer to the tune, "Simple Gifts", and then it was the bride's turn, and she entered to "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles.

For the candle lighting ceremony, the couple chose "The Prayer" and had two of their nieces sing while I accompanied them.  We had a little rehearsal beforehand and, thanks to great preparation by the girls, everything went really well!

I played "Hornpipe" from Handel's "Water Music" for the recessional, and then a few minutes more postlude while the bride and groom dismissed the guests row by row.  It was a lovely Midwestern destination wedding!!

You can begin putting together your dream processional at my website www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com!

The fireplace is even more gorgeous
with all of the candles lit!

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Chicago Firehouse, Chicago

The front entrance. Also, 
parking for your firetruck 
(not even kidding!)

This is going to be a picture-heavy entry, but it can't be helped. Chicago Firehouse is a super charming, really distinctive venue, and it would be impossible to do it justice without a lot of pictures.  Just as you suspected, this is a converted firehouse, and it is located on the far Northside of Chicago, in the Edgewater neighborhood.  The venue has an agreement with a nearby school, so parking can be arranged, but of course the vintage fire truck that brought the bride to the wedding parked out front.  Did they have a Dalmation dog on the fire truck? Yes, they did.

The side garden with balcony.

To the left of the main doors is a lovely side yard, with a balcony overlooking the space.  Unfortunately, it was raining on this particular day, so we were inside a tent.  A really, really nice tent.

Set up inside the tent.

This bride was perhaps the most creative I have ever seen.  She had amazing decorating ideas, and the tent really just glowed!  She requested that I play a variety of Enya music, and then other atmospheric pieces that would not be recognized by anyone.  She wanted the music to wash over the guests without them stopping to think, "Oh, I know that piece."  It was a lovely, relaxed setting as soon as friends and family stepped into the tent!

Harpist's view.
The sparkly water lanterns were fabulous!

The bride wanted the theme from "Up" for both her processional and her recessional.  I loved the idea, and set about making a second, quieter arrangement for the processional.  It worked really well, and was a perfect reflection of the beautiful bride!

I didn't play inside, but I grabbed a few pictures while the staff was setting up so that you could peek. 

Inside, the view to the front doors,
and of course the fire pole to the right!

Looking at the center of the venue,
the long farm tables worked really well.

It is a long, somewhat narrow space, but really lovely, with high ceilings and lots of vintage charm.  Warm and cozy on a cold, damp night!

Such a beautiful table, and of course
a parasol hanging from the ceiling!

The caterer was a company named "Fig." From the looks of it, they are pretty special, and you should definitely know about them, too! They specialize in weddings and gatherings of 150 and less.  They certainly did a fabulous job setting this intricate table.

If you are looking for an unforgettable location, with a meal to match, I think this combo of venue and vendor could work for you. And don't forget the harp music!