Ceremony and Cocktail Harpist, Deer Path Inn, Lake Forest

The ceremony used Windsor II, with Windsor I as an
entry area.

It has been a fair number of years since I've been to the Deer Path Inn, and it was so wonderful to see what an elegant venue it remains! The Windsor Rooms are incredibly versatile, and I love how the entire area has its own impressive entry. The bride's family were classical music fans, so they wanted me to save the popular choices for their cocktail hour, and play all classical music for the ceremony prelude. They used "Air from Water Music" for the bridal party, and the bride chose to walk to the traditional "Bridal Chorus". It was truly lovely, and I did a quick move into the bar area in Windsor I to start some livelier cocktail music. 

Live music programming can be anything you want it to be, and I would be delighted to help you set your perfect mood. Please feel free to reach out to me and discuss your plans directly. I can be reached at (312) 860.4997.

Bollywood Harpist, The Ivy Room, Chicago

Set up for a short program and dinner music.

I have a small (but growing!) Bollywood repertoire, and it has become a very popular option for my clients in the past few years. Frequently, they will request that I play classical and American pop selections for the first part of the event, and then reveal the Bollywood repertoire as a surprise for their guests. On this evening, the host was celebrating an engagement in their family at the Ivy Room, and I began by playing the cocktail hour in their lower level bar area.

The lower level bar/cocktail area.

Towards the end of the cocktail hour I moved upstairs so that I could greet the guests with music when they entered. The host wanted me to talk just a little about my specific harp, and how it is constructed, so I combined that with the Bollywood selections she had requested. I finished up with some dinner music, and everything moved along seamlessly!

If you would like to incorporate some Bollywood into your event, my repertoire is listed on my website: www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com.

Cocktail Harpist, Ignite Glass Studios, Chicago

Positioned just inside the dining area 
to greet guests.

 This was my first time at Ignite Glass Studios, and it is a beautiful location. The bride had hoped to be outside, but the weather was just cold and windy enough that the guests briefly looked outside, and then wanted to relax indoors. I actually changed locations slightly several times, as the guests sort of worked things out on their own. They weren't technically supposed to come into the dining area, but the venue was relaxed about it, so all was good! The bride wanted "Phantom of the Opera" selections in recognition of her grandmother's favorite musical, so I worked a bunch of those into my more contemporary playlist, and everyone got to hear things that were important to them!

Please visit my website to see if my repertoire list is a fit for your event: www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com.

The unused outdoor space was still stunning
to look at!

Ceremony and Reception Harpist, At Home in South Barrington

Set up to greet guests in the entryway.

This really was so much fun! I was initially hired because the beautiful bride had always wanted to enter to a specific Bollywood tune played on harp. Once we knew I was going to be on hand for the ceremony, we started to build the plans out from there! I started in the entryway, playing as guests arrived. Next, I moved closer to the outside deck for the bridal procession. Then I relocated a third time so that I could play in the entryway, but run my amp around the corner so as to effectively be in two rooms at the same time! My battery powered amp is a great tool for quite a few situations. You can go ahead and put me where you like, with no consideration for power availability, and my longer cord allows for some creativity for where the sound ends up!

If you would like to discuss plans for your specific event, we can always talk through the possibilities. I am available at (312) 860-4997.

Ceremony Harpist, Ravisloe Country Club, Homewood

The courtyard here is just amazing!

Ravisloe Country Club in south suburban Homewood seems like an overlooked location sometimes, but it has one of the most beautiful outdoor locations out there. Stunning ivy covered courtyard, with a view out to the tree lined course.

The bride enters from the side of the building, 
with a beautiful tree lined backdrop

The staff quickly flipped the courtyard to cocktails (you can see the cocktail musicians setting up in the above picture), and the magical evening really got going!

If you're looking to set a magical tone for your wedding, please take a look at my website for options: www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com

Wedding Ceremony Harpist, Chevy Chase Country Club, Wheeling

And it was beautiful!!

 

I've been to Chevy Chase Country Club fairly often over the years, but this was my first time doing an outdoor ceremony. I believe this area is considered the "First Tee". It had been absolutely pouring rain about an hour before, so it felt almost miraculous when the clouds parted and the sun came out! 

The wedding coordinators at Chevy Chase really are wonderful, and the ceremony went off super smoothly. The couple specifically wanted "Wildest Dreams", and that sounds really fun on harp!

The wedding party emerges from the
landscaping near the back of the area

If you would like to shop for your favorite music on harp, please visit: www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com for ideas.

Catholic Mass Harpist, Winnetka

The absolutely stunning Faith, Hope,
and Charity Church in Winnetka

 

It is always a pleasure to play for a Catholic wedding, whether it is the full mass (as was the case here), or the simpler wedding ceremony. Additionally, I am happy to come and play with the regular musicians from the parish, or work as the only instrumentalist with your cantor. I have several Catholic hymnals, and generally only need a short conversation with someone from your parish to make sure that I am able to supply the specific music they are accustomed to. On this day, the harp was used throughout the mass, and the highlight was certainly when the bride took flowers to Mary, while the tenor and I performed Ave Maria. 

If you're considering adding harp to your wedding, please visit my website: www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com