Galena Wedding Harpist ~ Ceremony Harp Music at the Goldmoor Inn

Katie and Mike had perfect luck for their wedding ceremony!  They came from Washington, DC, to celebrate their wedding in romantic Galena, Illinois.  Even though the skies became darker as the ceremony time approached, the rain held off during the entire service, and the weather even began to clear up later in the afternoon.

The ceremony and the reception were held at the Goldmoor Inn in Galena, Illinois.  As you can see, the Goldmoor Inn provides a picturesque setting to hold a wedding ceremony, with a great staff that made sure everything was set up well in advance of any guests arriving.  The harp is the perfect addition to a wedding in Galena!




The wedding ceremony began a bit differently, as the couple went without a traditional bridal party of bridesmaids and groomsmen.  Instead, the ceremony started with the groom walking with his parents down the aisle, followed by a flower girl and a ring bearer processing just before the bride made her entrance. 

For the flower girl and ring bearer, I played Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring."  After the flower girl had spread her rose petals ~ with great enthusiasm! ~ the bride entered to Pachelbel's "Canon in D."

Once the ceremony was complete and the couple was announced for the first time, it was time for the recessional.  In selecting the recessional, the couple went with "Ave Maria" by Schubert.

If you are planning a wedding in Galena, Illinois and need wedding music, please visit our website Galena Illinois Wedding Harpist for more information.  We are available throughout Northern Illinois and Eastern Iowa for wedding ceremonies, receptions, and any event that would be enhanced with live harp music!

Ottawa Harpist ~ Harp & Violin Duet for a Wedding at Zion Lutheran Church

Stephanie and Philip chose to have a harp and violin duet provide their ceremony music at their August 25th wedding.  Other than solo harp, this duet is by far the most popular ensemble that my brides choose!  It's a beautiful combination, with the violin playing a soaring melody over the harp accompaniment.  Their ceremony took place at Zion Lutheran Church in Ottawa.

The violinist and I both arrived extra early to run through the ceremony selections in the church.  This is something I always do ~ especially with a chamber ensemble ~ so we can make any sound or set-up adjustments needed before your guests arrive.  For the prelude, we played several classical arrangements, including "Air" from Handel's Water Music, "Jupiter" from Holst's The Planets, and "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Bach.

The mothers of the bride and groom were seated to J.S. Bach's "Prelude in C," followed by the traditional "Canon in D" by Johann Pachelbel for the entrance of the bridesmaids.  Stephanie also went traditional, opting for Richard Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" for her processional.  As the couple lit the unity candle, we played "Romanza."  The ceremony concluded with Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" as the newly married couple exited the church.

We continued to play until all of the guests had made their way through the receiving line and exited the sanctuary.  For post-ceremony music, we selected upbeat classical pieces, including "Trumpet Tune," "Trumpet Voluntary," "Ode to Joy," and "Juliet's Waltz Song."

If you are looking for music for your wedding, please visit my website (Ottawa Wedding Harpist) and contact me for details.  From a solo harpist to a small orchestra, I can coordinate the perfect musical group for your wedding!

Wedding at Starved Rock State Park ~ Illinois Wedding Ceremony Harpist

Liz & Chris planned a Friday the 13th wedding ~ complete with "broken" mirrors under their centerpieces!  Although they had planned a ceremony outdoors at the Sunrise Shelter, the weather didn't cooperate.  They were able to get some outdoor pictures with their photographer, but ;heavy rain and lightning brought them and the ceremony indoors.  The banquet staff at the Starved Rock Lodge was able to quickly set up a new ceremony site for them in front of the fireplace.  Even though it wasn't what they originally planned, it was still beautiful!

Their bridal party entered to "King William's March," and Liz opted for "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" for her processional.  As the couple participated in a handfasting ceremony, I played portions of Bach's "Arioso" for both the tying and the untying of the purple ribbons.

For the recessional, the bride and groom went with "Canon in D."  Although this is more often used as a processional at the beginning of the ceremony, at a faster tempo it can also be used for exit music!  The flower girls were both fascinated by the harp.  The older one wasn't shy about sitting behind the harp (with my assistance, of course!) and plucking a few strings.  They younger one took a little longer to get used to the idea, but she was all smiles for the cameras once she did!

For both indoor and outdoor weddings (or outdoor weddings that move inside!), having a harpist for your ceremony is the perfect touch of elegance and romance.  Visit my website ~ Illinois Wedding Harpist ~ for details on including harp music in your plans!

Rockford Harpist ~ Music for a farmhouse wedding in Lena, IL

I am always amazed with how beautiful farm and farmhouse weddings can be.  The harp is a perfect addition to a ceremony in this type of setting as it can provide great flexibility in terms of ceremony music selections.

My most recent farmhouse wedding was this past Saturday.  The bride's family did a fantastic job of making sure that their guests (and their harpist) would be protected from the elements as several major storms had passed through the area.

The music selection for the ceremony included Fields of Gold for the entrance of the groom and his mother.  The bridesmaids processed to Hymne, while the Bride came in to All I Ask of You from Phantom of the Opera.  For the recessional, the couple exited to the Beatles' hit, All You Need is Love.  The bride requested that I play different Beatles songs throughout the postlude and prelude as well.

If you would like to know more about how we can provide harp music for your ceremony, visit our website:  Rockford Wedding Harpist.

Northern Illinois Harpist ~ Wedding Music at Starved Rock State Park

When Marisa was looking for a musician for her ceremony, she wanted someone who was versatile enough to play the traditional pieces, but also have some more contemporary options available.  The harp is the perfect instrument if you want a mix of classical and popular music, and I have a wide repertoire of both!

The ceremony took place on the Sunrise Deck at Starved Rock State Park in Northern Illinois (near LaSalle, Utica, & Peru).  After days of high temperatures, they were blessed with a much milder day, and a beautifully serene backdrop to their ceremony (and an occasional visit by the local wildlife!).

As guests arrived, I played a variety of popular love songs from the 1950's through today.  One special request was the Jason Mraz song I'm Yours.  We switched to traditional for the processionals:  Canon in D for the wedding party followed by Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride).

The bride and groom were obviously having a good time and were excited to be getting married!  The vows that the couple wrote were spoken first in French (which actually drew applause from the guests!), and then in English.  Marisa said that she knew that she and Alexis were meant to be together from the first moment they met, but it didn't hurt that he's French and plays the guitar!

There was a lot of laughter and joy in this ceremony, but my favorite moment was just prior to the ring exchange.  The ring bearer had the rings tied to his pillow, and brought them to the bride and groom during the service.  Alexis attempted to untie them, but they were stuck!  It took the bride pulling hard and breaking the ribbon to get them free.  She gave the ring bearer a kiss on the cheek, which he promptly wiped off!

For the sand ceremony, they requested Come Sail Away by Styx.  Yes, I can play that on the harp!  The recessional was another unexpected song:  Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses.  Several of the guests stopped by as I was playing the postlude to say how much they enjoyed the music.  The kids always want to see the harp up close, too.

From traditional wedding music to rock ballads, the harp can provide all of the music for your wedding ceremony.  Visit my website, Northern Illinois Harpist, or call 1-877-HARP-578 for a custom quote for your event!

Wedding at Krape Park, Freeport, Illinois

August began with a trip to Freeport, IL, for the wedding of Nicole & Mark. The Duck Pond at Krape Park was a new venue for me, so I arrived WAY too early to scope out the location. Even though it rained the whole drive there, the skies cleared for the 3:00pm ceremony. The ducks and geese kept their distance, but you had to watch where you stepped - and where I could set up the harp!

Their wedding colors were light pink and black, and they had a Cinderella theme. The music selections included:

• Storybook Love from "The Princess Bride" as the prelude
• Canon in D by Pachelbel for the bridal party processional
• Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride) by Wagner for the bride's processional
• A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes from "Cinderella" as a harp solo/interlude
• Wedding March by Mendelssohn as the recessional