Wedding at Lavender Crest Winery ~ Harpist in the Quad Cities

Lavender Crest Winery is a beautiful venue for a wedding ceremony!  Close to the Quad Cities, it's the perfect rustic but elegant location, with lots of lovely settings for photographs. 

This was my second wedding at the winery, and this time I was met by a very friendly cat!  He might have snuck in some of the formal portraits taken by the couple before the ceremony, but he stayed away from the rest of the action.  He was definitely intrigued by the harp! 

 

While I was setting up, the groom also posed with the harp.  He was especially excited to hear some of the music he selected for the ceremony, including "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Axl Rose that I played for the seating of the families.  Wedding music doesn't have to be traditional!

The wedding party entered to "Fields of Gold" by Sting, and the bride's processional was "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera.  The bride's father escorted her down the aisle, and also performed the ceremony. 

As the couple did their unity sand ceremony, I played "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan.  They and their guests exited the ceremony site and headed off to the reception to "Great Day" by Nancy Gustavson.  This piece was written especially for harp, and makes perfect use of glissandos to create an upbeat and joyful mood.  It makes a great non-traditional recessional!

From rock ballads to classical pieces, I can provide the perfect musical soundtrack for your wedding day.  You can fully customize the music that is played to match your tastes and vision for your ceremony.  Visit my website ~ Quad Cities Wedding Harpist ~ to contact me for details!

Davenport Wedding Reception ~ Harpist in the Quad Cities

Although Lauren & Mosah were married earlier this year in Florida, her parents also hosted a reception back at home for family and friends in Davenport, Iowa.  Everyone gathered at the Davenport Country Club in the Quad Cities for cocktails, dinner and harp music!

With the beautiful weather, the cocktail hour was held outside on the patio.  I began to play in the ballroom when everyone came inside for the dinner service.  A slideshow of pictures from the wedding in Florida played in the back of the room throughout the evening, and there was also a special presentation of "growing up" pictures of the bride & groom that was put together by the bride's brother and set to music.

The pieces I played ranged from classical to Broadway to Top 40.  This included:

• Spring from The Four Seasons
• Air from Water Music
• The Wedding Song (There is Love)
• Time of Your Life
• Sunrise, Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof
• Marry Me
• Close to You
• Evergreen
• Embraceable You
• Someone to Watch Over Me
• When I Fall in Love
• Time After Time
• Our Love is Here to Stay from An American in Paris
• Unchained Melody
• Rainbow Connection from The Muppet Movie
• A Whole New World from Aladdin
• Longer (a special request from the Mother of the Bride as it was played at her wedding)

To close the night, I finished with "What a Wonderful World."  The harp isn't limited to just classical music!   People love hearing songs that are familiar, but with the twist of the presentation on the harp.  To find out more about including harp music in your event plans, visit my website ~ Quad Cities Wedding Harpist.

Quad Cities Harpist ~ Wedding at Lavender Crest Winery, Colona

Cassie & Keiji had a beautiful wedding at Lavender Crest Winery in Colona.  Located just outside the Quad Cities, this Colona winery is a lovely setting for both a ceremony and reception.  The weather held for the outdoor ceremony at the gazebo and, overlooking the grapevines, they exchanged their vows the afternoon of May 5th.

Guests were greeted with harp music playing as they took their seats.  Once I received the cue from the officiant that everybody was ready to begin, I transitioned to "King William's March" for the seating of families and the entrance of the wedding party.  Cassie's processional was "Canon in D" by Pachelbel.  This piece is a wedding favorite, and a wonderful choice if you don't want the traditional "Here Comes the Bride"!

Instead of a unity candle or sand ceremony, the bride & groom wrote love letters to each other and placed them in a personalized box along with a bottle of their favorite wine.  They hammered the nails into the lid (with a hammer decorated in the wedding colors!) and signed their marriage certificate as I played the third movement of "Spring" from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons.  They will open the box on their 5th anniversary.

As the bride, groom, and their wedding party exited the ceremony, I played "Trumpet Tune" for their recessional.  The music continued until all of the guests were inside the banquet hall for the reception.

Throughout the Quad Cities, I provide harp music for wedding ceremonies and receptions.  You can find more information on having a harpist for your wedding at my website ~ Quad Cities Harpist.  Happy planning!

Rock Island Harpist ~ Quad Cities Botanical Center Wedding

 

If you would like an outdoor wedding, but don't want the weather to spoil your plans, then an indoor botanical garden or conservatory is the perfect place for your ceremony!  You have the natural beauty of the flowers and plants, but don't need to have a Plan B in place if it rains (or it's too hot, or too cold...).  It also makes it possible to have the feeling of an outdoor wedding during the winter months.

This ceremony took place at the Quad Cities Botanical Gardens in Rock Island, Illinois.  Located right on the Mississippi River, this venue is a hidden gem!  The ceremony was inside the Sun Garden, but the weather was nice enough to allow for guests to wander outside and take pictures in their other gardens.  The waterfall that usually runs was turned off so that the guests would be able to hear the officiant (and the harp!).

They started right on time, with the maid of honor and the bride entering to "Hymne" by the Greek composer Vangelis.  This is a beautiful piece with a new-age style, and makes a perfect romantic and non-traditional wedding processional.

During the ceremony, the bride requested that I play Handel's "Aria" from Rinaldo for a moment of reflection.  It's a good idea to have time during your ceremony when you can just stop, take a breath, and try to remember the moment.  It all goes by so quickly!

For the recessional, she opted for the third movement of "Spring" from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons.  I continued the postlude music until all of the guests had left the garden.

I am available to provide harp music for weddings and receptions throughout the Quad Cities, and would love to speak with you about including a harpist in your plans!  Visit my website, Quad Cities Wedding Harpist, or call 1-877-HARP-578 for details, availability, and to receive a customized quote for your event.