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!

Southwest Michigan Wedding Music ~ Chapel at the Morris Estate

Every year, Jeff and I play the harp for several weddings at the Morris Chapel.  It has gone through a few name changes (Morris Farms, Centre Meeting House), and now it is the Chapel at Morris Estates.  The new owners have great plans for the coming years - including air conditioning!  This is a popular location for Southwest Michigan weddings since it is a blank slate that you can decorate in any way you choose. 

Jeff did one in the chapel earlier this year that covered the stage/altar area with candles!

For this wedding ceremony, I played my BlevinSong lever harp.  It is a 36-string harp and has a simple, Celtic style and a natural maple finish.  During the prelude, the guests entered to a variety of popular love songs and classical pieces.  When the officiant signaled that the ceremony was ready to begin, I transitioned into the traditional "Canon in D" for the entrance of the bridal party, followed by "Bridal Chorus" - also known as Wagner's "Here Comes the Bride".

During the lighting of the unity candle, the bride and groom opted for something more contemporary - "Fields of Gold" by Sting.  You'd be surprised how well songs like that can be adapted for the harp!  When they ceremony concluded, the newlyweds and the bridal party exited to "King William's March".

Whether you are planning a simple & sweet or formal & luxurious wedding, the harp can fit in perfectly!  Visit our website:

The Classic Wedding Harpist

to find out more about including a harpist in your wedding plans!

Grand Haven Harpist - Wedding Music on the Beach

Although we have had the chance to play several beach weddings in the past, this was the first time for Grand Haven City Beach.  When I arrived at the beach, the first thing that I noticed is how busy the beach was.  The planners who helped Kristen put together her beach wedding did an amazing job.  Not only did they do a great setup, but they had the perfect spot that was away from the crowd.

For the wedding ceremony itself, the bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girl and ring bearer all entered down a small dune to the song Only Time by Enya.  Kristen then came down the dune to Canon in D.  After the ceremony had ended, the bridal party and guests all participated in a blessing stone ceremony.  This ceremony consists of each guest having a small rock that they toss out into the lake as they think or say a blessing to the couple.  For this ceremony Third Movement from Spring was played.

Thinking about a beach wedding?  You don't have to travel far as Lake Michigan has many beautiful options!  If you are planning a beach wedding, the harp is a perfect fit.  Visit our website, Michigan Beach Harpist to learn more. 

Chicago Harpist ~ Holy Family Catholic Church Wedding Ceremony

Michael and Amanda were blessed with a beautiful (but hot!) Chicago day for their wedding ceremony.  The service took place at the magnificent Holy Family Catholic Church on Roosevelt road, near the University of Illinois Chicago campus.  One of the oldest church buildings in Chicago (that means it's not air conditioned!), it's size dwarfs even my harp that stands six feet tall.

There was another wedding in the church at 3:00 prior to our 5:00 ceremony.  I was able to get in, set up, and tuned with no problems at all, but I think the florists were a little rushed!  They did a beautiful job - the sanctuary doesn't need any ornamentation.  They tied antique gold ribbons around the pews, and filled them with white hydrangeas (my favorite flower!).

The church's wedding coordinator made sure the processional went smoothly, lining up all of the wedding party and giving me a cue when they were ready to begin.  A good coordinator is always a worthwhile investment, whether they come with your church or you hire an outside vendor!  The mothers entered to the song "Arioso" by Bach.

Each of the bridesmaids wore a different style of dress in varying shades of peacock blue.  They looked beautiful, and entered to "Canon in D" - one of the most traditional songs for the entrance of the bridal party.  The bride's entrance music was another Bach piece, "Prelude in C" from The Well-Tempered Clavier.

No music was planned during the service, but I improvised on glissandos while everyone shared a sign of the peace.  The recessional was the Beatles song "All You Need is Love" - approved by the priest in advance, of course! 

If you are planning a wedding in a church, be sure you check with your pastor or priest to see if there are any restrictions on the music that can be played during the service.  Some are more relaxed, others have very strict rules.  It's always best to find out well before your wedding day to avoid disappointment!

My harps have been all over Chicago and throughout the suburbs.  If you'd like to see how a harpist can fit in with your wedding plans, please visit my website:

Chicago Wedding Music

for details.  I'd love to work with you and enhance your ceremony and reception with harp music!

Central Illinois Harpist - Wesley Chapel Harp Music

After playing a wedding this past weekend in Effingham, Illinois, I made an extra side trip to Jacksonville, Illinois to visit my wife's sister and grandmother.  I hadn't seen either of them in a long time so it was nice to pay a visit to Jacksonville.

While there I had learned that my sister-in-law had been "volunteered" for special music Sunday at Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church.  Her original plan was to sing a trio along with my father-in-law and mother-in-law.  Seeing how I happened to have a harp with me, the plans got changed pretty quickly!

We ended up performing "Be Thou My Vision" in a unique fashion.  My sister-in-law sang the piece, but the performance started with me playing the harp for the first verse, her singing a cappella for the second verse and then a combination of harp transitioning to piano and singing for the third verse.  The piece finished with a nice fade of me playing the last line on the harp.

The harp is a very versatile instrument!  Visit our website, Jacksonville, Illinois Harpist for more information.

Southern Illinois Wedding Music - Effingham Wedding Harpist

Joe and Christina had a gorgeous day for a wedding on Lake Sara near Effingham, Illinois!  The spot they picked was perfect with tons of shade for the guests and the bridal party with a nice breeze throughout the ceremony.

Besides just being beautiful, the lake setting for this wedding had special meaning, as many of Christina's family members have tied the knot at the same exact location!  As I was leaving after the wedding, her dad and I spoke about how he and Christina's mom had gotten married there back in 1975!

The ceremony was lively and fun with the bridesmaids entering to the Beatles song, "In My Life."  Christina entered to "Till There was You" from The Music Man.  The ceremony was definitely fun as the officiant added a little bit of song to the mix to talk about marriage and the bride and groom.  The couple exited the ceremony to "You Are My Sunshine."

Following the ceremony, I also played background music for the cocktail hour.

To find out more about how we can provide both traditional and non-traditional music for your wedding ceremony, visit our website Southern Illinois Wedding Music or call 1-877-HARP-578.

New Contemporary Harp Music Available for Your Wedding

Even in the middle of my busiest wedding season ever, I'm always learning new music to add to my repertoire!  Some of the pieces come from songs that the brides I work with request for their weddings, and others are pieces that I personally like and think will sound good on the harp.  The latest additions to the list are:

• "Chapel of Love (Goin' to the Chapel)" as performed by the Dixie Cups
• "Sea of Love" as performed by The Honeydrippers and Phil Phillips
• "Here Comes the Sun" as performed by the Beatles
• "Marry Me" as performed by Train
• "How to Save a Life" as performed by The Fray

If you have a special request, I'd love to know about it!  Adapting popular music for the harp is one of my specialties.  Visit my website, www.theclassicharpist.com, for information on having a harpist play contemporary and popular music for your next event!

Beach Wedding Music ~ Southwest Michigan Harpist

I have played at the Lakeside Inn several times before (most memorably a few weeks ago when the ceremony carried on through a downpour - fortunately the harp stayed dry in an artists' studio right behind the ceremony site), but this was my first time on their private Lake Michigan beach.  It's a beautiful setting, but a very challenging set-up.

This wedding was a harp & violin duet, so at least I had help with moving all of the equipment down to the ceremony site.  When we got down with our first load, we were thrilled to see an umbrella already set up for us - shade is a MUST for musicians playing on the beach!  We were able to leave our things there, and climb back up the 104(!) steps back to the parking lot.  Vowing to get everything else in one trip, we made it!

The BlevinSong lever harp is the most portable of my harps, and it is the only harp that it is possible to get down to this beach.  Even taking this one wasn't easy!

The bride had only one request for her ceremony music ~ she wanted to enter to "Canon in D" by Pachelbel.  Other than that, she left the rest of the music up to us. For the entrance of the mothers and bridal party, we played "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by J.S. Bach.

The unity sand ceremony almost didn't happen - someone forgot the sand!  Lucky for them, the beach has plenty, and they blended sand together with their hands.  While this was going on, the aunt of the groom sang "The Wedding Song", accompanied by the groom's brother playing the guitar.  The recessional was "Trumpet Tune" followed up by "Rondeau" by Mouret, "Trumpet Voluntary", and other joyful pieces for the postlude.

Back up the stairs...and we had help!  Most of the time, I don't have any trouble moving my harps on my own, but was glad when a couple of wedding guests offered to assist us getting everything back up all of those stairs in one trip.  Thank you!!!  Now I just need to get all of the sand out of my harp case!

From weddings on the Lake Michigan beach to a local winery, I love providing harp music for weddings and events throughout Southwest Lower Michigan.  Visit my website:

Southwest Michigan Wedding Music

for information on having harp music for your wedding ceremony or reception.  Along with solo harp, I offer many different ensembles.  Harp & violin (what this bride chose) is the most popular choice.  Other ensembles include:

• Harp & Flute
• Harp, Violin & Cello
• Harp & Trumpet
• Two-harp Duet
• Harp & String Quartet
• Harp, Flute & Cello
• Harp & Guitar
• Harp & Marimba

...or anything else you can think of!  With connections with hundreds of professional musicians, I can create the perfect ensemble for your event.

Michigan Wedding Music ~ Harpist at the Shadowland Pavilion, Silver Beach

I love weekday weddings - especially for brides who are planning their ceremony in a popular destination.  This Thursday evening ceremony was held in the Shadowland Pavilion on Silver Beach in St. Joseph, Michigan.  Many of their family and friends made the trip to Southwest Michigan from Texas, so the holiday week was perfect timing for an extended wedding trip.

Amy & Art had definite ideas about their wedding music!  Most of the pieces they wanted were already a part of my harp repertoire, but they also had a couple of special requests that were important to them.  During the prelude, it was mostly popular music:

• Clocks by Coldplay
• I'm Yours by Jason Mraz
• Just Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble
• At Last by Etta James
• Sea of Love by the Honeydrippers
• Going to the Chapel by The Shirelles
• Ode to Joy by Beethoven

They chose more traditional options for the processionals ("Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" for the families and "Canon in D" for the bridal party).  The bride's entrance music was the Beatles song "Here Comes the Sun".  The couple's dog, Buddy, did an outstanding job as ring bearer!

Amy & Art really put a lot of thought into their ceremony, and it was personalized by their officiant, Rev. Laura Sumner Truax from Chicago.  As the service began, they had family members read the names of loved ones who had passed away or were not able to make the trip.  I accompanied a cousin of the bride singing the Louis Armstrong song "What a Wonderful World". 

They had a different take on the popular sand ceremony.  Instead of combining two different colors of sand, they combined sand from the beach of Lake Michigan (where the bride spent many summers) with that from South Padre Island (where the groom grew up), topping it off with rocks and shells from both locations.  During the sand ceremony, they requested "Marry Me" by Train.

Just before they were pronounced husband and wife, the families of the bride and groom performed a lasso ceremony, a Hispanic custom that signifies the joining of the two families at the wedding.  For the recessional, I accompanied a friend of the family singing "Love Will Keep Us Together" by Captain and Tennille.  The recessional stayed upbeat with "All You Need is Love", "You Want to Make a Memory", "A Thousand Miles" and "Collide".

Southwest Michigan is full of beautiful beach-side wedding venues!  The harp is the perfect instrument for a wedding ceremony on (or near) the beach.  Please visit my website, Southwest Michigan Wedding Music, for information on including the beauty of harp music in your wedding plans!

Mackinac Island Wedding Music ~ Mission Point Resort

I first met Gina & Joe when they attended a harp concert I gave in March at the Chicago School of Hot Yoga.  It was the perfect opportunity for them to hear the harp in person, and imagine how well it would fit in with their wedding plans!  Although they both live in Chicago, they were planning a destination wedding on Mackinac Island in northern Michigan.

The island has no cars, so the only transportation is by bike or horse-drawn taxi.  Since it was a beautiful day, and Mission Point isn't too far from the ferry dock, Jeff and I decided to walk there.  We got lots of stares from people as we pushed the harp down the street! 

We arrived at Mission Point about three hours before the wedding was scheduled to begin.  Since we were dealing with ferry schedules, no car, and the Fourth of July weekend, we allowed a lot of extra time.  It was a perfect day to spend some time sitting under a shade tree, enjoying a good book.  This time, we were so early that we arrived before the first wedding of the day at the resort.  It's not often that we just get to observe a wedding (from a distance, of course), without concentrating on the music!

The weather was beautiful for the outdoor ceremony at the gazebo.  For the entrance of the families, I played "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music.  This was a special song for them, since the groom first met the bride's mother when they attended this musical.  The bridal party processional was "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", and the bride's entrance music was "Canon in D".  During the unity sand ceremony, they requested the Josh Groban song "You Raise Me Up".  The recessional was the traditional Mendelssohn "Wedding March".

Gina & Joe departed the ceremony in a horse-drawn carriage, and their guests went up to the resort for the cocktail hour.  It was nice enough out that they were able to enjoy drinks and appetizers on the porch - as long as the seagulls stayed away!  The wedding coordinators and banquet staff loved the harp, too, and had their pictures taken with it before the guests arrived.  Mackinac Island resorts and hotels hire from all around the world, and there were several young men from Jamaica who especially enjoyed the music! 

As I was playing for the cocktail hour, the flower girl and ring bearer came over to see the harp up close.  I also gave them the opportunity to sit behind the harp and give it a try - a great photo op for the parents (and maybe inspiring another future harpist)!

Music for the cocktail hour was a variety of popular pieces, including a reprise of "You Raise Me Up" and "Somewhere in Time" ~ no Mackinac Island wedding would be complete without it!

Like my wedding on Saturday, their colors were gray and yellow.  I especially loved their cake set up in front of their sweetheart table.

As soon as you walked in the reception room, you could smell the Asiatic lilies in the centerpieces.  The ones we have in our backyard should be blooming soon!

Of course, while I was busy playing, Jeff walked back downtown to pick up some of the famous Mackinac fudge (chocolate for him, pumpkin pie for me - but I'll swipe a bit of his chocolate, too!).  I was so pleased to be able to provide harp music for this wedding ceremony and reception.  If you are planning a wedding for Mackinac Island, I'd love to be your harpist as well!  Just visit my website:

Mackinac Island Wedding Music

for information on how I can make your Mackinac Island destination wedding even more romantic with elegant harp music!

Central Illinois Wedding Music - Springfield Harpist

The one thing that you can say for certain about weekends in July is that they are hot!  Fortunately for Monica and Marcus, they had a beautiful ceremony indoors on what seemed like the hottest weekend of the year.

The couple tied the knot (or braids!) at Faith Lutheran Church in Springfield, Illinois.  The couple had chosen Aria from Rinaldo for the seating of the families.  The groom then entered to Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.  After many weddings, I have to say that was the first time that I have played a piece specifically for the groom's entrance!

The bridesmaids, flower girls, and ring bearer entered to Canon in D.  The bride then entered to a Gospel recording.  This almost didn't happen as they were having difficulties with the CD at first.  Consulting with the planner, we were deciding on what piece I could play for the bride if they couldn't get the CD to work.  Eventually, they were able to get everything up and running so she was able to enter to the song that she had previously selected.

After the bride and groom jumped the broom I played Trumpet Voluntary for their exit.  We love providing music throughout Central Illinois!  Please visit our website, Springfield Illinois Harpists to find out more about how we can make your special day even better!

South Bend Wedding Music ~ St. Paul's Episcopal Church Ceremony

I loved working with Julia and her family to plan her wedding ceremony music!  She was so sweet when we had our consultation to pick out the harp music for each element of the service, and just beautiful on her wedding day.  The ceremony was held inside (fortunately - it was a hot day that ended in thunderstorms!) at St. Pauls' Episcopal Church in Mishawaka, Indiana.  I got the harp inside just as the rain began to fall.

The bridesmaids all wore knee-length gray dresses, and the flowers were yellow and green with accents of periwinkle.  Gray and yellow are popular this year - they were the colors for both of my weddings this weekend!

She had one special request for the prelude music as guests arrived - "Claire de Lune" by Debussy.  After I played that piece, I filled in with other Classical and Romantic harp solos.  During the seating of families, the bride chose "Meditation" from the Massenet opera Thais.  The bridal party processional was Bach's "Prelude in C" and the bride entered to "Fairest Isle" by Purcell.

At the groom's request, it was important to include Schubert's "Ave Maria", so I played that as the couple presented roses to their parents.  The recessional was an upbeat tune by the blind Irish harpist Turlough O'Carolan:  "Fanny Power", which looks much better when listed in your ceremony program as "O'Carolan's Wedding March"!  Following the ceremony, the guests walked down the street to the reception at Beiger Mansion.

While most of the harp music for this ceremony was classical, it wasn't entirely traditional.  If your church or officiant has restrictions on the music that can be played, you aren't stuck with the same pieces everyone else uses!  Jeff and I love working with couples to customize a wedding music program that is unique and memorable.  Visit our website, South Bend Wedding Music, or call 1-877-HARP-578 for more information on having a harpist for your wedding!

Wedding Wire Rated 2011

The Classic Harpist is now WeddingWire Rated for 2011

WeddingWire, the nation's leading wedding technology company, is pleased to announce that The Classic Harpist is WeddingWire Rated 2011 for wedding ceremony music. WeddingWire Rated is an annual award program that distinguishes wedding vendors across the country for their excellence. Based on hundreds of thousands of recent wedding reviews, WeddingWire Rated is the most recognized and trusted brand among engaged couples looking to find the best local businesses for their wedding.

The Classic Harpist has 21 reviews on WeddingWire. Reviews by our newlywed clients include detailed ratings and insightful descriptions about their experiences working with our business and musicians. Our reviews provide transparency for potential clients, assisting them in making the most informed decisions about the ceremony music for their big day.

"We are delighted to unveil the 5th annual WeddingWire Rated program," said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire, Inc. "The Classic Harpist has made a commitment to capturing their clients experiences on the nation's leading wedding review site."

As the largest site for wedding reviews, WeddingWire empowers engaged couples with the most comprehensive and trusted review system available. The WeddingWire Rated program provides The Classic Harpist with a simple platform to capture customer feedback from their wedding planning experience. Newly engaged couples can easily access all of the reviews for The Classic Harpist on WeddingWire.com. We would like to thank our newlyweds for our WeddingWire Rated 2011 recognition.

For more information, please visit The Classic Harpist on WeddingWire or our website, http://www.theclassicharpist.com/.

For more information on WeddingWire Rated 2011, please visit http://www.weddingwire.com/.