Valparaiso Harpist ~ Wedding Ceremony Music at Ogden Gardens

The last time I played for a wedding at Ogden Gardens (the end of June), it was so hot!  Fortunately for Amy and Jacob, the late summer actually cooled off!  Their August 18th ceremony at the park's gazebo was not only beautiful, but their guests were comfortable and able to just enjoy the day.

As guests arrived, they were greeted with harp music ranging from classical pieces to popular love songs.  When the bridal party came down the aisle, I played the jazz standard "Autumn Leaves."  The bride's entrance music was the Pachelbel "Canon in D" ~ a wedding classic!  The short and sweet ceremony concluded with the presentation of the newly married couple, and everyone exited to "Winter" from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons.  We seemed to have a "seasonal" theme going, so I couldn't resist throwing in "Spring" ~ also from The Four Seasons ~ during the postlude!

In Valparaiso and throughout Northwest Indiana, I am available as a professional harpist and wedding musician.  From when guests begin to arrive, to when the last one leaves the ceremony site, you can thrill them by having live harp music at your wedding!  To find out more, visit my website:  Valparaiso Wedding Harpist.

Harpist in Valparaiso ~ Wedding Ceremony Music at Ogden Gardens

Despite a very hot afternoon, Kristin & Brian's wedding went off without any problems at Valparaiso's Ogden Gardens.  I was able to set the harp up inside the gazebo, where the shade kept the harp (and harpist!) from melting.  The bride's grandmother was especially enthralled with the harp!

Rev. Doug Klukken of Free Spirit Church in Crown Point performed the ceremony.  Kristin chose Schubert's "Ave Maria" for the entrance of her bridal party, and "Canon in D" by Pachelbel for her processional.  The recessional was the popular "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera.

Whether you are looking for traditional or contemporary wedding music, the harp can provide all of the music for your ceremony!  A visit to my website ~ Northwest Indiana Harpist ~ will give you more information and details on including harp music in your celebration.  Happy planning!

Valparaiso Harpist ~ Wedding Music at the Valparaiso Country Club

Debra was planning her Indiana wedding from Texas, so we made all of the plans for her wedding music by email.  With lots of sound clips on my website, it makes it easy to plan long-distance!  She originally booked just solo harp, but added a violinist as we got closer to her date. 

The ceremony was held at the Valparaiso Country Club in Northwest Indiana.  The room where the ceremony took place overlooked the golf course, and the guests just had to walk down the hallway to get to the reception. 

As guests were arriving, we played a variety of harp and violin duets, both classical and popular music.  The bride and groom each had one attendant.  The maid of honor had been the bride's friend since 3rd grade, and the father of the groom also served as his best man.  For their processional, we played "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Bach, followed by Pachelbel's "Canon in D" for the bride.  During her speech at the reception, the bride joked that her father had been very emotional during her sister's wedding five years ago, but he gave her a little shove down the aisle! 

For the unity candle ceremony, we played "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera, and the recessional was "King William's March."  We played all of the guests out of the room, then followed them to the banquet center where we continued with joyful background music for the cocktail hour. 

Planning a wedding in Valparaiso?  I can provide harp music for your ceremony and reception, and can also work with other musicians to create the perfect sound for your wedding.  Please visit my website, Valparaiso Wedding Harpist, to contact me!

Valparaiso Wedding Music ~ Taltree Arboretum Wedding Harpist

June 11th, 2011, was a very popular date for weddings - between the two of us, Jeff and I were playing harp for four ceremonies!  The first was at noon outside of Valparaiso, IN, at Taltree Arboretum.  They have a beautiful setting for weddings at their pavilion by the lake.  There is a lawn for outdoor ceremonies, but the pavilion is large enough to accommodate all of the guests if the weather doesn't cooperate.  It's the perfect outdoor wedding venue!

The ceremony was officiated by Tom Witham of Day of Dreams out of Chicago.  I've worked with him frequently before, and he is always very professional and creates a memorable ceremony for the couple and their guests.  The chairs were originally set up in the pavilion, but since the rain was holding off, he orchestrated getting them moved out to the lawn so the bride and groom could have a true outdoor wedding.  Of course, all of these pictures were taken before the chairs even arrived - I got there a little early!

There was no traditional bridal party, so the processional was just the families of the couple.  During their entrance, I played Bach's "Prelude in C" - it's becoming a new favorite with brides!  The bride's processional was "Canon in D".  This is a popular selection if you want something traditional or classical, but not "Here Comes the Bride".  The selection played during the unity sand ceremony was "Dedication" by Franz Liszt, and the recessional was the "Finale from Royal Fireworks Music" by Handel.

If you are interested in having harp music for your wedding in Valparaiso or anywhere in Northwest Indiana, visit our website for more information:

Northwest Indiana Wedding Music

Dinner Party Harpist - Strongbow Inn Valparaiso, Indiana

Recently, I got the chance to play background music for a dinner reception at the Strongbow Inn, located in Valpariso, Indiana. While I have played at Strongbow Inn many times before, and have played dinner or reception music for several events, this one was a first for me in a unique way!

It was a first for me in the fact that I've never played for an 8th grade girls' and boys' basketball team dinner. The teams were visiting the Valparaiso area to participate in a tournament at Valparaiso University. I may have been hired by the adults at the dinner, but it was the kids who had the most questions for me about the harp.

During the event I played many popular selections that some of the members of the boys team that happened to be sitting by me were able to recognize and name the pieces that I played. What made this event truly great was that they were able to put the whole thing together in a matter of days, including hiring me the day before!

If you are ever in need of a last minute harpist or musician for your event, just contact us!

Valentine's Day ~ Romantic Harp Music (Middlebury & Valparaiso IN)

There is nothing more elegant and romantic than listening to harp music on Valentine's Day!  It is always a busy day for us, and this year was no exception. 

The day began with a solo performance that I gave for a tour group that was on a Valentine's Day Mystery Tour.  They enjoyed a family style meal at Das Dutchman Essenhaus in Middlebury, Indiana, and after dessert was served, they got to hear a harp concert of familiar love songs! 

There were love songs from movies and musicals, as well as a French Romantic piece and other popular songs from the 1920's through the 1970's.  The program for the afternoon was:

Of course, I ended with "My Funny Valentine"!  The guests said that they appreciated the variety of selections, and had lots of questions to ask about the harp when the concert was over.  Everyone asks about the pedals - they are for changing the strings to sharps and flats (like the black keys on a piano).  There are seven of them, and yes - I do have to move them while I play!

I loaded up my harp and drove back to South Bend, where Jeff was waiting to add his harp to the back of the van.  We headed to the Strongbow Inn in Valparaiso, where we were providing harp duet music for the dinner crowd.  We played for the holiday last year as well, and were thrilled to come back again! 

Harps aren't just for weddings!  Visit our website (http://www.theclassicharpist.com/) for more information about having a private harp concert or background music for any event.

Harp Duets for Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day, Jeff & I will return to Valparaiso's Strongbow Inn to play romantic harp duet music for the holiday.  We will be playing on Monday night from 5:00-9:00 (Central time), and reservations are strongly recommended.

Call (219) 462-5121 to reserve your table.  This is a wonderful time to come and hear the harps in person, especially if you are considering hiring us for a wedding or other event.  Hope to see you there!

Valparaiso Wedding Musician

Valparaiso Wedding Music ~ Valparaiso University Chapel of the Resurrection

Another beautiful fall day, and a beautiful setting for a wedding in the Valparaiso University Chapel.  I graduated from VU with my music degree in 2001, and it is always such a pleasure to get back on campus! 

The maid of honor for this wedding was also a harpist, and recommended me to her friend.  For this wedding, the bride opted for a harp & piano duet.  The Chapel has a 9-foot Baldwin grand piano, and along with the harp, it really filled up the huge sanctuary!

During the prelude, we played a variety of classical pieces and ballads composed by the Irish harpist O'Carolan.

Their pastor was very willing to allow the bride and groom to choose music that they liked, even if it wasn't classical or traditional.  Before you decide on your music, be sure to check with your officiant (or church if your wedding will be held there) to see if there are any restrictions on the music you may use.

The families entered to Godefroid's "Romance Without Words", and the bridal party processional was "Fields of Gold" by Sting.  The bride had known that her processional would be "Canon in D" ever since she had heard her maid of honor play it on the harp their freshman year.  During the unity candle, we played "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the couple recessed down the aisle to "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring".  It was a piece that the bride loved, but prefered something faster for the recessional.  No problem for us to speed up the tempo for her.  That's what's great about having live musicians for your wedding - we can adjust the music to suit what you'd like to hear!  The postlude continued the joyful mood as the guests left the chapel.

Although most of my weddings are for harp solo, some brides request duets or larger ensembles.  The most popular is the two-harp duet.  This not only gives you a full sound, but also looks very impressive in your pictures!  Other favorite combinations are harp & violin duet; harp & flute duet; harp, flute & cello trio; and harp & string quartet (2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello). 

Depending upon your music requests, budget, and space available, I'd be happy to recommend the perfect ensemble!  Contact me at 1-877-HARP-578 or visit the website at http://www.theclassicharpist.com/ for more ideas.

Valparaiso Wedding Harpist | Aberdeen Manor Gardens

I always love coming back to Aberdeen Manor!  When Jeff and I got married in 2004, we had our reception there.  Denna, Jim & their staff are amazing to work with, and always communicate well with vendors on your wedding day.  It makes for a seamless and stress-free event for everyone involved!

The bride's only request was for "Canon in D" for her processional, and then traditional & classical music for the rest of the ceremony.  It was a Jewish ceremony, and the florist turned the pergola in the garden into a beautiful chuppah!

Inn at Aberdeen Wedding Ceremony

My first outdoor wedding of the year was at the beautiful Inn at Aberdeen Bed & Breakfast on April 17th.  Since I attended Valparaiso University, it's always enjoyable to get back to the area!  It seems like every year for my first outdoor ceremony, I forget my music clips - I did it again.  Very hard to play when your music is blowing all over the place!  Fortunately, I found a skirt hanger in the back of the van, broke off the clips, and they worked perfectly!

Other times I've played at this location, they have had me set up in the gazebo.  This time, however, I was placed on a balcony of the Inn overlooking the ceremony site.  The guests could hear the music from the moment they arrived, and I had a perfect vantage point to watch the processional and time the music appropriately.  It was hard for me to hear the officiant from that far away, but got a cue to begin the recessional.

The couple requested "One Hand, One Heart" from West Side Story to be played during the prelude.  My favorite part was finally getting to meet the bride after the ceremony (everything had been handled through the on-site coordinator).  She had a fabulous dress, and bright red shoes!

February Events

February was a busier month than usual, and started off with an exciting evening on Valentine's Day.  We spent the night playing harp duets at Strongbow Inn in Valparaiso, Indiana.  It's not often that you get to see and hear two harps together, and it's even better when it is a husband and wife duet playing love songs!

We played a variety of romantic selections from many eras of popular music, including:

• The Anniversary Waltz
• Speak Softly Love from "The Godfather"
• Love Me Tender
• You Belong With Me
• Tammy
• The Nearness of You
• Misty
• I Swear

One of the benefits of hiring more than one musician for your event is the opportunity to alternate breaks.  We would take our breaks at different times, allowing the guests to enjoy continuous music.

On February 19th, I returned to Portofino's Grill in LaPorte to play for a church sweetheart dinner.  This was my second year working with them, and it is always such a wonderful group and a very appreciative audience!  

The weekend of February 26th through 28th I spent driving back and forth to Fort Wayne to play for the Fort Wayne Home & Garden Show.  I played in the lobby of the Allen County Memorial Coliseum while people arrived and for those waiting in line to purchase tickets or enter the exhibits.

The music of the harp is so soothing, it can help keep people in stressful situations calm!  Once the lines died down, I moved inside so that attendees could hear the music while going through the exhibits.

On Saturday the 27th, I played in Fort Wayne in the morning, and then headed to Granger to play for a wedding ceremony in the wine cellar at Villa Macri.

It was a warm and intimate setting - with a perfect light snow falling outside creating a winter wonderland!

Harp Duets for Valentine's Day

On Sunday, February 14th, we be playing love songs for harp duet at the Strongbow Inn in Valparaiso, Indiana.  This is the perfect opportunity to hear both harps together and get ideas for your wedding music!  We'll be playing from 4:30 - 8:30 PM, and they will be serving a turkey and prime rib buffet (menu, too).

Reservation are strongly recommended, so call Strongbow Inn to book your table today!  1-800-462-5121

Harp Music for a Christmas Open House

Harp Music for a Christmas Open House
Originally uploaded by devonhaupt

Another picture from the December 2009 holiday season. This is an open house that the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce hosts ever year. This is my third year providing harp music for the occasion, and I finally got a picture!

Wedding Ceremony at Ogden Gardens

Another perfect fall day!  On September 19th, I played harp for a ceremony at Valparaiso's Ogden Gardens.  The bride chose a nice mix of traditional wedding music, as well as some lesser-known pieces to make her wedding music unique.  The prelude music was:

• Long and Winding Road
• Embraceable You
• Someone to Watch Over Me
• Stairway to Heaven
• Send in the Clowns
• Liebestraume

Since this wasn't quite enough to cover the time they needed, I just continued to play similar pieces until everyone was ready to begin.  The ceremony music included:

• Suogan (entrance of families)
• Canon in D (bridal party processional)
• I See You My Beloved (bride's processional)
• Grow Old Along with Me (unity sand & rose ceremony)
• Sheep May Safely Graze (recessional)

The bride really liked the Bach piece she chose as her recessional, but wanted something more upbeat.  No problem - I just played Sheep May Safely Graze very quickly!  She was able to use a piece of music that she really enjoyed, and also have a lively exit from her ceremony.  Professional harpists or other musicians should be able to make an accommodation like that for you!

Spring Weddings

I've been fortunate so far this summer - nearly all of my weddings have been outdoor, and not a single rain-out! It's been a great start to the "season". A few pictures:

The beautiful flowers at my wedding on June 15th were done by the Flower Cart in Chesterton, Indiana. Although it was definitely on the warm side, Aberdeen Manor has a nice spot in the shade for the harp. The monogram made out of rose petals in the aisle was a theme that the couple carried throughout their wedding, from the programs that served as fans to the personalized hand towels in the restrooms!

A new wedding location for me: the Potawatomi Inn at Pokagon State Park in Angola, Indiana. Another hot day! I also learned that I shouldn't wear high heels when playing on a slatted wood surface - it makes pedaling even more difficult! It was hard to keep the harp in tune due to the high temperatures, but we were able to stay inside until just before the wedding began. Makes for a short prelude!

The two weddings for which I played on June 9th were at a couple of my favorite locations - South Bend's Center for History Gardens and Valparaiso's Aberdeen Manor. The couple that got married at Aberdeen are also musicians, and picked some great pieces! They started with a prelude of all classical music, and then switched to popular and jazz for the processionals and ceremony. The recessional was a quartet singing "All You Need is Love", which I followed up with "Grow Old Along with Me."

I returned to Foster Park's Bridal Glen on June 2nd. The rain held off just long enough for the beautiful ceremony! That night, I got to play my Celtic harp for a birthday party in Valparaiso. It was a lot of time on the road! Fortunately, my wonderful husband and "harp roadie" was able to come along and keep me company - and of course, move the harps!

Memorial Day weekend was another busy one - four weddings! I played at Swan Lake in Plymouth, Indiana for the first time, and had the pleasure of working with a wonderful violinist. It was a bit drizzly, but the gazebo there provided plenty of shelter to keep the harp and violin dry. That night was a reception at Strongbow Inn where I got what I think was a compliment - I had just started, and a guest walked by and said "Oh, you're actually playing!" Perhaps I sound like a CD? I guess that's pretty good!

On the following Sunday, I had a ceremony and then a reception - both in Valparaiso. It was a busy weekend, but extremely enjoyable. Good thing I had my trusty roadie!

Wedding Reception (Harp & Violin)

For a September weekend, this one was rather light! The only wedding I had was a one-hour reception on Saturday night. It was a harp and violin duet with a new violinist, and it went extremely well! The bride was a violinist herself, and she picked some unique and beautiful music for her cocktail hour, including:

Air from "Water Music" (Handel)
Arioso from "Cantata 156" (Bach)
Juliet's Waltz Song from "Romeo & Juliet" (Gounod)
Hornpipe from "Water Music" (Handel)
Nocturne from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (Mendelssohn)
Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod)
Fur Elise (Beethoven)
Fantasie-Impromptu in C# minor (Chopin)
Air on G from "Suite #3 in D Major" (Bach)
Minuet from "Quintet in E Major" (Boccherini)
Jupiter Theme from "The Planets" (Holst)

Despite a missing tuning key (the fear of every gigging harpist!) - my husband managed to tune the harp with a pair of vise grips he bought that night at Menards - the reception went off perfectly. The colors were rich autumn browns and golds, and they had a pair of live doves in the lobby of the banquet center. While the manager was briefing the staff before the guests arrived, she was sure to caution them not to release the birds or torment them! The favors were a toothbrush and toothpaste - the groom is a dentist. When it was time to cut the cake, the bride and groom went first, followed by their parents. It was a wonderful way to start off the reception by honoring the parents and their marriages. The couple and their families really made this an event to remember, and I was thrilled to be a part of it!

A Three-Wedding Weekend

What a weekend! Three wedding ceremonies & several students crammed into just a couple of days. What can I say - I love to stay busy!

On Friday, I played for a wedding in a small country church. The late mother of the groom was a harpist, so the bride's family hired me in her memory. It was a beautiful ceremony officiated by the father of the bride. The music included:

First Arabesque (Debussy)
Canon in D (Pachelbel)
Bridal Chorus (Wagner)
All I Ask of You (Webber)
Trumpet Voluntary (Clarke)

After teaching a lesson after the ceremony and getting back to South Bend around 11pm, I was back on the road to Northwest Indiana early Saturday morning. My first wedding of the day just booked about a week ago - so it is never too late to check and see if I have your date available! The weather was gorgeous for an outdoor morning wedding. It took place at the hall where I had my wedding reception, so it was fun to go back and see everyone there that had to deal with me when I was a bride! The music for this ceremony was also very traditional: Bridal Chorus & Trumpet Voluntary.

Between my two Saturday weddings, I had the pleasure of teaching a harp lesson. I spent the rest of the afternoon in Valparaiso, leerily watching the sky fill with grey clouds. Of course, my evening wedding was outside!

I set up at Coffee Creek with my waterproof harp cover within arm's reach. Fortunately, the weather held for the ceremony! The amphitheatre is a stunning location for a ceremony with the geyser-like fountain in the background, but it can be very windy - one of those places where I'm afraid to ever take my hands off the harp! It also requires that I use amplification because the wind carries the sound away from your guests. The colors were perfect for a Fall day - dark brown, orange, and yellow. The music the couple selected:

All I Ask of You (Webber)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach)
Bridal Chorus (Wagner)
Wedding March (Mendelssohn)

Throughout the ceremony, I played light glissandos that fit in perfectly with the outdoor setting - it sounds like musical wind!