WeddingWire Rated ~ 2012

WeddingWire is excited to announce that The Classic Harpist (Devon & Jeff Haupt, harpists) is WeddingWire Rated in 2012 for Wedding Ceremony Music. WeddingWire Rated is the annual ratings program that recognizes wedding professionals across the country for their commitment to service and is the most recognized and trusted brand among engaged couples as they start their search for local wedding vendors. The ratings program is based on hundreds of thousands of recent newlywed reviews of over 200,000 wedding professionals in the US and Canada, across 20 different service categories.

The Classic Harpist has 29 reviews on WeddingWire. Reviews by our brides and grooms include detailed ratings and insightful descriptions about their experiences working with us. Our reviews provide transparency for potential clients, assisting them in making informed decisions for their big day.

"We are very pleased to announce WeddingWire Rated 2012, recognizing The Classic Harpist for their commitment to exemplary service as Wedding Ceremony Musicians," said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire, Inc. “Devon & Jeff Haupt have shown dedication to their craft and service, helping engaged couples understand what to expect from their business through reviews 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 in the wedding industry. WeddingWire Rated provides The Classic Harpist with the distinction of being WeddingWire Rated and a simple platform to capture client feedback from their wedding planning experience. Engaged couples can easily access all of the reviews for The Classic Harpist on WeddingWire.com. We thank all of our newlywed clients for our WeddingWire Rated 2012 recognition!

Fort Wayne Wedding Music ~ Ceremony at Goeglein's Homestead

Tim & Kurt had hoped for an outdoor wedding at the Goeglein Homestead gazebo, but the high temperatures and threat of rain moved the ceremony indoors.  Even though it was the back-up location, the decorator made it look beautiful!

As guests arrived, I played many Baroque-era pieces ~ Tim is a big fan of Bach!  Some of these pieces included "Impertinence" by Handel, "Sheep May Safely Graze" by Bach, "Fur Elise" by Beethoven, and "Finale" from Royal Fireworks Music by Handel.  The ceremony was delayed a bit in starting, but I kept playing until everyone was ready to begin.

The wedding party, followed by Kurt seating family members, entered to Bach's "Prelude in C."  Tim's processional music was "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme."  I have to say that of everything Bach composed, this piece is my personal favorite!

At the conclusion of the ceremony, I played "Aria" from Handel's Rinaldo as a recessional.  Guests headed to the adjacent room for the reception, and the wedding party went outside for a few pictures at the gazebo.  Even though the weather kept the ceremony inside, they were still able to take advantage of taking the formal pictures in the garden.  A perfect solution for a questionable weather situation!

As a Fort Wayne wedding harpist, I have had the pleasure to play for wedding ceremonies and receptions throughout Northeast Indiana.  If you would like more information on having a harpist for your wedding, please visit my website ~ Fort Wayne Wedding Music!

Wedding Harpist in Chicago ~ Ceremony Music in Long Grove

The exclusive Royal Melbourne Country Club in Long Grove, Illinois, was the setting for Mary Grace & Steve's June 16th wedding.  It was a little warm (this is getting to be the theme of the summer!), but the ceremony was able to take place as scheduled outside the club overlooking the golf course.

With her florals, the bride opted to go for an elegant rustic look.  The harp she chose, the BlevinSong lever harp, was the perfect complement!  The music ran from rather traditional...to pieces you'd probably not expect to hear on a harp!  As the bridal party made their way down the aisle, I played "Sweet Child O' Mine."  This transitioned to Pachelbel's "Canon in D" for the bride's big entrance.  This is a great choice for a bride who wants something recognizable and classical for her processional, but not the traditional "Here Comes the Bride." 

During the unity sand ceremony, Mary Grace left the music choice up to me.  As this doesn't take very long, and no one wants to stand around waiting for a song to end, I played just a chorus of "Grow Old Along with Me" and was able to time it to match the ceremony exactly.  This was followed up by another Lennon & McCartney song for the recessional:  "Eight Days a Week."  I continued to play as guests exited the ceremony and made their way inside for the reception.

If you are planning a wedding in the Chicago area, and are looking for a harpist, please contact me!  You can also find more information on my website ~ Chicago Wedding Harpist.

Northwest Indiana Harpist ~ Employee Appreciation Dinner in Schererville

The employees of ArcelorMittal who had been with the company for at least fifty years were honored with a dinner at Teibel's Restaurant in Schererville.  While they gathered and ate their meal, I played harp music in the background. 

The music I chose focused on popular songs from the 1940's through the 1960's.  Along with a few classical and folk music selections, everyone in attendance was sure to hear something they recognized!

Having live music really adds extra class and distinction to any event!  From weddings to corporate parties to private dinners, I have performed as a harpist throughout Northwest Indiana and the Chicago area.  For details on including harp music in the plans for your next event, visit my website ~ Northwest Indiana Harpist.

Peoria Harpist ~ Wedding Ceremony & Reception Music

Katie and Heath tied the knot at Peoria Heights Congregational Church.  The bride and groom presented guests with a copy of the Wedding Day Star, which told of their beginnings as a couple; how the proposal happened; and introduced us to Molly Moo Thornton, their 5 month old sheep dog!

Katie's music selections were a mix of popular and traditional wedding music.  The families entered to "In My Life" by the Beatles and the bridesmaids entered to "Can't Help Falling in Love."  The bride's processional music was "Canon in D," one of my favorite traditional wedding pieces.  During the ceremony, the bride and groom performed a box sealing ceremony.  In the box, they sealed letters that they wrote to each other, which they will read on their 10 year anniversary.  The music selected for this time was "Marry Me" by Train.  For the recessional piece, the couple chose "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz.

The couple also had harp music during the cocktail hour and the dinner hour of their wedding reception, which was inside at Wildlife Prairie State Park just west of Peoria in Hanna City.  The venue provided a great setting as guests got to enjoy time observing bison, wolves, deer, and a variety of animals during the cocktail hour.  The background music played during this time was a variety of popular and classical selections. 

If you would like more information about having harp music for your wedding ceremony or event in the Peoria area, please visit our website, Peoria Wedding Harpist.

Harpist in Northeast Indiana ~ Wedding at Pokagon State Park

Emily and Adam celebrated their wedding at the Potawatomi Inn in Angola's Pokagon State Park.  The ceremony was on the outdoor deck overlooking the Lake James, with the reception indoors in the ballroom.  Since it was such a hot day, I kept the harp indoors as long as possible before moving it outside.  The guests stayed in the air conditioning until the last minute, too!

For the seating of parents and grandparents, I played "Try to Remember" from The Fantasticks, and the bridesmaids came down the aisle to "Arioso" by Bach.  Instead of flowers, the bridesmaids and bride carried parasols.  Perfect for keeping cool!  Emily's music choice for her entrance was Handel's "Largo" from the opera Xerxes.  The ceremony concluded with "King William's March."

Throughout Northeast Indiana, I am available to provide harp music for wedding ceremonies, receptions, and other events.  Visit my website ~ Northeast Indiana Harpist ~ for details!

Mackinac Island Harpist ~ Wedding Music at Mission Point Resort

I love playing for weddings on Mackinac Island!  Everyone is so friendly and relaxed that it has made every wedding I've been the harpist for come together so smoothly.  Last Saturday, I played for the ceremony of Jessica and Michael at the gazebo on the grounds of Mission Point Resort.

Jessi chose me as her harpist because my extensive repertoire list allowed her the creative freedom with her music to bring together her Australian/Jewish - and classically trained musician - family with Michael's American/Lutheran one.  There is nothing like music for bringing families together and for celebrating different heritages!  She wanted to be sure that all of her guests would hear something they would recognize and appreciate.

Although Jessi is originally from Australia and Michael is from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, they met while they were both living in Hawaii.  Their friends and family traveled from all over the world to attend their Mackinac Island wedding.  It's a perfect place for a getaway, family reunion, and wedding all wrapped up together! 

As guests gathered at the gazebo on the shores of Lake Huron, I played several folk songs and classical pieces, including "The Lark in the Clear Air," "Dedication," "Prelude in C," "Finlandia," and the "Jupiter" theme from The Planets.

For the processionals of the bridal party and bride, I was joined by Derek, a friend of the bride who has a degree in vocal performance, as he sang Ben Folds' "The Luckiest" to harp accompaniment.  When you have a sung processional, rather than a purely instrumental version, it can be tricky to time everything so that you don't have to stop in the middle of a verse or other awkward spot.  At the rehearsal the night before, they had worked out the timing and lyric cues for the wedding coordinator to send the bridesmaids down the aisle.  Apparently, everyone actually walked at the same speed, because it worked out perfectly! 

Once the officiant presented the newly married couple, Derek and I again collaborated on the recessional.  This time, it was the Peter Gabriel version of "The Book of Love" from the movie Shall We Dance.  I kept playing postlude music as the guests walked across the lawn, through the receiving line, and on to the tented reception.

Having played for several Mackinac Island weddings, I've become very good at getting the harp around the island!  If you are planning a wedding here, please contact me at 1-877-HARP-578 or visit my website ~ Mackinac Island Wedding Harpist ~ for more information.  I'd love to add harp music to your romantic and magical Mackinac Island wedding!