The last Saturday in August, I was part of a harp duet for a wedding ceremony and reception. The ceremony took place at the Northern Indiana Center for History, in the gardens of the Oliver Mansion. This is one of my favorite venues, and I play for ceremonies there several times a year. I’m usually set up on the brick walkway at the front of the garden, but the planner placed us on a small hill near the back. It worked well because we were able to communicate with him and get the processional timed more easily. Only down side is that it’s harder to get the harps in a picture!
For the prelude, the bride wanted to have mostly popular songs. She chose “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “Unchained Melody,” “What a Wonderful World,” and “I’m Yours.” For the entrance of the mothers, we played Schubert’s “Ave Maria,” followed by “Canon in D” for the bridal party.
The bride’s processional was the traditional “Bridal Chorus” by Richard Wagner. During the ceremony, the couple did a unity sand ceremony and presented roses to their mothers accompanied by John Denver’s “Annie’s Song.” The recessional was a Beatles hit: “All You Need is Love.”
Since I had a couple of hours before the reception began, I got to hang around downtown South Bend and go to ArtBeat. I haven’t missed it since I moved here, and was glad to be able to fit it into my schedule this year, too!
The reception took place at the historic Beiger Mansion in Mishawaka, Indiana. We were set up under the carport to greet guests with music as they arrived for the cocktail hour and dinner. We played contemporary popular songs, with an emphasis on The Beatles.
The bride and groom hired a horse and carriage, not just for them to enjoy, but had it available during the first hours of the reception for their guests to take a ride around the downtown area.
