On August 14th, I played harp for a wedding ceremony and cocktail hour at the Laketown Conference Center in Saugatuck, Michigan. The bride’s family wanted to include several Celtic tunes to represent their Irish heritage. They chose some specific pieces, then allowed me to choose some others to add to the mix. The prelude consisted of:
- Suogan (Welsh lullaby) [Click for a sound clip!]
- Trumpet Tune
- Canon in D
- All I Ask of You from “Phantom of the Opera”
- Holy, Holy, Holy
- O Danny Boy
For the entrance of the bridal party and flower girl, I played Handel’s “Aria” from Rinaldo. The bride had two entrance selections: “Pavane Style Renaissance” for the first half, when she entered with her mother. After her mother had taken her seat, the bride’s father led her the rest of the length of the aisle to the traditional “Bridal Chorus” by Wagner.
During the unity sand ceremony, they chose “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” and also included a moment of quiet reflection after the vows, backed by “When Irish Eyes are Smiling.” The first movement of “Spring” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons was the recessional.
For the cocktail hour, they requested popular songs alternated with traditional Irish tunes. Some selections included:
- Beautiful Dreamer
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight from “The Lion King”
- Love Me Tender
- My Heart Will Go On from “Titanic”
- By the Light of the Silvery Moon
- Grow Old Along with Me
- Fields of Gold
You can mix a variety of genres when you have a harpist providing the music for your wedding. I am not limited to classical or Celtic music, and love playing unexpected contemporary songs! Visit my Repertoire List to get an idea of the wide range of music that can be played on the harp.