Jen and Tim were married last Saturday in a lovely ceremony held at Annie Merner Chapel on the campus of MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois. Tim’s mom, coming all the way from Colorado, had booked me for the wedding last fall, and I enjoyed working with all three of them as we prepared the ceremony music!
As the music for the family seating and wedding party processional was the same song, the officiant and I worked out a cue for the groom & groomsmen to enter in between the two groups. I was to put a short pause in the song, but with the flower girl & ring bearers following right behind the mother of the groom, that ended up not being practical! Fortunately, one of the groomsmen was peeking through the side door of the chapel, and the guys made their entrance as the rest of the wedding party came down the aisle to “Canon in D.”
Jen’s processional was the traditional “Bridal Chorus” by Richard Wagner ~ also known as “Here Comes the Bride.” During the ceremony, the couple lit a memory candle to recognize family members, and a unity candle to symbolize the joining of their two lives.
The ceremony concluded with “Down by the Salley Gardens” as the newlyweds and wedding party exited the chapel. I continued to play other upbeat selections until all of the guests had filed out as well. Fortunately, they had beautiful weather to have some outdoor photos on the steps of the Chapel!
As a professional wedding harpist in Central Illinois, I love working with couples in Jacksonville and throughout the region to design the musical experience for their ceremonies. You’ll find more information about including harp music in your plans on my website: Central Illinois Wedding Musician.