Weddings at Swan Lake Resort outside of Plymouth, Indiana, are not only beautiful, but also well-organized thanks to their coordinator, Britt. When speaking with the photographer and DJ prior to the ceremony, we all agreed that this is a wonderful venue that really goes above and beyond for the couples who have their weddings there!
Kristen and Joe held their ceremony outdoors at the gazebo, overlooking the golf course. They planned on guest seating starting half an hour before the ceremony (fortunately it was a cooler and overcast evening so it was still comfortable to be outside a little longer!), and added extra time for prelude music with their booking. With 350+ guests, it does take a little longer to get everyone situated!
The bride chose primarily traditional music, leaving a couple of the selections up to me. For the family seating, she wanted something upbeat, so I chose “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by J.S. Bach to fit in nicely with the rest of her music. The bridesmaids, flower girl, and ring bearer all came down the aisle to Pachelbel’s “Canon in D.”
Kristen’s bridal processional was the traditional Wagner “Bridal Chorus” – also known as “Here Comes the Bride.” She also had me choose the unity candle music, just requesting something short! I went with “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban, and played only the chorus. The unity candle doesn’t take very long to light, so you don’t want the song to go on for several minutes!
The ceremony concluded with the traditional recessional: “Wedding March” by Mendelssohn. I continued to play postlude music as guests were dismissed by the newlyweds, then throughout the cocktail hour that was also held outside. The DJ provided a sound system and mics for me for both ceremony and cocktail hour, which was greatly appreciated!
Background music for the cocktail hour was a mix of familiar classics and contemporary popular songs, including:
- Marry Me by Train
- At Last by Etta James
- Can’t Help Falling in Love
- Fields of Gold by Sting
- Cantique de Jean Racine by Faure
- Arioso by Bach
If you are planning a wedding at Swan Lake Resort (or anywhere in Northern Indiana!), please contact me about hiring a harpist for your ceremony and cocktail hour. You’ll find more information (including additional pictures and music clips) on my website: Northern Indiana Wedding Music.
