Even the rain – a LOT of rain – couldn’t put a damper on Jamie & Jeff’s beautiful wedding at the Brookfield Zoo. Originally planned for the Formal Pool, the afternoon thunderstorms moved their ceremony to the Peacock Pavilion. It was a nice and secluded spot, with the large fountain just visible behind the couple as they said their vows. With the open-sided pavilion, they were still able to be outside, but safe from the rain.
Jamie had not just harp music for her ceremony, but a trio of harp, violin & flute! It’s always such fun to work with other professional musicians at weddings, and the ensemble allows for a greater variety of sounds and styles. Guests were brought to the ceremony by the zoo trams, and most managed to stay dry!
We played classical music as they found their seats, and then switched to “Canon in D” for the bridal party processional. Jamie came down the aisle to the traditional Wagner “Bridal Chorus.”
During the ceremony, the bride and groom presented flowers to their mothers, and we played “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Bach in the background. The recessional was one of my personal favorites: “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
As soon as the recessional was complete, the flautist and violinist packed up and made their way to the cocktail hour at the Great Bear Wilderness. It takes a little longer to move a harp, so I stayed to play postlude music as the guests headed back to the trams. Once they were all on their way, my faithful harp roadie pushed the harp across the zoo so I could join the other musicians playing for cocktail hour. They played flute & violin duets until I was able to get the harp there and set up.
The Great Bear Wilderness was amazing! One of the polar bears was especially active, and it was feeding time for the grizzlies. As guests mingled and enjoyed drinks, appetizers, and the animals, we played a mix of classical music and popular jazz standards, such as:
- Love Me Tender
- Theme from Masterpiece Theater (Rondeau by Mouret)
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight from The Lion King
- Trumpet Voluntary
- Fly Me to the Moon
- Dream a Little Dream of Me
- Close to You
- St. Anthony Chorale
If you’d like to have a harpist for your Chicago wedding, or a larger ensemble of multiple musicians, please contact me about arranging the perfect group for your wedding ceremony and reception! You’ll find song lists, pictures, and sound clips on my website: Chicago Wedding Harpist & Musicians.
