Lakin and Austin’s wedding at Oak Hill Farm was one of those ceremonies where the setting, the music, and even a few unexpected sounds from the farm became part of the memory!
Their ceremony was held outdoors beneath the trees, surrounded by white flowers. Oak Hill Farm is located near Apple River, east of Galena, and its grounds include several outdoor ceremony locations along with its historic chapel and reception spaces. For this wedding, the wooded setting created a beautiful backdrop for live harp music as guests arrived and took their seats.
There was also something particularly meaningful about how I came to be part of the day: Lakin’s grandmother hired me as a wedding gift for her granddaughter. I love that live music can be given as a gift in this way! Instead of something that is opened and put away, it becomes part of the experience the couple and their family remember from the wedding itself.
Harp Music as Guests Arrived
I began with harp music during the prelude while guests gathered beneath the trees. Lakin and Austin had selected a few pieces they especially wanted to hear, including My Heart Will Go On and Canon in D.
The combination was a good example of how varied a harp prelude can be. Traditional wedding music can sit naturally alongside pop, film music, jazz standards, and songs that have a personal connection for the couple. The harp gives all of them a common sound, so the prelude can move between styles while still feeling cohesive.
As the ceremony time approached, we could hear thunder rumbling in the distance. The sky held, though, and the rain waited until about twenty minutes after the ceremony had ended.
Music for the Processional
The processional began with Beyoncé’s Halo for the seating of the family.
Austin then entered to One in a Million by Hannah Montana, a wonderfully personal choice and exactly the kind of request I enjoy incorporating into a wedding ceremony. Wedding music does not have to come from a predetermined list! If a song means something to you, there is usually a way to make it work beautifully on the harp.
For the wedding party, I transitioned into Taylor Swift’s Enchanted. Lakin chose the same song for her own processional, but I changed the arrangement as she began her walk down the aisle.
That distinction is important when the bride and wedding party share an entrance song. I don’t simply continue playing the piece exactly the same way. At the grand entrance, I can change the register, dynamics, texture, or musical intensity so there is an audible shift. Guests recognize that something has changed before they may even consciously realize why. It gives the bride’s entrance its own moment while preserving the song she wanted.
For couples looking for a Galena wedding harpist, this is one of the advantages of having a live musician for the ceremony. The music can follow what is actually happening rather than requiring the processional to conform to the length or timing of a recording.
A Few Unscripted Sounds from Oak Hill Farm
Not every memorable sound that afternoon came from the harp!
Along with the distant thunder, we heard Oak Hill Farm’s resident donkeys braying during the service. The venue lists Earl and JoJo, its free-range donkeys, among the animals that live on the property.
It was a very Oak Hill moment! A ceremony held outdoors on a working farm comes with its own soundtrack, and the occasional contribution from the donkeys added some personality to the ceremony beneath the trees.
Most importantly, the threatening weather stayed in the distance long enough for Lakin and Austin to have the outdoor ceremony they had planned.
Recessional and Harp Postlude
For the recessional, the DJ took over the music. The DJ was also providing the sound system for the officiant, so the transition at the end of the ceremony was simple and worked well with the overall setup.
My part of the ceremony wasn’t quite finished, however. After the recessional, I resumed playing harp for the postlude and continued until the last guests had exited the ceremony area.
Postlude music is an easy detail to overlook when planning a wedding, but it is an important part of every ceremony. The ceremony doesn’t end the instant the couple walks back up the aisle. Guests still need time to leave their seats, greet one another, and make their way toward cocktail hour or the reception.
Continuing the live music through that transition keeps the atmosphere going until everyone has moved on to the next part of the celebration.
Live Wedding Music in Galena, Northwest Illinois, & Dubuque
Oak Hill Farm’s Apple River location puts it within easy reach of Galena and the surrounding northwest Illinois countryside, making it a wonderful option for couples who want an outdoor wedding away from the city while remaining close to one of the region’s most popular wedding destinations.
I provide live harp music for wedding ceremonies and receptions throughout Galena, Northwest Illinois, and the Dubuque, Iowa, area, with music customized around each couple and the way their ceremony is actually planned. From a grandmother giving live harp music as a wedding present to a bride choosing Taylor Swift for her walk down the aisle, those personal choices are what make the music feel distinctly their own.
If you are planning a wedding in the Galena or Dubuque areas, I provide live harp music for ceremonies, cocktail hours, receptions, and other wedding events, with music selected and arranged around the celebration you’re planning. Contact me to start planning live harp music for your wedding!
