It is a pleasure to return to a venue where I have played for multiple weddings, and Chandler Hill Vineyards in Defiance, Missouri is one I am always happy to visit again! With vineyard views surrounding the property and spaces that allow the celebration to move easily from ceremony to cocktails and dinner, it creates a beautiful setting for live harp music throughout the afternoon and evening.
For Madeleine and Daniel’s wedding, I played for both the ceremony and cocktail hour. The ceremony took place on the deck overlooking the vines, followed by cocktails on the deck and patio below. Dinner continued inside the tasting room.
Their wedding colors were eggplant, dusty rose, and olive green, a rich combination that looked especially beautiful against the vineyard setting. I always coordinate my attire with the wedding colors, so even what I wear becomes part of the overall visual presentation.
Harp Music Overlooking the Vineyards
I began with prelude music as guests arrived for the outdoor ceremony. With the harp positioned on the deck and rows of vines extending into the distance, live music became part of the experience from the beginning.
For the wedding party entrance, the couple chose Marcel Grandjany’s “Reverie.” Grandjany was one of the major harpists and composers of the twentieth century, and music written specifically for the harp offers couples another source of ceremony repertoire beyond the pieces most often associated with weddings.
The selection also created a lovely contrast with the music that followed. For the grand entrance, I played Pachelbel’s “Canon in D,” one of the most recognizable classical wedding selections.
The bride’s uncle officiated the ceremony, adding a personal family connection to the occasion.
Classical Favorites, Harp Repertoire, & Contemporary Music
One of my favorite aspects of this ceremony was the variety within the musical program. The couple combined familiar classical wedding music with a less familiar piece from the solo harp repertoire and contemporary instrumental music.
During the ceremony, Madeleine and Daniel presented roses to their mothers while I played Yiruma’s “River Flows in You.” Its flowing melody translates beautifully to the harp and provided music for a meaningful moment involving both families.
After the couple was pronounced married, Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” accompanied the recessional. It is among the most instantly recognizable wedding pieces, giving the conclusion of the ceremony a bright, celebratory character.
Together, “Reverie,” “Canon in D,” “River Flows in You,” and the “Wedding March” created a program with musical contrast while still sounding cohesive on the harp. Couples can draw from centuries of music for their ceremony, combining classical favorites, original harp repertoire, current and classic popular music, film and television themes, Broadway, jazz, Celtic and folk music, video game music, and special requests.
Vineyard Cocktail Hour with Live Harp Music
After the ceremony, I continued playing as guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the patio below the ceremony deck. This portion of the wedding called for a different musical approach, with popular selections from multiple decades replacing the more structured ceremony program.
For a cocktail hour with guests spanning several generations, I like to draw from a broad range of recognizable music. Songs from different decades give grandparents, parents, friends, and younger guests opportunities to hear something familiar, while the sound of the harp ties those different styles together.
This was a Friday evening wedding with a 6:00 PM ceremony start, so the light changed dramatically over the course of the celebration. By the end of cocktail hour, the sun was setting over the vineyard as guests prepared to move inside the tasting room for dinner.
From Ceremony Deck to Dance Floor
While cocktail hour took place on the patio below, the ceremony deck was transformed for the reception. The chairs and ceremony setup gave way to a black-and-white checkerboard dance floor overlooking the vines, completely changing the look and purpose of the space in the time guests were enjoying cocktails.
By sunset, the same deck that had hosted the ceremony earlier in the evening was ready for dancing. With the checkerboard floor, vineyard views, fading evening light, and harp nearby, it was a particularly striking transformation and a beautiful example of how the different spaces at Chandler Hill Vineyards can be used throughout a wedding.
Dinner followed inside the tasting room as the evening continued with the reception.
Returning to Chandler Hill Vineyards
Each return to Chandler Hill Vineyards brings the advantage of knowing the property and how its spaces connect throughout a wedding day. I am familiar with the ceremony deck, patio, and tasting room, as well as the ways couples use those spaces differently as their celebration moves from one part of the evening to the next.
At the same time, no two weddings here have looked or sounded the same! Madeleine and Daniel brought their own personality to the venue through their music choices.
I provide harp music at Chandler Hill Vineyards and throughout St. Charles County and the greater St. Louis region for wedding ceremonies, cocktail hours, dinners, and receptions.
Live Harp Music for a Missouri Vineyard Wedding
A vineyard wedding offers several opportunities to incorporate harp music into the celebration. Live music can welcome guests during the prelude, accompany each entrance and ceremony tradition, continue into cocktail hour, and provide an elegant musical backdrop during dinner.
Contact me to check availability and begin planning music for your wedding at Chandler Hill Vineyards or another venue in the St. Louis area. I would love to create a harp program that reflects your favorite music and complements every part of your celebration!
