Maria and Rolie were another couple who got married during the pandemic, but then celebrated later with a large group of guests! Coming from Arizona, they gathered in the beautiful Black Hills for their ceremony and reception.
All of the festivities were held at the Barn at Aspen Acres in Spearfish, South Dakota. Along with the barn-style hall, there are also A-frame cottages onsite for overnight accommodations. And being less than an hour’s drive from Rapid City, it’s nicely situated for a wedding that is also a destination your guests will want to visit!
Most couples think of Caribbean beaches or European castles when they imagine a destination wedding, but those aren’t the only options! The officiant joked during the ceremony that the guests had bought all of the cowboy hats and bolo ties in the county to get into the Western spirit!
For their ceremony music, the couple chose a harp and violin duet. This is a lovely combination of instruments, and if you’re having a hard time deciding between having a string quartet or a harpist, this is the perfect way to have a bit of both!
As the guests arrived, the prelude music included “Falling Slowly” from Once, “Shallow” from A Star is Born, “Only Time” by Enya, and the hymn “Amazing Grace.”
The processional began with the seating of family members to “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. The honor attendants, ring bearers, and flower girls came down the aisle to “From This Moment On” by Shania Twain, and the bridal processional was Schubert’s “Ave Maria.”
Versatile musicians can switch seamlessly from pop to sacred to country to classical, so you’re not limited to only one style or genre of music! During the unity sand ceremony, we played the Elvis hit “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in the background, and then accompanied the recessional with the 3rd movement of “Spring” from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.
The postlude music continued as guests began cocktail hour in the ballroom and on the covered patio and lawn. For October, we lucked into gorgeous fall day!
As a solo harpist or in a duet or larger ensemble, I play for weddings and events in Spearfish, Rapid City, Gillette WY, and throughout western South Dakota, eastern Wyoming, and southeast Montana. Visit my website – Rapid City Wedding Harpist – to inquire for rates and availability!
