Debi & Jerry had the perfect day for their wedding on the beach! Friends and family joined them from Wisconsin & Kentucky to celebrate at Holland State Park in Holland, Michigan. Their morning ceremony was followed by a luncheon in the shelter house.
With many young grandchildren in attendance, Debi wanted to be sure they would hear music they recognized. As everyone gathered for the ceremony, I played a variety of popular pieces, including “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie. It’s one of my favorites, and always a hit! “Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music was the signal that the wedding was about to begin.
As the attendants entered, I played “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Pinocchio. The bride’s processional music was “What a Wonderful World,” and “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban served as a musical interlude.
The bride and groom had a specific song that they wanted included for their unity sand ceremony – “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.” Since it wasn’t a song I already had in my repertoire, I arranged it for harp specifically for them. We were all thrilled with the results! At the conclusion of the ceremony, everyone exited to “Thank You” by Dido.
A slight re-adjustment of the harp to face the tables, and I continued to play through lunch. The bride and groom requested that I play mostly popular songs and folk music, some of which included:
- Evergreen
- In My Life
- Greensleeves
- Unchained Melody
- Grow Old Along with Me
- Scarborough Fair
- Someone to Watch Over Me
Up next, the newlyweds are heading off with a couple of their friends to India! I may be just a little bit jealous…
If you are planning a beach wedding, the harp can be the perfect musical complement to your day! In addition to the large concert harps I offer, I also have more portable Celtic-style harps that can be placed directly on the sand (here, we had a solid concrete surface to set up the Venus Classic harp). Visit my website ~ Holland Michigan Harpist ~ for details!
