Another beautiful fall day, and a beautiful setting for a wedding in the Valparaiso University Chapel. I graduated from VU with my music degree in 2001 (and Master’s in 2005), and it is always such a pleasure to get back on campus!
The maid of honor for this wedding was also a harpist, and recommended me to her friend. For this wedding, the bride opted for a harp & piano duet. The Chapel has a 9-foot Baldwin grand piano. Along with the harp, the sound really filled up the huge sanctuary!
During the prelude, we played a variety of classical pieces and ballads composed by the Irish harpist O’Carolan.
Their pastor was very willing to allow the bride and groom to choose music that they liked, even if it wasn’t classical or traditional. Before you decide on your music, be sure to check with your officiant (or church if your wedding will be held there) to see if there are any restrictions on the music you may use.
The families entered to Godefroid’s “Romance Without Words,” and the bridal party processional was “Fields of Gold” by Sting. The bride had known that her processional would be “Canon in D” ever since she had heard her maid of honor play it on the harp their freshman year. During the unity candle, we played “All I Ask of You” from Phantom of the Opera.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the couple recessed down the aisle to “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.” It was a piece that the bride loved, but preferred something faster for the recessional. No problem for us to speed up the tempo for her. That’s what’s great about having live musicians for your wedding – we can adjust the music to suit what you’d like to hear, rather than being locked into the sound of the piece as it was recorded! The postlude continued the joyful mood as the guests left the chapel.
Although most of my weddings are for harp solo, some brides request duets or larger ensembles. The most popular is the two-harp duet. This not only gives you a full sound, but also looks very impressive in your pictures! Other favorite combinations are harp & violin duet; harp & flute duet; harp, flute, & cello trio; and harp & string quartet (2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello).
Depending upon your music requests, budget, and space available, I’d be happy to recommend the perfect ensemble! Contact me at 1-574-344-9401 or visit my website – Northwest Indiana Wedding Musicians – for more ideas.