From the moment Asha contacted me about playing for her wedding, I was looking forward to October! After the time I spent living in India and developing a broad repertoire of Bollywood songs, I love when I have the opportunity to perform them stateside for an audience who recognizes and appreciates the music!
Charlie and Asha held their wedding ceremony and reception at The Kelly Gallery in Overland Park, Kansas. The ceremony took place overlooking the pond, surrounded by the beautiful colors of the fall leaves. We even had winged and web-footed wedding guests!
As guests arrived, I played a variety of Bollywood and Western music, from “Pehla Nasha” from the Hindi movie Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar to “In My Life” by The Beatles. For the officiant’s walk in, I played a much-shortened version of Schubert’s “Ave Maria.” It doesn’t take one person very long to walk down the aisle! The parents and grandparents entered to the traditional wedding song, “Canon in D” by Pachelbel.
The wedding party came down the hill and arrived at the ceremony site to “Chura liya hai” from Yaadon Ki Baaraat. After they were in place, I switched to the theme song for Game of Thrones as the flower girl and ring bearer entered and waited at the footbridge. The groom arrived on a white horse, and the bride followed. The group completed the procession together.
During the ceremony, they included a traditional element of Indian weddings, the Saptapadi. This ritual involves the couple taking seven steps around the holy fire. It is at this moment in the Hindu ceremony that they become officially married. While they did this, and as Charlie presented Asha with the mangala sutra, I played “Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaaye.”
The recessional that concluded the wedding was the third movement of “Spring” from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. As guests made their way to the nearby tent for the reception, I continued playing a variety of Bollywood selections, plus some favorites by Sinatra and the Beatles.
I am one of the few harpists to specialize in Bollywood music, and am available to play for weddings (Hindu, Western, fusion, and others) throughout the US and around the world. Contact me via my website ~ Bollywood Harpist for Weddings ~ to receive a quote!
