Vanlandingham Estate – Charlotte, NC

Its always a pleasure to play at the lovely Vanlandingham Estate! There’s nothing quite so lovely as a June wedding held in the garden, just like this one.

The bride and groom used some traditional wedding music for their ceremony, but had a little fun as well (which I love)!:

Seating of Grandparents & Mothers ~ Through the Eyes of Love (from “Ice Castles”)

Attendant’s Processional ~ Canon in D (Pachelbel)

Bridal Processional ~ Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin (Wagner)

Unity Candle & Rose Ceremony ~ The Swan (Saint Saens)

Recessional ~ Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond)

Saluda Shoals – Columbia, SC

Lovely outdoor wedding at Saluda Shoals Park! This was such a serene setting, surrounded by plenty of trees and a trickling fountain.

The bride and groom did a great job selecting music to match the peaceful atmosphere of the park:

Seating of the Grandparents & Mothers ~ Clair de Lune (Debussy)

Entrance of the Bridesmaids ~ Canon in D (Pachelbel)

Bridal Entrance ~ River Flows In You (Yiruma)

Recessional ~ Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach)

St. Mary’s Chapel – Charlotte, NC

Its always a pleasure to play at St. Mary’s Chapel! This lovely wedding chapel is so charming that a simple bouquet of flowers placed at the front is all you need to create a beautiful atmosphere for your ceremony. And I must say (again) that the acoustics are superb

The music choices were lovely:

Prelude ~ All classical music

Seating of Grandparent & Mothers ~ Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach)

Attendants’ Processional ~ Prelude in C (Bach)

Bridal Processional ~ Ave Maria (Schubert)

Rose Ceremony ~ Clair de Lune (Debussy)

Recessional ~ The Lord’s Prayer (Malotte)

1812 Hitching Post – Harmony, NC

This was a particularly special wedding for me to play, as the bride and groom are friends of mine! Its always a huge honor to be a part of such a big day in someone’s life This was my first time to play at the 1812 Hitching Post, and as always when I visit historical locations, I loved it! The happy couple were all smiles as they exchanged their vows under a flowered arbor on the lawn.

I adored the song choices too:

Prelude ~ Modern Love Songs

Entrance of Grandparents & Mothers ~ Dawn (from Pride & Prejudice)

Attendant’s Processional ~ Love Story (Taylor Swift)

Bride’s Processional ~ At Last I See the Light (from Tangled)

Recessional ~ The Best Thing (Reliant K)

Vanlandingham Estate – Charlotte, NC

Late spring is such a perfect time of year for an outdoor wedding – the lawns and gardens at Vanlandingham Estate were so lush and green on this warm afternoon! To add to the festive atmosphere, guests were given colorful parasols for a little shade, and butterflies were released at the end of the ceremony <3

Prelude ~ A Mix of classical and modern music

Seating of Grandparents and Mothers ~ O Danny Boy (traditional Irish to honor the family heritage)

Attendant's Processional ~ Kissing You (Des'ree)

Bride's Processional ~ To Make You Feel My Love (as performed by Adele)

Recessional ~ Smile (Uncle Kracker)

Vesuvius Vineyards – Iron Station, NC

This was a positively gorgeous wedding! Of course I always have a special penchant for historical venues (houses in particular!), and Vesuvius Vineyards is particularly awesome!! The ceremony was held on the front lawn, with a great view of the stately house and landscape.

Being a musician herself, the bride requested some great classics, which went perfectly with the elegant setting:
Prelude ~ Classical music
Entrance of the Grandparents, Mothers & Bridesmaids ~ Meditation from Thais (Jules Massenet)
Bride’s Processional ~ Clair de Lune (Debussy)
Lighting of the Unity Candle ~ The Swan (Saint Saens)
Recessional ~ Sleeping Beauty Waltz (Tchaikovsky)

Ballantyne Hotel – Charlotte, NC

A lovely and intimate wedding ceremony held on the patio of the Ballantyne Hotel! The bride and groom were positively beaming as they said their vows in the company of their closest family and friends.

Prelude ~ A mix of classical and modern music to include Blackbird (Beatles) and By Your Side (Sade) at the bride’s request

Seating of the Mothers ~ Prelude in C (Bach)

Bridal Entrance ~ Spring from “The Four Seasons” (Vivaldi)

Lighting of the Unity Candle ~ Awake My Soul (Mumford & Sons)

Recessional ~ Winter from “The Four Seasons” (Vivaldi)

 

Christening Reception – Windrow Estate Clubhouse

Such a fun reception in honor of a beautiful baby girl! Family and friends gathered at the Windrow Estate Clubhouse in Matthews to celebrate the day.

For this event I played a nice mix of classical and modern music, and chose songs that would keep the atmosphere light. I included some of Handel’s Water Music, an Aria, as well as some newer titles like I Hope You Dance and 100 Years.

A great celebration!!

Renaissance Southpark – Charlotte, NC

April showers bring May flowers…even on the day of a spring weding! Luckily, a few raindrops can’t stop true love Held in the lovely courtyard of the Renaissance Southpark Hotel here in Charlotte, the bride and groom said their “I-Do’s” under stately tree branches and surrounded by family and friends (and a few umbrellas!). For me, the kindly hotel staff provided me with 2 large patio umbrellas on stands, and since it was just a light rain, I was able to have my harp safe and dry for the ceremony.

The ceremony was cut a bit short because of the weather, but here is the song list decided upon in advance of the wedding:
Prelude ~ The bride and groom requested to include At Last, Chapel of Love, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Can’t Help Falling in Love, Come Sail Away, The Way You Look Tonight, Tiny Dancer, To Make You Feel My Love, Wonderful Tonight

Seating of Grandparents & Mothers~ Canon in D (Pachelbel)

Bridesmaids Processional ~ Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach)

Bride ~ Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin (Wagner)

Interlude ~ Ode to Joy (Beethoven)

Recessional ~ Wedding March (Mendelssohn)

New Beginnings Community Church – Matthews, NC

What an honor to be invited to play as part of the 50th birthday celebration for the first lady of New Beginnings Church! Members of this friendly church pulled out all the stops to put on a very elegant party and brunch to honor the Rev. Twanna Henderson.

I started out the morning by playing in the beautifully decorated church lobby, as the guests arrived and made their greetings. I was asked to play classical music for this portion, to give it an especially elegant atmosphere. Then I moved into the auditorium, to play as brunch was being served. Here it was requested that I play a nice mix of classical, jazz, and a few classic love songs.

A beautiful morning, to honor a special person!