Becoming a Bride
As you make your wedding plans, there are many details to keep in mind. Heart Strings Harps can help you with the design of your wedding ceremony, transitional music, reception or dinner music. We can provide you with a step-by-step design of your unique wedding program and music. As you begin your ceremony plan, please consider the following phases of the ceremony and the kind of music you would like as part of each phase.
Prelude Music (pre-ceremony music)
For about 15-20 minutes prior to the start of your ceremony and as your guests are being seated, you may want some music to welcome them to your wedding. Typically, this music is light classical music and differs from the music you use for the other phases of your wedding ceremony. This music sets the tone of your ceremony. The prelude music can include religious pieces, tasteful secular music, and beautiful classical harp pieces.
Seating of the mothers
Just prior to the Bridal Party Processional, you may choose to have special music as the mothers of the bride and groom are escorted and seated in the audience. This could also be a special time for the seating of the grandmothers, as well. Musical pieces for this special time are generally brief and can be special selections or classical harp music.
Candlelighters
On occasion, brides and grooms choose to have candlelighters walk to the ceremony location just prior to the Processional. Again, special music can be playing while the candlelighters walk to light the candles and then assume their position for the wedding ceremony.
Processional
This music ushers in the wedding party which can include the groom, bridesmaids/groomsmen, ring bearers, flower girls. The minister/officiant may enter at this time, as well. Usually, the bride selects a piece for these wedding members to enter and then the Bride enters to her own special music. Heart Strings Harps offers classical harp pieces for this phase of the ceremony.
Bridal Processional Music
After the wedding party has arrived to the ceremony area, the Bride enters with her own special music. This music is selected by the Bride. Often the music selection is Canon in D but could also be Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. Other selections have been Ave Maria, Twilight and Mist (The Ludlow's), and All I Ask Of You (Phantom of the Opera).
Special Music
In the mid-section of the ceremony, some brides choose to have a special moment like a rose sharing, unity water, unity candle, unity sand pouring, etc. For this moment, Heart Strings Harps can play a light, short piece to compliment this special time.
Recessional
Once the bride and groom are pronounced man and wife and introduced to the wedding audience, light yet, gleeful music will played allowing the newly married couple and all of the wedding party members to exit the wedding area. This music will be played until all of the wedding party members and many times the grandparents and parents are ushered out of the area.
Transitional Music
Once the ceremony has ended and the wedding party and parents/grandparents have left followed by the wedding guests, many brides and grooms have wedding photos taken in or near where the ceremony was conducted. During this time, a different kind of music will be played which a bit less classical and more lively as the guests enjoy cocktails in a nearby area. This music can be played anywhere from 30-45 minutes.
Reception or Dinner Music
Following the transitional music or in lieu of transitional music, the bride and groom welcome their guests to the reception or dinner. Heart Strings Harps can play a varied repetoire of classical, jazz, and folk music as guests enjoy refreshments. Reception and/or Dinner music is usually played for about 45-60 minutes.
Location
Heart Strings Harps have played in numerous and varied locations. It is a pleasure to perform in all of the many wedding sites in the Denver Metro Area. We have been a part of weddings at the Grant-Humphries Mansion, Stonebrook Manor, The Broadmoor, Willow Ridge Manor, Botanical Gardens, Ellis Ranch, Parkside Mansion, St. Anne's Cathedral, Belmar Event Center, Westminister Terrace, Bear Valley Church, and several parks and private residences.
Many weddings are held out of doors in garderns, on patios, in parks, and the like. Harpists, due to the nature of the large instruments, need to have a dry,covered, flat-surfaced area. Of particular mention is the matter of moisture and temperature. The harps are delicate instruments and can not be exposed to extremes of any sort whether it be temperatures; too hot or too cold, or moisture. On some occasions, we have provided a covering of a large umbrella in the event of too much sun for an additional fee.