Harpist Style

If you are looking to bring a unique touch to your wedding music, look no further than the elegance and versatility of having a harpist perform on your big day.  Like many people, my first thought of having a harpist perform at a wedding brought back wonderful memories of sitting in the audience of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The harp is a stunning instrument and exquisite work of art to view.  Beyond its grace and physical beauty is the music, rich and powerful, flowing from the strings.

The harpist graceful fingers and the harp’s soft melodies and humming coming from the instrument are the perfect way to lighten the atmosphere of any important occasion. The versatility of a harp though, can set the mood for a jazzy post wedding cocktail hour or for the Bride’s grand entrance down the aisle to a classical procession.

When it is time to make a decision on the harpist to hire to play on you wedding day, make sure you find a harpist who has had experience performing in the type of setting you are requesting. Most harpists offer a complimentary consultation so you can hear and select the type of music. This is a key element for most couples, as the one of them who thought they might not “dig” a harpist, will probably walk away very much “digging” the harp music. Even more surprising than that, is after actually meeting with the harpist you may find that you are not limited to traditional classical and if you want to “rock it a bit”- the harp and harpist are quite capable of rocking it with you.

Once you’ve hired a harpist, decide what points throughout the event that he or she will be playing. The great thing about hiring a professional harpist is that they can be utilized anytime throughout your wedding ceremony. The harpist can stand alone or work in conjunction with an organist. If you are unsure what type of music you would like played at your ceremony don’t hesitate to ask your professional harpist for advice- they have done this before! In a typical ceremony the wedding music is performed throughout the follow stages in the background:

Prelude Music:  The prelude is usually 15-30 minutes of harp background music performed prior to the wedding ceremony. The harpist typically begins as guests begin to arrive and take their seats. The music is generally very romantic, calm and many times of religious importance.

Processional Music: The processional music will begin following the seating of the bride and grooms parents. The traditional “Here comes the Bride” Music is saved for the Bride entrance and walk down the aisle, although there are several renditions that the harpist or organist can help you choose from.

Ceremony: This really depends on the preferences of the couple, symbolic items entwined with the ceremony (Unity candle or Sand ceremony, Mother acknowledgement…) and the stipulations or wide-openness associated with the type and location of ceremony. A professional harpist can also help guide you and offer options here.

Recessional: Right after they “Say I Do,” and the Bride and Groom lean in for their first kiss, typically something more joyous and celebratory in the selection of music is played by the harpist. An upbeat selection of music will continue to be played as the guests follow the bridal party out of the ceremony site.

Harpist

If you are looking for a harpist in the Indianapolis area, please make sure you check out Elizabeth O’Meara Ahlgrim at Indyharpist.com She is fabulously talented, has gobs of wedding experience and really wants to work with you to get the music that works for your celebration and style. Looking for a harpist outside of the Indianapolis and surrounding areas, check out the Find a Harpist in Indiana website. If you are tight on your entertainment budget, you can also scour local universities for student orchestras or music students that may offer lower rates. This makes it a MUST though for the checking out the harpist themselves the harpist sound and your comfort with their experience level before the big day though!

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Tags: harpist, wedding music