Lisa's Flute Blog: Wedding Music News

I just received these beautiful pictures of Heidi and Brian’s July 10 wedding at the Red Clover Inn in Mendon from photographer Don Landwehrle. In addition to wedding photography, Don also does some beautiful nature photography, with work currently on display at the Robert Paul Gallery. You can also check his web site here or the blog he shares with his wife, Karen (also linked above).

The week prior to Heidi and Brian’s wedding was the hottest of summer weeks, with temperatures in the 90s every day. So the rain that fell with the incoming cold front that morning was very welcome relief from the heat. As we approached the ceremony time, the very light sprinkles were intermitent and decreasing, leaving only a lightness and coolness in the air before the ceremony, with rain completely stopped for the duration (it’s really uncanny how often that happens at weddings…).

One of the highlights of the ceremony was Heidi’s mom’s reading of “I Like You” by Sandol Stoddard. As she explained before the reading, Heidi had gone back and forth about the choice of reading, considering Shakespeare and Mark Twain, among others. She happened upon this story on the internet and when she mentioned it to her mom, she said “Oh I think I have that book.” I had a brief chat with Heidi’s mom after the ceremony and got a fuller story. She had apparently given the book to her own husband just a few months before they were married – she showed me the inscription inside the book she had written to her husband – Heidi’s dad – many years ago. Heidi had no prior knowledge of the book, but coincedently happened upon it, via the internet, and decided she liked it.

I love these stories – it’s one of the greatest things about playing at weddings!

 Heidi and Brian chose “Turidae” flute/violin duo, with my daughter Mariah on violin, for their ceremony and cocktail hour. There were many emails exchanged back and forth to decide on which duo and on specific musical selections.

Heidi had played oboe in high school, and had fond memories of playing the Allegro from Bach’s  ”Brandenburg Concerto #2″, which she chose for her recessional. She really wanted to go a non-traditional route in other music choices as well. After exchanging many emails and YouTube videos, Heidi selected Bach’s “Trio Sonata in G” originally for 2 flutes and harpsichord for the wedding party processional, and Brahms’ “St. Anthony Chorale” for her processional. They also had a special moment during the wedding – a tree watering ceremony, where both Heidi and Brian watered their new tree from two pitchers. During the tree watering, they requested Loeillet’s “Adagio” from Sonata No. 1.

Before the ceremony, Heidi let me in on the secret that she and Brian had been taking dance lessons, unknown to any of their guests. When cocktail hour ended, and the DJ took over with the microphone and the music, one of the first events was Heidi and Brian’s first dance – a merengue – pictured below.

Megan and Bhaskar’s was a September wedding at the Shelburne Farms Coach Barn on the shore of Lake Champlain. The day started out drizzly and overcast, but was one of those weddings where, though it rains in the morning, it did not rain during the ceremony, or for most of the rest of the day, as you can see in the pictures below! The pictures below are courtesy of Daria Bishop. Megan highly recommends Daria’s work, and it’s well worth checking her blog at http://www.dariabishop.com/weddings.html.  

Megan, Bhaskar, and Megan’s Mom Stephanie, chose flute/violin duo for their wedding music. My friend Liz Reid joined me on violin for this. They opted for prelude music that was “upbeat but wedding appropriate” to accompany their guests as they arrived. We selected primarily a combination of Mozart, Telemann and Haydn duos.

They selected Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” for the  bridesmaids’ processional, and Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus” for the bride’s processional with her father.  For the end of the ceremony into the beginning of cocktail hour, they requested “something upbeat with perhaps a slight Irish lilt to it.” We suggested “Carolan’s Concerto” for the recessional, and continued with some traditional Irish, English and Scottish tunes, mixed in with appropriate and light classical selections.  

As you can see, the morning rain didn’t make a dent in dampening anyone’s spirits! It seemed to add a misty sort of glow to the day.