A Church Wedding in Chatham

Just a couple weeks before the June wedding, I was asked by a harpist friend of mine to fill in. I was glad I got a chance to coordinate with the bride’s mother Susan and make the trip to Chatham, MA on Cape Cod to the Holy Redeemer Church. The music selections were traditional and flowed together beautifully: Ave Maria by Schubert for the mothers’ processional, Prelude No. 1 by Bach for the bridesmaids, Pachelbel’s Canon in D for the bride, and Mendelssohn’s Wedding March for the recessional. I enjoyed visiting the town and exploring the church grounds. Here are some pictures from the special day: A serene fountain at the back of the church   A view of the dramatic aisle out to the street   A fun photo opportunity in an outside gazebo!   The cute church matching

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A Hilltop Wedding At Zukas Barn

I immediately fell in love with the view from the Zukas Hilltop Barn in Spencer, MA. Craig and Daryl invited me to be a part of their wedding with an unforgettable landscape and wonderful hospitality. I played Pachelbel’s Canon in D as Daryl walked with her father down the aisle. During the ceremony, I played Come Away With Me by Norah Jones as a solo interlude. The couple walked back to Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Hope you enjoy these scenic pictures! A pond with a fun fountain   Beautiful chandelier inside   Impressive view of the landscape   All set up in a gazebo overlooking the valley   The bride and bridal party taking pictures   Beautiful dining area in the tent   Playing prelude music with the amazing backdrop  

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A Wedding at the Old South Meeting House

On a dark and stormy night in Boston, I took shelter and played at the historic Old South Meeting House for Allison and Alan’s wedding. I had never visited this tourist favorite before and was happy to hear the beautiful acoustics inside. We had a particularly bad storm outside so I played extra prelude music while the wind-blown guests arrived. I played Pachelbel’s Canon in D for the bridesmaids, Wagner’s Wedding March for Allison’s processional, and Mendelssohn’s Wedding March for the recessional. Allison had this to say in her review on my profile on The Knot: “Lauren is a very talented harpist, and was the perfect choice for our wedding in Boston. She was very professional throughout the entire wedding planning process, was very accommodating and open to our requests, and was there early on the big day. She even

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A Trip to The Berkshires

I think if any venue could be classified as “fairy tale” worthy, this one would be it. I traveled west to The Berkshires to Santarella in Tyringham. The buildings and grounds reminded me of a fantasy land where the gardens are always in full bloom. I was excited to play for Daniel and Joseph’s ceremony and cocktail hour in such a dreamy setting. Next to a flowing brook, I performed Bach’s Prelude in C and La Vie En Rose. The couple also released a box of butterflies just before they walked back down the grassy aisle. Here’s what Joseph had to say: “Thank you for such a tremendous experience. Your music is awe inspiring with a gentle disposition and we were fortunate you played at our wedding. Your music set the mood and made our day magical. Not only do you

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Brunch in Belmont

In the summer of 2011, my boyfriend and I took a trip to the Mass Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary in Belmont. As soon as I saw the sprawling gardens and cute mansion on the premises, I told him, “I can’t wait to play a wedding here.” A year later, my wish came true! Jaye invited me to be a part of her garden brunch ceremony. We encountered a little bit of rain, but everything turned out great. I played Prelude No. 1 for the bridal party and Pachelbel’s Canon for the bride. We ended the whimsical program with Mendelssohn’s Wedding March. Jaye was also nice enough to write this review on WeddingWire: “Lauren was great! She was incredibly friendly and flexible. I was a bride on a budget and she was such a fantastic value for the price – unbelievable. I

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Luxury at the Liberty Hotel

One of my favorite parts of playing for weddings and events is gaining full access to some of Boston’s swankiest hotels. This Liberty Hotel event is no different! I was so excited to meet Thuy and Quoc for their luxurious ceremony and cocktail hour. I worked together with Blue Ivy Events to make sure everything went off without a hitch. We started with Air on a G String by Bach for the bridal party and Pachelbel’s Canon for the bride. It was a pleasure to listen to such heartfelt yet lighthearted vows from the couple. We ended with Trumpet Voluntary before I headed to the top floor of the hotel for the cocktail hour. Here’s a wonderful review written by the bride on my WeddingWire profile: “Lauren made our wedding ceremony and cocktail reception truly memorable! Not only is her

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A Stop at the Seaport

This past June I was invited to return to the Seaport Hotel to play for Kathryn and Aaron’s wedding ceremony and cocktail hour. I could tell from the moment the guests started to arrive that it was going to be a lively and fun group of people. For the bridal party and bridal processional I played Pachelbel’s Canon in D, and I serenaded the couple with La Vie En Rose as they walked back down the aisle. I moved to another ballroom for cocktail hour where I played selections such as Funny Valentine and All I Ask of You. Kathryn had this to write afterwards, “I’m so happy I chose Lauren to play during my ceremony/cocktail hour at my June 2012 wedding at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. Lauren was very professional and easy to work with – she always

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A Morning at the Andover Inn

Jennifer and David graciously invited me to be a part of their wedding at the Andover Inn. The ceremony was originally planned to be outdoors on the premises, but the rainy morning didn’t cooperate and we ended up inside. Everything still turned out wonderfully and I was happy to be a part of it. I performed selections such as Pachelbel’s Canon in D and La Vie En Rose. I’ve attended a great deal of weddings, but this one was especially touching. Jennifer’s 16 year-old daughter spoke during the ceremony to give her blessing to the happy couple. I had to focus on my music to stop myself from crying! Afterwards, Jennifer told me, “My only regret is that we didn’t have you stay longer!” Here are some moments we captured: An artistic view through the strings   The indoor ceremony

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A Celebration in Portsmouth

I was honored to spend a gorgeous afternoon in Portsmouth, New Hampshire with Nikki and Ken for their garden wedding at the Moffatt-Ladd House. For most outdoor weddings, I like to use the help of amplification to make sure the sound of the harp carries over the ambient noise. Just a little boost drowned out the traffic and set a peaceful tone for the ceremony. For prelude music, I included Nikki’s requests of The Beatles (All You Need is Love, I Will, and In My Life) and Memory from the musical Cats. We went right into the bridal party processional of La Vie En Rose and then the bridal processional of Pachelbel’s Canon in D. Their ceremony included touching readings for which I added light background music – Bach’s Prelude No. 1 and Chopin’s Opus 10, No. 3. We ended

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Trip to Tupper Manor

For Jeffrey and Jessica’s wedding this past March, I was able to return to one of my favorite North Shore destinations: Beverly, Massachusetts. It was my first time at Tupper Manor and I’m sure it won’t be my last! I arrived early to navigate my way through the distinguished mansion and enjoyed the elegance in the architecture. Jessica walked down the aisle to Pachelbel’s Canon in D and I was touched by the love in their ceremony. I then accompanied their rabbi with “Simon Tov” for their recessional. I also stuck around for cocktail hour before DJ Raffi took over, and thoroughly loved the festive spirit of all the guests. Here are pictures that try to do justice to the beautiful grounds. A grand view to take in   My setup inside for the ceremony   I couldn’t believe the

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