Reminder: The names have been changed protect the guilty!
On July 29, 2023, were again back at Wightman Chapel to bring the music as Lila and Clark tied the knot in front of family and friends. For prelude they chose hymns and classics such as “Sheep May Safely Graze” by Bach, “Be Thou My Vision”, Vivaldi’s “Spring” and “Fairest Lord Jesus”. “Holy, Holy, Holy” was chosen for the entrance of the mothers and grandmothers. This time Lila’s mother was seated on the right had side as one faces the stage so she could see her daughter’s face during the ceremony. The wedding party arrived to take their places to “Come Thou Fount” followed by Lila’s entrance on her father’s arm to “In Christ Alone”. After the vows and ring exchange, the couple took their first Communion as husband and wife while the quartet played “How Deep the Father’s Love For Us”. At last the presentation arrived and the quartet played Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” in anticipation of the festivities to follow.
May the Lord bless and keep this couple for as long as they both shall live! Congratulations to them and their families!
Reminder: The names have been changed to protect the guilty!
On July 22, 2023 Tracy and Kevin were wed at Scarritt’s beautiful Wightman Chapel. Silver Strings quartet, with Craig Duncan and Jocelyn Sprouse on violin, Linda Davis on viola and Paul Nelson on cello was joined by Mark Schaffel on piano. The acoustics in this chapel are superb, which showed off Tracy’s music choices to the best advantage. For the prelude some of the choices included Kenny G’s “Forever in Love”, “Halo”, Daniel Caesar’s “Best Part” (this one was especially fun for the quartet to play), “Love On Top” and “Oh Happy Day”. The processionals started off with the Canon in D for the families followed by Kenny G’s “Wedding Song” for the wedding party. For this song the quartet and piano were joined by Austin Wilhoite on saxophone. The effect was amazing! But not to be outdone…Tracy chose Jonathan Cain’s “Bridal March”. This was another wow! moment as Tracy slowly made her way to the altar where the officiant, Harold Love (good name for an officiant), performed the marriage rite. After the vows and ring exchange, Tracy and Kevin assembled a cross as a unity ceremony while the quartet played “Old Rugged Cross. With the end of the ceremony, the kiss and the presentation as husband and wife, the newlyweds made their way back up the aisle most appropriately to “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”.
Silver Strings wishes the newlyweds much joy and happiness in their life together! Congratulations!
Reminder: The names have been changed to protect the guilty!
On 7/1/23 Carla and Mark were joined in Holy Matrimony before family and guests at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville. Carla chose music mostly from the classical repertoire maybe with the exception of “Over the Rainbow” which, to me, is definitely a classic and another for one of the processionals. For the entrance of the family the quartet plus trumpet played “Trumpet Voluntary”, for the wedding party “Can’t Help Falling In Love”. Carla made her way to the altar on her father’s arm to the beautiful “Canon in D” by Johann Pachelbel. In a simple ceremony vows were recited, rings exchanged and at last the first kiss to seal the deal. The recessional was Mendelssohn’s rousing “Wedding March” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream complete with trumpet.
Bruce Pittman was the planner/coordinator for this wedding. I can’t say enough good things about his attention to detail, organization and coordinating skills. In my opinion he’s the best planner/coordinator in Nashville.
Time to congratulate the happy couple. Blessings and honor to them as they venture forth into the world as a newly married couple!
Reminder: The names have been changed to protect the guilty!
On 6/24/23 Silver Strings arrived at the beautiful, idyllic White Dove Barn near Beechgrove, TN to preside over the music for the nuptials of Kathy and Cal. The quartet played selections such as “The Feather Theme” from Forrest Gump, “Haste to the Wedding”, “A River Flows in You” and “Forever and Ever, Amen”. Kathy had requested “You Are My Sunshine” for the entrance of the mothers, “Canon in D” for the wedding party and appropriately, “Here Comes the Sun” for her entrance. Mollie, from Marry Me of TN, led the couple through their vows and ring exchange in a sweet ceremony, eliciting smiles as she told anecdotes of the couple. At last she declared them husband and wife after which we swept them back down the aisle to “This Will Be An Everlasting Love”.
Silver Strings congratulates Kathy and Cal and their families with wishes for a life together filled with happiness, discovery and wonder!
This wedding in Manchester, TN was most exciting for Silver Strings. It was our first (and hopefully not our last) Indian wedding where we played mostly Bollywood songs from Indian movies. It all started with a phone call from Jay, the brother of the bride wanting a quartet of strings and flute for his sister’s wedding ceremony. In particular he wanted at least four songs at which time I explained that I usually offered one complimentary arrangement to my clients and charged for my time after that. I suggested he contact a couple of groups in the UK who had files on youtube of them playing Bollywood songs. He reached both groups and was able to secure a couple of arrangements from one group at a reasonable price and from the other group he was able to have access to the leader’s library if she could contract the wedding. I agreed to that arrangement with the stipulation that I not share her music with anyone and that in the future, I would have her be the contractor with me as the leader.
The day finally arrived and a quartet of us, Susan Mullen on violin, Rebecca Murphy on flute, Gary Tussing on cello, Linda Davis on viola, met for a rehearsal before we drove to Manchester. We dolled up in our long, black gowns or in Gary’s case, tuxedo, and proceeded to find the location of the wedding. Jay had warned me that Indian weddings might seem chaotic to us Westerners. That was an understatement. We were to play not only the processionals but during most of the nearly 2 hour long ceremony while different aspects of the ceremony were accomplished. During the 2 hours people came and went but everyone seemed to know when to top talking to each other and pay attention to what was happening on the stage.
The stage, with its giant ball of flowers and greenery above, was stunning. The wide aisle itself was amazing with flowers and lighting in compartments underneath a plexiglass cover. The women’s saris were a feast for the eyes with their brilliant colors and rich fabrics. The processionals finally started with Jay’s son carrying a sign announcing the entrance of the groom who was carried to the stage on the shoulders of several men where he was seated on one side of a curtain of flowers facing the curtain. Then we played for about 15 minutes until we were signaled that a dancer was to appear for which we played a specific song. Immediately after the dancer took her place on the stage, the bride was escorted by two attendants to her chair on the other side of the flower curtain so that she, along with a couple of women sat facing her groom and his attendants, but unable to see him for the flowers. The Hindi priest then chanted the actual marrying part of the ceremony which took about 10 minutes. Then he picked up a metal plate and banged it with a mallet to announce that the couple was married and the curtain was moved away. At this time we played what would be the recessional for a Western wedding but for this wedding nobody left the stage and others joined those already there. For the next hour and a half or so we continued to play Bollywood songs until we were signaled to stop playing while certain prayers were said.
After our part of the ceremony was over and we were packing up, people came up to us to express how much they appreciated our music. One gentleman from Atlanta told us we were the best he had ever heard and said he was practically in tears when he heard songs he knew and found himself singing along.
The members of Silver Strings were honored to be a part of this lovely event and congratulates the newlyweds with wishes for a long and happy union!
Reminder: The names have been changed to protect the guilty!
On 6/17/23 Hannah and Colin were wed at the Homestead Manor in Thompson’s Station. Silver Strings was a trio that day with Toni Ferguson on violin, Linda Davis on viola and Gary Tussing on cello. For the prelude we played hymns and wedding classics such as “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”, “Sheep May Safely Graze” and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”. When the time came for the processionals we played “Be Thou My Vision” for the mothers, “Come Thou Fount” for the wedding party and the ever popular “Canon in D” for the bride. The officiant brought smiles and giggles to the guests as he told stories of the couple’s courtship after which he led them through their vows and ring exchange. Then they celebrated their first Communion as husband and wife while the trio played “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”. Finally the newlyweds were presented as Mr. and Mrs. and we sent them back up the aisle to Handel’s “Hornpipe”.
Silver Strings was honored to be a part of Hanna and Colin’s wedding and congratulates the happy couple with wishes for them a life of happiness and adventure!
Reminder: The names have been changed to protect the guilty.
On 6/16/23 at the Belle Meade Plantation wedding garden, guests and families watched Leah and Randall at their Blessing of the Vows Ceremony reaffirm their marriage of a few weeks earlier. This truly was a celebration of blending families with just about everybody involved in one way or another. After a prelude of hymns such as “Before the Throne of God Above”, “Fairest Lord Jesus”, “How Great Thou Art” the quartet played “Agnus Dei” (Michael W. Smith), for 18 groomsmen and 15 bridesmaids a flower girl and a ring bearer, not all of whom stood up with the couple. Next came the bridal entrance to Chris Tomlin’s “Crown Him/Majesty”, sung by the lovely Tori Steunebrink, with the quartet and her pianist accompanying. The song was choreographed in such a way as to have the Leah walk from a location near the mansion while we played a verse and chorus so that she would arrive at the alter as we played the bridge of “All Hail, Redeemer, Hail”. It was quite a dramatic moment. The officiant then presided over the ceremony to bless the marriage and for the couple to exchange rings. After the ring exchange Tori again sang Brook Fraser’s “Hosanna”. Finally the couple was officially presented as Mr. and Mrs. and we whisked them back up the aisle to “This Will Be an Everlasting Love”.
After the ceremony the quartet decamped to near the stables to play a mix of contemporary pop and standards for a cocktail hour. Selections included songs from the Bridgerton series, “A Million Dreams”, “Paradise”, “Fly Me To the Moon”, “Stand By Me” and “You Make My Dreams Come True”. As it was summer the insects were out in force and we were dive bombed by angry red wasps. Were they offended by our choice of music? I have no idea.
Time to congratulate the families and their newlyweds. Silver Strings wishes Leah and Randall a long and happy union filled with love and blessings!
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