Our first wedding of 2024, Emma and Tyler's evening wedding at Hartford City Hall, was nothing short of magical. With a gorgeous full moon overhead and the city lights twinkling, our violin duet took their place in the balcony, ready to set the stage and bring Emma’s wedding music vision to life.
During our planning together, Emma shared how meaningful every detail of her wedding was: The wedding date was especially fortuitous (For you numerologists out there, it was 2.24.24), there was a perfect full moon, and it was 10 years since Emma and Tyler’s very first date. I think the stars are definitely on their side!
Every detail was meticulously planned to perfection: With custom chairs, candles and florals lining the aisle, it was the most beautiful Hartford City Hall wedding ceremony that I’ve ever seen.
Emma crafted her music as the ultimate personal touch. Emma and Tyler’s song, "Ring Pop”, by Jax, became their wedding anthem. The couple had our violin and viola duet perform a modern pop string version of Ring Pop for their grand entrance and for their recessional, infusing the whole occasion with their unique style and personality. We kept things fresh and added variety, so the song had a different feel for each moment: more romantic and ballad-like for the walk down the aisle, then more upbeat and celebratory for the recessional.
To really do their song justice, I created a bespoke, flexible duet for their wedding. On paper, we said it was a violin duet, but I had one of my musicians bring their viola as well! That gave her the ability to swap back and forth to give a totally different tone to each song. In the symphony world, we call this doubling. It’s really special to have the ability to play both instruments seamlessly! Our musicians are such talented professionals at the top of their game - Meet them all here.
I’d performed for many weddings at Hartford City Hall and decided to try something new for Emma and Tyler’s wedding. We set up behind the couple up on the balcony! The balcony location not only provided an excellent vantage point for us, logistically, but also allowed our music to float gracefully over the guests, warming up the sound of the strings with natural reverb from the grand space. The aesthetic was simply stunning, creating an unforgettable backdrop for Emma and Tyler's special day.
As guests arrived and took their seats, they were treated to a romantic pop prelude, featuring a carefully curated selection of songs that set the tone for the evening. (What’s prelude music? Find out here!) We played:
Christina Perri - “A Thousand Years”
Dolly Parton - "I Will Always Love You"
Ed Sheeran - “Thinking Out Loud”
Elton John - "Your Song"
Elvis Presley - "Can't Help Falling in Love" (arranged by yours truly)
Etta James - "At Last"
John Legend - “All of Me”
Jason Mraz - “I'm Yours”
Leonard Cohen - “Hallelujah” (in the style of Rufus Wainwright)
Taylor Swift - "Love Story"
The Beatles - "All You Need is Love"
The Beatles - "Here Comes the Sun"
The Verve - "Bittersweet Symphony"
from Breakfast at Tiffany's - "Moon River"
Thank goodness for Mary Karnes, their day-of wedding planner, who ensured that everything ran smoothly, allowing the couple to truly relax and enjoy their special day. Mary's kindly shared this video of our performance and really captured the essence of the ceremony - check it out:
Are you planning a wedding at Hartford City Hall? Want ideas and advice? Comment below!
Vendor Team:
Wedding Planner - Mary Karnes
Photographer - Anthony Tomassi
Venue - Hartford City Hall (Looking to rent Hartford City Hall for your wedding? Click here!)
