Oldfield in September

Oldfield Plantation River House on the Okatie River

The bride's entrance was made from the grand staircase to her

 requested processional music 'A Thousand Years' (Christina Perri). 

Beautiful location has a dock out onto the river.  

Good breeze blowing kept folks comfortable and bugs at bay. 

My small amplifier gave the harp enough boost to be heard very well over
 the breeze and the pleasant evening background noises 
of an outdoor wedding on a river.  

Chosen recessional music- 'I'm Yours' (Jason Mraz)

Looking forward to playing at Oldfield Plantation again! 

Improv Angel

Improvising from the heart with a smile. 

 What more can a musician want? 

Oldfield River Club

Wow!  

I never knew!  

I drive by Oldfield's entrance every time I play for events in & around Beaufort or Charleston but always though it was
just another gated community.  

Now I know and now...

I'm dreaming of harping at the beautiful River Club. 

 I can just picture my harp.....

on the front porch........

on the back veranda.......

under the back veranda........

out on the pier.......

in the atrium......

or in any of the beautifully decorated rooms opening to the atrium.....

Thank you Danielle Tosky, Oldfield Club Private Event Director, for hosting the Savannah Wedding Professionals get together and for showing us this lovely event venue.

Oldfield Plantation is located on the Okatie River in Beaufort County. It's intriguing history includes being burned by the British in 1781 and being shelled by Union gunboats in 1862.

The Georgian style home, built in 1972, been beautifully restored and now serves as the 

Oakfield River Club

Middleton Place Wedding

I thoroughly enjoyed playing for an outdoor wedding in the Octagonal Garden 

at Middleton Place, yesterday.  

The venue is spectacular and has multiple areas for events. 

 I've never seen misting fans (to keep guests comfortable) at weddings before but what a great idea!  And hey!..WHY haven't I seen this before, especially here in Savannah?  

The thoughtful wedding planner even provided a shade umbrella for me. 

 Thank you, Victoria! 

I loved that a portrait artist was there painting the scenery before & the wedding as it was happening.  

Lots of summer sounds....cricket, frogs, peacocks and motor boats in the distance.  

The breeze was blowing in from the ocean so sound was actually blown away from the guests.....

something to keep in mind if guests are to be able to hear the words and music of a ceremony

Thank You, Trisha Tucker!

Trisha is a public relations major at the University of Florida who did an interview with me as part of her coursework.       She caught me having a great time with people I love, on Easter Sunday

 Thank you Trisha!

                                           

Two serendipitous encounters (at least they were for me) led to the interview.  One at a Savannah hospital as I played my folk harp in the hallway. I had no clue that serendipity was watching. The other at Goose Feathers cafe where I was having fun with my big harp and new amplifier.

Savannah Wedding Vendors Meet & Greet

Savannah, and the surrounding area not only has great venues and open spaces

 for events.....

It's chock full of amazing folks who can make any event a roaring success! 

photo by Dreamweaver Photos

and we all play so nicely together! 

      The first 'Savannah Wedding Vendors' get together was dreamed up and implemented by the amazing Jamie Weaver of DreamWeaver Photos.  

It was hosted by the wonderful folks at Brockington Hall

What happens when you get a bunch of florists, planners, musicians, DJs, photographers, balloon artists, caterers, makeup artists & decorators together on a Tuesday night? 

A great party!

Tybee Island Wedding Chapel

Played for a wonderful wedding and fun cocktail hour at 

the Tybee Island Wedding Chapel today.  

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. 

Serendipity....I really, really love the word and the way it works!  So I'll say it again....

Serendipity! 

I walked through the door of the Driftaway Cafe after a day of filming harp music in Bonaventure cemetery, just as this wonderful family was doing up wedding plans and wondering how to find a harpist. 

'Did you say harpist?' 

Poof! voilà! 

Harpist in the house!  

To be honest, I do know the father & mother of the bride but I absolutely did NOT know they were going to be at the Driftaway talking wedding plans at that particular moment.

Photo by Jerina Mac Photography

After playing for the beautiful wedding in the chapel, I zipped my harp down to the lower level of the building for the fun cocktail hour being held while the upstairs was being prepared for the reception. 

The tantalizing aroma of the Low Country Boil, brought in by the Driftaway Cafe, 

inspired me to new musical heights on the strings....That and cocktail hours are usually pretty noisy so I feel free to cut loose with really crazy music. 

I really, really REALLY love my job!

  

Beautiful Beaufort

Beaufort South Carolina.  

What can I say?

I love playing in Beaufort!

Picturesque

Unique

Beautiful

Friendly

Beaufort Waterfront

Today, I'm headed up the coast to Beautiful Beaufort for Mac Rogers' 

'Water,  Water....Everywhere!"

Join us!

 OPENING RECEPTION

FRIDAY, April 5, 2013

5:30 -7:30 pm

 Exhibit Continues through May 11

Beaufort Art Association Gallery

913 Bay Street, Beaufort, SC 29902

843-521-4444

Gallery Hours: 10:00 – 5:00 Monday – Saturday,  1-4 Sunday

Kiss Me I'm Irish

 Soft Mild Morning

Turlough O'Carolan

O'Carolan's Ramble to Cashel

Green in Savannah!

Thursday, I thoroughly enjoyed harping my little Celtic heart out at the artist reception 
for photographer Tim Coy's, 'Images from County Mayo'.  

Tim's beautiful photographs will hang in the 

Hospice Savannah Art Gallery through April.  

 The Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  

Come by and have a look.  

Everyone needs a little Irish in March!

 Tabhair dom do lámh.  Just give me your hand. 

The Fountains Have Been Officially Greened
 (photo courtesy of City of Savannah )

Fun in Napa Valley

Up in the hills at dawn to get pictures of the sunrise and blooming mustard in the vineyards.  By 7:30am  I was treated to the wonder of hot air balloons floating and landing all around me.   On top of a hill in Alston Park, at times, the balloons seemed to sneek up on me, floating by at eye level.  How cool is it to be stalked by a hot air balloon!  

So glad I had my video camera with me! 

Videos were condensed because 2 hours of balloons might be a bit much!

Harp Concerto in B flat Major added.......just because it sounds great with balloons!  

Watch in 'full screen'.....it's fun!

 (you know, click on the screen thingy next to the 'YouTube' logo)

A harpy balloon ride is in my future.

Coming through the valley 

Taking pictures of me, taking pictures of them.

Up close to the tree because I thought the balloon wouldn't land on me.....
till the chaser said, "they use the trees as brakes, sometimes."

Eleven balloons landed before I got hungry and went home for breakfast. 

 I did notice that there are no chubby balloon chasers.  

Chasing, hauling and folding up balloons is not for sissies!

Dawn in the vineyard

Mustard and my shadow (to show I really was there. Got a pic of my foot, too....
just for proof, when I'm older and trying to remember the day!)

Whitefield Chapel

Whitefield Chapel at Bethesda

is quaint, peaceful, beautiful and.......only 4 minutes from my house!

 I LOVE playing here, even in February.

Bethesda Gate and Drive

There are 3 steps up to enter, with no wheelchair ramp, so make sure 

all guests are able to climb a few stairs.  

Parking is on the grass across the drive from the building.  

The chapel is small, holding 135 guests.  

It has brick floors, old wooden pews and great acoustics. 

Whitefield Chapel only books one wedding per weekend so the calendar fills up quickly.

Looking Back from the Altar

The chapel has a piano (I do play it once in awhile) 
but isn't the harp perfect here!?

View from the balcony

There are no restrooms available so consider renting from 

Royal Restrooms if your event is longer than an hour. 

Trolley service is available to Bethesda

 and some of the couples I've played for at Whitefield Chapel have rented this

 beautiful vintage car from Timeless Motorcoaches for their getaway. 

Congratulations Casey & Eric!

A few Bethesda reviews from Wedding Wire

Will You Be My Valentine?

I thoroughly enjoyed playing love songs at the Country Club of Hilton Head's 

romantic, candlelit Valentine's dinner last night.  

(good thing I can play in the dark!)

I'm In Love, I'm All Shook Up. Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey.  Oh Yeah!

It IS a love song, you know. 

Eight Days a Week....I Lo-o-o-o-oove You

Lullaby of Birdland whisper low Kiss me sweet and we'll go
Flyin' high in Birdland High in the sky up above
All because...... we're in love

I love, Love Songs!

The venue looks like a wonderful place to host just about any kind of event and their website says,
  "Not a Member? Not a Problem!

Online Brochure

Sunday at Hampton Hall Bridal Show

I LOVE my job!  What could be better, on a sunny Sunday afternoon,

 than meeting amazing folks at the Hampton Hall Club in Bluffton, S.C. 

Thank you Hilton Head Monthly!  This year's Bridal Show was another great one!

Hampton Hall Club is a beautiful venue for events and weddings. 

2012 Bridal Show

 I've always enjoyed working with Westwind Entertainment.....

and am looking forward to working with Westwind's new owner, JLKEvents.

Jamie Brodie, the J of JLKEvents made me feel like we'd known each other for a long time when we met for the first time, Sunday at the Hilton Head Monthly bridal show.  

A partial list of the vendors who participated in the Hilton Head Monthly 2013 Bridal Show

Hilton Head Entertainment

RIM Photography

Faces DaySpa

Photos by Ruthe

Callawassie Island

Island Wedding Photography

The Porcupine

A Wedding in Paradise

A Floral Affair

Le Cookery

Star Student Star Teacher

Pausing for a photo op 

at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center 

before going into the ballroom to play for the

Star Student Star Teacher Recognition Luncheon.  

This was the 5th year I've been honored to be asked, by 

Don Smart and the Kiwanis Club, to play for the Luncheon.  

THANK YOU!

Sunday in Savannah Gettin' Down at Goose Feathers

I LOVE my job!  What could be better, on a sunny Sunday morning, than goofing around (musically speaking) at       Goose Feathers!  The staff certainly wasn't goofing around!  The cafe was hoppin'!....but they graciously made a space for me and I got to relax and do what I love doing best.....HARPING!.   Playing background music while folks are enjoying the atmosphere of a great cafe in downtown Savannah, is my idea of a perfect day.  

Goose Feathers is located on Barnard St. just around the corner from City Market  

and across Ellis Square from the Andaz Hotel.  

Come get Goosed at Goose Feathers!

By the way....my Roland Mobile Cube amplifier gives me enough boost to be heard in a 

happy, busy, buzzing cafe. 

AND......because it's battery powered,

 I'm free to play wherever the spirit moves....

or wherever folks will put up with me!

Happy Harpist!