Tina & Dustin at Snowbasin

It was a beautiful autumn day. The leaves were in their peak of varying shades of copper. Although a bit chilly, the skies were blue and the sun was shining. It's hard to beat a mountain wedding in October.

Photo credit: Robert Johnson, Standard Examiner

During the beautiful ceremony, Tina was asked to hold Dustin's hand, palm up, so she could see what a gift they are to her. And likewise, Dustin held Tina's hands the same way.

An Excerpt of Roads Go Ever On by J. R. R. Tolkien was read:

Roads go ever ever on,

Over rock and under tree,By caves where never sun has shone,By streams that never find the sea;Over snow by winter sown,And through the merry flowers of June,Over grass and over stone,And under mountains in the moon.

Allison & Andrew

We rode Snowbasin's gondola to the top of the mountain to play for a beautiful ceremony at Needle's Lodge. We were surprised to find snow at the top! The giant fireplace at the entrance to the lodge was a warm welcome.
Allison and Andrew's ceremony was a mix of Jewish and Christian traditions accompanied by traditional wedding pieces including Canon in D and Wedding March. We wish them the best in their marriage.

Deer Valley | Cushing's Cabin

We learned a handful of new pieces for Kimberly's wedding to Mr. Anderson:

It Had To Be You

Can't Help Falling In Love

Do You Realize

Here Comes The Sun

Only Time

Our last prelude piece was The Prayer, which was a special surprise for the mother of the bride. We played Canon in D for the wedding line processional, which included the couple's cat as ring bearer. The bride and groom chose traditional pieces for their ceremony: Bridal Chorus for Kimberly's processional and Wedding March for the recessional.

We love playing outdoor weddings in Utah's mountains. In August, there is no better place to have a wedding than on the top of a mountain. The sunshine is strong, but the altitude and slight breeze keep temperatures under control. And chair lifts are fun!

August in Ogden

I loved the style of this wedding on a grassy field in Ogden. There were mason jars with baby's breath hanging from trees, and a classic car parked next to the couple's wedding pictures and guest book. The colors were so cheerful and pretty; all of the centerpieces were coordinated but not identical. The bride's dress had a low, lacy back, which coordinated beautifully with the bridesmaids' pink dresses. The bride and groom looked so very happy as they recited their vows.

We played traditional wedding pieces: Canon in D, Bridal Chorus, and Wedding March for the ceremony. After the recessional, we played a few classical pieces along with a few contemporary numbers by Coldplay and The Verve.

As we left the party, a mariachi band was coming in, along with a taco cart. So fun!

The Snyders

We played for this happy couple at Log Haven, a beautiful, rustic lodge up Millcreek Canyon, just high enough up the mountain to be removed from the heat and bustle of the city.

We played Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring for the wedding party processional and Canon in D for the bride's processional. We then played a special number that we learned just for the occasion: The Gift of Love, sung by the maid of honor while the bride and groom took communion. We love tailoring our repertoire to make the bride and groom's special day just perfect. For the recessional, we played La Rejouissance.


What a lovely ceremony. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Snyder!



Laura sent us these kind words a couple weeks later:

Dear Strings of Elegance,

I wanted to pass along a sincere THANK YOU for your performance at our June 15 wedding at Log Haven!  You were incredible, it was everything we imagined.  Thank you for learning the new music to play along with my maid of honor, it was the only part in the ceremony that I almost cried!  I appreciate your professionalism and ease to work with.  I will pass along to Log Haven how impressed I was with your group.

Thanks again for making it a perfect day!

Laura

Kim & Ian

Snowbasin's Needles lodge is a gorgeous venue for a wedding. Guests take a gondola ride to the top of a mountain on which sits a rustic but elegant lodge with a stunning view of the mountains and valley below.

Michelle (violist) and Anna (cellist) on the gondola

Kim and Ian's ceremony was so sweet with tender vows spoken to each other and ending with the bride and groom escorting the guests back down the aisle. We've played for hundreds of weddings but I'm always surprised by new traditions.

Kim and Ian's wedding ceremony

Wade + Agnieszka

We love playing for wedding ceremonies in the Fragrance Garden at Red Butte Gardens. So pretty! For Wade and Agnieszka's ceremony, we played Canon in D and Bridal Chorus for the processionals and Wedding March for the recessional.

After playing traditional pieces for the ceremony, we let loose a little bit for the postlude music with: 

Bittersweet symphony

Clocks and Paradise by Coldplay 

Sweet Home Alabama

Somewhere in Time

Over the Rainbow

Elegant Baby Shower

We just serenaded the most elegant baby shower I have ever witnessed. The theme? Tiffany & Co.

We played lullabies, classical pieces, and popular songs while guests enjoyed a delicious, catered lunch under a white canopy. When the hostess, the mother-to-be's best friend, came over to talk to us, she gave us such a nice compliment. When we exclaimed about the exquisite party, she said that we were the icing.

We were honored to be part of such a special occasion.

Parrish/Nielson Wedding at Snowbasin

Tonight we played for a beautiful wedding ceremony and dinner at Snowbasin Resort. The bride walked down the aisle to Canon in D, accompanied by two adorable flower girls. When the happy couple was pronounced man and wife, we played Brandenburg Concerto by Bach while they recessed down the aisle.

During the dinner hour, we played music by The Beatles, Coldplay, The Verve, Tschaikowsky, Gershwin, and Debussy among others.

We wish Mr. and Mrs. Nielson all the best in their new life together!

Timber Moose Lodge

Jenny from Alabama has become one of our all-time favorite brides. She is super sweet and funny and kind. Plus, she chose Sweet Home Alabama as her recessional piece, and surprised all her guests with it. As we rocked out to this piece, which has also become a favorite of ours, she and her groom walked down the aisle as husband and wife as her guests laughed and cheered.

Jenny's mom also stole our hearts. She reminded us of the beloved Paula Deen, and who doesn't love her? We wished we could just sit and chat with her all night.

Jenny's song selections were:

Wedding Party Processional: All You Need Is Love
Bride's Processional: Oh Happy Day
During the Ceremony: Surely The Presence
Recessional: Sweet Home Alabama

All four of these selections were new music for us.

What a fun night, and a beautiful event. All of Jenny's guests flew in from the South and East, stayed at Timber Moose Lodge in Heber, where the ceremony and reception were held. It was cozy, warm, and full of love. Her family even stomped a giant heart in the field of snow that was visible out the large windows.

xo

Salt Lake's Premier Wedding Show

We have been playing the Salt Lake's Premier Wedding Show since its inception. It's so fun for us to see all the new trends and ideas at the beginning of each new wedding season.

This year, the big trend in music is popular songs (like Clocks by Coldplay) played by a string quartet -- Hey that's us! Give us a call (or email or message us on Facebook) and we'll be happy to work with you to make sure your wedding is exactly how you've dreamed.