String Quartet Wedding Ceremony Music at the Vail Golf Club in Vail, Colorado, Photo by Kimi D Photography

The autumn foliage was at its peak for this couple’s beautiful wedding day in the Colorado mountains. The overcast sky intensified the vibrant colors of the trees, creating a luxurious backdrop for their wedding ceremony.

With a storm moving in, the couple made the thoughtful decision to relocate their ceremony from the wedding island to a spot closer to the clubhouse. This change allowed easy access to the ceremony site, allowing everyone to enjoy the day without worrying about being caught in severe weather.

Prior to the ceremony, our string quartet enjoyed setting the mood with a personalized music setlist, thoughtfully chosen by the couple. Their selections showcased an eclectic blend of romantic ballads, modern pop favorites, and inspirational melodies, creating a custom musical touch for their special day. We began playing as guests arrived and mingled in the outdoor space, which was alive with vibrant autumn colors.

For the processional, the couple chose traditional music, starting with the very romantic “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis for the family. Then, we performed the entirety of Pachelbel’s Canon in D, a very rare occurrence due to the length of the piece. The sweet family dog, Luna, joined the processional, adding a cute touch and eliciting a collective “awww” from the guests.

As the ceremony unfolded, the gusty wind picked up, and big raindrops began to fall. To protect our instruments from the blowing rain, we quickly moved further under the shelter, and the officiant sped up the ceremony. The couple remained focused and calm and the rain lightened just in time for a more serene conclusion to their vows.

After the ceremony, we played for an additional ten minutes, creating a fun and upbeat vibe as guests transitioned to the cocktail hour. Once our portion was complete, we coordinated with the DJ, who seamlessly took over the entertainment for the reception. Fortunately, the heavier rain arrived only after everyone was safely inside!

Selections from the Prelude and Postlude Music:
Simple Gifts
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston)
Stand by Me (Ben King)
Don't Want to Miss a Thing (Aerosmith)
O for a Thousand Tongues
Here Comes the Sun (Beatles)
What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

Wedding Ceremony Music:
Can’t Help Falling in Love (Elvis): Family
Canon in D (Pachelbel): Wedding Party, Ringbearers, Flower Girls
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach): Bride
All You Need is Love (Beatles): Recessional

Thank you, vendor dream team!

Wedding Vendors:
Planning & Design: BCK Events
Venue: Vail Golf Club
Photography: Kimi D Photography
Ceremony Music: Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens
Videography: Gold Heart Weddings
Florals: Pixies and Posies
Cake: Backyard Bakeries
Hair and Makeup: Divine Beauty Artists
DJ: Vail DJs
Offciant: Phil Gallagher
Rentals: Colorado Tents and Events
Transportation: Timberline Tours
Vail Pedicab: Vail Pedi Cab

Experienced the Classic Charm of Our String Quartet.

Listen to String Quartet Music Samples

Solo Flute Wedding Ceremony Music at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Breckenridge, Colorado, Photo by Jill Houser Photography

It was such a joy to play solo flute for this traditional Catholic wedding at Saint Mary’s Catholic in Breckenridge, Colorado! Last time I played at this church, I connected with one of the cantors and did some additional music projects for her, writing instrumental parts to a few songs that she wrote. So, when this bride needed a cantor, Katie was the first person that came to my mind! The bride hired her right away, and I loved working with her again on the music for this wedding.

From the Bride:

Christen is a talented musician AND extremely organized and responsive!

“Christen was a dream to work with. She was truly one of the most responsive and organized vendors we worked with for our wedding day. She helped us put together a beautiful musical line-up and even learned a few new pieces for our Catholic ceremony to accompany our cantor. She was extremely helpful through every step of the process: from an initial consultation to answer our multiple questions to providing song lists and recommendations for each key component of the ceremony to making herself available to arrive early for set-up to even preparing an outline of the musical run of show.

And I haven't even mentioned her beautiful music yet! She's such a talented musician - playing both the flute then surprising us by jumping on the piano when she realized a particular song would sound better with that instrument. If that's not a gold standard of service, I don't know what is! If you're looking for a beautiful music backdrop for your big day and someone who thinks through every little detail to ensure the event goes off without a hitch, look no further than Christen!” - Julie O., Bride

On my way up to the wedding, my car broke down! This is my worst fear for traveling in the mountains because there’s no alternative transportation in the mountains, if anything happen. Thankfully, I had left really early, as usual, and I was able to get a ride up, and I arrived in time for my rehearsal with Katie before the ceremony!

Our rehearsal went well, except that Katie was really used to singing the Schubert Ave Maria with a piano accompaniment rather than flute. I pulled up a piano version of the song on my iPad, and I played piano, and it worked perfectly! I had never played piano for a wedding before, and I was quite out of practice, so I got really nervous! In the end, it worked out beautifully, and and bride was so surprised to hear piano music come out of nowhere. Her surprise made all of my nerves worth it in the end!

The prelude music was approved Catholic music that I played on solo flute as the guests arrived. The elegant Baroque music and hymns filled the space as guests arrived and greeted each other. During the ceremony, I accompanied Katie on several pieces, and after the recessional, I played selections from Handel’s Water Music to send everyone their way.

The bride had a second more casual wedding at Ten Mile Station in Breckenridge, and though I wasn’t a part of that one, I enjoyed seeing the beautiful photos afterwards!

Wedding Ceremony Music:
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach): Seating of the Family
Canon in D (Pachelbel): Bride
Gloria
Let All Praise the Name of the Lord: Responsorial Psalm
Gospel Acclimation
Ave Maria (Bach): Presentation of the Flowers
The Lord’s Prayer and One Bread, One Body: Communion
Wedding March (Mendelssohn): Recessional

Sample Selections from the Prelude:
Arioso from Cantata #156 (Bach), Be Thou My Vision, Laudate Dominum (Mozart), Amazing Grace, Trumpet Tune (Purcell), On Eagles Wings, Air from Overture in D (Bach), Blest Are They, If Thou Be Near (Bach)

Experience the Sacred Beauty of Solo Flute by Christen Stephens.

Listen to Solo Flute Music Samples

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A Charming Autumn Wedding Celebration in the Colorado Mountains: String Quartet

Thank you, vendor dream team!

Experienced the Classic Charm of Our String Quartet.

A Charming Catholic Wedding Ceremony at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Breckenridge, Colorado: Solo Flute by Christen Stephens

From the Bride:

Experience the Sacred Beauty of Solo Flute by Christen Stephens.