Three-wedding weekend, parts 1 and 2

It's been a long time since I've played for three weddings in one weekend. It usually happens on holiday weekends like Memorial Day or Labor Day, when brides take advantage of the extra day off and give their guests more time to travel and enjoy themselves. But the weekend of August 20-21 was a popular one. I'd had these three weddings booked for nearly a year, and had turned away many more brides I just couldn't fit into the schedule. (I just hate saying "no" to brides...)

I really geared myself up for this weekend. I got plenty of rest ahead of time, took my vitamins, lifted my weights, ate my protein. I was ready.

Part 1: The first wedding of the weekend was Saturday afternoon in New Ulm. I didn't get a chance to take any photos, but let me tell you — it was beautiful. The bride loved music and had me sing and play three songs. And she wore the most adorable sparkly fascinator veil in her hair. Now I'm obsessed with getting a fascinator myself to, you know, wear...around. OK, maybe not.

Best of all was the great help from the groomsmen. After a major treadmill accident a couple of weeks ago, I still wasn't up to doing all the heavy lifting myself (it's hard for me to accept help with the harp, but that's what pain will do to a normally strong and capable harpist...).


Part 2: The second wedding was back in Mankato, a reception at the City Center Hotel. The decor was beautiful, the lighting soft, the atmosphere romantic.

The harp was thinking I should decorate

like this at home.

I played for the cocktail hour through the dinner.

Afterward, I was tired. My "treadmill accident area" (use your imagination) was sending painful twinges down my right leg. Everyone was busy toasting and digging into the cheesecakes on their tables, so I took a deep breath and some more Tylenol and packed up the harp myself, hauled it out of the ballroom, down the hall, into the elevator, down into the parking garage, out the tiny door to my wonderful new truck. Loaded the harp, the bench, the music stand, my music bag. All in very cute shoes. Felt a great sense of accomplishment. Started fantasizing about the ice cream waiting for me at home. Turned around to back the truck out of the parking stall, felt a twinge in my "accident area" and then....

CRUUUUUNCH!

I ran the truck into a concrete pillar. The truck I haven't even owned for two whole months. Caved in the passenger door, left big scrapes all down the side. That's what exhaustion AND pain will do to a normally strong and capable harpist... 

I managed to get home and unload the harp myself with no more problems. And then I cried. And then I attacked that ice cream. Yes, I did. And then I went to bed to rest up for the third wedding of the weekend. 

Stay tuned for Part 3, coming soon to a harpist's blog near you...