A Fantasy Garden Wedding at the Denver Botanic Gardens: String Trio and Solo Flute
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String Trio and Solo Flute Wedding Music at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens. Photo by Kate Merrill Photography
It’s always a gamble on what early October weather will bring to a wedding in Colorado, but this couple got the perfect day for their wedding in spades! Our group had the privilege of playing for this couple’s entire wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner reception. The ceremony was tucked away in the Woodland Mosaic Garden, an intimate and private garden at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The theme was fantasy, with a formal and also whimsical feel, and elf ears and fairy wings were encouraged!
Our string trio played for the first three hours, for a romantic and elegant ceremony and cocktail hour. Then, I switched to my flute for a solo flute performance for the final 2 1/2 hours, creating a mystical and magical fantasy mood in the moonlight.
String Trio and Solo Flute Wedding Music at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens. Photo by Kate Merrill Photography
From the Wedding Planner:
“As a wedding planner, working with Christen Stephens was a dream. We worked with Christen & team to provide the music for a fantasy-themed wedding at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The planning process was smooth because of her thorough & helpful communications leading up to the wedding day. Her team’s strings made the Botanic Gardens ceremony feel grounded and really beautiful, and her flute during the dinner tied the whole fantasy vibe together in a way that felt subtle and intentional. The combo learned a few custom songs for the ceremony, and they even surprised the couple with a live recording they took as the ceremony ended, which was really special. Christen is easygoing, responsive, and genuinely talented. We’d work with her again in a heartbeat.” - Jennifer Benson, Hitched AF
String Trio and Solo Flute Wedding Music at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens. Photo by Kate Merrill Photography
As guests began to arrive, our string trio greeted them with elegant classical music. Guests mingled in the garden setting and enjoyed games and drinks as warm sunshine dappled through the canopy of tree leaves.
String Trio and Solo Flute Wedding Music at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens. Photo by Kate Merrill Photographyy
The couple began their ceremony with Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” for their walk down the aisle, which they did together. This was followed by a beautiful ceremony inside the solarium and then a fun processional to “Blade of Grass” by Lady Gaga. I created a special arrangement of the song for our trio for this moment, and it sounded perfect on strings.
String Trio and Solo Flute Wedding Music at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens. Photo by Kate Merrill Photography
After the lively recessional, our string trio continued to play a mix of classical music, fantasy-inspired pieces, Irish and Riverdance music, and pop favorites as guests mingled in the garden. Included in the mix were two additional arrangements that I created for our trio at the couple’s request - “I've Had the Time of My Life” from Dirty Dancing and the Final Fantasy Theme. These were both a huge hit, and we had a few cheering guests for Final Fantasy.
String Trio and Solo Flute Wedding Music at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens. Photo by Kate Merrill Photography
String Trio and Solo Flute Wedding Music at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens. Photo by Kate Merrill Photographyy
As dusk fell, the other two members of my trio packed up and left, and I packed away my cello and took out my flute. Guests were formally seated for dinner, and the mystical sounds of my gold and silver flute floated through the evening air. I played a mix of contemporary music, Riverdance, and traditional Irish music, that latter being my specialty. Upon request, I learned "I Follow Rivers” (Lykke Li) and “Honeybee” (Steam Powered Giraffe) to play especially during this time.
My flute music wove through the evening air as guests ate, gave toasts, and mingled. The moon came up and cast everything in a silvery light. It was the perfect October evening, and I’ll remember how beautiful this wedding was for a long time to come.
Wedding Vendors:
Venue: Woodland Mosaic Garden
Wedding Planner: Hitched AF
Photographer: Kate Merrill Photography
From Strings to Flute: Music Designed for Every Moment
String Trio and Solo Flute Wedding Music at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens. Photo by Kate Merrill Photography