December 19, 2020

Flute and Guitar Wedding Ceremony Music at the Vail Wedding Island in Vail, Colorado

December 19, 2020/ Vail Golf Club/ Christen Stephens

The second half of September is my favorite time of year in Vail, Colorado, with the cooler weather, warm sunshine, and spectacular autumn foliage. This year was no exception, and this Denver couple timed their wedding day perfectly for dazzling peak fall color!

Flute and Guitar Wedding Ceremony Music at the Vail Wedding Island in Vail, Colorado - Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens, Photo by Sarah Roshan

Our flute and guitar duo played a song list selected by the bride and groom, and we loved how a few of the guests and other vendors engaged with the music with small bursts of singing and dancing!

During the ceremony, the couple did a symbolic golf shot into the the lake, while we accompanied the moment by playing “What a Wonderful World”. The good cheer of the guests, our music and the spectacular setting were a very poignant oasis in the midst of crazy times.

From the Bride:

”Magical Touch for our Wedding Ceremony”

“Christen and Alex provided flute and strings music for our wedding ceremony and it was wonderful. Christen was extremely responsive from the first time we reached out and worked with us to pick our perfect list of songs. It added a truly magical touch to our wedding ceremony and I highly recommend.”

Wedding Prelude and Postlude Music:
All You Need is Love (Beatles), Perfect (Ed Sheeran), Could you be Loved (Bob Marley), Sunshine of my Life (Stevie Wonder), Here Comes the Sun (Beatles), A Whole New World from Aladdin, Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)

Wedding Ceremony Music:
Come Away With Me (Norah Jones) - Wedding Party
Make You Feel My Love (Adele) - Bride
What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong) - Golf Shot into lake during ceremony
Signed, Sealed, Delivered (Stevie Wonder) - Recessional

Listen to Flute and Guitar Music Samples

Wedding Vendors:
Venue: Vail Wedding Island
Ceremony Music: Flute and Guitar Duo by Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens
Photographer: Sarah Roshan

December 12, 2017

Flute and Guitar Duo Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Music on the Vail Wedding Island

December 12, 2017/ Christen Stephens

Photos courtesy of Kristopher Lindsay Photography

Colorado flute and guitar wedding ceremony music, Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens

It was the first day of autumn when my guitarist and I headed down to Vail, Colorado to play for a wedding ceremony and cocktail hour. The ceremony was held at the Vail Wedding Island, and the cocktail hour was held on the covered patio of the Vail Golf Clubhouse. Fall decided to come swiftly on its first day with a rainy cold front, and our drive across the mountains was interspersed with heavy rain showers. We hoped that the weather wouldn't stop the couple from having the beautiful wedding of their dreams.

When we arrived, the sun peered through the clouds just long enough for me to get several photos of the changing Aspen trees, glowing in their golden glory of peak season. We played prelude music on the wedding island and braved the weather, brightening up the gloomy and rainy day with our cheerful flute and guitar music. It did rain on us, but we each brought instruments that could take a little rain, so we kept playing.

The rain stopped just as the bride was about to walk down the aisle, but the wind gusted so strong that while she was walking, it tore her veil right from her head! She burst into a fit of laughter and it was contagious and soon everyone was laughing. We kept playing the bride's walking song and after about a minute, she completed her walk down the aisle and was happily married. The sun shone brightly through the clouds just as the couple was presented as husband and wife.

After the ceremony, we moved to the covered and heated patio of the clubhouse, and we warmed up as we played upbeat contemporary and jazz tunes while the guests enjoyed hous d'ouvres and cocktails. I brought my top of the line Bose L1 sound system and our sound carried beautifully throughout the space. We even got a special music request and I Googled the sheet music on my cell phone. We played it, but music was very tiny!

Samples from Prelude Music: Here Comes the Sun (Beatles), Can't Help Falling in Love (Elvis), God Gave Me You (Blake Shelton), "Aylesford Gavotte" (Handel), Annie's Song (John Denver), Gavotte from Sonata for flute in C Major (Handel)

Processional Music:
Groom ~ Amazed
Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Ringbearer, Flower Girl ~ The Swan (Saint-Saens)
Bride ~ To Make You Feel My Love (Adele)
Recessional ~ Hornpipe Finale (Handel)

Samples from Cocktail Hour Music: How High the Moon (Ella Fitzgerald), Unforgettable (Sinatra), You Are the Sunshine of My Life (Stevie Wonder), Satin Doll (Duke Ellington), Cheek to Cheek (Sinatra), Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Duke Ellington)

Wedding Ceremony Vendors:
Venue: Vail Wedding Island and Golf Club
Wedding Planner: Jessica Kate Productions
Photographer: Kristopher Lindsay Photography
Live Ceremony and Cocktail Music: Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens - Flute and Guitar Duo
DJ: DJ Guy

August 04, 2016

String Trio Wedding Ceremony Music at the Vail Wedding Island

August 04, 2016/ Christen Stephens

Colorado Wedding Ceremony Music by Christen Stephens

Sample Prelude Music:
All You Need is Love (Beatles), Don't Stop Belivin' (Journey), Make You Feel My Love (Adele), Yellow (Coldplay), Reign of Love (Coldplay), A Thousand Years (Christina Perri)

Wedding Ceremony Music:
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach) ~ Seating of the Family and Groomsmen
Young and Beautiful (Lana Del Rey) ~ Bridesmaids, Ringbearers, Flower Girls
Canon in D (Pachelbel) ~ Bride
Wedding March (Mendelssohn) ~ Recessional

Wedding Ceremony Vendors:
Wedding Planner - Meg Stepanek of Gemini Event Planning
Venue - Vail Wedding Island at the Vail Golf Club
Photographer - Michele DeVires - IN Photography
Cake - Mountain Flour
Rentals - Alpine Party Rentals
Wedding Ceremony Music - Flute and Strings by Christen Stephens - String Trio

Colorado Wedding Ceremony Music by Christen Stephens, Photos Courtesy of Michele DeVries of IN Photography — Colorado Wedding Ceremony Music by Christen Stephens, *Photos Courtesy of Michele DeVries of* *IN Photography*

It was during a gorgeous day at the end of June that our string trio had the pleasure of playing for a large wedding ceremony at the Vail Wedding Island, located at the Vail Golf Course. The happy bride and groom had an epic backdrop of sparkling water reflecting a view of the Gore Range Mountains. There were about 35 people in the wedding party and the processional was grand. The bride looked stunning in a fitted lacy wedding gown and she wore an elegant and delicate vintage lace veil which she had carefully attached just before the wedding. The weather was perfect as the guests enjoyed cool drinks and champagne at the beverage table before the wedding.

The bride made a special request that our string trio play "Young and Beautiful" by Lana Del Rey for the processional of the ringbearers, flower girls, and bridesmaids. I made a special arrangement for the processional by adding some rhythmic elements played underneath the soaring melody, and it worked perfectly for walking.

From the bride: "Christen Stephens is absolutely the best. She played the most fabulous music during our ceremony. It was gorgeous. She went above and beyond mixing classical music with modern music just as I requested. She even created a gorgeous rendition of a new song for the wedding that went perfectly with the rest of the classical songs played in the processional. I would HIGHLY recommend Christen Stephens."

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From the Bride:”Magical Touch for our Wedding Ceremony”

From the Bride:

”Magical Touch for our Wedding Ceremony”