Why choose two harpists over one for your wedding music?
As two sisters, who have grown up learning to play the harp to a professional level, we believe that with all our experience and knowledge we are best placed to share with you why two harps can bring that extra special romantic experience to your big day.
Music can play such an important role in your wedding day with harpists remaining a popular option for both your ceremony, drinks reception and during your wedding breakfast as couples often want more classical music, but with a modern twist for the first part of their special day.
Does booking one harpist save you money?
There is no industry set fee for a harpist to play at your wedding and fees tend to vary depending on several factors, such as:
- when you would like to book the harpist to play from and until
- whether you want them to play for your Wedding Ceremony, the Drinks Reception only
- if you want to include playing throughout your Wedding Breakfast
- do you want them to work later and perform for your First Dance?
- Where your venue is located
- If there is a change of venue, for example we start at your church and then move onto your venue.
Whether you book a solo artist or two harpists, the most important piece of advice is to know what you are getting for the fee you’re paying.
What are the pros of booking two harpists for your wedding?
There are many benefits of booking two harpists (a duo) instead of just one harpist. These include:
- the main benefit being the quality and depth of sound
- some music is written for two musical instruments
- making your experience doubly memorable as the joint sound will not only be charming but also set your event apart!
- your guests will remember seeing two harps up close
- everyone will feel the emotion and the atmosphere evoked by watching and listening to professional musicians.
What happens if you book 2 of harps for your wedding?
2 of Harps will be delighted to not only provide you with a personal service, from the time you book, but also right up to after your wedding day. This ensures that your wedding harp music on your big day and any harp music on your treasured wedding videos are perfect.
It’s so important to know what you can expect when booking your harpist, such as what music they will play or if there is a meeting beforehand. 2 of Harps offer you a one-to-one meeting, to:
- really get to know you both
- understand what music you like and why
- discuss your music arrangements for your wedding day
- help you select a style of music for your tailored playlist.
Why should we book 2 of harps?
2 of Harps are the only harp and vocal duo in the world – with two harps and two voices. This means that yours and your guests experience is truly unique, a one of a kind music act for your wedding day.
What better way than to entertain your guests with live singing accompanied by the mellow tones of the magical harps?
Seeing two traditional harps at your wedding, are aesthetically pleasing to the eye and make a stunning backdrop for your ceremony. However, if your space is small or you want a less imposing instrument, we offer practical alternatives.
2 of Harps can perform with different sizes of harps, both large and small, giving us the flexibility to move throughout the day and change location. As a result we can move sets quickly and efficiently, because we aren’t held back by the impracticalities of a full-sized pedal (orchestra) harp. Because there are two harpists, it means that one harpist can continue to play during the move to your next location.
Adel said, “Karina and I have harps that can also be amplified; these are perfect for your wedding ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast. This ensures that we can be heard by all your guests and not just the guests sitting nearest us. This is great for larger venues and for bigger groups of guests. Two harps are perfect for weddings which are happy, celebratory, and as a result, at times noisy occasions! Having two harps means that the music is loud enough to be heard by everyone, even if you’re looking for relaxing, contemporary classical background music”.
Karina added, “Harps that are amplified have the benefit of being heard easier outdoors. For example, we have performed at venues with surround sound, where we have been able to plug into your venue’s sound system, (videographers love this). This can be great during the reception, when guests are enjoying their drinks, both in and outside the venue but the live music can be heard near the harpists and through speakers. This also works well when guests are called away for photos as this means you the couple will still be able to hear the music you have chosen”.
Will two harps take up more space?
You may have seen a huge harp on TV or YouTube, and if you have a small intimate venue, of course this could cause you some concern. However, finding enough space has never been an issue for 2 of Harps, we can play in the smallest of spaces. With the two especially made Lever Harps (which are smaller than harps you usually see played in orchestras) you can rest asured there will be enough space for us. The Lever Harps not only save space but are easily transportable. They are also suitable for venues with tricky staircases that other harpists would struggle to ascend and descend.
Adel said, “In fact we have moved our harps up and down some impressive staircases, ranging in size and height, including a 77 stone spiral stairs at the impressive, immaculate and stunning Borthwick Castle, in Scotland https://www.borthwickcastle.com/, we couldn’t believe how amazing this place was having travelled up from the Kent coast!”
Karina continued, “We have a range of hand–crafted Lever harps including their 27 string Mark Norris harps http://www.norrisharps.com/choices-content/levers that are perfect for compact spaces. Adel and I can stand up with these harps, so we don’t even need space for chairs! We have attended some International weddings with these harps, because they have handmade flight cases and are small and so relatively easy to travel with”.
What difference does it make having two harps, to the sound of the music?
If you haven’t considered a harp duo for your wedding, this is the perfect time.
Two harps offer you so much more. You can compare the difference if you imagine a singer without an instrument and a singer with an instrument. Two musicians playing at the same time provides you with a richer, fuller sound, because there are more layers to the music, than a soloist can achieve. It means that the melody line, or tune, is easier to pick out and recognise for your guests.
Adel added, “We often hear guests singing along to popular songs and harp covers during the drinks reception or after the wedding breakfast. Sometimes we even hear guests playing ‘guess the tune’ which always leads to further requests.”
Karina continued, “We love to chat and interact with your wedding guests. It’s fantastic when they ask us questions about the harps. They often ask us if the harps are different from each other, for example, if one plays the bass. It’s wonderful that they have such an interest in the instrument and what we do. We know we strike the right note and leave a positive lasting impression on your guests!”
Having two harps enhances the depth and texture of the sound. Not only do you have everything one harpist would usually play, but an added extra layer of sound which complements the other harp, creating an intense and magical feeling of harmony.
What if you have your heart set on a piece of music that is a song?
2 of Harps also sing as a duo, whilst playing the harps, for your wedding so you can choose whether you have just instrumental music or vocals perhaps during your drink’s reception?
If you have a favourite song, but can’t decide whether to have the original song or and instrumental version, why not have something arranged specially for you by 2 of Harps? You could even have your favourite song played on the two harps and sung in harmony for walking down the aisle.
If you’re looking for music that isn’t just classical for your big day, popular covers on two harps sound perfect. Because there are two harps rather than one, Adel and Karina can experiment to produce an authentically sounding instrumental cover, not always easily achieved with a single instrument.
If you’re a more traditional bride and for example Pachelbel’s Canon https://youtu.be/JNbe34V1nog is your dream piece of music for your entrance, then two harps are perfect. A ‘canon’ is a piece originally written for two instruments, with the main line echoed by a second line, often in forms of variation, creating two lines of blended sound, which entwine together. To achieve this effect on one harp is really is impossible, and thus only two harps can play a truly authentic Pachelbel’s Canon, or also popularly known as ‘Canon in D’.
What do our clients say about 2 of Harps?
Here are some kind words:
“The girls are amazing, so talented and friendly. Patiently helped us to choose all of our music before the wedding, we had so much fun choosing the music at their beautiful house, they gave us so many surprises. All of our guests enjoyed their music so much on the day. Thank you very much for making our day perfect!”
– Cher Bai