The Big Day

I just wanted to share with everyone the news that I married the ever so handsome, Tim Ludtke on Saturday, May 30, 2009 at Rock Barn Country Club in Conover! We were married outside on the back patio under a beautiful white tent. I have played the harp at weddings since the age of fifteen and it was definitely a surreal experience celebrating my own wedding day. I would like to share with you the musicians and musical selections I choose for my own wedding. For the wedding ceremony, I selected Les Amis “The Friends” Ensemble from Hickory to perform. The members of this string quartet are all talented high school students. The members include Savannah Sowers, Violin (my talented cousin); Haley Huckabee, Violin; Ashley Knapp, Viola; and Flynn Bolick, Cello. They performed prelude music, Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel for the entrance of the bridal party, Prelude from Te Deum by Marc-Antoine Charpentier for the entrance of the bride, and Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by George Frideric Handel for the recessional. They are an exceptionally gifted group of young musicians and did an absolutely fantastic job!



For the seating of the mothers, two of my friends from my student days at Converse College’s Petrie School of Music, Kristin Williams and Katherine Woodward, performed an accapella vocal duet of Dome Epais (also known as The Flower Duet) from Lakme by Leo Delibes. Kristin is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music with a Master’s degree in vocal performance. Katherine is a second year graduate student at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore pursuing a Master’s degree in vocal performance. They are both incredibly talented vocalists and I was honored to have them perform at the wedding ceremony!



There was also a musical interlude during the wedding ceremony. My husband and I met in England on May 30, 2005. He was there studying the British healthcare system and I was on tour with the Petrie School of Music. On the tour, I accompanied the chamber choir on Dirait-On from Les Chansons des Roses by Morten Lauridsen. I choose to perform this piece during the wedding ceremony. Following the sermon, I accompanied Kristin and Katherine on the harp to this beautiful French piece. I felt that it was the perfect representation of that fateful trip to England.



We have such an incredible wedding celebration and worked with an amazing group of individuals that helped us create a perfect wedding day! I will post some of our wedding vendors contact information soon in hopes that it might help you create your own perfect celebration!

Gerald & Kelli

Congratulations to Gerald and Kelli on their marriage! Gerald and Kelli were married on Saturday, May 2 at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, Virginia. They were married in an elegant ballroom filled to capacity with their family and friends! I performed a variety of classical and popular music selections for the prelude, including Prelude in C, Can’t Help Falling in Love, and Wonderful World. I performed Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by Bach for the seating of the mothers; Canon in D by Pachelbel for the entrance of the bridal party; Bridal March from Loghenrin by Wagner for the entrance of the bride; and Wedding March from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Mendelssohn for the recessional. I had so much fun performing at this beautiful afternoon wedding ceremony! Congratulations again to this beautiful couple on their gorgeous May wedding!

Holiday Inn Express

On Thursday, April 30, I performed at the Holiday Inn Express in Mount Holly for their 10th anniversary celebration! This Holiday Inn Express ranks #1 in the Charlotte Metro area. There were over 150 people in attendance to honor the staff and supporters of the hotel. There were dignitaries and local celebrities present, including the Mayor of Mount Holly, Robert Whitt; Miss Mount Holly, Lauren Workman; and Mount Holly’s Outstanding Teen, Tiffany Payne. During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Tiffany performed a beautiful rendition of the national anthem. I wish her and Lauren the best of luck at the Miss North Carolina and North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen pageant this summer. During the reception, I performed a variety of classical and popular music, including Clair de Lune, Wonderful Tonight, and At Last. I had so much fun performing at this event and chatting with the guests about the harp! It was truly a fabulous event and I wish the Holiday Inn Express many more years of success!

Mark & Ashley

Congratulations to Mark and Ashley on their marriage! Mark and Ashley were married on Saturday, April 25 in the beautiful courtyard at Revolution Mill Studios in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was a gorgeous day and a beautiful wedding ceremony! For the prelude, I performed a variety of classical and popular music, including Spring from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi, Sheep May Safely Graze by Bach, and The Prayer by Sager/Foster. I performed Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by Bach for the seating for the mothers, Psalm 19 by Marcello for the entrance of the bridal party, and Canon in D by Pachelbel for the entrance of the bride. I also performed Over the Rainbow by Arlen/Harburg for special music after the invocation and before the exchange of vows. For the recessional, I performed Wedding March from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Mendelssohn. The wedding ceremony was coordinated by Lee Kirkman, also known as “The Wedding Guy.” He was absolutely delightful to work with! I had so much fun being a part of this gorgeous outdoor wedding. Mark and Ashley were so much fun to work with! Congratulations again to this gorgeous couple on their beautiful April wedding!

Christian & Nicole

Congratulations to Christian and Nicole on their marriage! Christian and Nicole were married on Saturday, April 4 at Hilltop Free Will Baptist Church in Fuquay Varina. I have known Christian’s mother, Beth, and his sister, Lindsay, for several years and was delighted to be asked to provide music for Christian and Nicole’s elegant reception following their afternoon wedding ceremony. The reception was held in the church fellowship hall and decorated in the couple’s wedding colors (pink and green). I performed a variety of music on the harp, including Wonderful World, Can’t Help Falling in Love, The Way You Look Tonight, and At Last to set the joyful, romantic mood of the event! I had so much fun performing at this elegant reception, and admiring the gorgeous details of the decor, from the table decorations to the candy bar to the gorgeous cake! Congratulations again to this beautiful couple on their gorgeous April wedding!

David & Emilie

Congratulations to David and Emilie on their marriage! David and Emilie were married on Saturday, March 21 at St. Stephen’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hickory, North Carolina. This was the same church where Emilie’s mother and grandmother were married. The theme for David and Emilie’s wedding was “Carolina Blue.” This was exceptionally fitting as David and Emilie are both graduates of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For the wedding prelude, I performed a variety of classical and religious selections, including Air on the G String, Meditation from “Thais,” and Amazing Grace. I played Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by Bach for the seating of the mothers and grandmothers and Sheep May Safely Graze by Bach for the entrance of the bridal party. I also performed The Prayer by Sager/Foster for the lighting of the unity candle. The organist, Sue Anne Adams, performed Canon in D by Pachelbel for the entrance of the bride and Entrance of the Queen of Sheba by Handel for the recessional. I had so much fun being a part of this gorgeous wedding! Emilie was so much fun to work with and gave me some great ideas for my own wedding coming up this May! Congratulations again to this beautiful couple on their gorgeous “Carolina Blue” wedding and enjoy your honeymoon in St. Lucia!

William & Vicki

Congratulations to William and Vicki on their marriage! William and Vicki were married on Saturday, March 7 at the beautiful Grandover Resort in Greensboro, North Carolina. They were married in the elegant Grandview ballroom which was filled to capacity with their family and friends! I performed a variety of classical and popular selections during the prelude, including Canon in D, The Prayer, and You Raise Me Up. I performed The Lord's Prayer by Malotte after the exchange of rings. After the ceremony, I performed for the cocktail hour which was set up outside of the ballroom in an elegant foyer overlooking the golf course. I had so much fun being a part of this elegant wedding! Congratulations again to this beautiful couple on their March wedding!