A Starry Night, A Snowy Day and Lots of Love for Sarah and Matt

Few venues offer the the feeling of a tropical garden with the protection of an indoor climate. Located in Farmington Hills, Planterra Conservatory is a glass-enclosed, botanical garden venue.  With European curved trusses, indoor koi ponds and a dramatic stone gabian archway, the Conservatory houses a wide collection of lush, exotic botanicals.   Providing views of the stars on a clear night and soft, natural light during the day, Planterra Conservatory is a unique event space for weddings, corporate events and social functions.

Sarah and Matt shared their nuptials with many family and friends in this beautiful setting.  We enjoyed speaking with several of their guests before the wedding and discovered that we had an audience of knowledgeable musicians in the house.  It’s always a pleasure to perform for an appreciative audience!  Sarah and Matt’s mothers walked in to the song “Here Comes the Sun” and lit their child’s individual candle that were later used in the unity candle portion of the ceremony.  Sarah and her bridal party processed to “Can’t Help Falling In Love” with the ring bearer setting the tone for the ceremony.  “Best Day of My Life” was a fitting recessional for the couple who clearly were enjoying the day.

Planterra always looks lush and beautiful.  The candelabras and lit trees sparkled under the glass ceiling and created a magical effect. Tiffany, the Planterra wedding coordinator, is one of the best in the business.  She’s always helpful and on top of every detail. It was a beautiful night for a lovely couple in an enchanting garden.

Planterra Conservatory

Rondo Honored with The Knots “HALL OF FAME” Award

We received a tremendous honor this week!  The Knot is an online site that provides vendor information, reviews and ideas for every possible aspect of ones wedding day. Each year, this online wedding site holds a “best of weddings” competition.  Reviews from former clients are the way in which you accumulate votes.  We are so proud to have been a winner of the Best of Weddings for several years running.  This Hall of Fame trophy was awarded to us for having been voted the “BEST” by real newlyweds four or more times. While the trophy is lovely, its the fact that our former clients are so pleased with our string quartet services that they will take the time to write us a glowing review. Our 5 Star designation, the highest possible, is a point of pride for us.  We consider it an honor to be a part of any couples wedding day and work diligently to provide the best possible musical experience.  The music is a critical part of a wedding day and one that should hold memories for the newlyweds and guests alike. If you are looking for wedding music, check out any of our 70 reviews on The Knot.

Rondo String Quartet on The Knot

If you’d like to learn even more about us and hear sound clips, visit our website!

Rondo String Quartet

We look forward to writing and posting pictures about YOUR wedding day here soon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Promise of Love Warms a Chilly Outdoor Wedding

It was a chilly night for an outdoor wedding at Glen Oaks earlier this month. October is a mercurial month with daily temperature fluctuations from the 70’s to the 40’s. String quartets are not able to play in temperatures less than 60 degrees due to the fragility of our instruments so we keep a close eye on weather predictions. This couple was convicted about having their ceremony outside in Glen Oaks lovely garden. The fall colors were beautiful and provided a great background for their pictures. While we played the classics of Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and Rondeau from Purcell’s Fairy Queen for the processional, it was the Raiders of the Lost Ark theme for the recessional that brought the unexpected warmth of laughter to the guests. We saw our old friend, Brett Cummins, owner and DJ of Motor City HDJ that evening so knew the party would definitely be piping hot with his music.

Glen Oaks Country Club

Motor City HDGJ

 

Cafe Cortina Offers Italian Countryside Setting for Wedding and Reception

Café Cortina is an inspired Italian countryside vineyard setting in Farmington Hills. Founded on the site of a former apple orchard in 1976 by the Tonon family, Café Cortina was the venue for Scott and Marthe’s wedding last month. The outdoor patio proved to be a perfect setting for an elegant and timeless wedding ceremony and cocktails prior to the dinner. The bridal party wore stunning gowns of grey and ivory and walked to Schubert’s Ave Maria. Marthe, a Beatles fan, walked with her father to “The Long and Winding Road”. Following the ceremony, we played for the dinner beside the French doors of the dining room. They were a receptive audience and made requests, applauded and truly embraced the music and festivity. We were honored to play “In My Life” for Marthe and her father’s first dance, “What A Wonderful World” for Scott and his mother’s dance and finally, a personal favorite for the bride and groom. It was a beautiful night for two lovely families who made us feel like a welcomed part of the celebration. Our best wishes to Marthe and Scott!

Café Cortina

Wedding on First Night of Chanukah at Adat Shalom Synagogue

Congratulations to Heather and Jeffrey on their wedding this weekend.  It was an elegant affair rich with tradition and celebration.  On this first night of Chanukah, Rabbi Aaron Bergman and Rabbi Daniel Syme shared the joy of uniting this beautiful couple in marriage.  Together, the Rabbis represented the congregations of both Adat Shalom and Temple Beth El.  The synagogue and chuppah or canopy were beautifully decorated for the occasion with pink roses, candles and stunning trees that graced the entrance and held the place cards for the guests.  Under the expert guidance of Pat Blackwell, Amy and the staff from Party Assurance, the ceremony began with the procession of the family.  We played the traditional Jewish wedding music of Erev Ba, Erev Shel Shoshanim, Y-did Nefesh and Bashana Haba.  Heather was elegant as she processed to Dodi Li.   Cantorial Soloist, Hazzan Daniel Gross, presented a gorgeous performance the Seven Blessings.  It was a ceremony rich in personal touches, stories, family reminiscence and love.  Following the breaking of the glass, we joined Mr. Gross on the celebratory Simon Tov.  We wish Jeffrey and Heather much joy or in Hebrew, simcha, as they begin their married life together. 

 

Adat Shalom Synagogue

Party Assurance

 

“These Are the Hands Symbolizes” Wedding at Longacre House

Congratulations to Courtney and David on their outdoor wedding at the gazebo of the Longacre House in Farmington Hills.  From the running stonewall fence to the lush gardens, the historical Longacre House offered charm and elegance for the outdoor wedding.  The ceremony was officiated by the Reverend Frederick Jolicoer with whom we’ve had the pleasure of working with several times before.  He incorporated a poignant reading into the ceremony titled “These Are the Hands”.  He always conducts a lovely service and is able to personalize each one.  Courtney and David chose all contemporary music for their wedding including Don’t Stop Believin’, All You Need Is Love, Clocks, Stairway to Heaven and more. We wish them both the very best as they begin their lives together.

 

We Are Gathered

Longacre House

Celtic Wedding Features Handfasting for New Couple

Celtic vows and the tradition of handfasting was present at the wedding of Jessica and Joshua earlier this month at Glen Oaks Clubhouse in Farmington Hills. Handfasting is the tradition of lightly binding together the hands with ribbons. Each ribbon in the handfasting set has a special meaning. This ritual is meant to signify a couple coming together, and being united, as they “tied the knot”, which is where the saying originates. This ceremony was common in old Ireland and Scotland, as it was the way that the couples were “officially” married before the church became involved in the wedding ceremonies. Jessica and Joshua chose to incorporate this ritual into their ceremony along with the exchange of rings and involvement of children for flower girls and ring bearers. The officiant, Anne Marie Carrier, a friend of the couple, did a great job of explaining the significance of the handfasting ceremony. In keeping with the recognition of Joshua’s Scottish heritage, the couple chose the Irish songs of “Sheebag and Sheemore” for the ritual itself. But, in a nod to their alma mater, chose “Hail to the Victors” for their recessional. Though originally planned as an outdoor ceremony, the questionable weather led the families to wisely decide to move indoors. The clubhouse, an extension of the Glen Oaks Golf Course in Farmington Hills, did a great job accommodating the change. Congratulations to Joshua and Jennifer!

Glen Oaks

Adat Shalom Synagogue Wedding

Congratulations to Deborah and Daniel!  They were married at Adat Shalom Synagogue (http://www.adatshalom.org/caterer.htm).  The Synagogue’s cantor has a beautiful voice.  The couple was also blessed with a relative who sang as well.