A Special Uptown Violins Wedding: Brittany (Peterson) and Will Merritt
Although 2020 has been an unusual year for everyone, we at Uptown Violins want to give thanks for several wonderful blessings, especially the expansion of our family.
In July, we welcomed the newest member of our group into the world, which now includes six beautiful children. Congratulations to Kerri and Forrest Parr!
A week later, Christy Peterson got engaged to Ryan DeWillis. They enjoyed a fun engagement celebration in Dallas, and are planning a spring wedding!
In August, we had the joy of finally all coming together for the marriage of Brittany and Will Merritt. All sisters were honored to be maids and matrons of honor, and the children served as flower girls and ring bearers. It was a joy for us to be a part of such a wonderful event!
Because wedding music is our passion, Brittany’s selections for the service were absolutely stunning. Even the pastor joked that he could have sold tickets as the wedding was also such an incredible concert.
Additional members of the Uptown Violins String Quartet, made up of family and friends of the bride, included Shannon Bohall (violin), Amelia Koci (violin), Lauren Menard (viola), and Tess Crowther (cello). They began the ceremony with several beautiful prelude numbers.
For the seating of the family, Luke Ferraguti played the lovely impressionistic work “Clair de Lune” by Debussy on the piano. Our mother Allison looked breathtaking in her light pink dress as she proceeded down the aisle on Ryan’s arm.
Next, the wedding party processed in to the French piece “Meditation” from Thaïs by Massenet, performed by Shannon and Luke. We had the privilege of walking down the aisle with our own families, escorted by our husbands and children. Needless to say, the flower girls were so excited to be a part of their aunt’s wedding.
Finally, for the grand entrance of the bride, Brittany’s friends Claire Dillahunty (vocal soloist), Robby Higgingbottom (guitar), Luke (piano), and Tess (cello) performed a stunning arrangement of the traditional hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Reginald Heber. Many of us teared up at the site of her walking down the aisle in her beautiful dress, escorted by our father.
Our aunts Valerie Sullivan (violin), Dana DeKalb (violin), and Tanya Deiter (soprano), accompanied by Luke performed Bach’s lovely traditional song “Sheep May Safely Graze” for the lighting of the Unity Candle. Afterwards, Tanya and Shannon thrilled the congregation with a powerful rendition of “The Lord’s Prayer,” accompanied by Yoon-Mi Lim (organ). The stunning music continued as Claire sang a contemporary arrangement of the classic hymn “How Great Thou Art.”
After the presentation of the newly married couple, Brittany and Will strode down the aisle together to the Symphony for Organ No. 5 by Widor played by organist Yoon-Mi, followed by the rest of the happy wedding party.
Lastly, the congregation exited the church to Handel’s “Hornpipe” from Water Music performed by the Uptown Violins String Quartet. Outside, the couple took pictures under a beautiful arch of flowers which graced the door of Highland Park Presbyterian Church.
The couple held the reception at the historic Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas, where the wedding party and guests were staying. There were multiple food stations for dinner, including the buffet, cake, and even an ice cream bar! We danced the night away until the couple left in a horse-drawn carriage.
It truly was an experience of a lifetime, surreal in so many ways. The joy we all shared in finally being together again and welcoming another brother-in-law into our family extended beyond words.
Since August, we’ve been thrilled to perform for several more weddings, and are so grateful that many couples are able to experience their special day. We want to continue to make weddings memorable for each of our brides and grooms through our live music. We look forward to more weddings in the New Year, including that of our own Christy Peterson and Ryan DeWillis!
A special thanks to Highland Park Presbyterian Church, and all our amazing vendors!