On piping for a wedding in Yosemite National Park

I’ve written before that two of the greatest honors a piper may be blessed with are first, in  playing for a memorial service bringing comfort and in honoring someone who has passed from this life, and second, to play at a wedding ceremony where the lives and hearts of a couple come together in marriage. The bagpipes lend themselves to celebration in either circumstance.

Just before Thanksgiving this year I was asked to travel from our home in Silicon Valley to Yosemite National Park to provide music for a couple getting married next to the Merced River on the Valley floor. I was excited just to be going to Yosemite in the Fall with my young wife, let alone being honored with piping for a very much in love young couple. The groom described the affair as incorporating one of their favorite places, Yosemite, with Scottish touches of kilts and plaid, wrapped in and surrounded by family to witness their bond of love.  

Yosemite in autumn is a magical place with crisp air, trees dropping leaves of orange, yellow and red, the Merced River reflecting the beauty of the mountains backdrop. The fall also sees fewer visitors to the park, so trails and roads are less travelled and the park in general has a slower pace. You can visit the historic Ahwahnee Hotel and sit by the enormous public fireplace, hike across a valley meadow of golden grasses or sit on a rock and take in views that really have barely changed in 150 years. You may experience a frost in the morning so be prepared for cold nights and chilly mornings. In a word: majestic!

The Sunday of the wedding dawned bright, cool and amazingly clear. My wife and I enjoyed coffee and a snack in front of a fireplace near the Visitor’s Center. Then it was off to change into kilt, warm up the bagpipes then meet at the Swinging Bridge. Years ago, it actually did swing, but today is as stout of a structure as you can find, able to support multitude of tourists and one bagpiper. We arrived at the bridge, by arrangement, before the couple, met both sides of the family then struck up playing 11:45am expecting to play for fifteen minutes. As I played, I marched across the bridge within sight of the granite wall of Yosemite Falls. The bridal party arrived, the bride beautiful in her white gown, shoulders covered with the red plaid of her family; the groom in a kilt of green family tartan. I met them on the far side of the bridge and piped them slowly across to the ceremony to Highland Cathedral, with the couple stopping to greet family and friends. The ceremony began on the banks of the Merced with the Sun giving its mid-day warmth to everyone. Once the ceremony concluded, I played from center span of the bridge while the family and newlyweds received congratulations, talked, hugged and took pictures. One touching symbol of their new unity was the bride removing her plaid and replacing it with the groom’s plaid about her shoulders. It was a beautiful meaningful moment; simple and sweet.

We then drove to Curry Village for the reception held for the newlyweds. I played tunes outside to lead and draw wedding guests to the reception room. Once everyone had arrived, I concluded with one last tune. We were then off to drive home to the Bay Area. It had been a beautiful day of celebration and memories; one that no one in attendance will soon forget.