Claire & EJ | Artesano Iron Works | July 8, 2017
Claire & EJ’s Artesano Iron Works wedding has been a day in the works for nearly a decade. They first met at Villanova during their junior year on West Campus at a “halfway to St. Patrick’s day” party hosted by EJ and his roommates. It was there that they discovered a shared love of the band Brand New (a fact that came up many times during the wedding day toasts). Both had tickets to their concert at the Electric Factory later that month. It ended up being their ‘first date.’
Claire & EJ knew it was meant to be after many afternoons spent by the pond at West Campus, where we did homework, had long conversations, and where EJ asked Claire to be his girlfriend in 2009 and then his wife in 2016!
Getting Ready at the Radnor Hotel
We always love taking the time to photograph the details of the wedding day, but Claire has taken the medal. She had a separate room for us to photograph her details in. She had the invitation to their Artesano Iron Works reception laid out with all of her other beautiful gold & mauve details. In another room, Jenn was capturing candids of the ladies as they had their hair & makeup prepared.
Once Claire was all dressed and ready to go, we had two special moments to capture before she headed to Villanova Chapel for her wedding ceremony. Both her father and her brother (and man of honor) got to have their own first looks with her.
In the meanwhile, EJ & his friends were relaxing and preparing for the wedding. They made the short trek to Villanova Chapel ahead of time to begin welcoming the guests and preparing for the marriage ceremony.
The Mass at Villanova Chapel
Not only did Claire & EJ meet at Villanova University, but EJ proposed here. So having their wedding at Villanova Chapel held special significance for these two. Against a backdrop of beautiful white marble, Claire & EJ said their “I do’s” with their closest friends & family in attendance. We squeezed in a few family formals before heading across the campus to take portraits near the residence halls where Claire & EJ lived during their Villanova years.
Brunch Reception at Artesano Iron Work
One of the most unique spaces that we’ve had the opportunity to photograph at is Artesano Iron Works in Manayunk. It’s an active gallery with a beautiful iron staircase, a plant wall, and brick walls covered in art pieces. The Franklin & Alison Orchestra kept the party going all afternoon.
Artesano Iron Works is located just a block from the tow path in Manayunk, so once the celebration was over, we took a few last moments to finish the day along the path for portraits. These became some of our favorite photos from the day.
Claire & EJ, it’s been a pleasure getting to know the two of you over the past year. We had so much fun celebrating your wedding day! I hope this is just the beginning of many laugh-filled memories.
