Wedding Wednesday | Downtown Club Wedding | Caitlin Ecker + Eric Battle

On the hottest day of the year (in April!!), we had the immense privilege of photographing Cait and Eric’s wedding! We knew it was going to be an amazing day because their engagement session had been so fun and full of laughter. Their wedding day was no different – except the clothes.

A Little Backstory

When a friend from UDel introduced/set Cait and Eric up, their first impressions were that they were opposites who were very much attracted to the other. Cait is outgoing and vivacious. She has an infectious laugh and radiant smile. Eric is quieter, soft spoken but hilarious, and loves Philadelphia sports. As they got to know each other more, they found deeper traits that they fell madly in love with. Eric adores that Cait is fiercely loyal to those she cares most deeply for. She’s amazingly supportive and always knows how to make Eric smile, even when the day has been rough. Cait loves Eric for his selflessness and thoughtfulness. He puts others ahead of himself and keeps her grounded in the best way. These two fit together like a hand in a glove. They are their best selves when they are together.

Getting Ready at Home and the Hotel Monaco

With the NFL Draft in town, Eric was in his element as he chilled at the apartment he shares with Cait. After a literal small shirt problem, Eric was stuck waiting for his shirt to arrive with one of his groomsman. So, he and his parents and a couple groomsman sat and watched the draft. It was one of the most relaxed wedding day atmospheres we’ve experienced. Once the shirt arrived, it was a short time till Eric was ready for his bride!

Meanwhile, in a lovely suite at the Hotel Monaco, Cait was surrounded by her squad and was just about finished with hair and makeup. Her stunning Pronovias gown had been embellished with hand sewn beading from (INSERT). Combined with the rest of her details from BHLDN, Cait cut a ravishing figure as she put on the final touches for her wedding day. Something she’d dreamed of for some time. She couldn’t wait for her first look with Eric, so we wrapped up and made our way to him at the 18th Century Gardens.

First Look at the 18th Century Gardens

In the sculpted gardens, fully arrayed with tulips and greens, we set Eric up and brought Cait to him. She moved through the garden with effortless grace and he anxiously waited. She tapped his shoulder and the world stopped. There were happy tears and lots of hugs and kisses. The day had finally arrived!

We brought their friends and family back and had fun with bridal party and family portraits. Soon after, we sent them on ahead (to the air conditioning) and ordered an Uber for some iconic Broad Street photos. After dodging traffic, we went back to the Downtown Club and got set up for the ceremony.

The Ceremony at Downtown Club

We LOVE the Downtown Club. The beautiful ballroom with a birds eye of Independence Mall has massive windows and the light just floods in. The ceremony space is also lined with gorgeous windows and was the perfect setting for Caitlin and Eric’s marriage ceremony. Cait didn’t walk down the aisle, she floated. Accompanied by her parents, she made her way to Eric. They shared their vows. Eric mentioned in his, that he asked both her parents separately if he could marry her, to which they replied “are you sure?”. After lots of laughter, they exchanged their rings and enjoyed their first kiss as husband and wife!

Portraits at Washington Square

As photographers who frequent the city, we have our favorite spots and some “go-to” options. Washington Square is one of our favorites and boasts the best staircase in the whole city. We found a new way to shoot these stairs with these two, and the results speak for themselves. Cait and Eric were happily in love, and enjoying a few quiet moments together while we ate up the beauty. The weather had cooled a bit, and the wind had picked up. Cait’s veil was epic and we had some fun with her dancing around with it. After a few more minutes, we whisked them back to their reception and got ready for the party!

The Reception at the Downtown Club

Cait and Eric’s reception was a blur of amazing speeches, beautiful first and parent dances, lots of laughing and dancing from the guests, and so much love between Eric and Cait. It was our joy to get our groove on as we circled and weaved through the dance floor, capturing all of the amazingness. It was so much fun.

Before we knew it, it was time to head out. As we said goodbye to the newlyweds, they thanked us for being so incredible and we had to reassure them that the pleasure was all ours. That they were freaking amazing, and that we wished them all the best. And we still do!

Cait and Eric, we hope that you guys are absolutely crushing married life, and that you experience all the very best that life has to offer! Congratulations!