Taylor & Patrick had one of our favorite wedding day itineraries in Old City. Between their getting ready at the Hotel Monaco Philadelphia, a traditional mass at Old St Mary’s church, portraits around the historic district, and their Curtis Atrium wedding ceremony & reception, they managed to visit so many of Philadelphia’s key historic buildings in just one (flawless) day!
We were so honored when Taylor reached out to our team about capturing her Curtis Atrium wedding after seeing her friends’ wedding photos. Knowing how our team captured weddings in a classic, yet authentic way was so important to her. And based on her priorities and her awesome old city Philadelphia itinerary, we knew that Ann was just the right photographer to photograph her day.
Getting Ready at the Hotel Monaco
Both Taylor & Pat opted to get ready at the Hotel Monaco Philadelphia on the morning of their wedding. We’ve raved about the hotel’s gorgeous purple hued suites and primary color palate in the main rooms before, but we honestly can’t get enough of the pop art vibes of this Kimpton hotel!
Ann was able to frame Taylor’s details using found items throughout the suite in a way that amplified classic Philadelphia elegance – from utilizing the mirrored coffee table for her styled invitation suite to hanging her Romona Keveza gown from the reproduction wood cutting of Philadelphia’s navy yard! As elegant as Taylor’s details were, nothing could top the energy of her hype crew! As they prepared for an epic Curtis Atrium wedding celebration, her bridesmaids were cheering, dancing, and sipping champagne in adorable striped PJs while the clock counted down to the moment that Taylor had to get dressed.
We always think there is something special about getting ready with only your truly closest family or friends and when it was time to put on the dress, Taylor shooed her girls out into the hallway and took a few quiet moments with just her mother and sister.
After putting on the last few personal details she had selected, Taylor stepped out to the ground of the first bank for one of the most emotional first looks we’ve ever seen–with her father! Taylor’s dad exuded nervous anticipation that erupted into heartfelt tears when he finally saw his daughter as a bride. He escorted her down the steps and stepped into a limo to drive over to Old St Mary’s where he would have the chance to walk her down the aisle.
While all of this was going on, Pat was enjoying his own relaxing morning with just his mother & best man at the nearby Renaissance Downtown. Instead of revving up for the party ahead of him at his Curtis Atrium wedding reception like the girls seemed to be doing, he and his mother took turns out spinning each other with a basketball and tossing it around the room. It was a calm groom prep and when Patrick was ready to head over to Old St Joes, he did so without too much pomp.
Wedding Mass at Old St Mary’s
There are a lot of Old Saints taking up residence in Philadelphia, but we love each of them for their unique charms and history. Old St Mary’s Church is one of the less ornate exteriors, with the gorgeous sanctuary hiding inside a fairly straightforward brick building. But when the light comes through the stained glass window behind the altar in just the right way, it’s truly like light from heaven is shining down on us. The sun shone bright on the day of Taylor & Patrick’s Curtis Atrium wedding and everyone present knew that this was a truly blessed marriage!
After her tearful first look with her father, Taylor was ready to skip joyfully down the aisle towards Patrick (& her mother who stood up next to him to take in the full splendor of her aisle walk!) There were happy kisses and warm embraces all around as the ceremony began. Although the wedding mass is not known for surprises, these two made plenty of space for their joy to show, laughing as they exchanged rings and cheering to each other once they were officially pronounced “Mr & Mrs Morgan.”
After being cheered on by their friends & family as they left the church, Taylor & Pat led their wedding party of sixteen over to Washington Square, where they met up with their beloved pup for a series of portraits before posing along side their friends & families. They finished their portrait hour with a private walk through the 18th-century gardens and posed for their couple’s portraits.
A Curtis Atrium Reception
Finally, it was the moment we had all been waiting for, yes, even Taylor & Pat (who had been honest from the get-go that they just couldn’t wait to dance & party!) We walked into their Curtis Atrium wedding reception and were awed, as usual. The Curtis building is a piece of historic Beaux-Arts architecture that once housed a prominent publishing company. Now the mixed-use building is perfectly poised to host grand weddings & events in its sunlight-bathed atrium with vaulted ceilings leading up to the skylights many stories above and multi-storied draping that brings your focus to the grand tiled floor and fountains of the main staircase.
It was down that grand staircase that Taylor & Pat were first introduced into the epic ballroom to kick off their Curtis Atrium wedding reception.
Just like the rest of their day had been, Taylor & Patrick, along with their friends and family, filled the space with raucous laughter, crazy dancing, and so much emotion that our team couldn’t help but feel the feels alongside of them. After just a few months of working together, we know that Taylor & Patrick have a bright future together ahead of them. Here’s to a lifetime of happiness & joy together!
The Professionals that made this Curtis Atrium wedding happen include:
Photographer: Ashley Gerrity Photography | Getting Ready: Kimpton Hotel Monaco | Renaissance Philadelphia Downtown | Reception Venue: The Curtis Atrium | Florist: Beautiful Blooms | Stationery: The Cohan Creative | Caterer: Constellation Culinary | Cake: The Bakery House | Transportation: Philadelphia Trolley Works | Videography: Zela Films | Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza | Dress Boutique: Elizabeth Johns | Make up: Gina Marie Makeup | Hair: Kindred Society Hair
