April came to a close with the beautiful and loving union of Christine and Gregory at their wedding and reception at the Free Library of Philadelphia. The day was completely perfect and the happy couple danced the night away on the rooftop in the shadow of the giants that make up the Philadelphia skyline with all their friends and family.
Getting Ready for the Free Library Wedding
Christine’s family home in New Jersey was full of life when we arrived to begin the day. Eager to get moving, we moved quickly through her details so we could get her on the road to the church. But not before we had the chance to capture their personalized family crest. It held everything important to Christine & Greg, all artfully combined. Another wonder was her wedding dress. Handmade by her cousin, the simple silhouette featured a true party piece: a side slit that would’ve made Angelina Jolie proud. This was the perfect chance to give her beautiful Jimmy Choos a chance to show off as well. When she was all dressed, we hid her back upstairs so dad could be surprised when she came down.
Christine’s dad is the type to use humor to hold back his emotional side. He was cracking jokes left and right until Christine came downstairs and he saw her. Instant tears. There was a mad scramble to get tissues for him and Christine and Christine’s mom before the makeup got smeared. His first born baby girl was getting married and it all hit him at that moment. He jokingly offered her the chance to call it off and skip town. She turned it down, so we hit the road on the way to the Free Library reception.
Downtown in Philadelphia, Greg was supremely chill. His day was rolling smoothly and he had one job, get to the church on time. Well, two jobs. Get to the church, and look dashing. He checked both boxes off with aplomb.
The Ceremony at St John Neumann
The travel gods were smiling on us as we found a parking spot right in front of St John Neumann Church as we pulled in just ahead of the bus as ceremony was getting ready to begin. Greg took his spot at the top of the aisle as his parents and future mother-in-law were escorted down the aisle. Once the bridesmaids were in place, the music changed, and his bride appeared. Beaming alongside her tearful father, Christine floated down the aisle to Greg. Their forever was beginning.
After the ceremony was over, we hung out to knock out family portraits before making a stop on our way to the Free Library. Can you tell where?
Portraits at the Art Museum
It was a beautiful day and the Art Museum was bustling, but that didn’t stop us from having fun with the wedding party and capturing some great portraits of Christine and Greg. The light was just right and with the side stairs being relatively quiet, it felt like they were all alone, despite being surrounded by the sounds and people of the city. We didn’t want to keep them from their cocktail hour at the Free Library, so we worked quickly and were soon on our way to the reception. The night was young and promised to be an awesome celebration on the rooftop terrace at the Free Library.
Reception at the Free Library
It was a beautiful night as the reception got underway. Christine and Greg’s vision of a garden party on the terrace was brilliantly realized by the team at Brulee Catering. Christine has also taken the extra time to handwrite notes for her guests in their place cards! How many brides do that? Their first dance was sweet, and then they invited everyone to join them. Elevation Band by BVT Live was on fire, getting everyone up and dancing right away.
When it was time to sit for dinner, Christine’s dad gave an emotional and joke-riddled toast honoring his baby girl. He gave them sage advice for their life together, and gave his daughter a fierce hug when it was over. It was a tough act to follow, but the best man and maid of honor did a great job honoring the bride and groom.
Parent dances followed dinner, and then it was off to the races. The dance floor got cranked up and they danced the night away together at the Free Library.
Congratulations to Christine & Greg!
