One of the best things about being in the wedding world for over a decade is getting to see the same families over and over as siblings, cousins, and friends get married through the years. It wasn’t just because of this that I was incredibly excited about Bridget & Rob’s Logan Hotel wedding, but that was definitely one of the selling points. At Bridget’s sister’s wedding, many moons ago, I remembered a crazy party, complete with the bride & her uncle donning cowboy hats and singing with the band. I couldn’t want to see what energy Bridget & Rob would bring to their Logan Hotel wedding! And I was not disappointed!
When we arrived at The Logan at the beginning of the day, I knew it was going to be a gorgeous wedding. Bridget had all of the pieces of her beautiful invitation suite neatly stacked next to her personal jewelry and rust-colored loose florals. While the girls were still busy with their hair & makeup in the next room of the suite, I was busy styling all of Bridget’s personal details for one of my favorite flat lays of the year.
While I was busy capturing these details and my assistant was focusing on a few candid moments of the girls, our friend Tim from Allure films walked in! While you probably know that we offer our own cinematography division, I’m always excited to get to work with my favorite video pros on the day and Tim’s team is one of the best we know! I always joking tell couples that we play well with others, but Bridget’s day was the epitome, Tim & I patiently took turns grabbing shots and do-si-doing along the wedding suite while Bridget put on the final touches.
The actual process of getting Bridget ready for her wedding ceremony at the Basilica was calm and simple. Just her mother and sister were in the room with her as they tied on her simple satin wrap dress, paired with a striking pair of Stuart Weitzman heels. And before we were ready to head out to church, we paused by a mirror to recreate a photo that had been taken at both her mother’s and sister’s wedding, continuing on a family tradition.
Meanwhile, the guys headed up to the rooftop deck of the Logan Hotel to put the finishing touches on Rob and relax before heading to church. From high atop the Assembly Rooftop Lounge with a perfect view of the Parkway (& the Basilica, where we would be heading shortly), Rob & his gentlemen straightened their ties and toasted to the day ahead of them.
Wedding Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
Although Philadelphia is full of historic and beautiful churches, not many have a more imposing facade or more recognizable interior than the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, which stands opposite the Philadelphia Museum of Art on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Poised right on Logan Circle, there aren’t many more iconic churches to be found. Bridget & Rob were one of the lucky couples we had the chance to photograph at the Basilica this season.
Their ceremony started as their wedding party filed into the church, leading the way for two of the cutest ringbearers we have seen! Remember that we shot Bridget’s older sister’s wedding almost ten years ago? Well, since then, Kate & Harry have had two adorable little boys and they stole the crowd’s hearts as they (somewhat reluctantly) made the way down the aisle with Kate’s help. But after getting high fives from their favorite uncle, Rob, everyone’s attention was drawn to the top of the aisle again where Bridget & her father started the long walk to the Basilica’s gilded altar.
Throughout the entirety of their traditional wedding mass, you could see Rob’s energy getting more and more excited. Although he started the day as a fairly calm and laced up gent, we were starting to get peeks at the energy that he would be bringing to the party. As Bridget & Rob cheered and walked down the aisle with their arms raised, we were ready to head out into Logan Circle for some quick wedding party photos before portrait time with just these two.
A Logan Hotel Wedding Reception
After we wrapped up photos at Logan Circle, we headed back up to the rooftop bar for some more Logan Hotel wedding portraits, capturing several family portraits and finishing with just Bridget & Rob overlooking the Basilica & Philadelphia skyline. Then we shuffled these two off cocktail hour while we headed indoors to capture the reception details and ballroom at the Logan Hotel.
We’ve had the honor of working at a number of Philadelphia’s most luxurious hotels through the years, but the reception space for a Logan Hotel wedding is truly stunning, with a great mix of contemporary textures and aesthetic in a more classic ballroom setup. Bridget had worked with the team at Petals Lane to create a romantic vision with layers of overflowing rose tablescapes and lots of candlelight for a truly breathtaking space.
But the decor was far from the best part of the evening. Bridget & Rob’s Logan Hotel wedding reception was genuinely one of the most fun parties that we’ve had the pleasure of photographing this year. From their grand entrance, involving a series of twirls and lots of high fives, which flowed right into their perfectly choreographed first dance, we knew this would be a celebration to remember. But the true highlight of the night happened with Rob & his groomsmen (politely) kicked the Elevation Band off the stage and took over for a live performance while the sorts of props that are normally relegated to a photo booth were passed out among the guests. The crowd went wild and the dance floor was non-stop until the end of the night.
Bridget & Rob, thank you for allowing us to photograph your Logan Hotel wedding and be here through all of the awesome moments by your sides. Here’s to a lifetime of love, happiness, and rock & roll!
The Pros who made this Logan Hotel Wedding Possible include:
Ceremony Location: Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul | Reception Venue: The Logan Hotel | Florist: Petals Lane | Entertainment: Elevation Band | Stationery: Chick Invitations | Videography: Allure Films by Video One Productions
