Please Touch Museum Wedding | Kelsey Tarzia and Dan Rowley

Ever since we had the chance to work with Kelsey & Dan on their engagement photos (which featured their absolutely beautiful Pittie, Penny), we knew that this would be a wedding to look forward to. Not only are these two absolute joys to be around, but they were planning for their day at the Please Touch Museum. With the grand architecture of Memorial Hall and the playful ambience of a children’s museum (complete with a stunning carousel), a Please Touch Museum wedding was on the bucket list for our associate Serena. And after seeing the stunning photos that she captured of their day, we think you’ll understand why.

One of the best parts of this Please Touch Museum wedding is that fact that both our photography & videography crews were able to celebrate this day with Kelsey & Dan. We’re huge proponents for capturing you memories in both still and movie form, so any time our video crew is along for a day, we’re extra excited. Before we dive into their story & photos, let’s let the day speak for itself with this gorgeous highlight film from the Ashley Gerrity Wedding Cinema crew!

Getting Ready at the Hyatt Centric Philadelphia

Before all of the festivities took place, Kelsey & Dan each got ready in separate rooms at the Hyatt Centric hotel, a stylish and modern hotel located in the heart of Center City Philadelphia, each with their respective wedding party members & family. Kelsey’s suite had an awesome balcony that was the perfect backdrop for some quick bridals & wedding party portraits before heading off to old city, where their first look was to take place.

First Look & Portraits at the 18th Century Gardens

Once we had wandered over to the 18th Century Gardens in Philadelphia’s Independence National Historic Park, it was time for Kelsey & Dan to come together for their first look & portraits. Kelsey approached Dan slowly, emerging through the quaint pergola of the gardens for their highly anticipated first look. Dan’s gleeful expression of surprise at his beautiful bride absolutely melts our hearts every time we see it. After a short portrait session with these two, we were on our way to meet their closest friends and family for a few more portraits before it was time for their Please Touch Museum wedding to begin!

Please Touch Museum Portraits, Ceremony & Reception

Before heading inside of the Please Touch Museum to get ready for their wedding ceremony, Kelsey & Dan met with their family & friends on the front steps of Memorial Hall for some additional portraits. Their tight-knit group of friends & closest family members matched Kelsey & Dan’s energy for the day and we had such a blast getting some playful portraits of them before they went to prepare for the ceremony.

Once the portraits wrapped up, we were all ushered inside to prepare Kelsey & Dan for their Please Touch Museum wedding ceremony. While we had been out and about in the city, capturing Kelsey & Dan with their closest friends & family, the amazing team of Elegant Events Philly was already at the Please Touch Museum pulling together one of the most beautiful ceremony sets we’ve seen. The ceremony was located in Memorial Hall’s vaulting South Foyer and complete with a beautifully draped arch made a show-stopping backdrop for their vows.

We could feel the anticipation pouring off of Dan as he watched everyone walking down the aisle toward him and his awed gasp when Kelsey and her mother approached the top of the aisle absolutely melted us! After their vows and a few select readings, it was time to exchange rings, share their vows, and seal their promises with a big, happy kiss. Kelsey & Dan went frolicking back down the aisle of their Please Touch Museum wedding ceremony as though they were floating on air.

After the ceremony, as the guests were being treated by Brulee Catering to a lavish cocktail hour, we were able to sneak away with Kelsey & Dan for some amazing portraits. As dusk fell over the front lawns of Memorial Hall, a turbulent cloudy sky rolled in with late summer storms. Before the rain could hit, our team grabbed these epic photos and whisked these two back indoors for an unbelievable Please Touch Museum wedding reception, complete with a kick-ass soundtrack by The Heartbeats. One of our favorite moments of the night had to be the shared mother-child dance that Kelsey & Dan shared with their moms.