Ever since our move to Malvern, we’ve been walking by St Patrick’s on our regular explorations of town and always wondered if the sanctuary is as beautiful as the big stone exterior. When Christina & Pete were married here at the beginning of October, we finally had our chance to see it! Pairing their beautiful St Patrick’s Church wedding mass with a reception at Appleford Estate, beautifully designed by Andi of Forever Love Events, was the recipe for a wedding to remember!
Christina & Pete were not originally planning to get married at her family’s church, St Patrick’s Church, in Malvern. Originally, hey had a lavish celebration lined up for The Union League of Philadelphia with a ceremony at the stunning Church of the Gesu, but when COVID-19 hit, downtown Philadelphia celebrations took the hardest blows of all. With more restrictive guidelines preventing the wedding that these two truly wanted, Christina & Pete begrudgingly postponed their wedding plans to 2021. But Christina’s mother came to the rescue!
Rather than postpone their long anticipated wedding (these two have dated on and off since high school), they actually chose to MOVE UP THE DATE! After a frenzied search in the Philadelphia suburbs for a reception location that could fit them in for an outdoor celebration on a day that aligned with the availability at St Patrick’s Church, they changed the date to accomodate Appleford Estate’s schedule. And we’re so glad they did!
We started the day with Christina & Pete at their respective family homes. While the guys got ready in a low key setting, while tossing around an ancient football and enjoying pizza from Anthony’s (the best!), Christina & her friends were hanging out in matching pajama sets that Christina had gifted her crew. There was a Rumplemintz shot, exploding champagne, and lots of happy tears!
A St Patrick’s Church wedding mass in Malvern
We’ve been to our fair share of wedding masses over the years, but Christina & Pete’s service, led by Pete’s uncle, Bishop Joe Coffey, was one of the best. Bishop Joe told stories of Christina & Pete when they were younger and dated in high school while the guests all had a great laugh. We did too, trying to imagine Pete with long hair! In the end, these two were officially married and joyfully exited the church as Mr & Mrs.
Outdoor tented reception at Appleford Estate
Appleford is an absolute gem, tucked back in a residential area of Villanova. The estate & arboretum have the perfect charm of English gardens and the tented patio alongside the historic house is the perfect location for an outdoor autumn soiree. When we first arrived at the estate, we took pictures of Christina & Pete’s full wedding party, before releasing everyone to the cocktail hour.
As they arrived into cocktail hour, guests were greeted by thoughtfully designed floral displays, signage, & favors on the way to pick up a signature cocktail (or two). Meanwhile, Christina & Pete were busy exploring the hedges and gardens, taking a few quiet moments before they brought the party to life!
