So many of our amazing couples have found us through one of our past clients and somehow these wedding days always end up being some of our favorites! Rebecca & Stephen’s The Lucy wedding is no exception to that rule. Just a few years ago, Rachel had the chance to photograph Rebecca’s cousin, Allison’s, wedding at the Old Mill in Media and we were so honored when Allison sent Rebecca our way. (And so happy to see Allison at the reception, too!)
Starting off the day at the W Philadelphia, Rebecca got ready with her mother & sister in one of the beautiful modern suites. Rebecca’s invitation suite was so beautifully curated, from the watercolor welcome note to the beautifully simple invitation featuring touches of Hebrew and the bold blue framed save the date. Paired along with timeless pearls and Rebecca’s statement blue sapphire engagement ring, it was such a treat to photograph all of the pieces that she had chosen to customize her wedding day.
One of the best things about having a smaller group in the room with you as you get ready is the general calm that these weddings seem to have. The more bridesmaids, family members, and yes, wedding pros there are seems to correlate with the amount of frenetic energy pulsating in the room. So Rebecca, starting the day with just her mother and sister, was one of the calmest brides that we’ve encountered. But that doesn’t mean that the joy wasn’t just as palpable as she and her family shared laughter in their matching button downs.
One of the most tender moments of the early day was the first look that Rebecca shared with her dad. If we’re being honest we love a good dad first look, probably more than a traditional first look. They’re almost always emotional and absolutely pull at our heartstrings every time!
Similarly, Stephen had an equally private, calm time with his father as he prepared for his wedding day. After these two gentlemen aided one another with their jackets and pulled themselves together, one of the highlights of the morning was a mini photo session that we were able to capture with Stephen in the lobby of the W Philadelphia before heading up to the rooftop deck for the first look, stopping along the way so that Stephen could partake in a little cardio to get his heart racing for Rebecca.
These two opted to have their first look on the outdoor terrace deck at the W Philadelphia before heading out into the city for portraits because of the simplicity it lent to their transportation logistics. Having already seen each other, they were able to all hop on the same party bus to go into Old City for more portraits with their family.
Did you notice a lack of wedding party photos? One trend that we’re seeing more and more of is no wedding party (or a very tiny one). Rebecca & Stephen asked their siblings to stand as witnesses to their ketubah signing and wedding ceremony, but beyond that opted out of a wedding party. For these two, the theme of family and tradition was strong throughout their wedding day, and they lived out this value by spending their precious moment in between public gatherings with just each other and their families.
This didn’t take away any of the joy that we see at weddings, but rather concentrated it on the people who mattered most. And it gave Rebecca and Stephen so much time together for us to capture a truly amazing portrait session among the Old City Landmarks of the Merchant Exchange Building and the First Bank.
After their portrait session ended, we headed back towards The Lucy to prepare for the Tisch & Bedekken, Ketubbah signing, and public ceremony. Although we shoot a lot of Jewish ceremonies, we don’t see as many couples fully embrace the Tisch & Bedekken prior to their ceremony, which is a shame. Hanging out with Becky as she was warmly greeted by all of the women and laughing along with Stephen as the guys shared stories and drinks was one of the best moments of the day.
As they came together for their Ketubbah signing, the joyful parade of men into the area where the women were together was so much fun! Rabbi shared the meaning of the Ketubbah before Becky & Stephen signed, along with their siblings. And before we knew it, Stephen was veiling Becky to prepare her for their ceremony, which would take place below the flower-adorned Chuppah in the ballroom of their Lucy wedding.
Since Stephen’s mother has passed before she could walk him down the aisle, his brother stood in her honor and walked him down the aisle with his father. Then Becky, preceded down the aisle by her sister, accompanied by her parents processed in, gracefully draped in a light veil, as is traditional. These two publicly professed their own vows in a beautiful ceremony, complete with the circling, shared cup, seven blessings, and breaking of the glass.
Before too long, it was time for these two to lead their guests upstairs to the famous Cescaphe cocktail hour while the staff set the ballroom space up for a gorgeous Lucy wedding reception. The ballroom was covered in gorgeous florals, from the hanging display on their seating chart to their draping florals around their sweetheart table to the elevated centerpieces bursting with blush roses. These two even had their pup present in spirit, with a life-sized cutout seated alongside their sweetheart table! As soon as these two arrived, they joined into a rousing hora – no one was left behind in their seat as Becky & Stephen were hoisted up in chairs while guests frenetically stepped around in circles surrounding them. Afterwards, as everyone settled into their seats, their aunts stepped up to offer the Hamotzi before their siblings had everyone alternating between tears and raucous laughter with their heartfelt toasts. Becky opened up the dance floor for the evening with a beautiful dance with her father.
Then, after the cake was cut, we stepped out to Broad St to capture a few last minute portraits before Becky switched into an adorable white beaded cocktail dress and her dancing sneakers. After a quick portrait in her new outfit, we watched as Becky & Stephen tore up the dancefloor for the remainder of the night!
Photographer: Ashley Gerrity Photography | Getting Ready: The W Philadelphia | Reception Venue: The Lucy | Florist: Beautiful Blooms
The pictures are outstanding.