This Philadelphia Union League wedding fit for royalty was filled with heartfelt moments!
If you happened to be in Philadelphia, on 13th street between Chestnut and Market, on a particular fall day this year, you may have noticed a 1950’s Lincoln Continental in Regency Turquoise pulling up. In the passenger’s seat, you’d have spotted a stunning bride clad in lace. Her silken blonde hair pulled back into a classic, low chignon and crowned with a vintage beaded hairpiece. And you would have thought you were witnessing the arrival of royalty!
Such was the impact of Gabby & Tristan’s downtown wedding to anyone who happened by that day. Truly one of the most elegant city weddings I have ever had the pleasure of capturing! Gabby looked like Grace Kelly in her high-necked, couture lace gown, and the spectacular ivory bouquet from Love ’N Fresh Flowers that she carried was fit for a queen. At Merchant’s Exchange, with bridesmaids in elegant white dresses and groomsmen in sharp, black tuxedos, the wedding party appeared to have been plucked straight from the pages of Vanity Fair!
What you wouldn’t have been able to tell from the outside was just how heartfelt and emotional the day was. Gabby & Tristan care deeply about their friends and family and it was important to them to honor their loved ones throughout the day. Gabby’s vintage headpiece had originally belonged to her grandmother and was a way for the bride to carry her grandmother close throughout the day. Before seeing her groom, Gabby shared two emotional first-looks with her father and grandfather in the marble halls of the Union League, while Tristan and his father enjoyed a quiet morning in the venue’s library and helped each other with their bowties and jackets. At the reception, parents and friends gave moving and sincere toasts that had everyone in tears. And midway through their own thank you, Gabby & Tristan paused to embrace— completely overcome with gratitude and love!
Undeniably, the day was visually spectacular. But what resonates about this wedding is the kindness and love that radiated from Gabby & Tristan, filled the air around them, and extended to every person there to witness such a joyous occasion!
I absolutely loved shooting Sami and Ben’s wedding at The Foundry in Long Island City! The chic industrial space is incredibly versatile and proved to be the perfect venue for a couple whose vision for their wedding day was centered around creating an unforgettable celebration for their family and friends.
Hosting a wedding in the city may seem like it should be a production, but Sami and Ben’s laid-back, generous warmth and the all-inclusive Foundry made the day a breeze. Sami and Ben didn’t opt for a traditional wedding party, deciding instead to invite their friends to The Foundry to get ready together. While the men, including Ben, wore blue suits, the women weren’t given any direction on what to wear, and the group portraits we took showcased a diversity of styles tied together with a loose and natural elegance.
While we shot family and couple portraits in the Foundry’s lounge and main space, Sami & Ben met in the outside courtyard for their first look. Sami’s custom Lakum dress in champagne/blush had clean lines and intricate, subtle detail that popped against the simple styling of her long dark hair. Both she and Ben, in his handsome blue suit, looked radiant in the light of an early spring afternoon.
The details of the day seemed to cohere around the drama of early spring’s colors—yellow, green, and white–from the spare sculptural table arrangements picking up the green and yellow of the Foundry’s velvet sofas, to the gleaming yellow-green pools of olive oil laid out during the cocktail hour.
During the ceremony, a floor to ceiling spray of Ivie Joy florals encircled the wall of windows where Sami and Ben made their vows, and ran along with the balcony seating, transforming the industrial space into something closer to a secret garden.
The Foundry proved that hosting a wedding in the city doesn’t have to mean compromising on space or comfort. From the ceremony to cocktail hour, to dinner under the stars, and back inside again for dancing, the easy flow of the space meant that Ben and Sami could just be present to celebrate with the people they loved! This city wedding was intimate, sophisticated and a pleasure to shoot! Congratulations, Sami and Ben!
