shaw towers wedding bride and groom portrait

* Posted by Theresa *

May 31st, 2014 was the perfect day to get married, which is just what Sue and Gus did! The couple chose the most beautiful spring day for their wedding at the Morris House Hotel in the Washington Square West area of Center City Philadelphia, and we were so excited to be there to photograph their big day!

Sue's dress, a stunning beaded Monique Lhuillier wedding gown, fit perfectly with their art-deco theme, and she had the accessories to match: beautiful vintage jewelry and lace garters. The bridesmaids looked great in their gray bridesmaids dresses with pops of yellow from their shoes and flowers!

The girls got ready in the bridal suite of the Morris House Hotel, while the guys were also getting ready at the Morris House, but in a different area of the building. As both groups went out to take photos around the city, Natalie with Sue and her bridesmaids, and Matt with Gus and his groomsmen, we had to be careful not to run into each other!

The girls started out with portraits around Independence Mall, and headed over to Washington Square, while the guys took a different route around the city. Luckily, our timing worked out perfectly and both groups successfully avoided crossing paths. Sue and Gus did not want to see each other before the wedding!

Heading back to the hotel, it was finally time to start their outdoor ceremony in the Morris House courtyard. Sue and Gus exchanged their vows and said "I do" under a beautiful arch with a special good luck horseshoe hung above, and their rings were blessed in a special Irish bowl that was a bridal shower gift from Gus' Aunt Madeleine and Uncle Pete.

When the ceremony was over, we all headed over to Washington Square for some family portraits. One of our favorite photos was of all the kids running straight towards Matt's camera with Sue and Gus watching in the background!

We found some really cool spots around the Washington Square West area for portraits of Sue and Gus together, and then they headed back to the Morris House to join in their celebration! After all their bridesmaids and groomsmen made their entrances, the bridal party lined the dance floor holding sparklers as Sue and Gus entered to take their first dance.

The reception really started to pick up just as the sun was setting, making for a spectacular end to an amazing day.

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Bride and Groom stand in the doorway of a brick wall at fall wedding • Posted by Natalie •

Leslie and Scott held their rustic fall wedding at one of my favorite wedding venues —The Old Mill in Rose Valley, which was the site of my own wedding on a meltingly hot June day a couple of years ago! Thankfully, Leslie and Scott had much more pleasant weather for their mid-October wedding. They were drawn to many of the same features that attracted me to The Old Mill: It's just outside Philly, but it feels like a different world. Just a few steps from the stone courtyard, there is a beautiful outdoor space that makes you feel like you're getting married in the middle of the woods, complete with a little creek babbling in the background. Leslie, truly a woman after my own heart, accented this beautiful space with myriad details to complete a scene of pure rustic elegance.

rustic fall wedding details handmade ring box with moss and black and white bride getting ready photos dog flowergirl and dog ringbearer get extra attention from bride & groom first look by the bamboo at the Old Mill in Rose Valley, Media, PA Bride and Groom portraits in the woods in Media, PA Fall wedding portrait at the Old Mill in Rose Valley Rustic bridal portraits in a wooded area outside Philadelphia, PA Bride & Groom in front of bamboo wall

An antique trunk filled with fall-colored pashminas greeted guests as they made their way over the little stone bridge to the ceremony site. (The pashminas would definitely come in handy later as the sunny afternoon cooled into a brisk evening.) Tree stumps topped with simple flower arrangements lined the aisle and led to a beautiful Chuppah hand-crafted using grapevine wood and white dendrobium orchids. The ceremony itself was a true family affair. Leslie and Scott had held a private ceremony at their dream wedding spot in Bryce Canyon in Utah over the summer, so this day was all about celebrating family. Leslie's nieces guided the third "Flower girl," the couple's dog Chloe, down the aisle. Scott's brother officiated the ceremony, and Leslie & Scott's parents and siblings surrounded them at the Chuppah and took turns with readings and conducting a wine-sharing ceremony. The couple's other dog, Bryce, served as a very well-behaved ring-bearer, running the rings down the aisle right to Leslie.

flower girl walks dog down the aisle family participates in outdoor wedding ceremony exchanging vows under chuppah made of branches wedding ceremony in the woods outside Philadelphia ring bearer dog at The Old Mill in Rose Valley wedding rustic Chuppah for outdoor ceremony outdoor ceremony at the Old Mill in Rose Valley in October

Leslie's penchant for details was evident through the reception as well. A mix of round and rectangular tables were topped with brown linens, brightened by a variety of centerpieces and handmade wooden table numbers. Nobody left this event hungry! A variety of intricate passed hors d'eouvres started the night, and, in addition to dinner, guests could visit the martini bar or the ice cream float bar in the courtyard or choose from four flavors of cupcakes! A live band kept people dancing, and they left the night with goody bags of Philadelphia comfort food: Soft pretzels and Tastykakes.

Leslie and Scott, we had a blast with you guys. Thanks for being so awesome, and we hope to keep crossing paths with you in the future!

fancy hors d'oeuvres by Connor Catering at the Old Mill details for fall rustic wedding including wooden table numbers and centerpieces with orange and white orchids cupcake wedding cake with four different flavors Rootbeer float bar at outdoor wedding The Old Mill in Rose Valley wedding reception Philadelphia wedding reception at rustic venue fall wedding reception with brown, cream and orange wedding colors dancing at the Old Mill Mr. Right and Mrs. Always Right wedding signs black and white dancing photos Night portraits at The Old Mill in Rose Valley by Fairmount Photography