Perfect Harmony | Lindsey & Brad's Valley Green Inn wedding Part I

March 9, 2011 Matt Godfrey

Lindsey and Brad's mid-October wedding was surrounded by a feeling of magic. It was the third perfect-weather Saturday in October, a month that is full of notoriously unpredictable weather, and we were sharing the day with a gorgeous and talented couple who were complete naturals in front of the camera. Brad & Lindsey started as casual acquaintances, but things started to change after dinner with their common friends at a Chinese restaurant when Lindsey received a fortune cookie bearing the message to "Stop looking for happiness. It is sitting right beside you." She turned and saw Brad. It was fate's first move in matchmaking for this couple. Their day started with a ceremony at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill. Both Lindsey & Brad, and the majority of their bridal party, have been members of various a capella groups. After the ceremony, they waited in the choir practice room downstairs while the wedding guests boarded busses to the reception. Now, you don't put a group of talented singers in a room with a piano and 20 minutes to kill and expect nothing to happen. So as the church cleared out upstairs, Matt, our assistant Regina and I were treated to live music by the bride and her former roomates. It was a truly awesome experience, and one of the reasons why we love our job. It's amazing to be able to witness and document such a personal part of their wedding day—Brad & Lindsey, surrounded by their closest friends and completely enjoying the moment.

The rest of the day was no less amazing as they headed to their reception at Valley Green Inn, a little hidden gem along Wissahickon Creek in Fairmount Park. The location had special meaning for Lindsey, since her father used to take her there to feed the geese on Sunday mornings when she was a little girl who refused to sleep in. Now the little hotel-turned-restaurant, which sits adjacent to the creek and at the trailhead of paths through the surrounding woods, provided the perfect location for an intimate early afternoon reception. We could have spent days there finding great locations for photos with Brad & Lindsey.

Brad and Lindsey—it was a joy getting to know you and your families! (Part II of the photos will be posted soon.)

Bridal preparations black and white photograph of a beautiful bride putting on makeup groom ties shoes blue hair ribbon portrait of groom getting ready for wedding at Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill maid of honor hugs bride black dog wedding party bride and groom get ready to wed at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill bridal party lining up at Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill String quartet plays at Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill before wedding ceremony Wedding ceremony program at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill Father of the bride has a moment with his daughter before the ceremony at Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill Father of the bride escorts his daughter down the aisle Choir singer at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill Groom's parents happily walk down the aisle at Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill Autumn flowers portrait of bride and groom in Chestnut Hill Photograph of the bridal party looking up at the bride and groom kissing at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill Beautiful bride walks down stairs at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill Fall flowers rest on a music stand October Bridal party photographs outside the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill happy baby walks outside after the wedding ceremony Wedding rings are photographed on the keys of a piano bridesmaids sing and play piano after wedding ceremony at Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill groom holds white shoes and bride holds cards Black and white bridal portrait at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill rings and hands Valley Green wedding Group portrait of bridal party on Forbidden Drive in Valley Green Bridal party plays chess game in Valley Green