real wedding

  • Philadelphia LOVE Wedding at Ballroom at the Ben

    Philly wedding at Ballroom at the Ben philly_wedding_9

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    Today I’m sharing Amanda and Derek’s stunning Philadelphia LOVE wedding that took place downtown this past June. From their LOVE statue themed wedding invitations to their horse drawn carriage through the city, this wedding is chockfull of Philadelphia iconography. Amanda and Derek got married at St. Paul’s Parish in the Italian market and took a horse drawn carriage through the city to the Ballroom at the Ben for their wedding reception.

    I worked with Amanda on her LOVE statue themed wedding invitations, which were our shop Love Park invitations with a map and folder enclosure add-on. I also worked with her on escort cards, thank you cards for her wedding party, and dancing shoes and guestbook signs (more on that in tomorrow’s post). It is so much fun working on the various pieces of the wedding because the bride and I build a relationship through the wedding planning process. Below I have asked Amanda a couple of questions to help inspire future Philly wedding couples.

    Allison: What was your favorite detail at your wedding?
    Amanda: Definitely my dress, cake, our matching Christian Louboutin shoes and the character of the Ballroom at the Ben.

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    Allison: Favorite moment at your wedding?

    Amanda: Ah there are many!  First seeing each other in the church, leaving in the horse and carriage ride. People in the city were congratulating us, beeping/waving and telling me how beautiful I looked – I felt like a princess.

    Philly wedding horse and carriage ride Philly wedding first kissStop by tomorrow for part 2 of this beautiful Philadelphia wedding!

    Photos courtesy of Campli Photography.

  • Real Wedding: Literary Wedding in Philadelphia

    Literature Wedding. Real Wedding. Posted on Hand-Painted Weddings. Photos by Adam Atkinson. Literature Wedding. Real Wedding. Posted on Hand-Painted Weddings. Photos by Adam Atkinson. Literature Wedding. Real Wedding. Posted on Hand-Painted Weddings. Photos by Adam Atkinson.


























    Today I’m sharing with you a continuation of yesterday’s post introducing Shannon and Bryan’s gorgeous literature wedding. One of the reasons I know weddings are the right place for me as a painter and designer is because I truly feel a connection with the couple and what they are going through with wedding planning and also a connection with how the wedding is crafted together. I care about the thoughtful design elements that are incorporated into the wedding as well as the intangible moments that happen during this monumental day in the couple’s lives.

    While I know as an artist, I could certainly just put my attention on the art only, but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t give thoughtful, caring attention to the couple. I think that this care resonates when couple’s work with me.

    I believe the lasting details of a wedding consist of the feelings or surprising interactions and the visuals that linger in your mind as you look back on that day. With that in mind, I have asked the bride, Shannon, the following questions about her wedding day:

    Literature Wedding. Real Wedding. Posted on Hand-Painted Weddings. Photos by Adam Atkinson.

    Literature Wedding. Real Wedding. Posted on Hand-Painted Weddings. Photos by Adam Atkinson. Literature Wedding. Real Wedding. Posted on Hand-Painted Weddings. Photos by Adam Atkinson.Literature Wedding. Real Wedding. Posted on Hand-Painted Weddings. Photos by Adam Atkinson. Literature Wedding. Real Wedding. Posted on Hand-Painted Weddings. Photos by Adam Atkinson.












































    Question: What was your favorite detail at your wedding?

    Shannon: I loved so many of the little details, but I have to say it was the handmade signs our friend made for us were my favorite. Aaron of The Point to Point created such gorgeous and memorable signs that really added a special touch to the day. Everyone was commenting on them because they looked so cool, but they also served a function and completed our literary theme. Plus, of course, the fact that they were made by a friend made them even better.

    I also loved our band. The ballroom where we had the reception is known for its acoustics, so going with a live band was the natural choice. The band we chose, though, was amazing. They had everyone up and dancing the whole night, and they played all the songs we wanted perfectly (which is saying a lot we are very fussy about music!) They really set the atmosphere and made it a truly fun night big props to the Uptown Getdowns!

    Question: Favorite moment at your wedding?

    Shannon: Immediately after the ceremony, Bryan and I had to hide while the guests left the room and headed to cocktail hour. We waited in a small, quiet space and just chatted, taking in the enormity of the situation. That was definitely my favorite moment of the day. We have been together since high school (1999), so to finally be married and to have a few moments alone after the whirlwind of planning and prepping for the day, was really nice. Honestly, I think it’s my most vivid memory of the day and the rest of it seemed to fly by so fast!

    A close second favorite moment would be my dance with my dad. The band did a really nice cover of a song that always meant a lot to us, “Learning to Fly” by Pink Floyd.

    It’s tough to pick a favorite moment, though, since the entire day was so fantastic. Everyone says that it’s the happiest day of their lives, which sounds so cliche, but it’s really true. It was hands-down the best day of my life.

     

    Stop by tomorrow for the final post about this gorgeous wedding, which will feature a really unique ceremony cocktail…yes, I said cocktail!

    Wedding Invitations: Hand-Painted Weddings Photos: Adam Atkinson Planner: Natalie Diener Florist: Beautiful Blooms Venue: German Society