Wedding Blog
Mr. Bruschetta and I are phila-Philadelphians. Although we don’t live in the city, we have a strong affinity for its culture and cuisine, and we visit often since we’re just a quick hop over the bridge.
Once I embraced the idea of a wedding reception in the city, my vision for the day finally made sense. The timeline — including a 1:30 nuptial mass, and 5:30 cocktail hour start — will give us a cushion, and with our formal pictures scheduled in the morning, I hope we can use the afternoon gap to capture candid photos incorporating Philly’s iconic structures and settings.
Originally, my day-of plans included traveling into the city with our bridal party (before returning to the Main Line reception location of my dreams), and running around Center City — a bustling section of the metropolis where restaurants, businesses and the arts intersect — with our photographers and videographer.
I had no shortage of inspiration…
… but now, I’m exhausted just thinking of how crazy it would have been to fit this in! (Factoring in traffic, I doubt we would have had much time for pictures if the reception had been outside the city.)
After we signed our venue contract, I realized a jaunt through Center City wasn’t really reflective of “us” — we spend much more time in Old City, and this section of Philly (in addition to being the home of our reception location) exudes charm, with its historic landmarks and specialty boutiques, and a sense of timelessness.
I’ve started brainstorming areas we’ll visit between our ceremony and reception, and can’t wait to map out our route.
How did you decide on where to take candid shots during your wedding? Was it a place reflective of you as a couple, or was it convenient to the reception (or both)?
|
Share this post: Landmark Love
I agree! I love Old City with the small streets, row-houses turned shops and quaintness!Look forward to seeing your pics. 
I love your posts. It’s like a trip down memory lane. I used to live in philly 5+ years ago and your posts remind me that I should go back to visit!
Hey! I had my wedding in Philadelphia back in December. Originally, I had the same thoughts as you—I wanted to run around and get pictures at every single favorite Philly location. However, being that we got married in December and it was 20 degrees on our wedding day…we realized we had to narrow it down to a few places. So we settled for going to the top of the art museum steps between our ceremony (which was held at Villanova church on the Main Line) and our reception (which was held at the Ballroom at the Ben.) We actually got engaged at the top of the steps so the location made alot of sense for us. We wound up getting some great shots with the city all lit up in the background and in front of the giant Christmas tree at the top of the steps. Of course, I wish we had had time to go all to all my favorite spots. But I will tell you that it doesn’t bother me after the fact and I’m very pleased with the pictures that I have from the top of the steps. The bottom line is that your wedding day is a busy day and there is so much going on! My advice is just to focus on getting some great pictures in a select location and then just enjoy your day. Don’t put so much stress on yourself to run all over the place. We made it to the Ballroom in time to actually ATTEND our cocktail hour which was really important to me. We greeted alot of our guests at the cocktail hour so that we were able to spend more of the reception actually dancing and having fun! Best of luck to you and Congratulations!
I can’t give up on the City Hall photo but it will be on the way from our church.. er sort of =)
Just an FYI I am getting married a few blocks from your site. Most of those streets in the historic section are all owned by the National Park Service and have very strict rules surrounding them. It is a real pain and you have to apply for a photo permit: http://www.nps.gov/inde/special-use-permits.html
My photog has suggested we could always just go to Washington Square for free….
My wedding is coming up in September, and we chose our ceremony and reception venue partially because it could hold our massive guest list, but mostly because it is at the heart of our city which we love so much. Any candid pictures taken within a couple of blocks of our site will be both fitting to us as a couple and very convenient. We’re getting married right on the banks of the river that is referred to by the movie “A River Runs Through It”. Yay! I can’t wait! I’ve never been to Philadelphia, but from the pictures you posted, it looks as though everything will be absolutely beautiful!
This sounds like my E-pic situation… FH and I really want to take pictures on a 45 stretch of PCH (Laguna Beach and Corona Del Mar). I drive this route everyday to work and have found many spots we’d like to take pictures, but b/c it’s PCH and parking is a biotch hitting all these places isn’t likely, so now we’re trying to narrow them down to the must haves and most convenients. Anyway - I feel your pain.
So cute. I agree with the other girls that e-pics are a great way to get in your favorite landmark shots. Boy and I will probably end up running around philly (I’d actually love to do them at the zoo- one of our first date spots) for our e-pics b/c we’re having our wedding at PSU.
Yes! I love using your city’s backdrop for e-photos. We live in NYC and are having a tough time narrowing down all of the options!
I wanted pictures in every Center City landmark possible! However, like you, there is not much time for all that. I have even less time because we are not having a break between the Church and the reception. I’m also insisting that we get to at least 15mins of the cocktail hour.
So, we are going to cut it to Love Park (where he proposed) and the Art Museum steps. The reception is at the Visitor Center so we can take some pictures on Independence Mall as well.
I really want Elfreths Alley, Broad Street, The Mosaic thing on South Street, my old neighborhood block of Delancey street……on and on. I just wasn’t willing to take pictures before the ceremony and I also hate breaks between the ceremony and reception so, I had to give up my photo options.
I do want to squeeze in as much as I can in an hour
Hey sarsk624, just FYI: Washington Square is also cared for by the National Park Service so the same rules apply. However, I don’t know how serious they are about enforcing them.
We’re having the wedding in Boston where he was born and raised. So I’m sure it has a lot more meaning to him. I’m going places close to the venue but it’s perfectly in the common. If I could I wish we could travel the world with our wedding attire and take pictures! 
Mine was convenient to the reception, but I hadn’t put as much thought into it as you because I wish I had so it was more reflective of us as a couple. Honestly, though, you can turn something into you in different ways, so I think you made a great choice. I think I also spied Mrs. Cupcakes photographer up there!
I have only been to Philly twice, and your post really makes me want to go back. I feel like I never got to spend “real” time there. Wah!
We are taking pics near our reception venue, which thankfully, is filled with lots of historic downtown L.A. goodness. We don’t ever “hang out” in downtown L.A., but I’m a native and I wanted to honor that.
We’re just doing pics at our venue before the ceremony…all of our candids will be before all the fun! But I couldn’t pay for the photogs to stay late, so I’m having my brother take some candids after the reception at Garden of the Gods (after the reception = 3pm). I think we could have some great shots!!
@markyk: Thanks! Yes, you should definitely plan a visit!
@MissPhilly: I appreciate the advice.
@sarsk624: Yup, the hotel where we’ll be staying gave us the same heads up.
@yogigal: Good luck! Hope it all works out as you wish!
@LzzNYC: Wouldn’t THAT be fun? Oh, that’d be a great Weddingbee special feature…if each of us could have an anonymous benefactor! 
@Miss Glitter: Oooo, can’t wait to see your pictures!
we decided that a local park is where we will take our photos after the ceremony. Not only is it the place to go during prom season but our prom photos where taken there, my quince anos photos, I have had birthday parties there when I was younger. Its just meaningful for us and our immediate family
me luvz the landmark shots (avo’s seattle skyline ones sticks out in my mind so much). i wish i coulda done that but the little we have here don’t intrigue me…
i can’t wait to see what you end up with!
i’m trying to figure this out too. i’m dying to fit in the nyc version of the LOVE statue (cheesy i know) but don’t want to miss the wedding!
I’m working this same thing out for my engagement session. We live in Center City and there are so many significant landmarks (to us) that I just don’t know how we can fit them all in. I def. want to do a few in Love Park, however cliche it may be, and then off to Rittehhouse Sq to do a pic ‘kissing’ the frog statue that is there….
You see where this is leading. How do you narrow it down!?!?
| Visit our sister sites | Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Fertile Thoughts Infertility Support |
Mrs. Bruschetta, Philadelphia
Age and Occupation: 25, Communication Professional
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Physical Therapy Graduate Student
Engagement Date: November 30, 2007
Wedding Date: August 2009
Venue: St. Thomas of Villanova Church & the F.U.E.L. House
About Me: I’m a self-proclaimed grammar geek who loves singing (like, really belting it) in the car. My mister and I are planning a vibrant summer soiree celebrating our passions – including food and Philly – and when we make it official, we’ll have been together for eight years! Being super competitive is in my nature, and talking excessively is in my genes. I’ve got a terrible sense of direction, but can always easily find my way into Mr. Bruschetta’s arms.
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 |
Latest Gallery Pics