City Hall Micro-wedding Philadelphia
Philadelphia Micro Wedding
This couple had a City Hall Micro-wedding in Philadelphia with only 3 guests. Despite how small their guestlist was, they still went big on making it the day of their dreams! From booking a top-notch hotel to hiring a vintage Rolls Royce for the day they did not skimp on details and style. Here is what the bride said about wedding planning for their small and chic City Hall wedding:
“The vibe for our wedding day was vintage, simple, & elegant! When planning, it was important to both of us to spend as much time with each other as possible throughout the day and have it be a “stress-free” day. We got married on a Tuesday and we had only our parents in attendance. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, which was so fun to wake up and go to sleep with the view of City Hall in the background. Although non-traditional, we chose to spend the morning of our wedding getting ready together. We exchanged our personal vows with written letters to each other and helped each other get dressed, all while listening to playlists we created with some of our favorite classic songs to set the tone we wanted. Being together throughout the morning was special.”
I loved that they went against the norms for getting ready and got ready together. It made for some unusually sweet moments of the bride and groom helping each other dress for their wedding day. They were able to sip champagne, take it slow and they really seemed to put each other at ease. The groom helped the bride put on her veil and the bride pinned the groom’s boutonniere.
Wedding Day Details
The bride carefully curated thoughtful details to include and photograph while getting ready. From their wedding invitation to her perfume, everything had a vintage flair that matched the feel of the day. She even ordered an amazing charcuterie board from a local Philadelphia business, From Marjorie that almost looked too pretty to eat! From a champagne toast in their hotel room to a mini wedding cake they really thought of everything.
“It was important to me to incorporate several smaller details for the wedding day. My favorite was a charm for my bouquet, honoring my late mother. Other fun detail items we included were vintage stamps for our invitations, an intricate gold hanger for my wedding dress, perfume with my very own fragrance that Lenel and I created together, and beautiful vintage champagne glasses as my something blue. Although keeping the day “simple”, we didn’t sacrifice any detail that helped make our wedding day elegant and fancy.”
Wedding Cake
What a cute wedding cake from the Philadelphia bakery, Whipped Bakeshop. It was just the right size for the two of them. You can’t forget the sweet treats, especially on a wedding day!
Wedding Photos at The Merchant Exchange Building
Wedding Photos Under the Arches of Philadelphia City Hall
If you are having a wedding at Philadelphia City Hall then taking photos in the archways that lead to the courtyard is a stop you will want to make for your wedding photos. The stairs offer pretty light and are out of the path of the people walking through. Perfect for showing off a dramatic train or veil. The arches are also covered, which makes them a good option to get out of the sun or rain if needed. Philadelphia City Hall is grand and majestic and seems to lend itself to wedding photos.
The Proposal
It’s always fun to hear how a couple met and their proposal story so here is theirs:
“Lenel and I met soon after I moved to Philadelphia while I was working at a restaurant during graduate school. We started dating a couple of years later and we quickly became best friends. We both knew it was a special relationship from very early on. We moved in together in 2018 and have lived in 4 different apartments while renovating our forever home. When packing during the many moves, I found a blank card Lenel had purchased that read “To My Person”. After several years, I began to wonder if the card was for me! While out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Dante and Luigis, Lenel asked me to marry him and gave me that card with a sentimental and personal note written inside. We were married less than four months later”
Wedding Ceremony in the Mayor’s Reception Room at City Hall
Did you know that you can rent the Mayor’s Reception Room in Philadelphia City Hall for your wedding ceremony? It is a little-known option but something to consider for a weekday wedding.
“We got married in the Mayor’s Reception Room at City Hall in Philadelphia. We had always talked about a “City-Hall” wedding. We were then so excited to learn about reserving the Mayor’s Reception Room, which is a beautiful and grand space within City Hall. We were able to reserve the room several months in advance, allowing us plenty of time to piece together of the remaining details that made our wedding day so special.”
Riding in Style in the Rolls Royce
To take them around Philadelphia on their wedding day, the couple hired First Class Rolls-Royce to drive them around the city. They had the 1964 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud pick them up from the Ritz Carlton Hotel and drive them to Old City for their wedding day photos and then to City Hall for their Ceremony. After their ceremony they were off for a champagne toast on Rittenhouse Square. Having this exquisite car service elevated their whole day and made the experience feel extra special. The Rolls-Royce was stylish and so much fun to include in their wedding photos.
Wedding Toast at Parc Restaurant in Philadelphia
“After our ceremony, we went to Parc on Rittenhouse for a champagne toast. Parc is sentimental to us as it was one of our first dates and we love the décor and vintage feel inside. Then we headed to Alpen Rose for an incredible dinner, with a classy and romantic ambiance.”
Going to Parc Restaurant to pop open some bubbly and cheers on this new union was the perfect way to celebrate. I love that they went to a Philadelphia restaurant that is a part of their love story and now a part of their wedding story.
Wedding Vendors
With all the attention to detail, there were many different vendors who were a part of this fabulous City Hall Micro-wedding in Philadelphia. For all those curious, you don’t have to wonder anymore, here is a complete list! I love seeing the amazing local businesses that are a part of a wedding day from the location for the champagne toast to the in hotel room Charcuterie Board for pre-wedding snacks everything was thought out beautifully and with great care.
Wedding Dress / Shop:
Jenny Yoo Hayden Sleeveless Column Crepe Wedding Gown
Anthropologie Weddings
anthropologie.com/bhldn-weddings
Dress Alterations:
Prim and Perverse
Rob Paluso
Makeup:
Aleksandra Ambrozy Hair & Makeup
Makeup Artist: Ali
aleksandraambrozy.com
Hair:
Aleksandra Ambrozy Hair & Makeup
Stylist: Angela
aleksandraambrozy.com
Flowers:
Beautiful Blooms
beautifulblooms.com
Rings (Bride & Groom):
Brilliant Earth
brilliantearth.com
Wedding Cake:
Whipped Bakeshop
whippedbakeshop.com
Grooms Attire:
Jos. A. Bank
josbank.com
Car Service:
First Class Rolls Royce
firstclassrollsroyce.com
Charcuterie Board:
From Marjorie
from-marjorie.com
Vintage Fur Coat:
Moxi Furs
etsy.com/shop/moxiefurs
Detail Items:
Vow Books:
kethstudio
kethstudio.com
Perfume:
HENNY FAIRE Co.
hennyfaire.com
Bouquet Charm:
HugsandKisses2Heaven
etsy.com/shop/HugsandKisses2Heaven
Vintage Stamps:
Little Postage House
littlepostagehouse.com
Dress Hanger:
The Styling Source
etsy.com/shop/TheStylingSource
Planning a Philadelphia City Hall Wedding?
Here are some helpful resources for exploring the option of getting married at Philadelphia City Hall. You don’t have a rent out the Mayor’s Reception Room to have a courthouse wedding there. This blog post will offer 8 tips for your Philadelphia city hall wedding. It will give you the overview and get your wheels turning with ideas, inspiration, and things to keep in mind. Here are a few more links to see real weddings I have photographed at Philadelphia City Hall. As a small wedding photographer here in Philadelphia, I have been able to work with many couples who have chosen to have a courthouse wedding option. If you are looking for someone to capture your special day, I would love to hear from you! You can Contact Heidi Roland Photography Here, I can’t wait to hear from you and learn more about your wedding day and I would be happy to share what I have learned.
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