Bridget and Brian @Sheraton Society Hill ~ mkPhotography, Philadelphia Wedding Photography
From the Bride:
“Brian and I met at Goals Fit boot camp in Manayunk in 2012. Dripping in sweat, no makeup and hair in a ponytail wasn’t exactly how I envisioned meeting my future husband! Despite that, there was an instant connection between us which quickly blossomed into a romance once we were able to dress up and go out on a few dates.”
THE PROPOSAL:
“On Saturday mornings Brian and I can usually be found running along Kelly Drive. During one of our Fall morning runs in 2013, Brian suggested we head out West River Drive instead. About a mile in, Brian told me he had to stop and tie his shoe. We happened to be right across the river from Boat House Row which is one of our favorite places in the city!
There he got down on one knee, pulled out the ring and asked me to marry him! We were so excited and full of energy that we actually kept running and did the full 8.5 mile loop!
We figured it was too early to start calling people so we held off and kept running. It was fun to hear all the details and sneaking around he had been doing to plan the engagement! He told me he wanted to incorporate working out into the proposal since that is how we first met. It was perfect!”
PLANNING THE DAY:
“We knew we wanted a short engagement and we were lucky to find a great location that was available Memorial Day weekend – seven months from when we got engaged! We both loved center city Philadelphia and the idea of having the church and reception right around the corner from each other. We got married at Old St. Mary’s Church and our reception was at the Sheraton Society Hill, whose ballroom and entire hotel were recently renovated with a modern feel. The other thing that really appealed to us was the outdoor patio for the cocktail reception – a real unique feature for a center city location.”
THE DRESS:
“I knew I definitely did not want a strapless wedding dress. My mother and I always agreed that it was not attractive to see a bride pulling up her dress on her wedding day. I saw the picture of my dress on the Jim Hjelm website and called every store until I found it! Once I tried it on, we knew it was the perfect dress for me – the jeweled neckline, open back and fit and flare shape were everything I envisioned! My mother wore a halter style lace dress for her wedding, so it was special when she said it reminded her of her own dress. The bridesmaid dresses were by Noir by Lazaro. I loved that the Alencon lace on their dress matched my dress.”
A FAVORITE MOMENT FROM THE WEDDING DAY:
“Brian and I had decided to take dance lessons for our first dance and we did not tell anyone because we wanted it to be a surprise. It was my favorite part of the entire wedding planning process! Each night that we had a lesson was like a secret date. We would grab a drink and dinner after work before heading to Society Hill Dance. Our instructor, Kate, was wonderful and made us feel comfortable right from the start.
Our first dance was to ‘You Are the Best Thing’ by Ray LaMontagne. We snuck into the ballroom during the cocktail reception to practice. I was nervous how some of the moves were going to go with my flowing dress!
Mike captured the spin at the end of our dance at that time and it is one of my favorite pictures! Doing our first dance together and seeing everyone’s surprised faces afterward is one of my most memorable moments from our wedding day.”
Some Details:
Church: Old Saint Mary’s Church
Reception: Sheraton Society Hill
Bridal Gown: Jim Hjelm
Bridesmaid Dresses: Noir by Lazaro
Hair: Alisons & Company
Makeup: Face The Occasion
Cake: Bredenbeck’s Bakery
Band: Rio from EBE Talent
Flowers: A Modern Touch
See the Photographer’s Picks slideshow HERE
See Bridget and Brian’s engagement portrait session with us HERE
