So even though it’s still early in the 2010 season, I’m pretty sure that at the end of the year, this is still going to be one of my favorite weddings of the season. Cindy and Jesse are a pretty amazing couple, who had an incredible location, and a great plan for the day! This wedding was also a little different for us because, despite having grown up around the corner from where I am currently (at least as far as Cindy is concerned), Cindy and Jesse call sunny California home. They both travel all the time, and I can honestly say that their schedule is crazier than mine (which says a lot)… and yet they not only dared to plan a wedding on the absolute opposite end of the country, but they pulled it off pretty spectacularly! Their ceremony and reception were held at The Atrium at The Curtis Center in Philadelphia, and we took advantage of being in the city to get some signature Philly shots!
There were a few reasons why Cindy and Jesse decided to see each other prior to the ceremony, not the least of which was to relieve the nerves. They felt that if they waited until they met at the end of the aisle, they would be far more nervous, and I imagine that they were exactly correct. The other reason is that they were looking to get photos at multiple locations around Center City, Philadelphia, while their ceremony was in the historic district. It’s not so long a trip when you have lots of time and you’re not worrying about traffic, but trying to do that between the ceremony and the reception (especially since they were at the same place) would not have been ideal. It would have eaten nearly their entire cocktail hour, and we would run the risk of being late for their reception. So to make the story short, we started early. Hours before the ceremony. A friend of the family drove us around town and we would hop out and shoot where we wanted. Since we started early, we had plenty of time to let them enjoy their first meeting dressed for their wedding without having to rush. And we got all of the formals done before the ceremony on the steps of The Curtis Center. What this meant was they had the entirety of their cocktail hour to relax and enjoy the company of their guests!
The Atrium at The Curtis Center is a really incredible room. (To be entirely fair, it’s not the easiest room in town to shoot in, but we’ve gotten by, and the feel of the place is worth every challenge it has thrown at us.) This time around was a little different than we have done in the past, since Cindy and Jesse had their ceremony in The Atrium itself. The room sets up amazingly well for a ceremony, where the columns and drapery provide an elegant side backdrop, and the water garden which serves as the background for the bride and groom is breathtaking in its own right. The decorated arbor on the stage, with lights and hanging candles, really set the couple apart from the darker rich hues of the water garden. Yes, I realize that these are kind of flowery descriptions, but… that’s truly how it is at the place! Cindy and Jesse have the pictures to prove it!
The catering and overall event execution at the Curtis is handled by Cescaphe. They do an outstanding job, and this time was no exception! These guys make it seem so smooth… At least from our perspective, the whole wedding went off without a single hiccup or rough spot. And they really put out an artful spread! While the couple and all of their guests were enjoying cocktail hour in the Curtis Center lobby (in front of the Dream Garden mosaic), the folks at Cescaphe transformed the Atrium into a reception site! All of the tables… the stage for the band… the sound system… all of the flatware and decorations… ALL OF IT! In one hour! Cindy and Jesse danced the night away, and everyone had a great time! They were treated to a slide show of old family photographs put together by their siblings (who made up their bridal party), got treated to some flambe artistry courtesy of the staff, and generally had a proper celebration of their wedding with friends and family that spanned the continent, and beyond. (You see… they both live in California, but Jesse is from Hawaii, and some of the family made the trip!)
