Nash and Cecile’s Stotesbury Mansion wedding was absolutely amazing, but the party really started the night before when I joined them for their rehearsal coverage and dinner at Harp and Crown. If you haven’t been to Harp and Crown before, it’s absolutely worth checking out. They have an amazing event/party space on the basement level with a private bowling alley. They also mix up some amazing cocktails and have out of this world food. Nash and Cecile were fantastic hosts and everyone had a great time. The next morning though is when everything becomes real. I dropped Kate off at the Cambria Hotel downtown and then swung over to an Airbnb that Cecile and her ladies took over for the weekend. They were in full prep-mode when I got there, so like normal, I jumped right into the normal process for the day. Cecile and Nash did an excellent job building in buffer time into their day, so at no point was there ever any stress, racing against the clock, or angst. Cecile and her bridesmaids even had time to lounge on the back patio for a while once all of their prep was done. Not long after that, Cecile got dressed with her sisters and mom. Nash meanwhile was hanging out with his guys and had a laid back morning himself. Once they were all ready they jumped in an Uber and went a park along the river. Our original plan was to do the first look in Rittenhouse Square, but there was an art show which forced us to pivot a bit- No problem at all. The bridal party followed the guys over a bit later and Nash and Cecile had a beautiful first look a short time later. We transitioned right into wedding party pictures and then knocked out all of the family pairings. In my opinion, this is far and away the most time-saving strategy to take, but ultimately for some, tradition trumps efficiency and that is okay. Once we wrapped that up, we walked back to the Stotesbury Mansion and stopped for some bride and groom shots along the way. The streets around Rittenhouse Square have so much character! A short time later, after the guests had taken their place, the ceremony began. One of Nash and Cecile’s uncles had the honor of marrying them and did a fantastic job. Cocktail hour spanned all three floors of the mansion and everyone had a great time celebrating with the new couple. It was then onto the official reception which started off with Nash and Cecile sharing their first dance. The rest of the evening was filled with great food, dancing, toasts, and mixing and mingling. At the very end of the evening, we made our way over to south Broad st for a few final shots. What a fantastic day this was!
Cecile and Nash, it was such a pleasure being a part of your day and we wish you the absolute best! Enjoy a handful of our favorite images.
If you are planning a Stotesbury Mansion wedding and would like to talk more about having us be a part of your big day, don’t hesitate to get in touch.