In my heart is adventure and a love for travel, so being able to photograph a destination wedding in Philadelphia was everything I had hoped for...and meeting wonderfully sweet people like DJ, Sam, and their friends and families made the weekend utterly perfect. These two are seemingly opposite from first impressions - Sam is the chatty one in their relationship, while DJ is on the quieter side. Where she moves around from table to table engaging with as many people as possible, he watches her with pride and love. And where she dances like crazy and starts rap battles on the dance floor, he has the most fun being by her side.
But where the two are most alike is first in their love for each other. Kind, supportive, and caring, each look they share and each smile at each other is full of nothing but joy and a sweet understanding. During their wedding mass they continued to whisper to each other and share smiles as they officially became husband and wife. And when we traveled to The Old Mill at Rose Valley to finish out their wedding day with bride and groom portraits, DJ held his new bride close as they looked forward to the future to come.
Everything about their wedding was elegant and thoughtful. Beautiful gray linens sat under coloring books Sam had chosen to keep her sweet nieces entertained for a long night. Mr. & Mrs. signs on their chair backs perfectly matched the handwritten 'Sixty-One' on a surprise cake they presented to DJ's grandparents, who were celebrating a milestone anniversary. As DJ and Sam snuck out of their reception for a few minutes to kiss under the twinkling lights that adorned the outside of The Old Mill, they knew in their hearts that forever would look beautiful as long as they were with each other.
Bride's Dress: David's Bridal [Lace jacket and alterations by Irina Sigal] | Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaid's Dresses: David's Bridal | Menswear: Men's Wearhouse | Ceremony: St. John Chrysostom | Reception: The Old Mill at Rose Valley | Invitations: Alexa Nelson | Hair: Happily Ever After Hair | Makeup: Underground Artistry | Florals: Fresh Designs Florist | Transportation: Philadelphia Sightseeing Tours | Catering: Conner Catering | DJ: Silver Sound | Bakery: Sophisticakes
I'll take a pair of royal blue Badgley Mischka's any day!
I love the lace jacket Sam added to her wedding dress for two classy looks in one day.
Meanwhile, the guys got ready before riding a vintage Philadelphia trolley over to the ceremony.
It was time for the ceremony afterwards, with the sweetest little flower girls and their floral crowns!
After a sweet Catholic mass ceremony we headed to The Old Mill for portraits...between a bamboo forest and a gorgeous stone wall, I'm officially in love with this venue!
Welcome to some of my favorite bride and groom portraits EVER!
I think we can all agree that Sam made a stunning bride...we finished off with a portrait in the empty ball room, and just WAIT until you see these gorgeous details!
There was dancing and a family-style dinner which I LOVED before a few sunset bride and groom portraits with Sam's second look of the day...
This was just the sweetest...Sam and DJ wished his grandparents a happy anniversary on the day they celebrated sixty one years together!
...and the wedding guests partied the night away to amazing music and a ton of fun!
Congratulations DJ and Sam...I know your hearts are full of joy and your future together is beautiful.
