Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Anne Designs and  Erin Hearts Court

Having a background in (and a love for) fashion, I am constantly noticing the similarities with wedding and fashion trends. This week is one of the most important times in fashion, it is New York Fashion Week! This week designers from all over came to New York City to exhibit their Spring 2013 Collections. Being the avid fashion lover that I am, I have been following the latest news coming off the runways. Always having weddings on my mind, I couldn’t help but compare the two. Keep reading to find my interpretation of 2013 runway trends for your wedding!

Black and White

Photo Courtesy of Image Seller

Photos Courtesy of The Excited Bride , Brides Magazine , Pinterest

You can’t go wrong with black and white! This color combo was especially prevalent on the runways this year, and let’s face it black and white is always chic. Make these colors pop by adding different patterns and textures to your decor. Don’t be afraid to incorporate the colors into your attire too!

Opulent Metallics

Photos Courtesy of Ithinkfashion

Anya Hindmarch Glitter Clutch

Image Courtesy of 100 Layer Cake

Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Anne Designs , Diana Marie Photography

Nothing says party and celebration like a little sparkle! Metallics were shown in all forms on the runway, including accessories and dresses.  Silver, gold, and other metallic colors will be perfect for your elegant affair. Mix metals for a chic result. Whether you use them in your decor or your attire, your wedding will be sure to shine!

Garden Florals

Photo Courtesy of Fashionising

Photos Courtesy of Wedding Chicks

Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Anne Designs

Floral prints are always a hit for spring! Let these lady-like prints infuse your warm weather wedding. A garden wedding with a vintage twist is a wonderful way to transform this trend. The inspiration isn’t limited to your floral arrangements, it can also come through with the china and linens.

Mint Green

Photo Courtesy of We Connect Fashion

Photo Courtesy of Zank You , Pinterest

Keep it fresh with mint green! Almost every year, pastels make an appearance on the catwalk. This year mint green is the color of choice. Combine two of Spring’s trends by pairing the color with metallic gold. It will make your wedding really pop!

Fashion is something that has always inspired me, and I hope that you are inspired now too! When deciding on decor, food, apparel, and more for your wedding, take a minute to look around. Inspiration is everywhere!

Amore Bello!

Maria

Many traditional wedding venues include churches, country clubs, and catering halls. While these places are classic and beautiful, many couples today are stepping outside the box to find a venue different from all the rest. They want a place that is unique and that their guests will never forget. With a little digging, a standout wedding location isn’t out of reach. In fact, we have a variety of these distinctive venues in our very own backyard. Philadelphia is bursting with exceptional locations where you can host your special day, and cHill Weddings has even had the pleasure to experience many of them. Although it proved difficult we selected just a few of Philly’s own for you to check out below. (If we chose them all this blog post would take you hours to read!)

Pêche

Photos courtesy of Sweetwater Portraits by Julie Melton

Recently our clients Allison and Doug held their wedding at Pêche, and thus far it is one of my favorite places we have had a wedding. The space at Pêche has an uber cool downtown vibe that really appealed to me (and many brides I am sure). The venue is located in the East Falls section of Philadelphia, and is an old textile mill converted into an event space. What makes it unique are its 20,000 sq ft of stylish industrial space with large windows and lofty ceilings. Allison and Doug had their ceremony, and then the space was converted into the reception area while the guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres catered by Pêche’s own Peachtree and Ward. Pêche is a chic and creative space if you are in search of an imaginative wedding.

Franklin Institute

Cassie and Jason’s Wedding at the Franklin Institute, Photo courtesy of Marc Anthony Photography

Who would have thought that you could have your wedding in a museum!? Franklin Institute is a very unique wedding space in Philadelphia, and cHill Weddings has also had the opportunity to have weddings here. There is such an array of rooms to have your wedding in, that it will be hard to choose. A fun and romantic option is to have your ceremony under the “stars” in the Fels planetarium. Let love pump through your special day by having your cocktail reception by the Giant Heart Exhibit or awe your guests by serving them drinks by a jet in the Franklin Air Show Exhibit. Then have a sit down dinner under a 20 foot statue of Ben Franklin in the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial. And that’s just naming a few of the distinctive possibilities at the Institute!

Photos courtesy of Marc Anthony Photography and Christopher Rocco Photography

Shambles

Photo Courtesy of 217 Photography

Shambles Headhouse is yet another hidden gem in the City of Brotherly Love. If you want to infuse some history into your day, this is a great option for you. Shambles, located near South St., was built in the 1800s and was used as an outdoor marketplace for merchants to sell their goods. As one of our cHill couples, Rita and Chris, agree this piece of history is a beautiful and interesting place to have your ceremony. While you may have to rent some chairs for your guests, the end result is worth it. There is something romantic about this historical structure in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city.

Artesano Gallery

Photo Courtesy of Shane Carpenter Weddings

Are you a creative and artsy couple? If so the Artesano Gallery is the one of a kind place for you. The Artesano Gallery is located in Manayunk, and serves as both an art gallery and event setting. It has both indoor and outdoor space with unique iron work that will make for a memorable day. This beautifully restored warehouse even has on and off site full service catering. They also provide the use of unique furniture and accessories made of iron and granite. While we have not had the opportunity to have an event here, we hope to have a wedding at this trendy gallery soon!

Morris Arboretum

Photography courtesy of Isabel March

Morris Arboretum is another amazing wedding space and I have recently had the pleasure to visit here. As I strolled through the various gardens and fragrant paths, my mind was racing with ideas for a wedding here. If you love the outdoors and are in search of a standout location, this one is for you. Located in Philadelphia near Chestnut Hill, Morris Arboretum has gorgeous sprawling grounds for your nuptials. Generally the reception is held at the Widener Visitors Center, which was once a carriage house. As for your ceremony, there are a variety of options. Whether it be the giant tree house, the rose garden, or even Oak Allee you can’t go wrong with these incredible grounds. We look forward to celebrating Liz and Chris’ wedding here in November!

Photos Courtesy of Isabel March

It is unfortunate that I can’t carry on and on about the wonderfully unique venues right here in Philadelphia. Our city itself is unlike any other (do tasty cakes, and rowdy sports fans mean anything to you?) and there too are many exceptional sites for your day of matrimony. There are countless special locations, including these and many more right under our noses. If you want a place that rivals no other, keep digging and you’ll find a place that is all your own!

Thanks to all our amazing photographers, vendors, and venues!

Amore Bello!

Maria

Hello readers and clients,

No actual question this week, but I wanted to answer a question I often get from clients:

“Why are photographers so expensive?”

Before we get started with planning, I always sit the couple down and discuss their budget.  We go over general costs of food/beverage and venue.  These numbers are steep too, yes, but you can’t have a wedding without a location and food/drinks, right? Many clients first get sticker shock, understandably of course.  I may be jaded because I’m surrounded by weddings, rental rates, price sheets, and proposals, however, I also get to taste the final product, see the quality images, film, and so forth.  On the flip side, I also witness poor quality, and often times, you get what you paid for.

This is pretty standard across the board in the industry, but today, I’d like to focus on photography.

Food is eaten, music is danced to, and your dress is worn… but all you have at the end of the day to remember your wedding is your wedding images and film.  So it’s important to invest time and money on a high quality photographer.

Whether it’s $2,000 or $10,000*, it’s still a lot of money to pay someone for one day.  I get your point of view, I really do!  But the misconception here is that the services provided by the photographer is only for ONE day, when in fact, it’s for many days spread over a long period of time.

I asked my good friend, Gary Nevitt Jr. of Gary Nevitt Photography, to shed some light on his hours per wedding, and what he disclosed below may surprise you (unless you’re a fellow photographer):

Meeting and initial contacting = 1.5-2 hrs
Contracts and Misc communications about the day = 1-2 hrs.
E-Session Including travel and session =3 hrs
Processing and posting E-session = 2 hrs
Wedding day prep (charging, cleaning and organizing for the day) = 2 hrs
Wedding day Including travel time = 12-14 hrs
Uploading and Backup = 2 hrs
Editing – Culling and Color correcting = 4 -5 hrs
Blog postings, On Line Galleries, Facebook postings = 1 hr
Album design = 2-3 hrs
Final Retouching for album and prints = 2 hrs
Wrapping up final product and shipping = 1 hr

(plus additional time for business related items, such as album costs, assistants, advertising, insurance, gear, website, travel, gas, parking, taxes, health insurance, retirement expenses, etc.)

Total time involved in typical Wedding = 32-36 hrs +

A typical wedding ceremony and reception is about 5-6 hours, but photographers are usually there in the morning until the very end of the reception, and most of them go home and transfer images to their hard drive the moment they get home, and this can take hours!

So when you think a photographer is getting paid to work for just one day, think again! 

Your photographer is also on his/her feet all day.  So remember to request a vendor meal.  A nice tip or a gift, or a glowing online review is also always appreciated for his/her hard work.

Very special thanks to Gary for taking time to help me out, and also for providing some beautiful wedding eye-candy! (PS: I just happened to choose all kissy couples!  We love happy couples here at cHill Weddings!)

*note: I would like to add that you can also pay a lot of money for shoddy work.  I have seen images from a beautiful wedding that were awful!  And it really saddens me when a couple spends time and money planning an amazing wedding, and their forever memories are less than perfect.  So, yes, you can pay less for quality images and you can pay a lot for bad images… so when interviewing photographers, always ask to see a full album or two of past weddings.  Don’t just rely on a few images you see on a blog!

It was a shortly after noon when I arrived at the Arts Ballroom. The weather was surprisingly warm for the first week of October and the sun had just started to peak through the clouds. As I walked into the empty ballroom I was reminded once again just how beautiful the venue is.  The crystal chandeliers sparkled above me as I made my way up the grand staircase to the second floor, where I found Tanti and her Papertini floral team already hard at work on Rita’s center pieces.  Only a few tables were set by the time Christina and I had to depart for the ceremony, but we knew that upon our return the ballroom would be transformed into a dramatic wonderland.

The extraordinary Pete Malone from 217 Photography was there to capture all the amazing moments throughout the day and he was nice enough to share some of his beautiful photographs.

The day started off with everyone getting ready at the Sheraton Society Hill. The bridal party had a blast getting their hair and makeup done, and Rita’s up-do looked perfect thanks to Natalie from Hair by Natalie. (This iwas one of Natalie’s last weddings as a stylist. We will miss you so much!)

Rita’s romantic bouquet was covered with jewels and handwrapped in a deep brown satin ribbon. She wanted tons of sparkle at her wedding and her bouquet was no exception! Tiny crystals sat in the center of each rose, giving it that extra wow factor.

How amazing are Rita’s shoes! She went for sky high pumps and rocked them all night long.

Their “first look” moment was on a quaint cobblestone alleyway. Pete perfectly captured Chris’s anticipation and excited reaction to his soon to be bride.

Pete took the whole crew throughout society hill for some group pictures. The historic brick houses and streets made for great backdrops.

The intimate ceremony was held at The Headhouse Shambles. Floating candles lined the aisle and the couple said their vows under a archway hanging with orchids and crystals.

Once the ceremony was over, guests boarded a charter bus and made the short ride to The Arts Ballroom for the reception.

Guests were speechless as they stepped into the fairytale ballroom. The gold color of the chiavari chairs accented the orange pin-tucked table linens beautifully.

The center pieces were birch branches dripping in gems and orchids which were placed in tall cylinder vases.

Since the couple’s favorite restaurant is Stephen Starr’s Buddakan, it was only natural that they choose Starr Events to cater their wedding. The food was fabulous and the guests had tons of options for the buffet style dinner (including calamari salad my absolute favorite!) Rita found these adorable Buddha place card holders that guests could take home as favors.

After guests had their fill from dinner it was time to party! The couple’s friends were huge dancers and DJ Matt Blank from Synergetic Sounds kept the dance floor packed all night.

Rita was having so much fun that at one point she took Matt’s headphones and played DJ!

The moment we met Rita and Chris we knew that their wedding was going to be a blast. Rita’s bubbly personality along with Chris’s down to earth attitude is what makes them a perfect match. We couldn’t of  been happier to have help them plan their special day.

A big thanks to all the vendors who made the day possible!

Cheers!

Sarah

*Christina’s note: I wanted to chime in here and add my two cents about Rita and Chris’ wedding.  From the first instance I met Rita at the little coffee shop near my office, I knew we were going to be a great match.  Other wedding professionals asked if Rita was my friend, not client, because we had so much fun together!  It was great getting to know Rita and Chris, and also some family and friends that were there along the planning process.  This will be a wedding we will always remember, not just because of the fun and crazy guests or the amazing decor, but because of the beautiful couple we were all there to honor.  Thank you Rita and Chris for being amazing clients and for being a great friend! *

A few months ago, I volunteered to be a model for a photography workshop which was being held at Cindy Guessford’s studio in NJ.

When I got to the studio, I was surprised by Cindy with a mini portrait session, in addition to hair and makeup!

Here’s Andre (of Andre Richard Salon in Philadelphia) fixing my hair.  It was SO awesome to have someone making sure I looked good during the entire shoot). 

I will share with you all later the images from the workshop, but first I wanted to show you some images from Cindy from our mini beloved session:

What is a beloved session?  A quick description (in my words):  it’s a portrait session where the images are taken while the photo subject is in mid action or thought which are triggered by statements and questions by the photographer.  Because of this, the images are pictures of me not being posed so much, but of what I’m thinking or doing. 

I think here I was being a ham and dancing or something silly.  This is how I am usually when I am not working.

I don’t want to give too much away, so the best way to find out more about Beloved is to get a session done yourself!  Everyone I know who shoot beloved sessions or have been a part of a session love it and describe it as an amazing experience.

Here’s a sneak peek of the other photo shoot/workshop I was a part of!

All images courtesy of the super mega star crazy talented Cindy Guessford.  Special thanks to Cindy for surprising me with this session.  It made me feel so beautiful and carefree which is just what I needed after my health scare and a stressful Spring/Summer season.

See more of her Beloved sessions here: http://www.thebelovedexperience.com/

And here is one with my good friend Tanti and her husband. It’s perfection! http://www.thebelovedexperience.com/?p=224

All images courtesy of Doug and Company from Candid Moments.

I feel like I became close friends with Kristen and Jon while planning this wedding.  cHill Weddings does pride itself on giving a personal touch to planning, but we had the best time planning their beautiful Lake House Inn wedding.

Just 1 week after our first meeting, my phone rang, and I picked up, ” Hi Kristen!” and it was all over.  We hit it off, and planning began with great fury, and we had fun in the process.

One of the many great traits of this couple is their gratuitude.  They loved picking their vendors from referrals, and as a result, they really trusted in all of us, and I must say, all the event professionals involved really worked well as a team.

Well, here’s my recap on their glorious wedding day…

As the weeks got closer to the wedding day, the weather forecast was not very promising.  Being late May, we were getting hit by storm after storm, with threats of thunderstorms and even tornadoes.  We were starting to get nervous, as their beautiful ceremony was slated to be outdoors overlooking the lake, but I held out hope.  Rain RARELY comes on any of the cHill Weddings, and gosh darnit, it was not going to rain on Kristen and Jon’s wedding day.

And it didn’t.  Instead, we had a very hot and humid day, typical of a Philadelphian summer, but I was happy, because I knew rain would have been worse.

I came that morning to check in on my bride, and she was getting her hair done by the very talented Dar Clinton, and makeup done by Cheekadee.  We were ahead of schedule!

The boys were also getting ready at the Lake House Inn, and the photographer, Candid Moments, had some fun taking photos of the guys who were all looking so dapper.

About a year ago, I posted the pros and cons of seeing each other before the ceremony.  Kristen and Jon actually read it, and took my advice, and decided to do a “first look” photo session.

I love this picture because it was the moment Kristen had been envisioning for a long time.  The pure joy is so evident here.  What you don’t see is Jon’s smile too, and the anticipation as he waited for his bride to walk through the double doors.  You also don’t see me here, but I’m behind those doors playing bouncer (keeping friends, family, and guests from interrupting their very special moment).

Doing a first look session is so nice because you have time to take some amazing photos together (and also while you have great light).  Wedding party and family photos are not involved, so you really have the time to soak in realization together that you’re getting married soon!  The more relaxed you are, the better your images will be, so if you’re the nervous type, I recommend you think about doing a first look session with your photographer before the ceremony.

A few hours later, Kristen made her way down the aisle, which was no easy task.  She entered from the top of the stairs of the inn, then walked down two flights of stairs in heels, then down a path, then down a few more steps…. THEN down the aisle.

She was amazing; smiling (no, beaming) the whole time.

I love these trees that Margaux created for their wedding.  It framed the entrance of the aisle so perfectly, and really made their ceremony unique style-wise.  Kristen liked to call these “her trees!”

Seriously, look at this view.  It was breath taking.  And note, no rain.

A memorial table was set at the front of the ceremony, were Jon’s late mother was honored throughout the wedding.

This arbor Margaux designed was also stunning, and she is miracle worker.  The arbor barely fit, and by barely, I mean, it didn’t.  Unless she drilled into the cement, there wasn’t going to be a way to make the arbor fit… but somehow she did, and she shrugged it off like, “Easy Peasy, no big deal.” That’s why I love the people I work with!

Kristen was Miss Creative DIY throughout the planning process.  She made wedding programs as fans, which the guests really appreciated.  While it may not have rained, it was hot, and the fans kept everyone comfortable during the ceremony.

I absolutely LOVE the first picture of the new Mr. and Mrs.  When I remember Kristen and Jon, this is how I remember them always because this is how they are!  Kristen is a kindergarten teacher who is exuberant and joyful in her daily life. Jon is a business owner, calm and collected, but always with a smile on his face.  I thought they complemented each other very well.  I also admired how he was constantly looking out of her and making sure she was happy.  It was a sign of a very good husband.

Lake House Inn has a unique reception space.  It looks like a tent, but in fact is a permanent structure.  The ceilings are lined (gorgeous), and lighting is included.

The back wall is a wall fountain, and the floors were decorated with floral designs.

Each table number represented their age, so the table number holders had pictures of Kristen and Jon at that age.  It was great to walk around and look at their pictures and see how they grew up.

The placecards were made of speciality paper that could be planted along with the seeds. In the middle of each pink flower, we had placed a colored rhinestone to indicate their meal option.

Margaux got these amazingly fluffy dark pink peonies, one of my favorite flowers.  Her bouquet was stunning, and very flagrant.  Kristen also put together a s’mores treat box, that included skewers, chocolate, and marshmallows.  These were for the guests who were staying at the inn for the post wedding fire pit celebration.  In the white silk satchels were favor notes and also a stone.  Playing off Kristen’s maiden name, the guests placed a stone in a large glass vase, and left a note in a book, which was their guest book.

One of my most favorite things to do during planning is attending a cake tasting.  Van Earls Cakes not only have the most amazing cakes, their tastings are also to die for.  We left with an extreme sugar high, but with content bellies and too many flavors too choose from!  So Kristen and Jon made each tier a different flavor.  Guests loved having a cake flavor option.  They also had butlered sorbets on mini sugar cones for dessert.  It was so delicious.  I only had about twenty (I kid!).

The seating chart was designed by my very talented friend and graphic designer, June.  She makes all the seating charts for my clients and does an amazing job in typing in all the decor elements of the wedding.

Kristen surprised her groom with his very own grooms cake, made with this favorite flavors from the cake tasting.

For centerpieces, we had varying designs, from the cylinder clusters with submerged flowers to the low arrangement with flowers cascading onto the tables.  Kristen also created her own menus, so guests knew what exactly was going to be served for dinner.

A great wedding is never complete without the bride rapping at the end of the night, with DJ Tom Carroll accompanying.  It was fantastic and got the crowd roaring!

And here we are, after many many months of planning together… happy and tired… yet so excited that this was only the beginning for Kristen and Jon.

I can’t wait to see where their love take these two crazy birds.  I know soon they’ll be headed to Bora Bora, but afterwards… who knows!  But thank goodness we’re friends on facebook, because I know whatever they do, they’ll do it with passion and gusto and have a fabulous time!

Cheers to Mr. and Mrs. Letko!  And thank you for inviting me to be a huge part of your planning and your wedding.  It was such a joy to work with you, and a blessing.

Also special thanks to the professionals listed below for all their hard work and for doing what they do so well!

Wedding planner: cHill Weddings with assist from Tasha

Photography: Candid Moments

Flowers: Fleur de Lis

Venue: Lake House Inn

Officiant: Rev. Kent Foster

Catering: Jeffrey Miller Catering

Music: Magical Sight and Sound

Cakes: Van Earls Cakes

Calligraphy: Jasmine Lee  jasminewlee@gmail.com

Seating chart: June Park Designs

Makeup: Cheekadee

Hair: Dar Clinton

Here is what Sarah had to say:

After being involved in my mother’s second wedding I became entranced with the intricate details and planning that go into putting together such a special day. I love being able to see how a wedding comes together from the first consultation to each couples unique and moving wedding day. The wedding industry excites me because it is always evolving. I love to see the new trends and techniques of the business and am constantly learning ways in which to improve our planning process.

This past May I received my undergraduate degree in liberal arts from Susquehanna University. Knowing that I wanted to continue to pursue a career in the wedding industry I moved back to center city Philadelphia after graduation. Having previously interned for Christina, I knew that cHill Weddings was the place for me! The small and intimate feel of our company is something that I really value. There is truly a family like feel to our team where everyone works together to get the job done. Christina’s relaxed but detail orientated demeanor always makes her clients happy from beginning to end. I am excited to be back as part of the team and look forward to working with our amazing couples!

*Thanks again to Kamila Harris for the awesome photographs!*

 As Pastor Donte Jones read from his ipad to this cheerful couple they couldn’t help but smile and giggle. Like many people at the event they were dressed in bright rainbow colors.
 

Couples held hands as well as each other’s bouquets as they were read their commitment vows. Samantha Krotzer from Market Blooms generiously donated the flowers. The natural wild feel of the bouquets was perfect for the hot summer day.
 
The commitment ceremony certificate that all the couples signed and took home to remember the special day.

 
Even these young teenage girls signed up for the ceremony! It was great to see how all generations came out to celebrate their love for one another.
 
A happy couple after their commitment ceremony.

*all images courtesy of the amazing Jen Cleary Photography*

Please enjoy all the pretty pictures and couples found on this site! 

If you would like to inquire about your wedding, please use our contact form and I will get back to you very shortly. 

Special thanks for Brooke and Chris at Curious and Company  for creating our new home!