Maria & Casey's wedding at the Union League in Philadelphia was an absolute blast to photograph. We photographed several weddings weeks before  Casey and Maria's that were filled with quite a bit of drama. There were power  failures, storms, entire bands not showing up and most of this happening without wedding planners. When that happens, Tony and I willingly jump right  into planner/photographer mode. A Happy Bride is a Pretty Bride! So  for Maria & Casey's wedding, the wonderful Mark Kindsdorf of Queen of Hearts was at the helm! With Mark planning the wedding, I knew I could  focus on taking gorgeous photographs!

The day went off with only a  single hitch! Another bride at the  hotel was holding Casey's mother's gown hostage. With a bit of harassing and details I won't get into, the dress was recovered. Maria  wore a stunning Valentino gown; the lace was a piece of art. Casey looked quite handsome in his Ralph Lauren tuxedo. Casey inherited a passion for bowties from his grandfather.

We ran around the city to their favorite locations. We started at Capogiro's, an Italian gelato shop, which also made an appearance later that night as a surprise to their guests during the reception. We then went to Boyds, sounds random I know, but this is Casey's favorite  store. We received special permission to photograph in the store, including the store front windows. The church where Casey and Maria took their vows held a special meaning for Casey's parents. They first met on the lawn right outside the Villanova cathedral. I just love how everything comes full circle and it is such a treat to hear about past moments and share in the making of new ones!

When I entered the reception room at the Union League, I  was overwhelmed by the sheer number of flowers that filled the room.  Maria's aunt & uncle are flower importers and were more than willing  to create marvelous centerpieces for the special occasion. They chose 1500 Mokaro Orchids direct from Thailand.

Maria and Casey were pulled together by fate and music. It was only fitting that the two love birds performed "Deed I do" for their  wedding guests during cocktail hour. Maria sang and Casey played the saxophone. Because music played such a large part in Maria and Case's life, it was no surprise that the band was going to be over the top. The band Soul All-Stars had the guests partying late into the evening and ended on an amazing high note. 

With Maria's mother being a pastry chef, they knew it would be hard to find someone that would not only create a masterpiece cake, but would also blow everyone away, especially Maria's mom! They selected, Cakes by Suzy, based on Mark's recommendation. They had the idea of creating a cake that looked like a huge marshmallow and tasted like a s'more. The smell alone built up the anticipation for the cake cutting.

Another special touch they had was having an Annie Leibovitz coffee table book for the guests to sign throughout the night. I was honored weeks after the wedding when Maria and Casey took Tony and I to dinner and surprised me with the same Anne Leibovitz book with a special note inside the cover.