Emily & Bill- The Racquet Club of Philadelphia wedding

Emily and Bill’s The Racquet Club of Philadelphia wedding was seriously so much fun! I have known Emily since before I moved to Pennsylvania. She went to high school with my husband. They have many mutual friends so we have been to weddings together as guests. Bill and I actually met and sat together at Emily’s maid of honor’s wedding since Emily and my husband were both in the bridal party. It has been great to get to know Emily and Bill better through the wedding planning process. The day started with getting ready in separate rooms of the club. The Racquet Club of Philadelphia is a little bit like a maze. Getting from room to room required an escort by someone who had been there long enough to know where they were going. Every aspect of the details had a significant meaning. The rings had a significant engraving, the bouquet was wrapped with Emily’s grandmother’s handkerchief, her diamond was passed from her grandmother as well. Bill even had earrings made for Emily with the rest of her grandmother’s diamonds. I always love knowing and photographing these little things. All the girls looked incredible. Hair was done by Angela Spano and makeup was done by Jackie Ludovich.

After the getting ready and details, I went to get Bill for the first look. I was then informed that it was pouring. Not just raining, but pouring. We scrambled to find a location inside that had some good light. Thankfully, my assistant Katie and I were able to find a good spot. We had originally planned to do some portraits in Rittenhouse Square. What originally seemed like a letdown I think turned into a great opportunity. The rain forced us to change our plan and get a little more creative inside the space. Every nook and cranny of the Philadelphia Racquet Club offered something unique and different. It was really fun to explore the space and the portraits turned out amazing! The bridal party joined us for some fun photos in the courts. Then it was to the ceremony site for formal portraits before the ceremony.

The ceremony took place in the lobby of the Club. The officiant Beth Publinsky kept things upbeat and entertaining. Emily and Bill’s vows had the place in tears. After the ceremony, we snuck over to Rittenhouse Square since the rain had cleared. We stopped for a quick photo in front of Parc. This is the restaurant where Emily and Bill had their first date. I love that we got to do this. Emily and Bill joined cocktail hour and I went to shoot the reception space. The reception space at the Club is a large ballroom. It is ornately decorated with giant paintings on the wall and a large fireplace. The tables were decorated with vintage china and table numbers with different years, along with photos from each year. These ranged from significant anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, etc. Flowers were done by Wegmans. I never knew that Wegman’s did such incredible floral arrangements.

The night carried on with teary toasts, lots of laughter, and even an interpretive dance. Donuts were served along with cake for dessert. All of the delicious food was provided by Jeffery A. Miller Catering. Everyone, including Grandma, danced the night away with music by the fantastic Bachelor Boys Band. I loved being able to capture such a special day for such amazing people. Emily and Bill truly compliment each other in every way. I can’t thank them enough for allowing me to be a part of so many wonderful moments. I wish them all the best.

Phil