Each of my clients has a story. Sometimes I am lucky enough to be an unexpected confidant and this trust makes for effortlessly rich wedding imagery. Sometimes I am left to intuit the backstory; my role is documentarian only and I am left to my own devices to tell my clients’ story accurately in a way that nods to their larger narrative. Often, my relationship with my clients falls somewhere in the middle. We share bits of history from our own personal stories, just enough to connect, leave an impression and enrich each others lives.

Corinne and Bill discovered my work through the referral of another photographer that I respect very much; in Corinne’s words, “I’m not sure that I would have stumbled onto your website through the abyss of the internet. Serendipitous for sure!” It turns out that we are both veterans of the Philly bar/restaurant scene. At the time, Corinne and Bill were the proud owners of MilkBoy. MilkBoy Philly is a restaurant, bar, cafe and live-music venue all in one, located in Center City Philadelphia. The predecessor and flagship MilkBoy the Studio was originally founded nearly 20 years ago and is now internationally recognized as a premier recording studio for musical artists ranging from James Taylor to Erykah Badu, Miley Cyrus and The Roots. Around the time that MBS was founded, I was working in the vibrant Northern Liberties scene slinging warm drinks, stale beer and falling for my own husband amidst the neon glow.

Back to Corinne and Bill! A huge theme for their wedding was music. For their venue, they chose the iconic Academy of Music which is situated prominently on South Broad Street’s Avenue of the Arts. The Academy of Music is Philadelphia’s cornerstone of the arts. As the oldest opera house in the United States still hosting performances, the Academy of Music stands as a testament to the city’s vibrant arts community. I’ve always loved this building. As an undergrad, the Academy was a prominent feature of our urban campus and we enjoyed discounted seating for the Symphony prior to it’s move to the Kimmel Center. As Corrine has expressed, the Academy itself is very mid-1800s French; it's opulent and elegant. The music theme would be extended through every aspect of the wedding celebration from the venue choice to special touches such as vintage sheet music for escort cards and table numbers. Corinne and Bill also invited a variety of musicians to perform throughout the evening (each artist had previously played at MilkBoy). The entire event was flawless as produced by Seeds of Celebration and Garces Events.

I loved every aspect of Corinne and Bill’s wedding day. Memorable moments include their intimate first look in their hotel room, exploring the streets of Philadelphia in the early springtime, the conversation (our mutual appreciation of architecture and music and our love of Philly), the incredible musicians and DJ that enhanced the party and taking a few moments at the end of the night to literally marvel in the theater alone with the couple. I am so excited to open a small window into this experience and share some of these beautiful moments with you.

Enjoy!

VENUE:  The Academy of Music @academymusicphl | CATERING: Garces Events @garcesevents | PHOTOGRAPHY: Christina Campbell of Nina Lily Photography @ninalilyphoto | WEDDING PLANNER: | @seeds_of_celebration | FLORIST: An Enchanted Florist @an_enchantedflorist | HMUA: Aleksandra Ambrozy @aleksandraambrozy | BRIDAL GOWN: Lazaro @lazarobridal La Bella Moda @la.bella.moda | GROOM ATTIRE: Nordstrom @nordstrom 

Photography | Nina Lily Photography

Bridesmaid Fashion | Lazaro for La Bella Moda

HMUA | Aleksanda Ambrozy

Florals | An Enchanted Florist

Location | The Academy of Music

Catering | Garces Events

Groom’s Fashion | Nordstrom