Last month I had the absolute pleasure and honor of photographing Melissa & Phil’s intimate wedding held at a friend’s house near Doylestown, PA. I was one of only 11 guests there to witness their union.
Melissa was a joy from day one. She is cheerful and spunky and we realized we had a commonality – cheese and Narberth. We both love cheese and she actually worked at the cute little cheese shop in downtown Narberth, just a few blocks away from where I live. She was all smiles and looked glorious on her wedding day.
Melissa and Phil opted to see each other and spend time with their guests before the ceremony. This couple wasn’t going for the traditional approach to this day. It was fantastic because it was all about how Melissa and Phil felt about each other and how they wanted the day to go. To that end, the first at the ceremony site was Melissa being escorted by her two sons. The guests came down in twos with the last arrival being Phil, escorted by his youngest daughter.
The ceremony was short but heartfelt and included a traditional Irish blessing, “The Wedding Prayer” by Robert Lewis Stevenson read by Phil’s daughters, and a lovely ring ceremony.
The ladies in attendance took an impromptu dip in the pool immediately following the ceremony. The group of them cooling off their toes with that stunning backdrop was too good to pass up!
We had a short session of formals so that we could grab pictures of Melissa’s and Phil’s children that were able to attend.
(Didn’t I tell you Melissa was fantastic?!)
The food was beautiful! The wedding was masterfully catered by Earl’s in Peddler’s Village in neighboring Lahaska, PA. The presentation was perfection.
I also must make note of the simple yet rich setup of the “reception”. Rusty Thomas of Rusty Thomas Designs created the blue and white presentation. It was a one part East Hamptons, one part Country Living, and all around impressive. The long table had a white and cobalt blue thickly striped tablecloth running its length with hurricane candle holders, crisp white linen napkins, clouds of pastel blue and lavender hydrangeas, white chiavari chairs, and cobalt blue tealight holders and wine glasses. Everything fit perfectly.
The night was perfect. The day was perfect. We got the puffy clouds we wanted in the daytime with cheerfully sunny weather and a nice, mild evening. You couldn’t have asked for better weather.
The night closed off with dancing, Melissa’s smile captivating all of us, especially Phil.
Thank you both for such a great time and really fantastic wedding. And thank you for allowing me to share your loving vows.
Phil: Melissa, today I take you for my wife. I promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress, encourage you to achieve all of your goals, laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind, and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.
I, Phil, take you Melissa, to be my wife, to share the good times and hard times side by side. I humbly give you my hand and my heart as I pledge my faith and love to you. Just as this ring I give you today is a circle without end, my love for you is eternal. Just as it is made of incorruptible substance, my commitment to you will never fail. With this ring, I thee wed.
Melissa: I, Melissa, pledge my undying love to you, Phil, as I invite you to share my life. I promise to be kind, unselfish, respectful, and trustworthy so that together, our dreams of a beautiful future can come true. To this end I call upon all present to witness that I take you Phil to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as we both shall live.
I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, my faith in our strength together, and my covenant to learn and grow with you. With this ring, I thee wed, and with it, I bestow upon thee all the treasures of my mind, heart, and hands.
