February 12, 2011

Trish + Tom: New Year’s Eve Wedding at the Radisson Plaza Warwick Hotel

Wedding

If you are going to have a New Year’s Eve wedding, you have to rock it. You can’t go half way. Guests come to celebrate and party. Trish and Tom had a New Year’s Eve wedding and there was no doubt about it – it rocked! And I have the photographs to prove it. (If you remember, this was the adorable couple who had an equally adorable engagement session with their dog, Seydou, around the Art Museum last year.)

The entire event took place at the lovely Radisson Plaza Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia.

Trish wore a classic strapless number with tiny buttons running down the back and a single white orchid in her curly hair. She looked incredible.

She and Tom shared a first look at the spiral staircase by the lobby. I love that the place was decked out in holiday poinsettias.

The guys took some pictures out by Rittenhouse Square but we stayed in to make use of the lobby there. The girls wore black cocktail length dresses and carried white and pale pink bouquets from Leigh Florist. The colors and evening lights were so classy.

I was able to grab Trish and Tom away for a few minutes for pictures alone before the ceremony began. The windows in the ballroom were one of the main reasons Trish and Tom chose the Radisson Warwick. They make such a statement and that night they were accented with simple pillar candles.

A friend led the ceremony which involved readings, vows, rings, and having their 200 guests serve as the witnesses and sign a marriage certificate, a tradition borrowed from the Quaker religion. There was also a time when the microphone was passed around to guests who wanted to pass on some words of wisdom to the couple.

Cocktail hour gave guests the opportunity to munch on a huge sushi presentation as well as several butlered hors d’oeuvres.

The ballroom was quickly transformed for the reception. The place was lit by candles along the mantel, the Christmas tree in the corner and beautiful chandeliers overhead. I loved the simple snow white and green centerpieces of roses, tulips, and hydrangea.

Trish and Tom were announced into their first dance of “Forever” by Ben Harper.

We all got well acquainted with the two through the toasts. Trish’s brother, Chris (or Chis, as some might call him) regaled us with stories of growing up with the girls. And Frank, Tom’s best man and Tom’s brother told us all about Tom’s many, many names from The Beav to Tommy America.

I can’t deny that I have a huge soft spot for father-daughter pictures. Trish and her father took a dance lesson to perfect their moves for Frank Sinatra’s “I Get a Kick Out of You”.