Looking for modern wedding inspiration, well look no further, because Liz and Ken’s wedding is just that! Old Saint Joseph’s Church and Union Trust are brimming with history and architectural beauty, and both are great venue choices for an Old City fete. We love all the pretty details, from the bride’s gorgeous style down to the stunning reception decor. & we absolutely adore the city skyline escort cards and every detail that made this wedding classic Philadelphia! Anastasia Romanova Photography captured this couple’s love on their special day and the storytelling visuals below show it all!
From the Photographer: “Union Trust weddings are always a treat to photograph, I’ve probably mentioned it million of times that it is one of my favorite wedding venues in Philadelphia. But it gets extra special when you have a dream couple to work with. Liz and Ken were exactly that couple. We had a blast documenting their engagement session in the Old City Philadelphia and we just couldn’t wait for their wedding day to come!
The day unfolded in the most perfect way. From the morning preparations at the Franklin Hotel, breathtaking wedding ceremony at the Old Saint Joseph’s Church to the unforgettable night of celebration at the Union Trust, this day was filled with the most precious memories and emotions. Liz and Ken couldn’t look happier and it was such a joy to see all the families and friends coming together to celebrate their love.”
How They Met
“We met during the summer of 2010 at the firm where Ken works. I was interning there the summer before my senior year of college and Ken was assigned the fun job of looking after me and the other summer intern. Seeing that he was older than me, I assumed he had no interest…but after the summer ended, we started emailing back and forth and talking regularly. When I came home for fall break, we went out on our first date and have been together ever since!”
The Proposal
“Ken proposed one Saturday morning while we were getting ready to go into the city for brunch. He got down on one knee and proposed as I was getting my things together and completely caught me by surprise! Neither one of us likes being the center of attention so the proposal being just us and more private was perfect. Afterwards, we went to one of our favorite restaurants (Parc) for brunch and champagne!”
Wedding Planning
“We got engaged in February and knew we wanted a fall wedding, but planning for the same year would have been too hectic as we both work a lot and I’m in grad school part-time. We decided to wait until the following fall, which gave us plenty of time to plan at a pace that suited us. Although it was hard to wait 1.5ish years, it allowed us to enjoy the process and be thoughtful about everything instead of rushing. There are a ton of decisions to make but I can honestly say we enjoyed planning about 90% of it relatively stress-free!”
About The Venue Union Trust
“Union Trust was the first venue we looked at and we instantly loved it. It was also next to the restaurant where we went on our first date (Chifa – sadly no longer there) so it felt symbolic. We knew we wanted a city wedding, and loved Old City since it’s where we met and spent our first few years together. Union Trust is absolutely gorgeous, very well run, and in a great part of Philadelphia. It has a very classic, 1920s era style since it used to be a bank, which we loved.”
Wedding Inspiration
“We loved the idea of a classic Philadelphia wedding, where it was easy for our guests to get around and enjoy the historical parts of the city. We chose Old Saint Joseph’s as our church- the oldest Catholic church in the city- which was walking distance from our hotel and Union Trust. The combination of the city’s history, nice fall weather, and a classic, vintage vibe at Union Trust was perfect.”
Best Wedding Memory
“Our favorite moment was dancing to one of our favorite songs, Die a Happy Man by Thomas Rhett. We both looked around and realized how amazing it was to have all of our friends and family with us in one place. It’s hard to listen to the song now without crying!”
Wedding Planning Advice
“The best advice I would give is to figure out what your priorities are and frame your wedding around them. Weddings are expensive and it is easy to spend a lot of money on everything. For us, having great food and a great time at the wedding was the most important. Because of that, we chose Union Trust because their food was excellent and the space gave us plenty of room for our guests to mingle…and most importantly, dance! Other things, like invitations, flowers, etc. were a second priority so we could spend money in the areas that mattered the most to us.”
Wedding Vendors
“We had a great experience with all of our vendors. Most of our vendors were local and we spent a lot of time reading reviews and selecting ones that were easy to work with and made us feel at ease. The staff at Union Trust are true professionals and were helpful from the first day we toured the venue. Our photographer, Anastasia Romanova, was also excellent- beautiful photos, friendly, and made us feel comfortable throughout the entire day.”
Vendors | Ceremony Venue: Old Saint Joseph’s Church | Reception Venue: Union Trust | Photographer: Anastasia Romanova Photography | Floral/Decor: Marcus Hook Florist | Stationery: Designed with Shine | Dress Shop/Dress Designer: Jenny Packham collection at David’s Bridal | Bridal Accessories: Wedding bands, Bucci’s Jewelry and Design and Veil & Hair brooch, Jenny Packham collection at David’s Bridal | Caterer: Finley Catering | Cake/Bakery: Termini Brothers | DJ/Band: Silver Sound | Videographer: Clear Vision Videography
