written by Dolly Marshall
When Alyssa and Ricardo married last April, they knew that they wanted their wedding to be a super intimate gathering that focused on three important things: family, friends and L-O-V-E!
How They Met
“Ricardo and I met at graduate school at University of Pennsylvania in 2012. We both studied social work and were close friends for years before dating!”
The Proposal
“Ricardo proposed at the finish line of the Philadelphia Half Marathon. I was shocked when Ricardo met me at the end with my medal and an engagement ring attached!!”
Wedding Planning
“We honestly focused on having fun during the wedding planning. We both agreed we wanted a small intimate celebration with the focus on all of the important people in our lives. We also prioritized keeping things local and forming relationships with everyone making our day special!”
New Liberty Distillery
“We chose New Liberty Distillery, located just a mile from our home, due to the beautifully historic and intimate environment. We loved that it could offer an outdoor space for the ceremony and created a comfortable space for all of our guests. Immediately upon our first visit, we knew this special place matched our vibe!”
Wedding Inspiration
“Ricardo and I wanted our wedding to focus on celebrating our relationship and having fun with our family and friends. We created ways to incorporate our loved ones into the entire day to make it an extremely personal event. For example, my uncle officiated the ceremony, my sister painted our wedding certificate for family and friends’ signatures, and my aunt made our wedding cake. My stepmom and sisters created our floral arrangements for the tables, my dad built our wedding arch, and our fathers signed our Quaker Marriage License. It all made the day that much more special.”
Best Moment
“Ricardo and I agree, one of the best moments of our day was when our family and friends cheered “we now pronounce you husband and wife!” We both looked at each other totally beaming, and honestly wanted to do it all again because it was so fun!!”
Wedding Planning Advice
“Focus on the main priority, which is your love and the love of the people around you, and don’t lose sight of that!”
Vendors
“We absolutely ADORED all of our vendors. We obviously had amazing photographers in Bokeh Lane Photography, but also had an amazing caterer in Sarah Levine from Luna Cafe, an amazing musician named Ryan Cook, and beautiful wedding arch floral arrangement and bouquets from Jess Mercurio of Riverwards. We loved keeping our vendors super local and creating some lasting friendships in the process.”
Vendors | Photographer: Bokeh Lane Photography |Venue: New Liberty Distillery | Florals: Jess Mercurio of Riverwards | Caterer: Sarah Levine of Luna Cafe | Music: Ryan Cook