PHOTOS: Gown, Venue, Bridesmaid Dress, Flower and Cake Ideas For a Modern Gallery Wedding in Philadelphia
Below, find ideas for a gorgeous, modern wedding at a gallery in Philadelphia.
Not that we think you should put your wedding in a box, of course. But chances are you at least have afeeling when it comes to your Big Day: Will it be a swanky formal affair in a candlelit room with a marble rotunda? An airy soiree where your guests sip cool drinks from mason jars with fields of wildflower-dotted wheat in the background and cotton-candy clouds overhead? Whatever your vision for your wedding day, we’re here to help you plan it. In the following pages, you’ll find ideas for five different types of weddings—not just for gorgeous venues in the Philadelphia area, but for your flowers, gown, cake and bridesmaids’ dresses, all from local vendors and shops. Just find the one that feels like you, and you’re on your way.
{This article originally appeared in the Spring/Summer 2013 issue ofPhiladelphia Wedding.}
Click here for PART ONE: City Ballroom
Click here for PART TWO: Garden Party
Click here for PART THREE: Rustic Country Farm
PART FOUR: Modern Gallery
Outside-the-box and unique—just like you …
You’ll fit right in in a gorgeous, striking, sculptural gown. Stephen Yearick ruched chiffon mermaid dress, $3,200 at Bijou Bridal, Ardmore. Triple-strand beaded headband, $315 at Nicole Bridal & Formal Shoppe, Jenkintown. Nicole Landaw 18-karat white gold three-leaf hoop earrings with diamonds, $4,465 at Egan Day, Philadelphia. Platinum and diamond solitaire ring, $42,000 at J.M. Lichterman & Co., Philadelphia.
Opt for a cake with just a little edge. Banana cake filled with Nutella buttercream and covered in hand-painted vanilla fondant inspired by artist Mark Rothko, around $12 per person (or $2,400 for a 200-person wedding), created by Whipped Bakeshop, Philadelphia. Square cake stand, $70 at Williams-Sonoma, multiple locations.
Lavender macaroons, around $10 for a dozen at Aux Petits Delices, Wayne. Dessert dish, $28 at Terrain, Glen Mills.
A little structure never hurt anyone. From left: Amsale silk wool “Hampton” gown, $4,400 at Bridal Garden, Marlton. Black pearl necklace, $295 at Neiman Marcus, King of Prussia. After Six gray satin bridesmaid dress, $198 at the Wedding Shoppe, Wayne. WHITE by Vera Wang orchid draped satin dress with black grosgrain sash and exposed zipper, $168 at David’s Bridal, multiple locations.
Because even your flowers should be a work of art. Bouquet of ‘Previa’ anthurium, ‘Black Magic’ vanda orchids and ornithogalum on a custom acrylic and flat-cane bouquet base, around $275, created by MODA Botanica, Philadelphia.
Centerpiece of anthurium previa, ‘Black Magic’ vanda orchids, ornithogalum, hydrangea and tricyrtis in a custom hand-woven flat-cane vessel, around $375, created by MODA Botanica, Philadelphia.
Catered by Jeffrey A. Miller Catering and named after Doylestown’s Pulitzer Prize-winning author and philanthropist, the James A. Michener Art Museum is a chic, elegant space housed in what was originally the Bucks County prison, built in 1884. Couples often opt for cocktails in the sculpture garden (pictured) before moving into the $5 million Edgar N. Putnam Event Pavilion, designed by world-renowned Philly architectural firm KieranTimberlake. The new space features hardwood floors and 22-foot glass walls (the tallest self-supporting glass walls in the world!) on three sides, with room for up to 200 of your nearest and dearest—or more, with custom tenting.
The Historic Landmark Building of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts was built in 1876 for the nation’s Centennial Exposition and World’s Fair in Philadelphia, making it America’s oldest art museum. Couples love tying the knot at the top of the grand staircase in front of up to 150 guests, then moving into the Washington Foyer for cocktails and the Rotunda for the reception, surrounded by artwork dating back to 1720, by artists such as Mary Cassatt and Thomas Eakins. Next door, the recently renovated Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building is a sleeker, more contemporary space, with room for up to 350 and various galleries that serve as options for a celebration. Both buildings are catered exclusively by Jimmy Duffy & Sons.
Once an early-1900s warehouse in downtown Manayunk, Artesano Iron Works Gallery has been renovated into a 10,000-square-foot loft featuring all hand-forged art, including beautiful candelabras and furniture available for your event. Catered by in-house chef Kelly Cook, who will custom-design your menu, your party can be held in both the upper gallery lounge (pictured), with beautifully restored hardwood oak and hand-carved slate floors, and the lower gallery and outdoor terrace. The space has room for up to 220.
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