Sweet first look at Philly’s Notary Hotel
The covid pandemic has brought out some really wonderful and creative ways of celebrating your wedding day. I think my favorite right now is the Philly Elopement with fun photo stops. It’s a real joy to spend the day hitting several locations you love. Jenna and Michael did just that. Their list of locations was long, but they knew to stay flexible and that we most likely wouldn’t be able to get to them all. We chose to travel in separate cars to keep our exposure low. If you want to hit several locations, I highly suggest having drivers for the both couple and the photographer. I don’t think we could have accomplished this many stops if we both had to park at every stop. But being able to dip in and out, and having a best man to drive the couple around, really made this work seamlessly.
Advice from the couple
If you’re planning a COVID wedding Jenna and Michael’s advice would be to always remember your blessings to keep the wedding chaos in perspective. The day is about you and your significant other, do what makes you both the happiest, and forget everything else.
The Notary Hotel (Prep)
Jenna got ready at the Notary Hotel. It’s a FABULOUS hotel on Arch Street that I’d never been to before. The lobby decor was super cute and artistic and they allowed us to shoot around the lobby, which many of Philly hotels don’t. We also found a great walkway along the side of it which was perfect for a sweet first look.
Broad Street (Photo Stop)
Photographer tip! The light on Broad Street is awful most of the time. I find that backlighting couples gives just enough wrap around light to overcome that when natural light isn’t enough. I used 3 different lenses here, a 14-24mm, an 85mm and an 80-200mm to get a variety of looks since I was shooting alone. The backlight has a magmod grid and CTO gel. That tiny bit of light enables me to bring down the exposure enough that City Hall isn’t blown out and the couple has a little separation from the background.
Cira Green (Photo Stop)
Cira Green is a great spot for wedding photos. It’s on top of a parking garage, so we were able to include the maid of honor and best man without them getting stuck looking for parking. The views are really pretty, but everytime I’ve been there the wind is crazy! Probably not great for brides with complicated updos, but for couple with a more effortless vibe, it’s pretty awesome.
The Philadelphia Wedding Chapel (Philly Elopement)
One of my favorite spots for a Philly Elopement and intimate weddings is the Philadelphia Wedding Chapel in East Falls. Stacey, the owner, is an incredible officiant, or you can bring your own. She does a really great job of keeping her space as covid safe as possible, and still offers couples the option to remove their masks for the ceremony and photos if they like. Jenna and Michael set up a zoom meeting so their family could watch as well. It’s just a lovely space with good, happy energy.
Falls Bridge (Photo Stop)
Falls Bridge is the closest spot to the Philadelphia Wedding Chapel for great photos. I love it because the light on the bridge is always nice, no matter what time of day, and it’s relatively dry if the weather isn’t ideal. It’s got pretty greenery and you can get city street lights in the background later in the day. Michael and Jenna’s favorite Philly Elopement moment was popping a bottle of champagne with their best man and maid of honor after the ceremony. They’d been apart for months because of the pandemic.
Photographer: Lori Foxworth of Black, White and Raw Photography
Prep/First Look: The Notary Hotel
Makeup: Beauty by Jasoni
Hair: House of Clarity (Tiffany was the stylist)
Flowers: Beautiful Blooms
Venue: Philadelphia Wedding Chapel
Bridal shop: Springs Bridal (From Jenna: My dress was from a consignment shop in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I never wanted to buy a brand new gown that would only be worn once. And now this dress will get three wears!
