Jan + Ian | GoggleWorks Center for the Arts Wedding | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

Jan and Ian recently got married at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, and I was lucky enough to capture their memories for them.  I would describe their wedding day as romantic, semi-formal, and fun!  Jan grew up in the United States, and Ian grew up in Northern Ireland.  As a result, their day was an amalgamation of US and UK traditions, and it was perfectly reflective of Jan and Ian's unique relationship.

I started my day off with the ladies at an amazing Airbnb rental in Reading, Pennsylvania.  I just don't have the words to describe exactly how fabulous that home was!  I had never been there before, but I will definitely be checking out that hidden gem again in the near future.  (It would make an incredible venue for a day of photoshoots, both indoors and out!)  Meanwhile, my second photographer was hanging out with the guys while they were finishing their preparations at the nearby Doubletree by Hilton.

As soon as everyone was ready, we met up at the GoggleWorks for Jan and Ian's wedding ceremony and reception.  The ceremony and reception decorations were simple, elegant, and fun, consisting entirely of personalized elements.  In fact, Jan created all of the ceremony and reception decorations herself!  Jan threw, glazed, and decorated all of the vases that were used as table centerpieces.  She dyed and arranged the sola wood flowers that were used at the ceremony site and as reception centerpieces.  She made the guest book, table cards, and ceramic tile table numbers.  She even made hundreds of atom-like hanging orbs, to honor Ian who is a physicist!  She painted the wedding arch and arranged the flowers and vines that covered it.  She painted the chandelier that hung in the reception room.  She needle-felted the adorable penguin and bear cake toppers.  She even baked the delicious macarons that served as wedding favors for all of the guests!  She is one of the most talented and creative individuals that I have ever met, and I am truly in awe of her skills (and patience)!  To top it off, the girls even made their own bouquets.

Jan and Ian began their Day #1 as husband and wife surrounded by over 120 of their loved ones.  No one was actually local to Berks County, except for me - most of the guests and bridal party members traveled from places such as Philadelphia, Northern Ireland, and other places in the UK.  As an engineer-turned-teacher-turned-photographer, I felt right at home surrounded by so many other academics and creatives.  I hadn't actually met Jan and Ian prior to that day, but by the end of their ceremony and reception, I felt like I knew them for ages.  The (numerous) speeches had me laughing and crying and laughing again, and the dancing was fabulous!  The food looked and smelled absolutely amazing.  (I didn't actually remember to take a break to taste any - I was having too much fun taking pictures and forgot to take my dinner break!)

Between the ceremony and reception, we managed to sneak outside long enough to capture some great photos of the bridal party, and then of Jan and Ian alone.  We made it back inside just minutes before the sky opened up and poured for the next few hours.  (I tried my hardest to play it cool while texts of tornado warnings kept blowing up my phone...)

Jan and Ian's wedding day was perfect.  I'm so thankful that they asked me to photograph their celebration for them.  And, their celebration isn't quite over yet - they are doing it all over again in Northern Ireland this month!  Oh, how I wish I could join them.

I hope you enjoy this selection of photos from their (first) wedding day.

 

Big thanks to the following vendors for helping make Jan and Ian's wedding day a dream come true:

Photographer:  Carrie Kizuka Photography, LLC

Second photographer:  Adam Naples

Venue:  GoggleWorks Center for the Arts

Hair and Makeup Artist:  Daneene Jensen

Bride's Wedding Dress:  Sabrina Ann, Ardmore

Bridesmaids' Dresses:  BHLDN and other various shops from Philadelphia and Northern Ireland

Groom's Suit:  Men's Warehouse

Groomsmen's Suits:  Various shops in the United Kingdom

Cake Artist:  Jennifer Low, Frosted Fox Cake Shop

Catering:  Farm Truck Philly

Chairs:  Wolfe's Rental Company

Sinking Spring Backyard Wedding | Hillary and Eric | Berks County Wedding Photographer

I have a Starbucks problem - I need at least one "venti no water chai" each day or I can't function properly.  While feeding this addiction and becoming a Starbucks regular, I had the honor of meeting Hillary.  When she asked me to photograph her upcoming wedding to Eric, I was ecstatic!!  Fast forward to a few weeks ago -- Hillary and Eric got married in their backyard in Sinking Spring, PA and threw an incredible party to start their marriage off properly!  I had such a great time documenting their day, tasting incredible food, and laughing along with their friends' fantastic stories!

This was one of the most intimate, casual weddings I have ever attended, and I loved every second of it!  I enjoy photographing all types of wedding ceremonies, but my favorites are the ones that really reflect the couple and their unique relationship and love for each other.  Everything about Hillary and Eric's wedding day did exactly that - from their DIY decorations to their self-uniting marriage to their iPod music playlist to Eric's blue velvet sport coat.  Everything was about them and their personalities and their loved ones, and it was perfect.

I hope you enjoy a few photos from their Day #1!  I'm so honored that I was able to celebrate with them!

 

Catering:  H20 Kitchen (Jason Hook)

Cake/Cupcakes:  Secrets Bakery

DJ:  Spotify and bluetooth speaker ;)

Hair and Make-up:  Hillary did them herself!

Bride's wedding dress:  Kimono purchased on Etsy!

Groom's suit: Velvet sport coat purchased from Kohls!

 

 

Mohnton, Pennsylvania Fall Wedding | Mary Beth and Jesse | Berks County Photographer

Mary Beth is a very talented Berks County photographer herself, and when we met last year and she asked me to photograph her upcoming wedding to Jesse, I admit I was a little intimidated at first.  I always feel an extra layer of self-induced anxiety when I'm creating art for another photographer.  But I was also honored that another artist would want me to capture their wedding memories for them, so I excitedly agreed!

One of the best parts of photographing another photographer's wedding is that they always allow lots of time for portraits throughout their wedding day.  Mary Beth and Jesse have an amazing property, which was also the site of their wedding ceremony and reception, and we took full advantage of the time we had!  I was so surprised to show up and see that the soybean field where their ceremony took place was still nice and green so late in the season!!  (All of the other fields I had seen in Berks County that week were already brown and/or cleared out!)  Oh, and their incredible home (you can see a little bit of it in the photos below) was built by the two of them!!  That's yet another reason why their backyard was the perfect place for them to start the rest of their lives together!

I'm so grateful that they asked me to be their photographer, and I'm glad that I agreed!  Their wedding day was perfect in every way.  It was super laid back and casual, and the DIY elements Mary Beth and Jesse included were gorgeous and fun!  Mary Beth and Jesse even retrofitted their old truck into a beer tap!  Cult Status, a local band made up of Governor Mifflin Senior High School students, played during the reception and did a fantastic job!  The reception was catered by Crow Wagon, a local food truck, and the food was delicious.  The bride and groom looked incredible (and so in love), and their little boys (Coleman and Caleb) were so handsome!!  

I hope you enjoy this selection of photos from their wedding day.  Congratulations again, Nocera Family!!

 

Videography:  Cory Slifka

Cake Artist:  Roxanne Shupp

Band:  Cult Status

Hair Artist & Make-Up Artist:  Jayda Hampton

Officiant:  MaryBeth's father!

Catering:  Crow Wagon