Rebecca and Nick got married at Hyatt at the Bellevue the week before Pope Francis visited Philadelphia in 2015, so the whole city already felt charged up before their day even started. Bill Murray was also in the building at another wedding that afternoon, and the staff was politely trying to keep him on one floor because he kept wandering off to say hi to people. The Bellevue is the kind of hotel where that sort of thing happens. It has been the address for big Philadelphia weddings since 1904 and the energy in the lobby on a Saturday is part of the reason couples keep picking it.
We started with Nick and his guys at the bar on the nineteenth floor, where the windows look straight south down Broad toward City Hall and the skyline opens up on three sides. Nick had loved his black and white film portraits from their engagement session at Rittenhouse Square, so I brought a few extra rolls of Acros 100 and shot most of the prep on film. While I was with the guys, my second photographer was upstairs with Rebecca and her bridesmaids in the suite covering hair, makeup with Leah Washuta, and the dress reveal. The Pnina Tornai gown from Kleinfeld Bridal needed two people to get into, so having both cameras running at the same time meant we did not miss any of it.
I love capturing the first look between the bride and groom on the back second-floor staircase for The Hyatt at the Bellevue weddings. For one it is quite private as there are not many people using the staircase at hotels anymore. Also, it is so grand, classy with ornate metal and wood panels. There are always different angles to photograph this too which I love artistically.
The bridal party was great to work with. Loose, lighthearted, ready for anything. Someone had borrowed a life-size pope cutout from the dress shop in the Bellevue arcade, so we walked it down Broad Street and had them peeking it around the corners of buildings to catch tourist reactions. From the front doors of the Bellevue to City Hall is a four-minute walk, which is one of the reasons I love this venue for portraits. You get the grand staircase inside, then the marble lobby, then twenty minutes at City Hall with the bridal party, all without ever needing a shuttle. We finished portraits in the courtyard under the William Penn statue and walked everyone back in time for cocktail hour.
The ceremony was held inside the Bellevue and one of Nick’s groomsmen officiated, which kept the tone warm and personal. Quick family formals afterward, then Lovesick DJ took over and got the room moving. Rebecca and I snuck out one more time during the reception for night portraits at City Hall with the building lit up.
Overall a flawless day for an amazing couple. I had a great time with them and wish them the best in their new home in Miami Florida!
Photographed mostly with Contax 645 and Kodak Portra 400, Fujifilm Acros 100 and Ilford 3200. Scans by Richard Photo Lab.
About Hyatt at the Bellevue
The Bellevue opened in 1904 as the Bellevue-Stratford, a Beaux-Arts hotel designed by G.W. and W.D. Hewitt right on South Broad Street. For decades it was the social hub of Philadelphia, hosting every president from Theodore Roosevelt onward in its Founder’s Hall ballroom under a hand-painted ceiling and crystal chandeliers. The Hyatt brand took over operations in 1996 and kept the grand interiors intact, including the marble lobby, the ornate back staircase that I love for first looks, and the rooftop XIX restaurant on the nineteenth floor with skyline views down Broad. Wedding receptions in Founder’s Hall typically run 150 to 300 guests, with cocktail hour in the Conservatory and ceremonies either in the ballroom or up at XIX. Pro tip from shooting here: the second-floor back staircase is almost always empty during the wedding window, and the wood paneling plus wrought-iron railings give a portrait set you cannot get anywhere else in the city.
Ceremony & Reception: The Bellevue Hotel Philadelphia
Florist: Carl Alan
DJ: Lovesick
Bride’s Dress: Kleinfeld Bridal
Hyatt at the Bellevue Wedding Ceremony
The beautiful ceremony was held at the Hyatt at the Bellevue and one of the groomsmen was the officiant. Followed by a few brief family formals before Lovesick DJ brought in the entertainment. During the party we snuck outside for a few photographs at night in front of City Hall.
Planning a Philadelphia wedding? See the full guide to the best Philadelphia wedding venues for more options like the Bellevue, including ballrooms, hotels, museums, and waterfront spaces.