John and Carter flew their wedding in from Texas and dropped it on Philadelphia’s front step. The Notary Hotel sits directly across from City Hall on Broad Street, which is one of the most underrated wedding-photo backdrops in the entire city. Carter goes by his middle name, John goes by his first, and as a couple they are exactly the kind of yin-and-yang pairing I love shooting. One outgoing, one quiet, and the photos pick up the contrast in every frame.
If you are looking at a Notary Hotel Philadelphia wedding, this is the kind of day it can be. Here is how Carter and John’s wedding came together, end to end.
Both Grooms in One Getting-Ready Room
Most weddings split the morning into two suites. Carter and John skipped that. They got ready in the same room with both families bouncing through, kept it loose, and let the day actually feel like a hangout instead of a production.
Private Vows Under the Notary Arches
Behind and beside the Notary, there is a covered walkway with arches that throws gorgeous directional light. We tucked Carter and John in there for a private vow exchange, just the two of them.
Wedding Party at the Notary
We pulled the wedding party through a few of the Notary’s signature spots before the ceremony. Their group photographed clean and easy and the whole set ran fast.
City Hall Is Across the Street
One of the biggest reasons I keep coming back to the Notary Hotel for weddings is the location. City Hall is directly across Broad Street. There is no shuttle, no traffic plan, no contingency for a portrait walk that runs long. You step out the front door and you are there.
The Notary Lobby Is a Whole Studio
Back inside, we shot the couple in the Notary lobby, which is one of the chicest hotel lobbies in Philadelphia. There is a custom chess set in the window with natural window light pouring through, and we sat them at it for a quiet portrait.
Family Photos in the Half-Moon Windows
For family portraits, I almost always use the half-moon windows on the Notary’s second floor. The arched window shape frames the family beautifully, and I pre-light the space so the whole family set takes about ten minutes start to finish.
A Ceremony on the Third Floor with City Hall in the Window
Their ceremony was indoors at the Notary, in the same room I have shot a couple of weddings in now. It is a clean, modern space, and the wild part is that when you peek out the window, City Hall is right there, hanging in the frame.
An Art-Deco Reception with the Best Detail of the Year
The reception was unmistakably their wedding. Gold trim everywhere, art-deco edges, and a tablescape that read warm and sharp at the same time. The ceiling reads almost like a skylight, but it is actually a layer of lights tucked behind glass.
The Dance Floor Went Hard
Their guest list was the right kind of guest list, the kind where the older crowd does not slip out at 9 and the younger crowd brings the energy from start to finish. The whole reception ran the way you want a Notary Hotel wedding to run.
Night Portraits with City Hall Lit Red
Late in the night, I pulled Carter and John outside for night portraits. City Hall happened to be lit red that evening, which gave us a frame you cannot fake. We also shot backlit portraits at the Notary’s main entrance and in the hallway light.
Why I Keep Saying Yes to the Notary
I have shot weddings and industry events at the Notary, and the staff is the easiest team to work with in Center City. The lobby is a portrait studio. The half-moon windows at the end of the cocktail hour pathway are a family-photo machine. The ceremony room looks out at City Hall. And City Hall itself is right across the street, close enough to walk to in the shoes you actually got married in.
If you want to see another full Notary Hotel wedding, take a look at Adrianne and Adam’s Notary Hotel wedding. Different couple, different season, same venue doing what it does.
And if you are still working out whether the Notary is right for your own day, I put everything I know about the building into The Notary Hotel wedding guide, the ceremony room with the City Hall view, the covered colonnade, the light in the ballroom, and how a timeline works when nothing is more than a walk away.
If you are weighing the Notary Hotel Philadelphia for your own wedding, reach out and let’s talk through what your day could look like. I shoot here often and I know the building.
Vendor Team
Venue: The Notary Hotel, 21 N Juniper St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Photography + Cinematography: Jordan Brian Studios
Florals: Penny’s by Plaza Flowers
Music: Elegant Music Group
Suits: Men’s Wearhouse
Cake: Bredenbeck’s Bakery
Planning Resources: The Knot
Theme: Art Deco