Gina & Ryan had a beautiful Hotel DuPont wedding. It was one of the most fun weddings we had ever. There was a dream team of talent starting with Katie & Nicole from DFW planning, Petals Lane florist and Damon From Absolute Media Productions capturing everything with cinematic bliss. They both live out of state but flew in to have their wedding at the fantastic Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, Delaware. They had a great bridal party, and I knew several of them from Jessica & Mike’s wedding that I photographed the year before. Gina & Ryan looked so happy together that they had some locals crying during our shoot in downtown Wilmington.
About the Hotel du Pont
The Hotel du Pont opened in 1913 inside Pierre S. du Pont’s headquarters building in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, and it was built to compete with the great European luxury hotels of the era. The Gold Ballroom and Du Barry Room are the two main wedding spaces, both finished in hand-carved oak, gilt molding, and 23-karat gold leaf detailing on the ceilings. Guests have included every sitting US president since Franklin Roosevelt, multiple Saudi royals, and a long list of Fortune 500 boards that still hold annual meetings here. For weddings, the hotel keeps things deeply traditional, plated dinners, a dedicated maitre d’ running the floor, and a kitchen that has been turning out the same lobster bisque recipe for over 50 years. Couples typically run 150 to 220 guests in the Gold Ballroom, which is the largest wedding space.
Ceremony: Saint Agnes – West Chester, PA
Reception: Hotel du Pont
Wedding Planner: DFW Planning – Katie
Florist: Petals Lane
DJ/Band: EBE – Dreamtime
Katie from DFW Planning is always excited to help…
The bride was so beautiful she made the locals cry!
Saint Agnus Church Ceremony
The ceremony was beautiful starting off with a nonchalant fist bump from her dad. Saint Agnes church has some insane large doors and impeccable detail throughout the exterior and interior of this classic church. DFW planning had done a sensational job helping Gina & Ryan create an impressive space at their Hotel DuPont wedding and had one of the most delicious candy tables which were aided by Gina working for Hershey’s. Dreamtime from EBE had everyone up and rocking the night. I wish Gina & Ryan the best as they had an incredible wedding and were fun and laid back!
Hotel Du Pont Wedding reception
The reception unfolded in the Gold Ballroom, which is honestly one of the most beautiful rooms I have ever photographed in. Petals Lane filled the room with deep burgundy and blush arrangements that played off the gold leaf overhead, and DFW Planning ran the entire timeline so tightly that nobody on staff ever looked rushed. The hotel’s banquet team plated the first course before the bridal party was even seated, which is a level of timing you rarely see. Late in the night, Gina and Ryan opened the Hershey-themed candy table, which became its own informal dance break as guests piled up small bags to take back to their rooms upstairs.
EBE’s Dreamtime is one of the best bands in the Philadelphia area! They are a pleasure to work with, interact with your wedding guests, and sound amazing! I think in all of my weddings I have worked with them almost a dozen times and I wish it was more..
Hotel du Pont sits about 30 minutes south of Center City, which is why it shows up on a lot of Philadelphia-based couples’ shortlists. If you are still comparing, our guide to the best Philadelphia wedding venues covers a handful of similar historic properties closer to the city.