I was so excited when Beth contacted me for her Philadelphia Elopement. I have photographed two weddings with Beth in attendance. She was a guest at one of the weddings that I photographed last September and a bridesmaid in another last August. In late October I got a call saying that she was planning on eloping with her fiance Nic and that she wanted to have me capture it. This blew my mind with all the possiblities of what we could create together! We started by having a First Meet between them on the Race Street Pier in Philadelphia. She slowly stepped out of the bright red cab and walked down the wooden pathway to see Nic on her elopement day. Next we went to City Hall for their small ceremony with one of the judges. We had a great time together and it was the first time I ever photographed inside City Hall. After the session we created a beautiful Fine Art watercolor album a large Wall Art piece of them inside City Hall, and custom elopement cards that they sent out telling their friends and family. I had the absolute honor of being one of the very few people to know that they were married.
Philadelphia City Hall is one of the most photographed buildings in Pennsylvania for good reason. Completed in 1901, it sat at the center of Broad and Market for over a century, with a bronze William Penn watching over the whole city from the top. The interior is something couples rarely get to see up close. High ceilings, ornate stonework, and a scale that makes everything feel significant. If you are getting married in Philadelphia and want something that feels meaningful without a big production, a City Hall elopement gives you that.
Race Street Pier is a few minutes away along the Delaware River. It has this quiet, unexpected energy, a long wooden deck extending out over the water with views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. It is the kind of spot that most people in the city walk past without stopping, but when you give it time, it is genuinely beautiful. Beth arriving by cab and walking down that wooden pathway to meet Nic was one of those moments that just happened and we were lucky to be there for it.
If you are planning a Philadelphia elopement or a small ceremony at City Hall, this is exactly the kind of day we love. See our full guide to Philadelphia wedding venues for more on what the city has to offer across every style and scale.
