Patti and Steve had a beautiful spring day for their Arts Ballroom wedding in Philadelphia, PA. We had a fun-filled day starting out at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia. After capturing her beautiful details and wedding preparations, we headed over to City Hall for their private first look together. There are a few nice and quiet nooks and crannies to have your first look at around City Hall. Just need to do a quick location scout on the day as Philly is like a box of chocolates. You never know what your gonna get.
About the Arts Ballroom
The Arts Ballroom sits a couple blocks off Broad Street, right in the heart of Philadelphia’s theater district, with the Academy of Music, the Kimmel Center, and the Walnut Street Theatre all within an easy walk. The name fits. The ballroom itself feels like a stage set, with a grand staircase built for an entrance, soaring ceilings, and oversized windows that pour natural light into the room. Most city venues tuck their ceremonies into a dim corner. This one lets you say your vows in real daylight, then flips the same room into a full reception while your guests enjoy cocktail hour.
Ceremony & Reception: Arts Ballroom
Dress: Bijou Bridal
Bridal hotel room: Ritz Carlton
DJ/ Band: Jelly Roll Band
Florist: Robertson’s Flowers
Bridal Party Portraits
We went over to Washington Square Park with the bridal party before the ceremony. The light was beautiful, and everything was starting to bloom on the trees. Also for some reason, they had a day where it was not too busy there, so we had a beautiful day shooting outside! Washington Square Park is one of my favorite portrait stops in the city. Brick paths, big old trees, and the fountain in the middle give you a half dozen different looks within a hundred yards, and it sits just a few blocks from most Center City venues, so it barely costs you any timeline.
Arts Ballroom Wedding Ceremony
They have the ceremonies in that same room at the reception at the Arts Ballroom. When the ceremony is over, they flip the room for the reception with all the tables décor and band setup. The large windows bring in gorgeous natural light for the ceremony space which you don’t get at a lot of the indoor ceremony locations in the city. After a short and sweet 15 minute ceremony it was time to flip the room and get Jellyroll setup! Room flips like this work better than most couples expect. While everyone headed to cocktail hour, the Arts Ballroom staff turned the ceremony space into a full reception, tables, florals, band gear and all. From a photography standpoint it also means the whole day happens under one roof, so nobody loses portrait time shuttling between locations.
How sweet is this setup for a wedding ceremony at the Arts Ballroom!
Arts Ballroom Wedding Reception
Steve stepped his game up a notch by going with a white dinner coat for the reception. Black and white is so classic and will never go out of style. The bride and groom make their grand entrance down the staircase into the room for their first dance. Then Jellyroll worked the guests! Patti also booked our custom Jordan Brian Photobooth that was upstairs overlooking the reception. At the end of the reception, we stepped out to do a few City Hall photographs to end their incredible wedding day story. Quick tip for couples considering this spot: build ten minutes into the end of your night for those City Hall portraits. The building is lit beautifully after dark, it sits an easy walk from the ballroom, and an empty Broad Street at midnight gives you photographs nobody gets at golden hour.
Planning a Philadelphia Wedding?
Patti and Steve’s day is a great blueprint for a Center City celebration: prep at a beautiful hotel, a private first look near City Hall, portraits in Washington Square Park, and a ceremony and reception under one roof. If you are still choosing your venue, my guide to the best Philadelphia wedding venues breaks down the spaces I photograph most, including what each room is like to shoot and where the light is best.