When life hands you fire alarms, use the fire trucks as fabulous photo props. That’s what this good humored couple did in these Sweetwater Portraits shots after a little surprise fire drill rang in their reception at Peche Sherman Mills. This former fabric factory wasn’t just the venue for this stylish shindig: it became the DIY decor inspiration. Check out all the close-ups of the handmade-by-the-bride paper goods and fantastic use of fabrics here in the full gallery!
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From the Bride… In looking for a venue, we were searching for an industrial, loft-like space, and we found the perfect site with Peche Sherman Mills. The raw space was a blank canvas. We wanted to make the wedding personalized and unique, so we took on many DIY tasks. I designed and screen-printed the invitations and wedding programs, as well as welcome bags for the out of town guests. The venue was once a fabric factory, so I used fabric elements throughout the printed materials, wedding and reception decor. For months before the wedding, we searched for thrifted vases to create the centerpieces. We also incorporated a few touches of Norway: Erik’s mom baked a traditional Norwegian kransekake for dessert, we brought in Akavit to supplement the bar selection, and I surprised Erik by reading my vows in Norwegian. Because Erik and I were technically already married, the entire wedding was really more of a celebration of our love. Everything felt very laid-back and more like one big party. This was proven by the fire alarm going off seconds before we were to be introduced at the reception. After a moment of panic subsided, we joined all of our guests outside to take photos with the recently-arrived fire truck! What was really special about our wedding was that so many of our friends and family traveled from abroad to be a part of our big day.
Wedding Photography: Sweetwater Portraits / Wedding Venue: Peche Sherman Mills in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / Wedding Cinematography: Martin’s Video / Catering: Peachtree + Ward Catering / Music: Pianist: Paul Pierangeli / DJ: Schaffer Sound / Paper Wedding Decor, Invitations, Welcome Bags + Programs: DIY by the Bride / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Bride’s Shoes: Sam Edelman / Hair + Makeup: Salon Vanity / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Jewelry: Sachin + Babi