Intimate Laurel Hill Cemetery Wedding

Nina and Chris’ intimate Laurel Hill Cemetery wedding was everything we love most.

If you’ve been following us for some time, you probably know that we adore photographing cemeteries, truly unique weddings and people unafraid to be their most authentic selves. We built our business with a special focus on Offbeat weddings  (If you click the link to our Offbeat Wed Vendor page and scroll to the bottom, you can see a few of our features from Offbeat Wed, FKA Offbeat Bride) and it remains the core of what’s important to us. A few years ago, we met Chris and Nina when we photographed Chris’ mother’s wedding  in a sexy “Shangi-Love” themed Philly wedding in Fishtown.  We remained friends and we were thrilled to be included once again in this magical family’s celebrations.

Getting Ready

Nina got ready at an Airbnb with her sister, Chris’ mother and grandmother. Her beautiful goth details included a stunning black wedding dress, the cutest little gargoyle flats, and a rich bouquet that included roses and dahlias in purples, reds and the inkiest blacks. Paul dropped in to grab a few of Chris before they headed over to Laurel Hill Cemetery with the couple’s dog, Loki.

Ceremony

Laurel Hill Cemetery East is one of our favorite cemeteries in Philadelphia, a city filled with beautiful, historic cemeteries. Nina and Chris’ self uniting ceremony was held under one of their favorite trees in the expansive cemetery. Pennsylvania is one of the few states where self uniting ceremonies are legal due to the Quaker history. A special license and 2 witnesses are all that’s required. In true weird Philly fashion, a cat wearing bat wings sauntered into the midst of Nina’s vows, followed shortly by her mortified owner to scoop her up.

Photo Walk

Nina and Chris didn’t have the traditional “bridesmaids and groomsmen”. Having an intimate wedding meant that all of their family and friends were equally important. Following the sweet ceremony, we walked with the couple and their guests and family through Laurel Hill for photos. Laurel Hill Cemetery is absolutely gorgeous in the fall. Bride and Groom portraits, family photos and friend group photos were all taken under canopies of fall leaves and nestled amongst historic mausoleums and tombstones.

Reception

Another perk of keeping the wedding list small? A private dinner in the lounge of Morimoto. I don’t post grandmother’s outfits often, but please check out Chris’ grandmother’s jacket. When your grandson has a wedding that encourages goth attire, this is the way to make an entrance!

Bridal Alterations and Custom Veil by Bianca De Pietro @ Toile
Hair and Makeup:
Rory from Parlour Salon
Florist:
Kaori from Ori Floral Design