WEDDING BLOG

Historic stone, blooming gardens, and a dance floor full of people who’ve known them since high school—Emily and Bradley’s wedding at Curtis Arboretum felt less like a debut and more like a reunion years in the making. After more than a decade together, their goal wasn’t to impress. It was to celebrate.

Their story began freshman and sophomore year of high school, though they disagree on the exact moment. From shared free periods in the library to a first kiss at Disney World over New Year’s, their relationship unfolded slowly and steadily. “I just slowly realized I couldn’t imagine my life without him,” Emily shared. “We were lucky that we grew together.”

What We Love About This Curtis Arboretum Wedding:

• A colorful garden party design that felt playful yet elevated
• DIY stationery and signage that showcased their creativity
• Birthstone wedding bands with emerald and alexandrite details
• A packed dance floor (and a few bold Malört shots)

Featured Vendor:
Julie Pepin

Creating an Indoor-Outdoor Garden Party Feel

More than a year before their date, Emily created a spreadsheet of venues across the greater Philadelphia area and toured “way too many.” But once they visited Curtis Arboretum, everything clicked. The mix of historic charm and lush gardens gave them exactly what they were hoping for: an indoor-outdoor setting that felt like a true garden party.

“We loved the mix of historic architecture and the beautiful gardens. It was the perfect combination of everything we were looking for,” Emily said.

Instead of over-decorating, they let the architecture and gardens take the lead, adding vibrant florals in pinks, oranges, greens, and yellows. Emily shared inspiration photos and a few favorite blooms with their florist, then trusted her to run with it.

Blending Tradition With Personal Rituals

They chose to have a first look a few hours before the ceremony so they could spend more time at cocktail hour. That quiet moment together helped calm nerves and freed them up to fully enjoy their guests later.

The ceremony itself was officiated by a close friend, and Bradley’s uncle read a family wedding blessing shared for generations. But the vows stood out most. “We each wrote our own vows,” Emily shared, “and it was important to us to include all our loved ones in that moment too since pretty much everyone there helped shape our love story.”

After, they slipped into the bridal suite for a few minutes alone before heading straight to cocktail hour. Sunset portraits later in the evening gave them another pocket of time together to soak it all in.

Expressing Personality Through Fashion and Details

Emily leaned into texture and playfulness for her gown, choosing a raw silk design with lace details, tied straps, and tiered layers that felt joyful rather than traditional. It was the last dress she tried on at her first appointment, and she couldn’t stop comparing everything else to it. The experience was so positive that she now works there part-time as a stylist.

Her bridal party wore different colors of their choice, creating a vibrant look without feeling overly coordinated. Bradley designed a custom suit and had their legal wedding date, January 29th, embroidered inside the jacket. While the groomsmen wore boutonnieres, the florist created a pocket square of flowers just for him.

They also custom-designed their wedding bands, adding Bradley’s emerald birthstone and Emily’s alexandrite for a subtle pop of color that felt uniquely theirs.

Creativity carried through the entire weekend. They designed their own invitations, signage, and seating charts. The welcome sign was a literal family effort the night before heading to Philadelphia, with multiple family members tracing, painting, and sewing it together. Bradley also designed and assembled nearly 200 DIY matchbooks as favors the week of the wedding.

Why Chemistry Matters More Than Perfection

While they did plenty of research, the deciding factor for most of their vendors came down to chemistry. “How we meshed with them on a call really was our biggest deciding factor,” Emily explained. “I wanted to work with people who I could also have seen myself being friends with.”

They gravitated toward documentary-style photography with a film element and immediately connected with Junebug vendor Julie Pepin’s work. The same went for their videographer, who bonded with them over their dogs during their first conversation. From florals to music, they shared a general vision and gave their vendors room to interpret it creatively.

Their advice? Choose people whose work you already admire and let them do what they do best. “Find people you trust and love what they do. They’re the experts that do this all the time.”

Budgeting Around Their Top Three Must-Haves

Emily and Bradley focused their budget on three things: food, florals, and music. The catering team at Curtis Arboretum had a stellar reputation, and they quickly secured an incredible live band after months of searching.

“We love live music,” Emily said. “My mom asked so many times if we had booked a band yet.” When they finally found one with their date available, it felt meant to be.

Instead of getting caught up in extras, they worked down their list in order of importance and chose vendors they were genuinely excited about. Their approach is refreshingly straightforward: invest in what your guests will experience most and let the rest fall into place.

Adding Interactive Details Guests Loved

If their goal was to host a genuinely fun celebration, they delivered. The live band kept the dance floor full, and Emily’s sister surprised guests with temporary tattoos of the couple from different phases of their relationship. By the end of the night, nearly everyone was covered in them.

There was even a slightly chaotic moment when Bradley accidentally stepped on Emily’s train during their reception entrance, tearing part of the bustle. Her sibling quietly sewed it back together during dinner, resulting in a few hilarious behind-the-scenes photos.

And yes, they brought Malört for friends brave enough to take a shot.

What to Focus on (and What to Let Go Of)

Looking back, Emily wouldn’t change much. “Aside from making sure I actually ate lunch the day of.”

Her biggest piece of advice is simple: “Find people who inspire you and you mesh well with and give them some creative control. Everything will be amazing and the day goes by so fast. And I promise, no one is going to notice if the napkins are quite the right color.”

Surrounded by color, history, and the people who watched them grow up together, Emily and Bradley proved that the best weddings don’t feel staged. They feel like you, just amplified.