Setting the Scene

Finding the perfect location for our fairytale wedding was no easy task! There were several factors that Carter and I considered as we scoped out the Philadelphia and surrounding areas to find our ceremony and reception locales:

1. Cost: We knew we wanted a beautiful location, but a beautiful location isn’t enough. We wanted to leave enough room in our budget to add to the ambiance (lighting, flowers, music, etc.) of wherever we chose.
2. A great look, inside and out: We found some locations that were amazing inside, but an eyesore on the outside. We wanted the location of our ceremony and reception sites to make great first impressions.
3. Delicious food and high quality service: We found one locale that was absolutely gorgeous, but when we went to a tasting, the food was terrible and the service even worse! Make sure to go for tastings before you choose a location!
4. A church where we felt welcome: We knew our wedding day was one of the most important days of our life. Therefore, we wanted to find a place where our own Pastor could be the officiant, where our photographer and videographer were allowed to, well, take photos and videos (you’d be surprised by some churches’ rules and restrictions), and where we were treated with courtesy and kindness.

Here is the inside of Immanuel Church, where we chose to get married. Isn’t it gorgeous?

Not only was Immanuel beautiful, the community people were friendly and welcoming, and our coordinators were extremely helpful in helping us to create the day of our dreams.

Though we found several fantastic possibilities for reception sites, like Normandy Farm and Knowlton Mansion, we chose the DuPont Country Club for its proximity to Immanuel Church, the beautiful grounds, a ballroom fit for a fairytale wedding, the scrumptious cuisine, and the incredibly professional and helpful staff. It offered everything we wanted at a price that was very reasonable compared to some other locations. More than that, it fit our personalities (modern and romantic) and the elegant, fairytale-style wedding we wanted to have.

The Upper Terrace was an awesome location for the cocktail hour. It overlooks the country club’s golf course, and we lined the corridor with photographs, rose petals and crystals, not to mention delicious hors d’oeuvres! We also rented the Wedgwood Room for cocktail hour to give guests plenty of mingling room and seating options.

The ballroom was fit for a Princess and her Prince Charming, and I sure felt like Cinderella!

The ballroom even has a name that makes it sound enchanted . . . the Crystal Ballroom.

And some special touches that made this incredible location even better: a balcony from which to throw my bouquet and a 9′ x 12′ screen to display our same-day edit video (more details on that to follow, stay tuned).

Immanuel Church and the DuPont Country Club were the perfect backdrops for our happily-ever-after day!