Emilie and Steve’s wedding at Parque at Ridley Creek

Is there anything more delightful than realizing Dahlia season is upon us!? Emilie and Steve’s fall nuptials at Philadelphia’s Parque at Ridley Creek, highlight the much-loved bloom and all of it’s late-summer glory. The couple stated their vows in The-Secret-Garden-esque courtyard on the estate grounds followed by a celebration at the historic mansion. Dahlia-centric florals in a palette of dusty pinks, light peach, deep merlot and barely-there-blush are by Love n Fresh Flowers with coordinating by Peachtree Catering. The couple enlisted Emily Wren Photography to capture their day and you can see it all in these lovely images.

What made the wedding special and unique?

Our venue made our wedding so special! Parque at Ridley Creek State Park was our dream venue. The Hunting Hill Mansion is an old stone mansion that once belonged to a family as their foxhunting vacation home. The mansion is surrounded by beautiful gardens and scenery, which made our outdoor ceremony so magical! It is set in the middle of a beautiful state park outside of Philadelphia. Parque was the perfect venue for us not only because of its beauty, but because we are such outdoorsy people. We love hiking all over the world and just being in nature. Starting our future at Parque was just the beginning of a lifetime of adventures.

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

My “dress” is actually a 3-piece from BHLDN. It is a skirt, corset, and lace topper. After looking at dresses at multiple bridal shops, I didn’t find any that I loved until I went to BHLDN. BHLDN had the romantic, less-formal style I was going for. I originally wasn’t looking for a 3-piece, but my mom showed me a photo of what it looked like online and I was in love! The 3-piece was great because you can buy each piece in your size, which is a great feature when you’re petite. I still needed alterations, but not many!

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

A special part of our wedding was that we read our own vows. Steve was 100% set on doing this from the start, but I was a little nervous for it especially because I despise public speaking. Writing our own vows definitely took some extra thought, but it made the ceremony so special. Our guests gave us great feedback and really enjoyed that our ceremony had such a personal touch. Another special touch was the gorgeous flowers we had from Love n’ Fresh Flowers. Jennie grows all of her flowers herself on her flower farm in Philadelphia. It is so cool that we were able to support a local farmer! The flowers and decor really brought our venue to another level.

What was the most memorable part of the day?

Our first look was such a memorable moment for us! It was a moment we got to spend alone before we tied the knot and before the craziness of the wedding would begin.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Steve and I met in a bar over 5 years ago. I picked him up! It actually took approaching him twice for the sparks to fly. After that night we were inseparable. Steve and I were vacationing in Kauai, Hawaii when he proposed. We were in the middle of a day-long hike on the Kalalau Trail along the Napali Coast. It was one of the most jaw-dropping gorgeous hikes of our lives. We hiked to a private beach and then up to a waterfall that we got to swim under. Steve pulled me off the trail for a water break, then proceeded to get on one knee. He couldn’t have picked a better place to propose!

Photography: Emily Wren Photography // Coordinator: Bridget Kelly Peachtree Catering // Florist: Jennie Love Love n Fresh Flowers // Venue: Parque at Ridley Creek // Hair: Taylor McGivney // Makeup: Nicck Townsend // Dress: Catherine Deane / Watters // Caterer: Peachtree Catering // Band/DJ: Nick Diguilo White Label DJs // Transportation: Ace Limousine and Transport