Why rehearse when you can just get married?

At least, that’s what our fashion-forward, ahead-of-the-curve clients thought two years ago when they asked us to produce their chic Main Line wedding celebration. It was an incredible wedding weekend that began with an intimate at-home wedding ceremony and Marc Vetri-catered dinner on Friday, followed by another ceremony and larger tented party catered by Peter Callahan on Saturday. As it turned out, the Friday wedding for 25 of the couple’s closest family and friends proved to be one of most endearing evenings we’ve designed.

{Photos: Mel Barlow of Mel & Co.}

As their guests were arriving for the wedding, the couple’s photographer, Mel Barlow, captured these lovely, emotional portraits of the stylish bride and groom.

Years ago, we had the pleasure of designing the bride’s bat mitzvah on a tennis court on the same property. Luckily for us, despite the warm September temperatures, this time the weather cooperated with the festivities. Once all the guests arrived, and they were happily enjoying hors d’oeuvres and bubbly poured by Jeff Benjamin of the Vetri Family, the first order of business was to sign the Ketubah. From there, guests witnessed the couple’s traditional Jewish ceremony under a simple white birch, hand-carried Chuppah before making their way to the Porch for dinner.

Nowhere is it more apparent that this is a remarkable, one-of-a-kind home than it is in the stunning screened porch. Archer and Buchanan Architects designed the home with precision and sophistication, allowing the family to enjoy their modern creek-side manor in complete seclusion. From the get-go, the Porch was the ideal location for the sit-down dinner for 25 guests. However, rather than compete with the already eye-catching space, we designed the nuptial dinner using clear glass tables, clear stemware and lucite chairs. Keeping the tablescape light, airy and modern, we created minimalist low centerpieces in clear glass using only white mini callas, hydrangea and parrot tulips. Floating candles in stemmed hurricanes at various heights paired with low lucite votive candle holders provided the soft lighting on the table surface. Once the sun had set, the candles reflected beautifully off the glass for an amazing mirror-like glow.

A dream of the couple’s from the beginning of the planning process was to have award-winning Chef, restaurateur and best-selling cookbook author Marc Vetri prepare their wedding dinner. Marc and his talented team commandeered the client’s kitchen with ease, charm and efficiency. Chef Vetri’s business partner, Jeff Benjamin, worked his usual magic with the wine and champagne selections, pairing them perfectly with each item on the menu. Truly, each vintage was better than the last.

Something quite special, and perhaps, a little known fact, Chef Vetri actually pens his own menus for each guest.

No one enjoyed the dinner celebration more than the happy couple. Always good storytellers, from the looks of things, they’re sharing quite a tale! {look at their hands!} Perhaps it was about the food, or another dinner at Chef Vetri’s restaurant, Vetri, the couple’s favorite restaurant. Course after course, wine after wine, the guests shared a night they won’t likely forget anytime soon. Right down to the walnut and chocolate tarts and cappuccinos served for dessert.

Although we’ve always had Friday night weddings, it seems more and more seem to grace our calendar every day. Perhaps we have the Royal Wedding to thank for the steady rise in trend or the increase in weddings booked now that the economy has recovered. No matter the reason, we happen to love them and look forward to planning more Friday celebrations in the near future. Next up, we’ll be sharing this couple’s incredible Saturday wedding celebration at Andalusia on the Delaware! Another amazing event shot by the talented Mel Barlow.