April showers bring May flowers. That’s how the saying goes, right? Well, I think April 22nd brought all the rain that we needed that month and it just so happened that Kevin & Dayana were tying the knot! Lots of luck for them that day 🙂

Kevin & Dayana’s wedding was one for the books. It was incredible. Not only are the couple super cool, relaxed, and easy-going but they picked the raddest city to get married in, Philadelphia, and one of the hottest new venues in town, BOK. Their wedding was reflective of both of them, the ones most important to them, and centered around friends and family. Dayana’s family, originally from Ecuador, made the trek to celebrate in the couple’s nuptials and Kevin’s family gathered just the same.

The day started off in Rittenhouse Square where Dayana and her girls were getting ready. Dayana stayed comfy in an easy going outfit and enjoyed the pampering process. I gathered her details and started taking photos and couldn’t help swooning over one particular piece. Dayana’s veil was the veil that her mother-in-law wore on her wedding day. Perfectly preserved and looking as fresh and crisp as could be it perfectly matched Dayana’s dress and style. Dayana’s own Mom was on hand to help and the delicate care her Mom took really showed their mother-daughter connection.

As we got ready to head out for our first set of pictures it was then that the rain decided to unload buckets of water. We changed our plans, packed up, and headed to the Church. In the meantime the girls chatted, relaxed, and chowed down on chocolate and beef jerky. Can you get any better of a Bridal Party?!

In the meantime, the boys had spent some time together at a local bar/arcade where they played some pool, video games, and just chilled. It was just what I would expect Kevin to do. They met us at the church shortly thereafter and huddled in the back to not ruin the surprise of Kevin & Dayana’s first look.

As family and friends gathered individuals were ushered to their seats and the ceremony was underway! The couple got married at Old St. Mary’s Church in Philadelpia, PA and it was beautiful. I couldn’t help myself by seeing how sweet Dayana’s father was in the moment and had to reach out to embrace his hand at one point. You just see the pride and love of is daughter in his eyes at that moment and throughout the whole day.

By the end of the ceremony the rain had let up just enough for us to steal outside and get some pictures. One of the things I loved so much about this couple is that they wanted to GO FOR IT! Who cares about rain?! Kevin & Dayana wanted their pictures at some of their favorite locations and by golly, rain or no rain, we were going to get them. At times I felt like yelling, “CHARGE!” as we gallivanted around the city. It was such a blast as we paroused the areas for their Bride & Groom portraits. The couple were all smiles and giggles and you could tell they couldn’t have cared less if they were getting wet or not, they were just happy to be married. Before we could call an end to their portrait time there was one very important thing we had to do. Find a dumpster. Kevin’s one and only photo request was they we find a Philadelphia dumpster to use as a photo-op. When keeping an eye out for what we needed the phrase, “Is this dumpster enough for you?” quickly caught on.

Once we decided we had enough we called an Uber and made our way to the reception space. Kevin & Dayana chose BOK, a technical school that closed down about four years ago which has since been transformed into a makers space and event space. The school takes up an ENTIRE city block and provides so many different backdrops. When speaking on the phone with Dayana she mentioned The Breakfast Club a few times so we made sure to sneak away and have some fun running through the halls. Until it got a lot more fun and someone offered us a bike to ride on! We also sneaked up to the roof where there was a gorgeous view of the city skyline and into some empty classrooms where we broke all the rules teachers ever gave us as students and sat on top of the desks. All my after-school hour dreams that I had as a kid came true that day. 

One of the most unique aspects of Kevin & Dayana’s wedding was their food. I mean come on, who doesn’t love a good Food Truck meal. As a frequent Food Truck festival attendee I was all about that! The food was savory, delicious, and there was endless amounts. I wish I had worn baggier pants. They had a beautiful cake to share the first bite of as Husband and Wife and even provided their guests with Federal Donuts as an additional treat.

The dance floor opened after some special toasts were made and the dinner cleared. From then on it was all about grabbing a drink and having a good time.

Kevin & Dayana, thank you so much for having me as part of your special day. I truly loved being surrounded by your friends and family. You compliment each other in the best ways possible and I am so excited for your future as Mr. & Mrs. I am so delighted to share with you just a few of my favorites from your wedding day and I hope you enjoy them just as much as I do!