There are many very wonderful settings for a celebration of a special event, such as a wedding. The setting that is chosen represents the interests and tastes of the the individuals making the plans for the the festivities. In this case, the special day is a wedding, and the hosts were a loving couple named Kyrsetn and Francis. Together they chose the place of their wedding to take place at the Pen Ryn Estate on the Delaware. And by engaging the aware-winning photographer John Ryan of J&J Studios of Philadelphia the combination of the beauty of the venue along with the talents of John Ryan made the Pen Ryn Estate Wedding of Kyrsten and Francis a most memorable event indeed!

THE VENUE  :

Nestled on 100 acres of private land, Pen Ryn Estate is home to three unique waterfront venues – Pen Ryn Mansion, Belle Voir Manor, and River’s Edge Garden Pavillion. Having served as a historic landmark for over 275 years, its rich history is but a fraction of their exquisite offerings. Situated in the heart of Bucks County, the event venues boast beautiful river vistas, manicured gardens, and architectural elegance that won’t be found elsewhere. With 30 years of in-house event coordination experience, Pen Ryn Estate has become the premier event venue in the Philadelphia and Bucks County areas.

A little hsitory of how the Estate began The Bickleys, a, notable British shipping merchants, migrated here during the Revolutionary War and set out to build their family estate on 100 acres of unclaimed land. The Bickleys affectionately called the property Belle Voir, which is French for “beautiful view.” Originally built as home to the Bickley Family, who were wealth shipping merchants in Penryn, England. Having come to “America” to support the British, it makes sense why they settled along the Delaware River. Having lost the war, the Bickley Family became very unpopular and eventually sold the estate to the Drexel Family, who then married into the Wharton Family. In the late 80s the estate was the Pen Ryn School, located now in Fairless Hills, PA. After moving locations, the property was repossessed by the township and laid dormant for over 10 years. With no one caring for it, the estate soon became unrecognizable, with all its charm and character left to rot. However, in 1993 the owners made a settlement and with a great deal of hope and faith, they began to bring the estate back to its original grandeur. After a painstaking two year renovation, we held our first wedding in July 1995. Pen Ryn Mansion was about to be filled once again with life and love!

Sitting on the estate was not just the Pen Ryn Mansion but also the carriage house. After growing in popularity for nearly a decade, the owners felt it was time to expand their business and moved to renovate the property’s existing carriage house. Belle Voir, meaning “beautiful view” in French, was historically what the property was referred to, which seemed like a natural choice for a name. After about a year of renovations, Belle Voir held its first event in 2006. Fast forward nearly two decades later, with Pen Ryn Mansion and Belle Voir Manor at max capacity on bookings, the owners felt it was yet again time to add to the family. Having been able to acquire the land for a tented venue, the owners broke ground in March 2020 and held their first event in August 2020. River’s Edge is a unique and tranquil location as it rests just 100-yards from the Delaware River waterfront. Pen Ryn Mansion, Belle Voir Manor and River’s Edge host over 300 weddings per year together. Distinctly different but alike in grandeur, each venue has something for everyone!

With all of this history and the beauty of the setting, it’s no surprise that this loving couple decided to chose this exquisite venue for the place where they would join hands in matrimony and celebrate with family and friends the beginning of their journey as a married couple. It was the beginning of the  Pen Ryn Estate Wedding of Kyrsten and Francis as you will see with the following impressive photographs captured by photographer John Ryan.

THE GROOM:

What better way to begin preparations for his big day then gathering your closest friends for a casual gathering. It gives him a chance to talk, joke, and ease into what will surely be a busy and exciting day. Sharing stories and perhaps past adventures with the group is certainly a great way to reduce stress and to help set the mood for what he is about to experience.

But after some casual fun, it’s time for the groom to put down his beer and begin to get “formal” for the ceremony coming up very soon!

While his Groomsmen can most likely manage to get themselves together for the wedding ceremony, a special friend of the Groom needs a bit of personal attention.

THE BRIDE:

While the Groom readies himself for his big day, in another part of town his lovely Bride is getting herself ready for her big day as well!

A special little man is also part of the Bridal party and is getting help from an older participant.

There will be many special moments during the events of the day, but one treasured moment is a Father’s first view of his little girl on her way to becoming a mature, married woman, all grown up.

THE CEREMONY:

The Groom has chosen to have both his Mom and Dad to walk him up to his place at the altar to await the arrival of his lovely soon-to-be wife.

Now the Bride is escorted by her Mom and Dad up the aisle to her beloved soon-to-be husband.

You can only imagine the joy and happiness this Groom is feeling right now as he watches his special woman come closer to join him as they prepare to share their vows that bring them closer to wedded bliss.

The Bride and Groom confirm their faith and profess their commitment at these reflective moments of the service.

The ceremony is over, and the Bride and Groom walk triumphantly down the same aisle they walked up separately and single people, but now as a married couple.

Before the couple, along with their invited guest consisting of family and friends, move onward to celebrating this joyous event, it’s time to capture some traditional and formal photographs that both of them will indeed treasure for years to come.  This includes a number of photographs that show the exterior beauty of the magnificent wedding venue they have chosen for their reception.

Finally, after all of the preparation and planning, and the completion of most of the necessary wedding business, it’s time for everyone to join this lovely couple at their reception. It’s a time to celebrate – giving speeches, listening to music, much dancing, and overall partying to mark the day with a goodly amount fun and frolic!

Of course no wedding would be complete without the traditional cutting of the wedding cake, followed by the tossing of the Bride’s bouquet to a lucky woman, which by folklore means they are the next to walk down the wedding aisle!

And after much celebrating, with food and drink readily available, it’s time for the Bride and Groom to say their goodbyes to their friends and families as the now go forward and leave to start what is now a new chapter in their journey together as husband and wife.

All of the photographs of the Pen Ryn Estate Wedding of Kyrsten and Francis shoot here display the talents of John Ryan of J&J Studios of Philadelphia. John is a gifted photographer and is well known for his incredible wedding photography not only in the Philadelphia area, but throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and points beyond. And John is not only known for his memorable wedding photos. John also captures special moments tied to Engagements, Birthdays, Anniversaries, LGBTQ+ events, Corporate and Sporting happenings, Christenings, as well as Professional and Family portraits. John has been honored by multiple Diamond Awards for his Engagement Portraits, Awards for his Documentary Wedding Photography, and recognized by the Artistic Guild of Wedding Photojournalists. Such a list of acknowledgements and accomplishments would lead someone to think that John would limit the many many requests and engagements he receives to just a chosen group or clientele. However, that is not what John is about. He has brought his arsenal of talents to many other individuals and couples who otherwise would not normally be able to utilize a photographer of his caliber to capture their very special moments. John takes the time to get to know his clients so they can work as a team to memorialize the precious event at hand. If you are looking for a gifted photographer for your special event, look no further than John Ryan to provide you with a stunning memorialization to last you for a lifetime.

Below are some of the key vendors that helped  Kyrsten and Francis make their special day special!