I’d like to invite you to take a journey with me as we take a look at a fabulous event that took place recently for a loving couple named Lauren and Justin. From the many photographs that are capture here by award winning photographer, John Ryan of J&J Studios of Philadelphia – more about John later – the impressive imagery can almost whisk you away to the event itself, making you a part of the Waterworks by Cescaphe Wedding of Lauren and Justin.

It was hard to even begin of where to start selecting the best representation for this young couple as they go through what was an exciting and probably exhausting day! The photographs captured encompass multiple participants, multiple settings, multiple moods, as well as enshrining multiple moments that can never be replicated. This makes the Waterworks by Cescaphe Wedding of Lauren and Justin an event that goes beyond words, cultures, and experiences for those who were most fortunate to be included in the celebration.

Let’s first talk a bit about the venue itself. You can tell the minute that guests enter, they stop, take a deep breath, and look around at the stunning surroundings in wide-eyed wonderment. That’s when a couple knows, in case there was any doubt, that once again, that they’ve chosen the perfect setting for their event that they will come to cherish for all the years to come. And with so many one-of-a-kind wedding venues to select from, Cescaphe can make it easy to create a wedding that expresses a couple’s unique personality and sense of style. From classic elegance to fashion-forward modern, European flair to historic ambience, from overlooking Independence Hall to gazing up at the Art Museum, Cescaphe provides a showcase of settings unlike any other. In this case choice of Cescaphe venue chosen by Lauren and Justin was the Waterworks setting. A combination of gracious Neoclassical architecture on the outside and then-revolutionary technology within once drew visitors from around the world—including Charles Dickens, who praised its “pleasant design.” Today, the Water Works provides rich contemporary luxury in its lavish interior spaces in one of the city’s most picturesque settings, with the Art Museum perched dramatically above and Boathouse Row stretched out along the Schuylkill River just beyond. The iconic views, classically elegant structures, and landscaped grounds and gardens all around make adding an outdoor ceremony to your reception a natural choice.

Now that we’ve taken a look at what will prove to be a perfect setting for the Waterworks by Cescaphe Wedding of Lauren and Justin let’s look at some of the wonderful photographs that photographer John Ryan has captured. We go from the beginning and preparation for the big day by both the Bride and Groom, on to the pre-ceremony photo shoot, on to the ceremony itself, all of which culminated in the ultimate celebration of friends and family joyously marking the event with toasts, cheers, and love.

The couple brought forward what appears as a wonderful blend of their Asian culture and tradition along with a contemporary approach to their ceremony and reception. The Bride choices of wedding dresses were impeccable. The Asian influence in her one gown contained intricacies of color and design that are breathtaking. This could only be outdone by the gorgeous traditional wedding gown she chose, with its flowing train and stunning lacework. Both represented a beauty that transcends any differences in cultural approach beyond words and did both sides of her heritage justice.

The sparkle of the beautiful diamond rings are complimented by the luster of the incredible wedding bands that the couple have selected, showing their appreciation of the specialness that each represents.

After the Bride, Groom, and their respective bridal party participants are ready, the couple moves on to the first stage of their day, which shows a simple gathering of select friends and family participating in a more traditional Asian ceremony that included special features that were significant to both the couple and the invited guests.

This ceremony included a simple gesture of remembering a loved one who could not physically be present to join in this special occasion, but was still accorded the respect and love to be included in this special day.

Upon completion of the traditional portion of their day, the couple were treated to a special exit celebrating this portion of their union as they moved onward to the rest of their special day.  This involved a change of clothing for the Bride into her traditional gown, and also a change of location – across the street from their venue to an outdoor photo shoot.

At this point the Bride and Groom were eager to move on to a variety of different backdrops within the city of Philadelphia. This included a wonderful shot of the two of them in front of the iconic City Hall.

Another iconic setting is the Philadelphia Art Museum. The couple are standing on the steps to the museum made famous by Sylvester Stallone and his movie, “Rocky”. The statue of Stallone as Rocky was located lower at the base of the steps that many visitors from all over the US still come to visit.

This portion of pictures now brings us to the more formal ceremony that the larger contingent of friends and family have been cordially invited to attend. It highlights to beauty and versatility of the Cescaphe venue both indoors and outdoors.

As during the traditional Asian service the couple began their day with, they provided a favored spot to acknowledge and accord special respect and memory to someone who was dear to both of them.

As the ceremonies concluded, and the couple are now officially recognized as married couple, it now is time for a well-deserved celebration and some well-deserved partying for everyone! It’s a time to share the joy of the event, the love of this couple, and the inclusion of family and friend to mark this special day and build more memories that will be looked back at for years to come!

The intricacy and beauty of the wedding cake alone is complimented by the beautiful table settings and back drops of the venue itself.

And every aspect of this celebration can’t be serious – it’s time for some dancing and fun!

Special moments are shared with the Bride and her Dad and the Groom and his Mom

Of course, no wedding reception is complete without the very close friends of the Bride and Groom, their Maid of Honor and Best Man respectively, provide a bit of a “roast” of the couple. It’s all in good fun, and speaks to the closeness each has with the couple that allows them to enjoy this moment.

Some surprise inclusion of Asian dragons to help with the celbrating!

And like all wonderful days, the time has come for the couple to reflect back on the fabulous day they created and now settle in to going forward in their life journey as husband and wife.

As mentioned early on, the phenomenal photographs displayed here were captured by award-winning photographer, John Ryan of J&J Studios of Philadelphia. John is recognized as one of the leading photographers not only in Philadelphia, but is sought after through all of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, as well as points nationwide. While John is acknowledged for his wonderful wedding photographs, John is also a major photographer for many other memorable life events such as: Engagements, Proposals, Christenings, Bar/Bats Mitzvahs, Birthday celebrations, LGBTQ+ events, Sports & Corporate Events, as well as Professional and Family portraits. The list is virtually endless! John applies the many aspects of his craft towards all of these events, providing the care and professionalism he has come to be known for. He builds the necessary rapport with those that engage his talents to ensure that the important moments of a given event are captured and exemplify what he and and the individuals deem a the most noteworthy.

If you would like to know more about John Ryan and his work please go to his website at https://jjstudiosphiladelphia.com/ – you’ll be glad you did!