A Beautiful Wedding – August 2020

Everyone loves a good love story. Luckily, I’ve been lucky enough to witness and follow Archana Murali and Robert Jone‘s journey for a while now. The honor of capturing a couple’s engagement session and their wedding day has been the ultimate privilege. Their special day was nothing less of magical!

Rob & Archana’s Story

If you’ve read about their engagement session in our previous blog, then you sort of know their backstory. (Remember their fur-bunny, Lily?!) They met through a mutual friend in Philadelphia, and well – the rest is history! After meeting in September 2014 and being inseparable ever since, Rob decided it was time to propose. As the story goes, Rob proposed to Archana during their trip to Bali five years later in September 2019. While they were at Suluban Beach Cave, he waited for the right moment to kneel down and propose. Over the course of their relationship, they’ve traveled to and fro, made memories, and had countless laughs.

We asked the couple a few questions. Their answers were super sweet:

What do you love most about your partner?

Rob: What I love most about her is how she is always encouraging us to learn and experience new things and improve ourselves.

Archana: What I love most about him is that he is so patient and understanding.

We thoroughly enjoyed photographing the parties getting ready for the day. Check out Archana’s henna – amazing, right? It’s symbolism for several things, such as overall happiness in their marriage, success, and prosperity. It’s a meaningful custom that she can incorporate her culture into their wedding day. Absolutely amazing.

Of course, there is no right or wrong way to do your wedding! There are so many benefits of having a first look or simply waiting until you come down the aisle. Regardless, it’s the day you’ve been dreaming about for a very long time.

Verragio (Archana’s) and Cartier (Rob’s) were to DIE for! Talk about some hand candy.

Magnifique Artistry did a marvelous job on Archana’s hair and makeup. We highly encourage professionals to get the job done right. Having quality makeup, styling tools, and the knowledge to bring to life what you envision is crucial when aiming for a stress-free path. And besides, you deserve the pampering, right? Oh – and let’s brag on Pronovias for the wedding dress – absolutely stunning. It fits Archana and her personality so well. 

Let’s not forget about Rob, though. His tuxedo (from Vince Camuto, of course!) was perfect. The classical black with a bow is the way to go if you want to achieve a classical look. I thoroughly enjoyed watching his reaction during their first look. His face said it all!

Historic Hill-Physick House In Philadelphia 

The couple decided to have their wedding held at Hill-Physick House located at 321 South Fourth Street right here in Philly. Since it’s rich in history and the two of them love Old City, it was a perfect choice for a sophisticated wedding. The venue already holds that vintage atmosphere (making the decoration planning much easier!), so they decided to add a few personal touches. Their tables had vintage books ontop, fans in the chairs, and clear glasses for that overall timeless, classical look.

One of the greatest parts about the day was photographing the first look. It’s a memorable time shared between a soon-to-be husband and wife. It’s an intimate time secluded away from people to really have that ‘moment‘ with each other. As a wedding photographer, I love capturing those candid, authentic emotions in a relaxed setting. There’s no pressure, and it’s just a great way to enjoy a few minutes of one another’s company. Besides, it helps shake those jitters before the ceremony! Oh, and it’s a time to cry some tears before going up to the alter. 🙂 

Cheers To A Good Life Together

As Winnie the Pooh said, “Tut tut, it looks like rain,” the forecast changed as Archana made an impromptu dash for the tent for the ceremony! But there is a bright side, it all worked out just fine. And guess what? Did you know that rain on a wedding day is a good luck sign? Yes! A knot becomes hard to untie when wet, so tieing the knot in marriage terms and it raining symbolizes a sturdy, unbreakable bond!

Under a tent in the pouring rain, they said their vows and promised each other they’ll always be true. Rev. Peter McGuinness, their officiant, pronounced them husband and wife while they looked deeply into each other’s eyes. 

The music was delicate and sweets, thanks to Blue Line Quartet. The entire atmosphere was serene. We recommend them to come to your next event and play! Having great vendors who show up on time and deliver high-quality service means everything when it comes to your day running smoothly!

Eat, Drink, & Be Merry!

Okay, here’s another thing I love about weddings… the food.  And not just to dig in, but to see the masterpieces catering companies and vendors come up with. The food was fabulous, thanks to Feast Your Eyes Catering. This company has been in business since 1982, so we highly recommend checking them out. They cater delicious meals from personal and corporate events to B’nai mitzvahs – it was a hit at the wedding! We’d also like to comment on Archana and Rob’s signature drink… the Suluban Sunset (a nod to the place where he proposed! We are swooning!) Everything looked and tasted delicious. Really, the food was almost too pretty to eat! 😉

Another question we asked the couple was: 

What was the memory/moment from your wedding day?

Their response:

“There were many wonderful moments. One of the most meaningful parts of our wedding was our parents’ speeches giving us their blessings and welcoming us into each other’s families.”

The toasts/speeches during any wedding are one of my favorite parts as well. It’s touching to hear what family and friends wish for you as a new married couple. I also like hearing about childhood memories and funny stories! It’s a toast to a new chapter in their lives. 

The Perfect Day

The two had some fun during the reception with the ‘shoe game‘. Oh, never heard of it? It’s a newlywed game that’s become really popular among couples. They put chairs back-to-back against each other so they can’t see each other. They have a shoe of their own in one hand, and their partner’s in the other. Then, they are asked a series of questions. For example, “Who sings better?” or “Who makes better breakfast?”, and one or both of them will raise either their own shoe or their spouse’s shoe. It gets comical, that’s for sure!

As the big day came to an end, I captured more images of them cherishing the rest of the evening. My favorites? The silhouette shot. Photographed from afar, it really stands out to me. The intimate, quiet moments between these two show their compassion for one another. Another one of my favorite shots of them is the one in front of the carriage. Delicate, sophisticated, and timeless.

You couldn’t have asked for a better day. These two spent the day laughing and soaking up every single moment with friends and family. What more could you ask for? 

What I love most about being a Philadelphia wedding photographer is that no two weddings are the same. They’re all unique – the couple, the atmosphere, the guests, and everything involved. It warms my heart to have the privilege to be involved in something so intimate and capturing the emotions, love, and smiles. 

We would like to congratulate Archana and Rob again on their marriage. We wish you decades of happiness and adventure. Here’s to a happy, healthy, and beautiful life together!

Say “I Do” To An Adventure

If you’re ready to schedule with a professional photographer for your wedding day, look no further. Click here to find out more! High-quality images of your big day … it’s like placing a frame around your entire day and having that to look back on for years to come. Don’t regret not having beautiful photos – you can frame these and place them on your empty walls, put them on your nightstand, or post all over social media. Invest in something that’s worth every penny. 

Just engaged, perhaps? Let’s chat about a unique engagement session! This is the perfect time to grow familiar with each other (you two plus me, the photographer!). Engagement sessions create the perfect chance to announce your engagement, almost like a celebration of new beginnings on the horizon! It’s a chance where you and your significant other to share a memorable day, all while photographing this new milestone. And guess what? We get to break the ice in front of the camera. Sounds fun, right? Right! So let’s get to know each other, chitchat some, and make it worthwhile. 

Talk soon!

J&J Studios

Peep a few more shots…