Matt and Mia married at the Westmoreland Club Church the Saturday before Halloween. You’ll see from the photos how the holiday inspired their decor and wedding party attire! You can read about their engagement photo session with J & J Studios – and view some of the pictures – by clicking here.

The Westmoreland Club – Wilkes-Barre, PA

The Westmoreland Club is a private social club that was established in 1873 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Two years prior, in 1871, Wilkes-Barre had grown so significantly that its status changed from a borough to a city. 

In 1873, a group of community leaders from the greater Wilkes-Barre area formed an organization called the Malt Club. This was a place to discuss topics like community projects, business, and politics, among other things. The members changed the organization’s name to the Westmoreland Club in 1889. Because of the Westmoreland Club’s expanding membership, in 1922 it purchased the gorgeous Georgian mansion where it is still located today from Dr. Levi Shoemaker. 

Westmoreland Club Weddings

The Westmoreland Club offers various packages to engaged couples who wish to be married there. The Club maintains a house executive chef and house pastry chef, and uses fresh, local ingredients in its dishes. The Westmoreland Club also has event coordinators on staff to work with couples getting married at the Club, which can accommodate up to 250 guests. The private tented courtyard and surrounding gardens can accommodate up to 350 guests. The Club also offers guests valet parking as well as shuttle service to local hotels.

Getting Ready for the Wedding

Due to her wedding date’s proximity to Halloween, Mia chose for her bridesmaids to wear long black dresses. We thought the black feather details at the neckline were to die for! 

The pattern on Matt’s tuxedo jacket added another layer of dimension to his overall look. We love how it complemented the texture from the beading on Mia’s wedding gown! 

Matt and his groomsmen toasted in celebration of Matt’s wedding day! 

Mia and her bridesmaids did the same, but they used champagne to toast instead of beer. What’s your favorite of the two?

How fabulous are the feathers on the sleeves of Mia’s bridal pajamas? Combined with those long curls, she is the epitome of glam in this photo!

Mia wrote Matt a long letter to read on the morning of their wedding day. It’s clear from Matt’s smile that he enjoyed her gift! 

Matt also wrote a letter for Mia to read on their wedding morning. We loved capturing the true, unbridled happiness on Mia’s face in this photo. Her joy and smile are stunning!

Matt looked so handsome as he stood in this industrial area. The bare bones and raw material made a visually interesting juxtaposition to his luxe, tailored tuxedo.

Mia’s wedding dress gave us major Art Deco and Great Gatsby vibes, with its sparkles and beading and slim silhouette. The strong lines and intense sparkle were softened by the 3D flowers and leaves, which made the gown as a whole incredibly romantic, yet still sexy.

First Looks and Wedding Gifts

Matt and Mia chose to have a first look so they could exchange wedding gifts before the ceremony. Some couples choose to have a first look with their partner to calm their nerves, while others choose to wait for the drama of the reveal at either end of the aisle. Both these methods produce gorgeous photo opportunities, so you can choose whichever you desire!

Mia beamed as she walked up to her groom. Matt lit up like the Fourth of July when he saw his bride in her wedding dress for the first time. 

Matt had to give Mia a wide berth, due to the length of her wedding gown’s train. However, looking at his face, we think he loved it!

Matt and Mia exchanged the gifts they had bought one another for the occasion. The kiss they shared as they sat next to one another was so sweet.

These glamour shots of Mia are the stuff of luxury dreams! You can really see the length of her gown’s train, as well as its details. There were so many delicate layers of different types of lace, which gave the train and dress more depth and dimension. The layers of different textures also coordinated with the texture on Matt’s suit jacket.

One of the benefits of choosing a first look is that you can have your formal portraits done before the wedding ceremony. With the formal portraits out of the way, you can have more time for other things – such as pictures of just the newly married bride and groom, or the ability to attend your own cocktail hour. 

Formal Wedding Photos

Even the flower girls were fabulous! J & J Studios adored the feathers at their dresses’ necklines, which matched the feathers at the necklines of the bridesmaids’ dresses. Talk about thorough!

Mia’s mom definitely understood the assignment! Her nude-colored dress had a dark overlay, with textured cutouts of branches, flowers, and leaves. These designs coordinated beautifully with the similar ones on Mia’s wedding gown!

Matt’s mom also got the “glam” memo. Her sparkling blue dress and its matching elbow-length gloves were so elegant and regal! 

Westmoreland Club Church Wedding Ceremony

The church where Mia and Matt’s wedding ceremony took place was purchased by the Westmoreland Club in 2019. Before its existence as the Westmoreland Club Church, it was known as the First Baptist Church. Located on River Street in Wilkes-Barre, the former First Baptist Church was built in the early 1920s and stands adjacent to the Westmoreland Club. This makes the Westmoreland Club Church an ideal location for weddings and other events that take place at the Club, especially those that require a worship space. 

Mia could not have smiled any wider on her and Matt’s wedding day. It was a joy to see her constant, beaming smile! 

Matt and Mia’s first kiss as husband and wife was romantic and tender. They held each other’s hands, while Mia placed her other hand on Matt’s waist and he cupped her face in his right hand.

Westmoreland Club Wedding Reception 

Mia and Matt used rich, dark colors and sumptuous fabrics, like velvet, to give their wedding reception decor a glamorous feel. 

The neon signs Matt and Mia used added a sense of fun to their dark glam wedding decor. One displayed a romantic message: “It was always you.” The other showed a play on the line in traditional wedding vows: “Till death do us party.” 

The clear chairs at the tables aided in keeping the dark decor from being visually overwhelming. Plus, these transparent chairs are also known by the name of “ghost chairs,” so using them in a wedding on Halloween weekend couldn’t be more appropriate!

Some other elements that lightened up the glam but dark decor included candles and the crystal candelabras on the tables. The purple uplighting added both a spookiness and a luxury to the wedding reception space. 

Mia and Matt had a cake in a color we haven’t often seen – black! The black frosting made a great backdrop for the pink and purple flowers and greenery that wound around the tall cake.

J & J Studios made sure to get some dramatic shots of the bride and groom in the Westmoreland Club Church, as well as in their reception space. How cool is the light-up dance floor?

Matt had fun dancing with his mom during the mother-son dance. Just look at their happy faces!

 Mia’s father held her like the precious treasure she is as they danced the father-daughter dance. 

Matt and Mia looked intensely focused as they cut their wedding cake. After feeding each other a bite of it, they kissed, making this moment a doubly sweet treat for them!

Mia and Matt are wonderful dancers! It was a delight to see them on the dance floor as they spun together as husband and wife. Mia even changed into a short black dress so that she could dance more easily. 

The wedding guests clearly took the hint from the talented bride and groom – it was time to dance. They all looked like they were having the time of their lives!

Matt and Mia definitely took care of their guests, as they hired a food truck to make fresh pizzas in the wood-fired oven. Mia was definitely happy to snack – look at her cheesin’ (forgive the pun – we couldn’t resist)!

Congratulations, Mia and Matt!

J & J Studios wishes Mia and Matt many years of joy and love as they embark on the journey of their marriage together. We hope the life they build is as unique, fun, and full of love as their wedding day was! 

Contact J & J Studios Today!

We hope you enjoyed Mia and Matt’s wedding day photos as much as we enjoyed taking them! Matt and Mia had an undoubtedly glam and unique wedding that their guests will remember for a long time! If you love our camera work, you can contact J & J Studios here. We can’t wait to hear from you!