Philadelphia Wedding Photography at Its Best

Dec 18

Brandi and Michael’s Villanova and Overbrook Wedding

This article should have been written months ago. But maybe it has taken me months to really process just how rad this whole day, this trip, and this couple really was. It is about time I share it all.

We landed in Philadelphia on Friday with our usual plan. Walk the grounds. Check the light. Scout Villanova Cathedral inside and out. But when we got there, a funeral was in progress. So we did not step inside. We did not linger. We simply pivoted. Scouted what we could from outside. Not ideal, but honestly not a big deal either. Sometimes wedding weekends start with a plan and sometimes the plan shifts and you adjust. We looked at where the sun was falling. We walked the perimeter. We talked through angles. We filmed a few behind the scenes moments to show what scouting actually looks like when you do not have access to the space yet.

check out the IG reel from this moment

And before I get too deep into the wedding day itself, I want to share something special because it rarely happens. For this wedding, we created a full PHOTOCO wedding day breakdown that we never intended to make public. Normally these long form breakdowns are reserved only for our PHOTOCO members. They are behind the curtain videos that walk through our decisions, our mistakes, our fixes, our instincts, the real life grit of shooting a wedding.

But this one felt different. The story was too good to keep tucked away. So we created a full fifty minute deep dive that covers everything from travel to timeline pivots to shooting inside one of the most beautiful and strict cathedrals on the East Coast. It is raw and honest and surprisingly vulnerable in places because it shows our entire process.

If you want more resources like this or if you are a photographer looking to learn from real wedding situations, you can always join PHOTOCO here:
https://www.mileswittboyer.com/photo

Wedding Morning at Overbrook Country Club

The getting ready rooms at Overbrook Country Club were perfect. Big. Bright. Comfortable. The kind of rooms that make you wish every wedding morning happened there. When we arrived, hair and makeup were wrapping up. There was food everywhere. The bridesmaids were already halfway to party mode. And Brandi was steady and calm in a way that instantly set the mood for the rest of the day.

There were a few quiet emotional moments with her mom and sister. Her sister especially was one of the coolest people we have ever photographed. The perfect mix of energy and grounding. She made the whole morning feel warm.

Our friends Chris and Ryan drove in from New Jersey to film the wedding with us. Once they arrived, the creativity level jumped instantly. We walked around photographing bridesmaids and groomsmen all over the club. The architecture gave us everything we needed. And everyone was just genuinely fun to be around.

And then Jared ripped his tux pants from front to back. A full blowout. It happened mid pose. One second he is directing the group and the next second he is walking away stiff-legged like something catastrophic has occurred. He had to run back to our hotel to change into a whole new suit and then meet me at the cathedral. Those pants never stood a chance.

The Most Joyful Shuttle Ride in Philadelphia

Eventually it was time to load onto the shuttle to Villanova and I have never in my life been in a louder vehicle. My ears hurt. The bridesmaids were singing like they were trying to break a sound barrier. It was absolute chaos in the best possible way.

We arrived later than planned for the no look moment and family was already lining up for the ceremony. It would have been easy to scrap it but something in me knew it mattered. So we made it happen. Brandi and Michael stood back to back just outside the cathedral and took a moment to breathe together. They talked. They settled into the emotion of the day. They never saw one another and yet it was one of the most grounding parts of the entire weekend.

Those moments always remind me that timelines are important but connection is more important.

The Ceremony at Villanova Cathedral

Villanova Cathedral is unreal. The scale, the stone, the stained glass, the quiet. It feels like stepping into a painting. But photographing in a space like that requires a lot of flexibility. There were rules on where we were allowed to stand. There were parts of the ceremony where the priest stood directly in the aisle which meant we lost sight of the couple entirely. It was not easy. But the beauty of the space carried the weight of the challenge.

Right after the ceremony we had a tiny window to shoot in front of the stained glass before the guests started spilling out. I asked Jared to walk out of the cathedral doors so I could check the light on him. Friends and family were already gathered outside, and he gave them this awkward little wave that made everyone laugh.

Brandi and Michael had no idea it happened. They did not see it in real time. When they sent me this video of them seeing their photos for the first time I couldn’t wait to share it with the world.

It is the little things like that that make wedding days feel personal.

Cocktail Hour and Sunset at Overbrook

Once we got back to Overbrook, everything started moving quickly. Cocktail hour was full and energetic. The band was incredible. Guests were ready to celebrate. We pulled Brandi and Michael for a few portraits during cocktail hour and then again for sunset.

And let me just say this. The sunset that night was wild. The kind of sky you want to frame and hang on your wall. The vendor team that day was extremely efficient which is great in many ways, but sometimes you wish for a little extra flexibility. I would have loved a few more minutes for the couple to just be in that moment together. But the seconds we did get were beautiful. They trusted us completely and fell straight into the moment.

If you are planning a wedding and want a photography team that fights to protect those kinds of moments, here is where to reach out:
https://www.mileswittboyer.com/get-in-touch

Reception, Second Dress, Fireworks, and Hibachi

The reception felt like a wave of celebration. First dances. Speeches. A packed dance floor. Brandi changed into a second dress that gave us the perfect opportunity to take her and Michael outside for a fast paparazzi style portrait session. They looked like celebrities sneaking away from the Grammys.

Then the fireworks started. Real fireworks shooting into the sky over the club grounds. Guests poured outside cheering. It was the perfect backdrop for more portraits.

And later that night there was hibachi at the after party. Hibachi. At a wedding. It was everything you are picturing and more.

We finally left at eleven and the party still felt like it had hours of life left.

The Photo Reveal

This is where things get really special because this part does not happen often. Brandi and Michael sent us a video of themselves watching their photos for the first time. Not staged. Not prompted. Just them together reacting to the moments we had documented.

It was one of the most meaningful things I have ever received from a couple. Seeing their real time reactions to images they had waited months to see reminded me of just how personal this job is. It is easy to forget that the photos you look at a thousand times on your computer might actually become someone’s favorite memory.

VIDEO:BrandiandMikePhotoRevealVIDEO: Brandi and Mike Photo RevealVIDEO:BrandiandMikePhotoReveal

We do not get reveal videos often. It is not something every couple does and it is not something we expect. But it says a lot about the relationship we built with them. It was a really beautiful surprise.

For Photographers who want more of this story

If you want the full picture of how we photographed this wedding, we created a fifty minute deep dive inside PHOTOCO that goes through every detail of the day. The challenges. The decisions. The lighting. The pacing. The problem solving. Everything.

You can join PHOTOCO at
https://www.mileswittboyer.com/photo
and access our courses, behind the scenes trainings, business tools, and full real wedding breakdowns.

Here are a few resources that pair well with this story:

The Curated High End Wedding Photography Experience Brides Deserve
https://www.mileswittboyer.com/blog/the-curated-high-end-wedding-photography-experience-brides-deserve

Why Wedding Photography Pricing Is About to Change
https://www.mileswittboyer.com/blog/why-wedding-photography-pricing-is-about-to-change-and-honestly-thats-a-good-thing

Ultimate Second Photographer Guide
https://www.mileswittboyer.com/blog/ultimate-second-photographer-guide-to-wedding-photography

Closing Thoughts

This wedding was the perfect mix of joy, trust, chaos, beauty, and personality. It never felt like we were photographing strangers. It felt like stepping into a family and documenting a story from the inside. And that is the kind of work that stays with you.

If you are planning a wedding in Philadelphia or anywhere else and want a photography team that will step fully into the story with you, here is where to reach out.
https://www.mileswittboyer.com/get-in-touch