Chelsea & Brandon Wedding – 7.22.18

Posted on September 5, 2018

Bowling alley, Elvis, mariachi band?! Yes, yes, and yes! Not only did Chelsea and Brandon seriously plan an epically unique wedding, but these two and their guests were a blast to photograph! This was definitely a first for me, shooting in a bowling alley, but I hope it’s not my last! To begin their day, I started off at South Bowl Philadelphia, where they had rented out the event space on the top floor. Not only does it have ample seating space indoors and outdoors, but their guests got to play old pinball games, bowl at the private lanes (complete with Chelsea and Brandon graphics), and snack on finger food and a tower of pies that the groom drove all the way from New York!

Not only that, but the groom and groomsman were decked out in sequin jackets, while the ladies rocked more rockabilly type dresses. Chelsea and Brandon were all about the details from the wedding program they designed to look like a bowling score sheet but with all the wedding details guests needed, to the ‘gif’ video generator guests could make on a green screen, even down to the bowling sock take aways, and the bowling pin guests got to sign as a ‘guest book’ when they arrived. Once the wedding begin, Elvis serenaded guests as everyone took their seats and then the mariachi band played in the party and the bride and groom. After a hilarious service with plenty of Elvis puns, these two love birds were hitched, much to the cheers of their family and friends. The couple then walked down the aisle and did their first dance along with the bride’s parents (whose anniversary it was) to a rendition of their song by the mariachi band. Following some family and party shots on the bowling lanes, I headed downstairs with the happy couple to get some shots of them at the shoe check out and the vintage dining area with a huge light up ‘SPARE!’ sign. With our couple shots done, the bride went to change into her second party dress while I went upstairs to grab some detail shots.

The night continued with guests dancing, bowling, and pin-balling the night away. The couple fed each other pie (they even had a custom ‘pie cake topper’ featuring them), took group photos, and tore it up on the dance floor. As I was leaving, the bride and groom were having the time of their lives dancing with guests on the dance floor. To quote The King, “When I get married, it’ll be no secret” and with these two, it definitely wasn’t a secret, and their family and friends will certainly always remember this day of awesomeness! So here’s to many more years of happiness for this wonderful couple!