Margot & Jeremy

Please, tell us your engagement story!

Jeremy and I met at Temple University the first week of classes in 2011, my freshman year. By chance, we sat next to each other in a general education class. We were only acquaintances until we reconnected 5 years later in 2016. In October 2019 we were tourists in our own city and went on a double decker bus tour. Jeremy knew I would want to get off at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (my favorite view of the city). He proposed at the top of the steps where we had our first kiss, our families were even hiding amongst the crowds. We always planned to have a long engagement so we could buy a house first and are so grateful it worked out in the current climate. When looking at venues, we knew we wanted to stay in Philadelphia. We are not from Philadelphia but our story was written here. When looking at venues, my top "look for" was a good view of the city. When I found out The Franklin Institute had a rooftop for ceremonies, we were sold. Plus, how fun is it to have cocktail hour in the exhibits? I knew I wanted a pink of some kind for our color and the boys to wear navy and when I was looking for inspiration online I fell in love with mauve (dusty rose) because I felt it was easy on the eyes and looked great on all skin tones. I loved gold geometric centerpieces I had seen online and ran with that for most of our theme, including for our invitations. 

What made you choose your venue and theme? 

When looking at venues, we knew we wanted to stay in Philadelphia. We are not from Philadelphia but our story was written here. When looking at venues, my top "look for" was a good view of the city. When I found out The Franklin Institute had a rooftop for ceremonies, we were sold. Plus, how fun is it to have cocktail hour in the exhibits? I knew I wanted a pink of some kind for our color and the boys to wear navy and when I was looking for inspiration online I fell in love with mauve (dusty rose) because I felt it was easy on the eyes and looked great on all skin tones. I loved gold geometric centerpieces I had seen online and ran with that for most of our theme, including for our invitations. 

How was the process of working with SuitShop starting with your first in person appointment in our Philadelphia showroom? 

The SuitShop storefront, website, and employees are amazing! We had such an easy time working with the company. I thought I wanted the brilliant blue suits but when we saw the navy in person, we knew it was perfect. Jeremy really liked being able to try everything on, including the shirt and shoes. It was also so helpful to be able to visit in person for sizing and to compare the suits to my bridesmaid dress swatch. We were actually running late to our appointment due to traffic on 76 (go figure) and the employees were so kind and understanding. We ended up visiting a second time to exchange Jeremy's jacket for a different size and the process was so quick. My dad and some of our groomsmen even visited in person and were all so grateful to be able to buy a suit, for a very reasonable price, instead of renting. The quality and customer service is truly incredible. 

Any ideas for hot spots our couples in Philly should go to for engagement photos? 

We loved how our engagement photos in Rittenhouse Square and Elfreth's Alley turned out. Our absolute favorite shot is us walking hand in hand down the path in Rittenhouse Square. Our photographers found so many amazing angles in those locations that we didn't expect! We used the company Shoott for engagement photos. From their site: "Shoott is a female-led company on a mission to make professional photography more affordable and accessible, while also empowering local professional photographers." I would also recommend the Manayunk Towpath and Wissahickon Park as some less popular but equally amazing areas. You can't go wrong with Fairmount Water Works and any of the museums on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway either. If you can get access to a boathouse on Boathouse Row, the view of the skyline from their docks is unmatched. We had our rehearsal dinner at University Barge Club. I also love Race Street Pier and Spruce Street Harbor Park area and the other "squares" in the city (Franklin, Logan, Washington, Centre Square/City Hall). There are so many great areas for photos, but I suggest picking a location special to you as a couple or one that provides the vibe you're going for (nature, urban, lifestyle, etc).

Any advice for brides/grooms to be? 

Of course the advice most people give is communication and patience, and while we think those are both incredibly important, we also feel so many couples spend their engagement preparing for their wedding instead of preparing for their marriage. Many lose sight of the purpose of a wedding. Having a longer engagement helped us make time for both and prioritize what was most important to us. We also recommend premarital counseling! It was something we knew we wanted to do and are so grateful that we did. In regards to advice around wedding planning, I would say book all of your vendors right away. You may think you have time but vendors get booked up so quickly, especially right now with so many postponements. Once your vendors and venue are booked, you'll be able to relax and have fun with the details. Finally, creating an email address specifically for wedding things was a great piece of advice I was given.