I've got my love (and the blazing sun) to keep me warm

Kristin and Andrew
June 29, 2012
Winterthur Museum
Winterthur, DE
Web Site

Winterthur Museum and Country Estate is an American estate and museum in Winterthur, Delaware. As of 2011 it houses one of the most important collections of Americana in the United States of America. It was the former home of Henry Francis du Pont (1880–1969), a renowned antiques collector and horticulturist. Until recently, it was known as the "Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Museum".

To quote an old Bobby Goldsboro song, "It was a hot afternoon, last day of June and the sun was a demon. The clouds were afraid, one-ten in the shade, and the pavement was steaming." To be blunt, it was SERIOUSLY hot outside on this day. The friends and family gathered in the lush Reflecting Pool area by the arch that served as the setting for a very natural and elegant ceremony.

Afterwards, everyone moved to the Museum terrace for a relaxing and beautiful cocktail hour. As always, Jen Lamb and her Restaurant Associates team at Winterthur did a GREAT JOB taking care of the needs of every guest. As I said on my Facebook check-in: "(Winterthur) is very easily my favorite venue to entertain weddings at...". This venue is truly amazing. Between the superior service and incomparable beauty, this is one of the best considerations for a wedding setting.

Because the number of guests was fewer than 100, the Galleries served as the dinner and dancing area. It also served as the canvas for uplighting and additional special event lighting. It looked fabulous.

What began as a laid-back affair ended with every guest on the dance floor. Everyone really enjoyed the music that had been carefully and meticulously selected by the bride and groom. To see some of the dance floor action, click the video below or check out some of the photos I took here!

Congratulations, Kristina and Andrew!





Agenda

6:30-7:00 PM - Ceremony

7:00-7:55 PM Cocktail Hour

7:55 PM Grand entrance
Bride and Groom: "City of Blinding Lights" by U2

8:00 PM Bride and Groom dance
"The Way You Look Tonight" as performed by Michael Buble

8:05 PM Welcome, blessing and toasts

8:25-9:15 PM Dinner

9:15 Cake Cutting
"Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies

9:20 PM Bride and father dance
"Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman

9:25 PM Groom and mother dance
"I Say A Little Prayer" by Aretha Franklin

9:30-11:25 PM Open Dancing

11:25 PM Final song
"Hit The Road, Jack" by Ray Charles

Philadelphia DJs - Steve Croce

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Ek Bad A Samaaraoh

Swathi & Michael
May 16, 2008
Winterthur Museum
Winterthur, DE
Web Site

Nestled in the picturesque Brandywine Valley, halfway between New York City and Washington DC, Winterthur delights and inspires visitors of all ages and in every season.

In the early twentieth century, Henry Francis du Pont, the founder of Winterthur, assembled an unrivaled collection of early American antiques, displaying these in 175 period rooms of his country home; created a spectacular naturalistic garden; and developed a research library rich in art and history. Today, Winterthur continues to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors who come to experience the many wonders of this unique national treasure.

This affair was beautifully appointed, not only by the elegant venue, but also with the superior level of floral aesthetics provided by the nearly incomparable Flowers By Yukie. To read more about the look of the event, check out Winterthur's blog, a well-kept journal maintained by one of the most organized event directors around, Nicole Bailey.

Swathi and Michael's largely Indian group of friends and family were not shy about celebrating the special occasion, filling the dance floor early on and enjoying a mixture of Bhangra, Hindi, and American music.

It didn't matter what was playing, EVERYONE was dancing non-stop until the night ended. It was a lot of fun for me too, since I don't often get to play music from India. You can check out some Bhangra music by either clicking here or watching the video below.

By the way, if you decide to check out the photos I shot at Swathi and Michael's wedding, be sure your speakers are on. As I usually do, I played the bride and groom's first dance song as the very last song of the evening. However, this time I played a special version of "What A Wonderful World" that includes an introduction by Louis Armstrong, explaining why he sang that song. It will almost definitely change your perception of what I formerly thought of as a quaint little song.

Congratulations, Swathi and Michael!

Click here to see some photos from their event!

Agenda

6:30-7:25 PM Cocktails

7:30 PM Grand Entrance
"Beautiful Day" by U2

7:35 PM First Dance
"What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong

7:40 PM Bride & Father/Groom & Mother Dance
"Somewhere Over The Rainbow..." by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

7:45 PM Blessing and Toasts

7:50-8:55 PM Dinner

8:55 PM Cake Cutting
"This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" by Natalie Cole

9:00 PM-11:00 PM Open Dancing

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A Magical Evening Under The Stars

Heather & Peter
September 1, 2007
Winterthur Museum
Winterthur, DE
Web Site

Winterthur, an American country estate, is the former home of Henry Francis du Pont (1880-1969), an avid antiques collector and horticulturist. In the early 20th century, H. F. du Pont and his father, Henry Algernon du Pont, designed Winterthur in the spirit of 18th- and 19th-century European country houses. Quite simply, a visit to Winterthur will immerse you in another time and place.

As guests began to arrive for the ceremony, they were greeted with the gentle sound of a string quartet. Just outside the dinner and dancing areas, the vows took place at the edge of the woods, an intimate and stylish setting for a wedding ceremony.

The classical music carried into the cocktail hour as well, while guests caught up on the recent past and took numerous photos of the new bride and groom.

As a favor to the guests, Heather and Peter secured a photobooth in the lobby. What was especially cool about this was not only the fun factor, but Heather and Peter received a CD at the end of the night containing all the photos taken in the photobooth that evening. That way, they wouldn't miss a thing. Very cool!

To add a little festive ambiance to the evening, Heather and Peter asked me to project stars on the ceiling. As you can see from the photos, the Winterthur Museum's ceiling is a great canvas for something like that.

After dinner and several toasts, the dancing began! In addition to some of the oldies, we also heard some songs I personally haven't heard at a wedding in a long time.

A majority of Heather and Peter's friends were from the Southern California area, so songs like "Whoomp! There It Is" and "Tootsie Roll" were heavily requested. To be honest, I was surprised to hear that those songs are played at nearly EVERY California wedding.

Every area is different, so I'm sure there was something I played that the West Coasters heard and thought "What the...?"

Congratulations, Heather and Peter!

Click here to see some photos from their event!

Agenda

6:30-7:00 PM Ceremony

7:00-7:55 PM Cocktail Hour

8:05 Grand Entrance
"You're The First, The Last, My Everything" by Barry White

8:10 PM Blessing

8:15-9:40 PM Dinner

9:35 PM Cake Cutting
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" by Marvin Gaye

9:45 PM First Dance
"Follow You, Follow Me" by Genesis

9:50 PM Bride & Father Dance
"The Prayer" by Josh Groban (with Charlotte Church)

9:55 PM Groom & Mother Dance
"Wild Horses" by The Rolling Stones

9:10 PM-12:00 AM Open Dancing

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