1. Real Weddings

A Funky, Fall-Inspired Wedding at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A standard banquet hall or hotel simply wouldn’t do for Laura Robinson (29 and a resident physician) and Daniel Moadel’s (28 and a medical student) m

A standard banquet hall or hotel simply wouldn’t do for Laura Robinson (29 and a resident physician) and Daniel Moadel’s (28 and a medical student) mid-October wedding. The couple planned a truly one-of-a-kind affair packed with undeniable personality, starting by hosting the entire event at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since Laura and Daniel both a medical background, the location couldn't have been more appropriate. And with the historic venue’s library channeling the Gothic Reading Room at Duke University, their alma mater, the couple felt right at home. “We loved having use of the whole building and so many different spaces without having to worry about moving our guests between separate ceremony and reception sites,” Laura says. The day started with a ceremony in the Medicinal Garden, where Laura and Daniel drew on both their Jewish and Christian backgrounds to create a ceremony that reflected their story. The library hosted to the reception, offering a stately backdrop for the evening’s festivities, with its multitude of portraits, card catalogs and architectural details that gave the room a distinct old-world charm. “We loved having use of the whole building and so many spaces without having to worry about moving our guests between separate ceremony and reception sites,” Laura says. The couple chose a fall-inspired theme for the evening, going with a palette of dark green, navy and gold with vibrant pops of traditional autumnal colors like burnt orange, yellow, deep purple and red woven throughout. Garnish Floral Design created imaginative centerpieces for each table, using antique books and card catalogs borrowed from the library itself, displayed alongside textured arrangements of seasonal blooms. “We wanted the decor to reflect autumn without hitting you over the head with it,” Laura says. “We wanted things to feel natural and organic. The venue itself is so beautiful to begin with, and we wanted to make sure we were just adding subtle touches and not hiding what was already there.” Dinner was served family style to give the evening an intimate feel. The eight-piece Bachelor Boys Band, rocked the house with everything from Motown to contemporary hits. At the end of the night the couple sent guests off with heart-shaped pretzels, a nod to Philadelphia itself and the couple’s funky, custom-designed save-the-dates. A tip from Laura and Daniel: “We don’t know if we were really lucky, lazy or what, but we ended up picking the first venue, band, photographer, wedding dress and suit we came across. We tried not to get bogged down in the details, and it was super-helpful to have our venue, caterer, florist and decor all under one vendor. This allowed us the time to focus on the ceremony and adding special meaningful touches from our families.”

Scrabble-Inspired Initial Cuff Links
The couple enlisted the help of Julia Shaer, a close family friend, to create one-of-a-kind stationery that would give guests a taste of the elegant event to come. For the save-the-dates, Shaer paid tribute to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the wedding’s location, to give out-of-town guests a taste of the place Laura and Daniel call home, with illustrations of the city’s skyline and a classic Philly pretzel. The invitations, which the couple found at a local stationery shop, had a more formal tone with a traditional script font set on ivory paper. A gold foil border and floral envelope liner gave the suite a glam, fall-inspired feel, perfectly the wedding’s autumnal theme. “They were perfect for us—traditional without being to formal,” Laura says.
Zara Gold Slingback Heels
With a mid-October wedding date, a fall-inspired theme felt fitting for Laura and Daniel’s elegant affair. To keep the theme from feeling to over-the-top, the couple stuck with a palette of green, navy and gold and used flowers to introduce a few bursts of bright, cheerful color throughout. “We wanted the decor to reflect autumn without hitting you over the head with it,” Laura says. “We wanted things to feel natural and organic. The venue itself is so beautiful to begin with and we wanted to make sure we were just adding subtle touches and not hiding what was already there.”
Laura had four bridesmaids and one man of honor, her brother, standing by her side on the day of the wedding. When deciding on a look for the women, Laura chose a range of deep green colors she liked and asked them to find a dress of their choosing in a similar hue. “They took it from there and after several of them found dresses at J.Crew that they liked, they all decided to buy their dresses there, all in the same color, but in different styles,” Laura says. To complete their look, they wore gold beaded knot earrings and simple bracelets that Laura found on Etsy. Daniel’s “best woman,” his sister, coordinated with the bridesmaids.
Colorful Crochet Yarmulkes
Bright Fall-Inspired Lantern Aisle Markers
The ceremony took place in the College of Physicians of Philadelphia’s Sir John Templeton Veranda and Medicinal Herb Garden. The ceremony fused Jewish and Christian traditions, one of which included the couple exchanging vows under a handcrafted chuppah. The floral designers at Garnish constructed the unique piece, using elements like a tablecloth crocheted by Laura’s grandmother and great-grandmother, cascading greenery and bright orange and yellow calla lilies, pincushion flowers and coxcomb that spoke to the wedding’s autumnal theme.
Traditional Jewish and Christian Wedding Customs
Simple, Hand-Lettered Escort Cards
Green Trick and Candle Centerpieces
Highlighting their unique venue rather than detracting from it was important to Laura and Daniel. The College of Physicians allowed the couple to use some of their old textbooks and card catalogs as part of their centerpieces, which gave the decor an old-world flair. Each table boasted a different display, incorporating varying floral arrangements, candles, glass bottles, books and card catalog drawers.
The College of Physicians of Philadelphia was the only venue Laura and Daniel visited. The couple were instantly drawn to the old-world charm of the college’s library, with its card catalogs and portraits, both of which reminded the pair of the Gothic Reading Room at their alma mater, Duke. The medicinal garden was another alluring detail, allowing Laura and Daniel to host their ceremony in an intimate outdoor setting. “We loved having use of the whole building and so many different spaces without having to worry about moving our guests between separate ceremony and reception sites,” Laura says.
Good music was high on Laura and Daniel’s priority list, and the Bachelor Boys Band didn’t disappoint. The eight-piece band got guests in the mood to celebrate with energetic tunes, ranging from Motown to classic rock and pop hits. When the band needed a break, the couple played traditional Persian wedding hits.
Catering by Design handled all the couple’s culinary needs, from cocktail hour to dessert. During cocktail hour, guests nibbled on fall bruschetta, mushroom cakes, seared artichokes and rosemary lamb chops in the Thomson Gallery and rotunda, while the Bachelor Boys Band churned out plenty of energetic beats. If guests were feeling brave or just plain curious, they could also visit the Mutter Museum before dinner, the college’s medical museum.
Considerable time and thought was put into the creation of Laura and Daniel’s ceremony to ensure this important component of the day truly reflected their relationship, backgrounds and individual personalities. Elements from their Jewish and Christian cultures were incorporated throughout, with the ceremony being officiated by both Rabbi Claire Green and the Rev. Anita Ostrom. The couple invited seven of their guests to read the seven wedding blessings of the Jewish tradition, and the pair memorized both the traditional Presbyterian vows and the Hebrew and English for the Jewish ring exchange tradition. “Toward the end of the ceremony, our parents joined us under the chuppah and wrapped us in the tallis made by Dan’s grandmother for his bar mitzvah,” Laura says. “Dan’s mom also knitted yarmulkes, as she has done for her children’s previous weddings and bar mitzvahs.”
Icelandic Felt Cake Topper
Laura walked down the aisle in the first dress she tried on at Bridal and Formal, a lace Mori Lee design with an A-line silhouette, an illusion neckline and a classic lace overlay. “My gown was the first one I tried on, and despite continuing to look for a couple of more weeks, I kept coming back to it,” Laura says. “It was simple and comfortable, plus I fell in love with the lace neckline and open back.” To go with her yellow gold wedding band and engagement ring, she paired her look with gold pearl drop earrings, a pearl bracelet and a simple fingertip-length veil.