A Vivid and Modern Philadelphia Wedding at the Tendenza

Kate Clarke (26 and an administrative assistant) and Dan Lynch (28 and an area rental manager) knew of each other since high school, but had never met each other. Dan was friends with Kate’s older sister, Meghan. When Meghan was sick with leukemia, Dan would visit her in the hospital. After Meghan’s passing, Kate’s mother and Dan’s mother met at a mass in her memory. After realizing that Kate was going to attend St. Joe’s University, where Dan was studying, they decided to connect the two so that Dan could help Kate ease into college. What started as a few back and forths about laptops and a tour around campus bloomed into a relationship by the end of Kate’s first semester. Six years later, Dan invited Kate to dinner at Devon Seafood, a favorite haunt of theirs. Before dinner, he took her for a walk around Rittenhouse Park. Luring her into a remote corner of the park with the excuse of wanting to “look at architecture,” Dan caught Kate completely off-guard with his proposal. Their ensuing nuptials were held at the same church where Kate’s parents were married 31 years prior. With the help of Beautiful Bloom Events, Kate and Dan’s wedding was an affair in vivid purples and deep pinks. “We started with gray and then pulled in bright purples and pinks with the flowers to liven it up,” says Kate. The reception was held at Tendenza, a Cescaphe ballroom, and featured a variety of floral arrangements consisting of orchids, hydrangeas and roses.” To incorporate their shared alma mater, Dan and Kate served a signature cocktail called “The Hawk Mate” and featured St. Joe’s mascot in their cake topper. In lieu of favors, the couple opted to make donations to various causes, including St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, which was made in Meghan’s honor.