Laura and Sean's love story has a touch of serendipity right from the start. They connected more than a decade ago, in the early days of online dating. For their first date the two went ice skating at the outdoor rink in Penn’s Landing, since Sean mentioned in his profile he wanted to go. Little did Laura know that he had never set foot on the ice before, but to her surprise, Sean turned out to be a natural. They ended their date with pizza at Lorenzo's on South Street—classic Philly!
One of the first things I learned about these two was how much they love to travel, nature and the stars. On their second date, they went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and in one of the rooms full of ancient ruins with a painted ceiling, Sean laid on the floor in that room to look at the 'night sky', as he loves astronomy. And in Laura’s words: “I loved how laid back & goofy he was and how he was not worried about just being himself.” Nearly 10 years after they first met, in a more quiet place behind the art museum, Sean proposed.
In a COVID world, Laura and Sean were engaged and ready to tie the knot. Determined, they decided to have a micro-wedding with just their inner circle at a cozy New Jersey restaurant in May 2021. Throughout the planning process, we worked closely, planning everything virtually and Caroline, one of our lead coordinators, managed it all on the day of their micro wedding. Through all of this planning, we had never met in person. As fate would have it, while chatting after their “mini-wedding” as the couple calls it, we discovered that we would both be in Belgium at the same time. It was just a fun coincidence that led to our first-ever face-to-face meeting at a laid-back bar in Ghent—a truly memorable moment that cemented our connection.
They craved a big celebration with all their friends and family, and as COVID restrictions eased, we started working to plan the wedding they had always dreamed of. They wanted an atmosphere that felt fun and relaxed, rather than formal, and were most attracted to a moody, jewel-toned color palette. Avoiding the traditional ballrooms, we set out to find a unique venue—and Philadelphia Distilling was perfect. To add a touch of whimsy, we adorned the space with modern but laid-back signage, echoing the deep hues of the stars.
We swapped the traditional sit-down dinner for a variety of food stations and crafty cocktails. Of course, their beloved pups—Gus, Max, and Jack—were not forgotten. Personal touches featuring these three added warmth and a sense of home to every corner of the celebration, from the cocktail mixers and drink signage with illustrations to small figurines we added to the cake and spread out throughout the guest tables, bars and anywhere else we could (so cute!).
Laura and Sean's wedding day unfolded like a chapter from their own love story—casual, genuine, and overflowing with happiness. It was exactly the kind of party they wanted to throw in a celebration of their love.
Cheers!! -Andi
[Scroll down for more photos of their special day, their review and the full vendor team who helped put this wedding together!]
In their words:
"This review is WAY overdue. And I am writing a book because I cannot explain how amazing Musa Weddings is enough. I was married last August and let me tell you - if I had to do it all over again - I would not change a thing. Andi and her team made the wedding THAT perfect. I was on the fence about hiring a wedding planner, as I thought wedding planners were meant for folks with crazy budgets, but we decided to move forward anyway. I have not ONE regret that we did.
Musa Weddings is beyond amazing. Because of the pandemic, our wedding planning was almost two years in the making, and Andi helped every step of the way - from our pandemic micro-wedding (which we surprised her with a month before and she still pulled it off) to our actual celebration. Everything ran smoothly - and if it didn't - I had (and still have) no idea. I got to relax through the entire process. Every vendor was perfect. I had folks at my wedding come up to me multiple times saying it was one of the best weddings they have ever been to - and these were people who wouldn't just say that to be nice - so I really believe they meant it.
We really wanted our wedding to be different and have little details that were us throughout- so when Andi asked about our vision, suffice to say we were all over the place - for example "make it modern, but still romantic. Elegant but informal", "we like all the colors," "can it feel like a Gryffindor common room and include celestial/astronomy things?" (seriously, my husband's request) and also, "include our three dogs images throughout - but we want it to be classy."
Even with the chaos of us - they pulled it off. And it was classy, elegant, modern, so fun, and included ALL the personality details we asked for. The creative minds on the Musa Team are truly amazing. Lastly, Andi became a real friend. She helped me through any doubts, stress, or drama. She was so readily available for anything I needed. I truly miss talking to her as often as we used to! Don't overthink it - book Musa Weddings. Like now. Do it."
PLANNING & DESIGN - Musa Weddings PHOTOGRAPHERS - Laura Briggs HAIR - Emboldened MAKEUP- JKo Beauty VENUE - Philadelphia Distilling DJ+ DRUMMER - DJ Pat FLORIST - Wisot Designs
SHUTTLES - ACE Limousines BAKERY - Velvet Sky CHAIR RENTAL - Vision Furniture PET SITTER - JF Pet Care