An Incredibly Stylish Wedding Under the Stars on the Bok Rooftop
The couple wanted a party to celebrate their love and the support of friends and family.
Susanna Zorn (left) and Carlee Beveridge’s Bok wedding was a stylish ode to their love. Photography by Brittney Raine
At the end of the day, weddings are about love: the love a couple has for each other, and the sentiments shared by their friends and family, too. Throw in a soiree — no matter how small or large – under the stars and some personal style, and you’ve got yourself a night to remember. Such is the case with this particular Bok wedding, held in fall 2019. Brittney Raine captured the night. Check it out below.
Sometimes, it takes a friend to know when two people are meant to be. Take Susanna Zorn and Carlee Beveridge. One of Sus’s friends lived across the street from Carlee, and told Sus the two were soulmates. Carlee and Sus didn’t meet till a few years later, in August 2016, but deeply connected right away. Sus’s first impression: “Oh, this is what people mean when they say, ‘When you know, you just know.’” And Carlee’s? “Man, she’s confident. She’s going to keep me on my toes.”
Their first date was 48 hours long and involved a bit of travel. Carlee flew from Tampa, where she was living at the time, to Pensacola to spend the weekend with Sus, who was finishing up medical school. They spent the two days mostly on the waterfront. They even snuck into the nicest oceanfront hotel for poolside cocktails.
Two years later, Sus proposed at the corner of 19th and Cypress — the location of their first photo together in Philly, which has Carlee’s favorite building, The Drake, in the background. The couple later went to dinner at Harp & Crown, where 50 friends and family members from around the country were gathered to toast the happy couple.
The couple, who now lives in Gainesville, set the date for October 26th, 2019, at the Bok Bar and Irwin’s. They provided guests a brief background of the building and Philly’s LGBTQ history in their welcome gifts. They chose to keep the decor to a minimum and instead let the building speak for itself — the views of Philly from the rooftop played a prominent part during the ceremony. Texture, a Bok tenant, created their florals using lots of greenery, soft accents, sage foliage, eucalyptus and dreamy pampas grass. Their theme? Nothing in particular: “We wanted a giant party under the stars celebrating not only our love, but the love and support of our friends and family,” says the couple.
It was exactly that — with a heaping side of style. Carlee donned two boho-chic dresses by Rue de Seine (her outfit change was her favorite detail), and Sus wore a suit with a flower-lined jacket by Bindle & Keep. Their wedding party members (whom they call their VIPs) chose their outfits individually to fit their personalities.
The couple kept things cool and laid-back with Blood Orange Paloma signature drinks and a cocktail-party-style dinner with chicken and waffles, pierogies and taco stations. A sentimental moment came during the speeches from their fathers and VIPs Austin Zorn, Sus’s brother, and Kelly Bustin, Carlee’s best friend. “There wasn’t a dry eye on that rooftop,” they say.
As for the soiree itself, Sus’s favorite detail was the band, Swift Technique — the couple once saw them play at the Milkboy in Midtown. “They knew how to party,” she says. There was also a vanilla cake covered in rainbow sprinkles and a breakout session from friend DJ Shirah to finish it all off. “It was the best way to end the night.”
THE DETAILS
Photographer: Brittney Raine | Venues: Bok Bar and Irwin’s | Planning/Design: Heart & Dash | Florals: Texture Florals | Catering: Birchtree Catering | Carlee’s Gowns: Rue de Seine from Lovely Bride | Hair & Makeup: Jessica Saint Makeup + Skin + Hair | Sus’s Attire: Bindle & Keep | Entertainment: Swift Technique and DJ Shirah | Cake: Bakeshop on Twentieth | Invitations: Minted | Videography: Saba Ahmed
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