The Gold Sequin Dress is One of Many Reasons to Love this Sweet Fall Wedding

Photos by Maria Mack Photography

Erin Nagyfy and Allen Chambers’s love story began on October 27, 2007: It was their first date—after they’d met online—at a restaurant in Chinatown, a spot they would continue to frequent almost every week for many years to come. Both were New York natives who came to Philly for college, and they connected instantly over a shared passion for the arts—At our original time of publishing, Erin handled fund-raising for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Allen was a graphic designer who also owns a self-defense gym in Fishtown.

Seven years and many art museum dates, Philadelphia Union games and hikes in the Wissahickon later, Allen popped the question at home two days before the couple left for Mexico, one of their favorite vacation spots. 

Erin always knew she wouldn’t be a traditional bride, and she made sure every detail of her and her fiancé’s big day was a reflection of their interests and personalities. Deciding on a venue was easy: Erin admits to being obsessed with Philadelphia history, so it didn’t take long for the pair to choose Stotesbury Mansion—the historic property was built specifically as a party house back in 1897.

A blog post inspired Erin’s sparkly gold Badgley Mischka gown, which, she says, must have been meant for her, since it just so happened to be the only one available in her size. To keep warm, the bride wore her Nana’s white fox fur coat, which was gifted to her for the wedding.

It was important for Erin and Allen to partake in their cocktail hour, so they posed for photos at Girard College prior to the ceremony—Erin has always loved the school’s towering green door and knew it would serve as a stunning backdrop. After their sunny outdoors photo shoot, the couple exchanged heartfelt vows at the mansion in an intimate ceremony based on Quaker teachings and officiated by a close friend of the bride.

The reception that followed was a fun-filled celebration featuring fall-flavored beers, miniature pies, and lots of time spent on the dance floor—Erin loves to dance, and Allen was in charge of picking the music, which included a ton of oldies played from original vinyls.

Erin didn’t want to overpower the already ornate space, and an emerald, mint and gold color palette complemented the room beautifully. Allen designed Erin’s raw gray diamond engagement ring with the help of Etsy’s Engaged Jewelry. They decided on a tungsten wedding band for him and a black diamond band for her. Erin knew she’d be dancing all night, so she opted for a pair of teal J.Crew flats, while Allen donned color-coordinating socks. Gold foil polka dots were part of Erin’s bridal-shower theme, so she incorporated them into the escort cards as well; the animal stamps designated each guest’s dinner choice.

Erin found her vintage 1940s cake topper on Etsy. She loved that the bride figurine was wearing a gold dress, so she painted the groom’s bow tie teal to match Allen’s. Both the bride and groom love fall flavors, and since Allen is a huge fan of pie, they chose to have mini apple and pumpkin versions for dessert. Erin and Allen were drawn to Jennie Love of Love ‘n Fresh Flowers because she grows all her blooms locally, on her farm in Andorra. The rustic bouquets and centerpieces incorporated deep fall colors and lots of unique greens—like sprigs of rosemary. Two of Erin’s friends served as her matrons of honor.

In the end, it was a party perfectly befitting the new Mr. and Mrs.

VENDORS
Venue: Stotesbury Mansion | Photography: Maria Mack Photography | Day-Of Planner: Confetti & Co. | Catering & Dessert: Feastivities and Little Baby’s Ice Cream | Decor: Love ’n Fresh Flowers | Bride’s Look: Badgley Mischka, Saks Fifth Avenue | Hair & Makeup: Richard Nicholas Hair Studio | Groom’s Attire: J. Crew and Perry Ellis | Stationery: Designed by the groom; printed by Fireball Printing | Music: Scratch Weddings | Jewelry: J. Crew

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