Best of Philly Spotlight: 10 Vendors for an Unforgettable Wedding

Kinfolk Bride’s Mayana Carter / Photograph courtesy of Mayana Carter

As couples embark on their wedding-planning journey, they’ll need a good team to get them from their initial Big Day vision to “I do,” and from the reception to the honeymoon. These 10 Best of Philly-winning wedding vendors will be your new best friends when it comes to florals, design, cakes, grooming and more. Check them out below.

BRIDAL BOUTIQUE
Kinfolk Bride

The beauty of this appointment-only salon at the Bok Building is the care with which founder Mayana Carter curates her collection of independent labels and non-traditional looks. Each designer adds a layer to the fabric of her shop — whether it’s because the brand is run by a woman of color or made of recycled materials, whether it’s gender-and-size-inclusive (up to size 24 in-store and 32-plus via special order) or pays its workers a living wage. 821 Dudley Street, studio 513, Philadelphia, PA 19148

PLANNER
Musa Weddings

Whether she’s transforming an Ambler coffee shop’s outdoor garden into a rustic wedding venue or staging a flamenco-filled ceremony and reception at a villa in Spain, Andi Schilawski isn’t afraid of a challenge. In fact, she prefers unconventional settings for the exchange of vows, often pulling velvet loveseats and mobile champagne carts from Collection by Musa, the event furniture rental company she opened in 2022. The East Falls planner also stands out for her graphic-design skills.

BESPOKE SUITS
Wayne Edwards Workshop

With 50-plus years in business and a move to a new 1,500-square-foot shop and studio — the former home of Joseph Fox Bookshop — the Wayne Edwards team has more room to tailor your tux, plus a ready-to-wear section with luxury duds for your honeymoon. (Pair those Rubirosa sneakers with Candiani Italian denim.) And in the workshop? On average, 37 measurements to perfectly match your silhouette. 1724 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

RINGS
Philadelphia Diamond Company

Photograph courtesy of Philadelphia Diamond Company

Gemologist Ken Black and wife Nicole have been in the business for just over two decades, taking abstract nuptial jewelry ideas and turning them into works of wearable art. The couple uses both lab-grown gems (a lower-carbon-footprint option) and natural stones for their genderless engagement and wedding rings, which are all certified by the Gemological Institute of America. For added sparkle: They have a design patent pending on a star ring band with five points of contact on the finger, which helps with comfort and fit and ensures that your huge rock stays upright. 421 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

ROMANTIC PHOTOGRAPHER
Du Soleil Photographie

Vietnamese-born Minh Cao didn’t learn professional photography until after she’d started her business as a side hustle in 2015. “My parents never deemed photography fit for a profession, so studying it never crossed my mind,” says the Ridley Park resident. She self-trained online, took some in-person classes, and today is known for snapping weddings through a dreamy, tender — almost wistful — lens that makes you never want to leave that moment.

NEW ON-LOCATION MEN’S GROOMING
Groomed by True Beauty Marks

There was an era in which men would golf to kill time before the wedding. These days, who has time to play 18 holes when you’ve got a shape-up booked? Yes, Doylestown-based Gina Kay Osborne’s popular beauty collective has relaunched its on-site grooming service. She’s partnered with Mark Shilling — the barber behind Make Your Mark in Ardmore and Willow Grove — to provide cuts, straight-razor shaves and beard trims. Talk about a first look.

REASON TO HAVE A VINTAGE-STYLE CAKE
New June Bakery

Photograph by Annie Paige

Imagine cutting into a four-tiered, ultra-frilly Lambeth-style cake on your Big Day — you’ll slice through prettily piped garlands and scrolls and frosting on frosting to reveal a vanilla confection with layers of tangy lemon cream and raspberry cardamom jam. The micro bakery and cake studio’s self-taught baker, Noelle Wheatley Blizzard, is embracing retro maximalism with her ’60s-inspired designs, and they’ve become wildly popular among the soon-to-be-wed crowd.

DESTINATION WEDDING WITHOUT LEAVING PHILLY
Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia

If you’re saying “I do” here, there’s no reason to have your surrounding festivities anywhere else. After all, the sky-high hotel is a trip in its own right. Director of catering Robin Ewing will help you custom-create an itinerary, from a welcome reception on the main ballroom’s outdoor terrace to a post-wedding brunch at Vernick Fish. If you’re really looking to party, you could hold a wedding-inspired rock concert, like one local couple recently did. As for your honeymoon? Think about that 57th-floor infinity-edge pool. 1 North 19th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

BRIDAL-SHOWER SPOT
Boxbar

The newly renovated space from the Chick Invitations team is a bride-to-be’s dream come true: There’s a bright retail shop in the front and an assembly bar in the back, and you can rent out the entire thing for your shower. You’ll spend the morning with your BFFs, picking out chic pearl clutches and getting-ready attire (like satin robes and pom-pom slippers). Afterward, fill gift boxes with a personalized selection of monogrammed luggage tags, eye pillows, and other special somethings. 241 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

CUSTOM FLORIST
RAM Floral

Photograph by John DePasquale

One of owner and founder Rebecca DePasquale’s favorite creations is a “floud” — a floral cloud that seems to hover on the ground, on tabletops, and on other surfaces. (She uses elements like pin frogs, shallow vases, and blooms in a cavalcade of colors, primarily sourced from local growers.) You can see the flower-filled feat come to life at your wedding — if you book her services. 660 West Washington Street, Norristown, PA 19401

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Published in the August 2023 issue of Philadelphia magazine.

Getting married? Start and end your wedding planning journey with Philadelphia Weddings' guide to the best wedding vendors in the city.