Merion Wedding | Nikkie and Nick

For nearly 100 years St. George's Cathedral in Philadelphia has been the center of Greek Orthodox spiritual life and Hellenic culture, providing a dazzling setting for a traditional wedding with rituals that go back several thousand years. Add a fun and vibrant couple to this setting, accompanied by loving parents, devoted friends, adorable flower girls and the scene is set for a spectacular Merion wedding!

Nikkie wore a Jeneva dress designed by Milla Nova and provided by Viero Bridal in Philadelphia. The full white ball gown featured a lace bodice with a delicate pattern of lace leaves flowing down her back. A cathedral length veil complemented the dress perfectly! Nick looked very stylish in his Hugo Boss suit.

The hour-long Greek Orthodox ceremony had two parts, each filled with moving symbolism to underscore the union of these two dynamic young people into a couple ready to join the fabric of humanity that began with Adam and Eve and continues to the present day. The first part is the betrothal, in which the bride and groom exchange rings three times to symbolize the entwining of their lives. During the second part, the bride and groom wear crowns joined by a ribbon to symbolize their connection and that they are king and queen of their new home. The couple then start their lives together by taking a short walk with the priest and drinking wine from a single cup.

After this beautiful and ancient ritual, Nikkie and Nick returned with their friends and family to the modern world! After some photographs at Washington Square Park where they had their first date, the wedding party moved on to the The Merion in Cinnaminson, New Jersey for the reception. After a seated dinner featuring filet mignon and sea bass, everyone danced and partied all night...and I mean ALL night!!

In addition to the traditional mother-son and father-daughter dances, Nikkie and her mother treated the guests by dancing to a traditional song from the island Hondros, where Nikkie's Mom grew up. Those are the types of personal and cultural touches that I really appreciate seeing during the course of a wedding day. Nikkie and Nick's day was full of tradition and an abundance of love and we enjoyed every minute of it. Many thanks to all the vendors and the staff at The Merion Wedding for making it an awesome day!