Reading Terminal Wedding | The Notary Hotel | Su Fen & Chris

When it comes to unique wedding celebrations, Su Fen and Chris truly created a day that was unforgettable from beginning to end. Their incredible Philadelphia inspired Reading Terminal wedding perfectly blended timeless elegance with meaningful personal touches, emotional moments, and one of the most fun receptions imaginable.

From heartfelt vows to an unforgettable dance floor, every part of the day reflected exactly who they are as a couple.

A Timeless Philadelphia Wedding Day

The day began at The Notary Hotel, where Su Fen and Chris got ready surrounded by their closest family and friends. Their wedding style was classic and elegant with a black-tie optional dress code and a soft color palette they lovingly described as “loosely lavender.”

The refined details paired beautifully with the historic charm of the hotel, creating the perfect atmosphere for such an emotional and intentional wedding day.

A Private First Look Full of Emotion

Before the ceremony, the couple shared a private first look along with personal vows and it was one of the sweetest moments of the entire day.

Both Su Fen and Chris were overcome with emotion, reading through tears as they shared promises with one another. It was intimate, heartfelt, and such a beautiful reminder of what the day was truly about.

Portraits at John F. Collins Park

For portraits, we explored John F. Collins Park, a hidden gem tucked within the city that somehow feels completely peaceful and secluded.

Even with rain threatening all day long, we got incredibly lucky and only experienced a few raindrops during portrait time. The overcast skies actually gave us the dreamiest soft light for photos.

One of the most meaningful surprises of the day happened here: Su Fen gifted Chris a personalized plaque placed on one of the park’s planters featuring their names and wedding date. Such a thoughtful and permanent piece of their story woven into a place they love.

A Heartfelt Ceremony

Their ceremony took place back at The Notary Hotel and was officiated by one of the groom’s longtime friends, making the entire experience feel even more personal.

The ceremony was full of laughter, emotion, and the kind of joy that comes from being surrounded by the people who know and love you best.

An Unforgettable Reading Terminal Wedding Reception

The real showstopper of the evening was their reception at Reading Terminal Market.

Choosing Reading Terminal as a wedding venue instantly made their celebration one of a kind, and guests were blown away by the experience. Su Fen and Chris hand selected the food vendors themselves, creating a reception dinner that was not only unique, but absolutely incredible.

From amazing food to nonstop energy on the dance floor, the reception perfectly reflected the couple’s fun-loving personalities.

And of course, the night would not have been complete without the officiant’s legendary tradition – doing push ups on the dance floor to “Africa” by Toto. He absolutely delivered, and the crowd went wild.

A Wedding Full of Personality & Love

Su Fen and Chris’ reading terminal wedding was the perfect example of how a wedding can feel elegant and emotional while still being completely unique and deeply personal.

From tearful vows to joyful celebration, every part of the day felt intentional, meaningful, and filled with love. It was truly such an honor to capture this unforgettable Philadelphia wedding day.

Chris & Suf met January 2019 at a rec center in West Philly for an intramural soccer game. Suf put together a soccer team but needed more guys so her coworker sent over Chris and his friend Will.

Their first unofficial first date was at a cute restaurant in East Passyunk called Fond that is actually only five min away from their house. Officially, that date was likely a rooftop sky cafe takeout dinner after hiking during the pandemic.

They both knew they were meant for each other when they went to a wedding on Bainbridge Island in 2021. Once they got off the ferry from Seattle, they took their time and got some ice cream and then tried to call an Uber to the venue, but it kept searching and searching until they realized Uber doesn’t exist on the island! So they walked most of the way with their rolling suitcases and their garment bags. Chris walked in the middle of the winding roads so Suf wouldn’t get hit by a car! They ended up hitchhiking with an older man in a convertible the rest of the way and had five minutes to get ready – but they weren’t the last to arrive!

The proposal: We planned our “perfect day”, which included going for a run together, walking the dog together for every walk, getting brunch with two friends and cooking an entire meal from the Zahav cookbook together.

When they weren’t planning their Reading Terminal wedding, they like to cook a lot of recipes together and they have accumulated a lot of cookbooks! Now married, their dreams include traveling and buying a bigger house. Their advice for couples currently planning their weddings is to get as much as you can second hand. On the wedding day, Su Fen and Chris were most looking forward to seeing all of our loved ones in one place and sharing a really unique Philly food experience with them. Su Fen and Chris have a Toronto mini moon planned and will take their official honeymoon to Japan in 2027!

Thank you to Suf and Chris for choosing me to capture your amazingly unique Reading Terminal wedding!

Contributing Vendors:
Photography: Susan Hennessey Photography

Getting Ready & Ceremony Venue: The Notary Hotel, Autograph Collection

Reception Venue: Reading Terminal

On Site Coordinator at The Notary Hotel: Isa Knapp

Wedding Dress: Cherie Sustainable Bridal