The Switch House Hotel is a relatively new Philadelphia wedding venue, but it’s sure to become one of the most in-demand in the city. The venue includes a huge event space with a newly renovated, modern hotel attached. Few spaces in the city offer such incredible light, stunning views, and seamless events. I loved photographing this wedding on a mix of digital and film photography.
Switch House Hotel: A Stunning Philadelphia Wedding Venue
The Switch House Hotel is a combination hotel and wedding venue. Unlike a lot of city venues, the tall windows let in tons of light. The room where ceremonies take place is so bright. On a sunny day, your ceremony will have dreamy light. Skylights let in beautiful light, too.
The light fixtures and decor are fun, too. Big chandeliers make the most of the wide open spaces. Switch House has plants and chic wallpaper in unexpected places, adding to the space’s whimsy.
If you’re planning on a big wedding, the Switch House Hotel is a great choice. The venue can host 300 guests for a sitdown dinner with a dance floor. The main ballroom itself is 7,400 square feet.
A wedding at the Switch House Hotel starts around $18,000. That includes bar service, furniture, and the option for catering and desserts. You can keep a lot in house.
This wedding venue is located in a 1920s PECO building. It’s not your typical bare bones industrial wedding venue, though. The Cescaphe group bought it and transformed it into a whole experience. They blended the best historic features with modern features seamlessly.
The Switch House Hotel is located in Fishtown right on the Delaware River. It’s just steps from Penn Treaty Park. The park offers an amazing view of the Ben Franklin Bridge, river, and skyline. If you wanted a little greenery or the skyline in some of your portraits, it’d be easy to do that at the park.
Fishtown is also such a fun neighborhood to host visitors in Philadelphia. It’s got some of the coolest restaurants and boutique hotels in the city. Just ask me for some (gluten-free friendly) restaurant recs when we chat!
Golden Evening Light
As a photographer, I’m always looking for interesting light and shadows. They add character to photos and help me tell your wedding story in more creative ways. The golden light is one of my favorite things about photographing weddings at the Switch House Hotel. As the sun sinks lower, it casts the rooms in a warm glow. You can get married any time of year and still get that breathtaking golden hour atmosphere in your portraits.
I took advantage of this light for posed and candid photos as well as images of the details. Check out the photo of the sunlight sparkling on the champagne glasses. All the drinks look extra effervescent.
This light was amazing for photos of guests, too. The warmth highlighted the joy everyone felt. Cocktail hour looked almost cinematic. People couldn’t help but smile as the sun set outside.
With such incredible light, the Switch House Hotel is a great venue for moodier editorial photos, too. The marriers wanted some high contrast images with more chiaroscuro light. I was able to achieve that by posing them near windows that played up the light and shadows in interesting ways.
Artistic Film Photography with an Editorial Edge
Film photography is one of my specialties. When I was in high school, I learned photography on film first. (Don’t ask how many classes I skipped to hang out in the darkroom.) It’s safe to say that I’m as passionate about film photography now as I was back then.
With its sweeping spaces and gorgeous light, the Switch House Hotel is an ideal venue for marriers who want to incorporate film into their wedding coverage. Like the venue itself, film photography blends nostalgia with modern sensibilities. That’s part of what makes it timeless.
For this wedding, the marriers wanted a more editorial edge to their film photos. I was happy to work with them to achieve this in group and individual portraits. The venue had cool furniture and well-designed spaces. Combined with the amazing natural light and some artificial lighting, we created magazine-worthy photos that still felt true to the people in them.
Your Philadelphia Wedding Photography
This gallery is a great example of what’s possible for your Philadelphia wedding photography. I’ll collaborate with you to create images that feel true to you and your story. Your film photos, especially, will preserve your wedding’s energy for lifetimes. Let’s add your love to the archive! Inquire with me.
