Developing true chemistry in organic chemistry…talk about a great love story! As if Elyse and Shea’s wasn’t enough of a timeless tale, their wedding at the Omni William Penn was truly a classic, made to sparkle with a glamorous touch! Opting for a black-tie affair, the couple chose black, white, and gold as their wedding colors, which provided an elegant feel. Meanwhile the lush floral arrangements of white orchids, hydrangeas, and roses from Mocha Rose Floral and Event Design, the sparkly linens from Mosaic, and the miniature bottles of wine found at each place setting were the luxurious and wow-worthy touches this wedding deserved. Let’s not forget how entertaining their liquid nitrogen bar from Bella Christie was for guests…so fun! These photos captured by Kelly Nardone Photography make us feel like we’re in a fairy tale. Get ready to be inspired by this chapter of Elyse and Shea’s book!
About the Couple
We met in September of 2009 at Temple University in Organic Chemistry class. I tore my ACL playing tennis and was no longer able to descend the stairs of the classroom, so I started sitting in the back row of the lecture hall. I made a new friend named Shea. After bonding over the topic of knee injuries, we realized that we were also in the same Organic Chemistry lab together. Ever the gentleman, Shea began walking me back to my room and carrying my books so I could use my crutches. After countless hours of Organic Chemistry, several Saxby’s dates for chai tea lattes, and bonding over Pittsburgh-Philadelphia sports rivalries, we became very close friends. While we both knew that we had some legitimate organic chemistry together, we decided to just be friends.
Aside from a few dates in 2012, we didn’t really start dating until March 2017, while I was finishing up med school in Erie, PA and Shea was doing a clerkship in Warren, PA.
On a warm summer evening in August of 2017, I drove up to Warren from Pittsburgh to meet Shea for a short getaway. We checked in, dropped off our bags, and then took the short drive down to the park. After about an hour or so of lounging and stargazing, we decided to stretch our legs and walk around the enormous and very dark observation field. At about midnight, Shea noticed I was no longer using the binoculars and offered to put them away in his backpack. Shea took the binoculars, and took a knee in the grassy field to open his bag and put them away. When I noticed that Shea wasn’t getting up off of his knee, I asked what he was doing. His reply was, “Something crazy.” Out came the ring, the proposal, and then…the yes.
About the Wedding
The wedding was black tie. The colors were black, white, and gold. The Grand Ballroom at the Omni inspired us. It was a formal and romantic fairy tale wedding. The flowers were spectacular and the candles were endless. The details at the wedding were immense. Each guest had their own mini wine bottle and gold mirrored name cards. The cookie table was more of a “cookie room.” There was also an interactive liquid nitrogen bar, photo booth, and ping pong tables for the guests!
Favorite Moment
My favorite moment of the day was standing at the altar, reciting our vows to each other, and being surrounded by our loving friends and family.
