If you’ve worked with me before, you know that family history is a huge part of my photography career. Three generations of photographers came before me, so photography is sort of in my blood… That’s one reason I was so excited to write this post! Greystone Hall in West Chester, PA, is a venue steeped in family history and tradition. And it just so happens that I had some prior “family history” with Desiree and Andrew even before shooting their beautiful black tie wedding at this gorgeous venue!
Rewind back to 2021, when I was approached by a beautiful couple to photograph their wedding at the Mallard Island Yacht Club. Taylor, Matt, and their families were so kind, welcoming, and fun to work with! It was there that I met Desiree (Taylor’s sister!!), and Andrew, her brand new fiancé! Earlier that summer, Andrew surprised Desiree by proposing to her at Battisti Jewelers in Rochester, NY, and the whole family was in on the plan. The Battisti family helped Taylor, Desiree, and their eldest sister, Brooke, design and select all three of their engagement rings. Talk about family tradition!
Seeing these photos side by side for the first time really got me in my feels. My only regret is not getting to shoot Brooke’s wedding in 2020!
If this sister bond doesn’t bring a tear to your eye I don’t know what will. *Cue: Sister Sledge- We Are Family.
Greystone Hall hosted weddings long before it was an official wedding venue
The family theme going on here was well placed given the rich family history of Greystone Hall’s former tenants. The first family wedding held at Greystone Hall was in 1914. Helen, the eldest daughter of then owner P.M. Sharples, married Samuel Butler on October 8th. The next wedding didn’t take place until 1960, after the home was purchased and passed down by the Jerrehian family. The Jerrehian family has been hosting ceremonies and receptions at Greystone Hall ever since! In 1990, the house was officially opened to the public as a wedding venue.
Desiree and Andrew invited 150 guests to witness their stunning black tie wedding in August of 2022. They told me the moment they were most looking forward to on their wedding day was having all their friends and family in one place to celebrate! They weren’t kidding—when else have you seen a group pic of the entire wedding party and guests all together?!
Greystone Hall sits on 35 acres of land in the heart of West Chester, PA.
Greystone Hall is the ultimate indoor/outdoor wedding venue. The attention to detail in the estate’s interior is perfectly complemented by the landscaping and gardens outside. There are endless ceremony locations to choose from here! Being a Type A personality, it’s comforting to know that there is a backup plan to the backup plan in case of rain. Believe it or not, the forecast called for thunderstorms all day on Desiree and Andrew’s wedding day, but luckily we had nothing but sunshine! We were able to take full advantage of everything the grounds had to offer.
Greystone Hall Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Location
The ceremony took place in the courtyard below the mansion. Cocktail hour was set up in the North Garden, and their reception was set up under Greystone Hall’s custom Tent Pavilion. This area of the venue overlooks the terraces, formal gardens, and a gorgeous 56-column pergola, where I captured the bride and groom’s first look.
Greystone Hall was completed in 1907 by architect, Charles Barton Keen.
What makes this venue so great for a black tie affair is the formality of the mansion itself, and the fact that it pays homage to the Gilded Age through the 1920’s. The home was built using Foxcroft granite in the English Renaissance style and it basically looks the same today as it did when it was first built. The English Renaissance architecture gives it a whimsical, romantic, and elevated feel that provides the perfect backdrop for a more formal wedding.
The minute you step on this gorgeous property, you feel like you’ve stepped back in time, or at least into an episode of Downton Abbey. Keen also built other homes that later turned into venues. One is the Reynolda in Winston Salem, NC, which I’d love to photograph someday!
I loved shooting Desiree and Andrew at Greystone Hall in West Chester because, (1) have you seen them?! and (2) it wasn’t hard to find a breathtaking backdrop at every turn.
Some of Desiree’s “I’m never going to forget this” moments:
Check out some of Desiree & Andrew’s favorite photos from their big day!
I see your wedding day as part of your family legacy. Capturing it is part of mine, too. I love being part of history in the making and preserving it for the next generation through luxury wedding photography. At Lauren E. Bliss Photography, we believe that photos gift us slivers of time —to linger in moments, make heirlooms of memories and emotions, and reignite passion. Our team would be honored to be part of your legacy and document your black tie wedding day! To inquire about our wedding photography services, visit the inquiry page here!
