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Gabriella Marie

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My mission as a wedding photographer is to help happy couples celebrate life's biggest joys with high quality photos and a dang good time. I believe the experience is just as important as the photos and that you deserve beautiful, lasting memories.

Hey!! I'm Gabriella.

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Mendenhall Inn

first dance during a wedding reception at mendenhall inn

Mendenhall Inn: A Photographer’s Perspective

Mendenhall Inn is quite the popular wedding venue in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania – and for good reason! Located about an hour outside of Philadelphia, this venue is a beautiful place to celebrate your wedding. If you’re considering getting married here, congrats! I compiled a summary of what to know about this venue from a photographer’s perspective.

But first, if we haven’t met – I’m Gabriella, a Philadelphia wedding photographer and member of the anti-stiff wedding photo club 🫶🏼 I believe you should be focused on each other instead of the camera on your wedding day, because the memories worth documenting are the moments we are most ourselves. And because I want you to have effortlessly authentic wedding photos!!! Okay okay now moving on to my photographer’s perspective of Mendenhall Inn.

Location

Since this is quite a bit outside the city, there’s not much traffic to deal with getting to the venue! It’s located in Chadds Ford, PA, which is not far from Philadelphia or Wilmington. The only big downside is that it can be a dead zone for your phone … which might not be a bad thing on your wedding day 😉

Guests

This venue is awesome if you have out-of-town guests!! The hotel is attached to the venue so it’s an all-in-one experience for them. There’s some great food spots located nearby. And if they have extra time, they can visit Longwood Gardens right down the road!!

Getting Ready

I would recommend getting ready elsewhere, if possible. The conference room in the hotel attached to the venue is not great for photos. The decor is very “hotel conference room-y”, if you know what I mean. If getting ready photos are important to you, this is not the place! (Wedding albums will include getting ready photos, so keep that in mind.)

Photo Spots

bride and groom portraits during a wedding at mendenhall inn

The big draw for portraits at Mendenhall Inn is the railroad tracks behind the building. To my knowledge, there are no trains that run on these tracks. The photos are pretty epic!!!

Besides the railroad, the outdoor cocktail hour space is a gorgeous photo spot. I also enjoy the trellis next to the grand ballroom entrance. There’s a patch of grass in front of some woods that’s usually my go-to for wedding party photos. It’s large enough to accommodate a big wedding party and provides a neutral background so you guys stand out!!

Ceremony

I’ve only ever photographed a ceremony in the smaller ballroom, and I have to be honest – it was okay. It was pretty difficult to light as a photographer. On the plus side the mirrors behind the wedding party were very fun to work with. They allowed for creative, artistic ceremony images!

Click HERE to see an indoor ceremony at Mendenhall Inn.

Cocktail Hour

The cocktail hour room is a beautiful space with lots of windows and separation between the food and the bar. However, it can get packed with larger guests lists (especially in the winter).

Reception

wedding reception at mendenhall inn

I’ll tell it to you straight – the grand ballroom is WORTH IT. With the grand staircase, giant chandelier and central dance floor, this ballroom screams elegance!!

The gold (smaller) ballroom is lovely as well. The wedding party sits on one end of the dance floor, and the rest of the guests fill the space on the other side. The ceilings sit lower than the grand ballroom

Click HERE to see a reception in the grand ballroom at Mendenhall Inn.

Mendenhall Inn

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- Melissa d.

“Gabriella was absolutely amazing!!! Words cannot even describe how perfect she was, but I’ll try my best. Right from the beginning, I knew she was the one. She was so caring, calming, organized, and just a genuinely happy person. She made me feel even more excited for my wedding. She was so helpful throughout the entire process right down to the big day. AND THE PICTURES - OH MY GOD. They are absolutely breathtaking and she definitely tells the story of your day in the most perfect way. She captures every precious moment while having a smile on her face the whole time she’s with you. I can’t say enough amazing things about her. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone looking to have the BEST photographer for any occasion. We had such an amazing experience with Gabriella and we can’t thank her enough!”

"Captures every moment"

- Dawn g.

“Gabriella is a very great planner, very organized and an absolute delight to work with. Her planning and organization helped me prepare for the big day without any fear that I left any important photo out. Her planning skills ensured I didn't miss any details. She is such a delight to work with she was even happy to help me with my little surprise I had for my husband, it went off without a hitch. She captured all the photos we could imagine....all the fun, sweet, sincere moments throughout the day. She even provided the photos to us in a timely manner. I HIGHLY recommend her; she's highly energetic, personable, easy to work with, a planner, organized, and she captured lots of beautiful pictures. She exceeded all of my expectations. She was such a great photographer.”

"Exceeded all my expectations"

- Melissa N.

Making my dream wedding come true!
Gabriella was hired by my (now) husband, as a surprise photographer for our proposal. She was phenomenal and we hired her for our wedding as well! Her energy and vision for our wedding photos captured every moment and emotion. She was amazing in every way. Her attention to detail and knowing what was important to me on my big day was awesome - she went the extra mile. I would 10/10 recommend her to any one wanting to capture beautiful moments in life - for their engagement, wedding, and more.

"She went the extra mile."

- Megan W.

Hiring Gabriella was one of the best decisions that we made during our wedding planning. From our very first conversation, Gabriella was warm & bubbly. She radiates positive energy that I knew that we needed for our big day. Gabriella has a vigorous work ethic and eye for detail. Her ability to transform any setting is pure magic. We enjoyed working with her throughout the planning process and are absolutely thrilled with our engagement and wedding photos (which she had edited and back to us in less than one month!).

"One of the best decisions"

- Lisette & Tyrus b.

What can we say about Gabriella Marie Photography. There are so many words to describe the amazing job Gabriella did on our special wedding day. Gabriella will not only shoot your wedding, she can help you design what your wedding will be. She is there every step of the way. She has amazing attention to detail. Before the big day, Gabriella has a plan that will ensure that your day will be spectacular. She is always available via text, call, direct message, FaceTime or Zoom. Gabriella is the absolute best photographer ever. The best quality that she has is that she is more than a photographer, she is a true friend. She cares about her clients and makes us feel like a trust-worthy friend is there to help. For example, she sent my wife and I a pre-wedding care package. This gift proved to be so valuable for us while dealing with wedding stress. This gift was the most thoughtful thing my wife and I ever received. A simple thank you is just only the tip of the iceberg with regarding Gabriella Marie Photography. Everyone please check out our new friend Gabriella. Trust us, she is worth every penny and more.

"Worth every penny and more"

Testimonials