Love is in the air. Or, rather, love is in a sculpture.

Just in front of the fountains at John F. Kennedy Plaza (or, as you might know it, LOVE Park), is the Robert Indiana art sculpture of LOVE.

Originally painted in 1965 for a Museum of Modern Art Christmas card, the artwork has since been rendered into a statue in English, French, Italian and a few more languages. The English one is situated in the heart of Philadelphia for us to enamor.

But this isn’t just about the sculpture. It’s about how the sculpture of LOVE has brought us all the opportunity to read our vows on Wedding Wednesday to the one we love most of all.

Being a Philly-based photographer, I’m seeing a rise in wedding couples choosing a Philadelphia elopement beside the encapsulation of their thoughts and feelings. So, I wanted to share what Wedding Wednesday is, why it’s become so popular and how to get your own Philadelphia elopement with the idyllic monument.

What is Wedding Wednesday?

As the name might give it away, Wedding Wednesday is a ceremonious event that ties the love between two people mid-week.

It is an event held by Fairmount Park Conservancy each year where a select number of Wednesdays (normally during the summer months) become a day for celebration of love.

The thing is, only 12 wedding couples are able to secure their Wedding Wednesday elopement each month and it’s all on a first-come-first-serve basis. So, it’s important to book in advance as soon as the dates are released each year by the city’s Parks and Recreation department.

Otherwise, booking the big day will also get you:

• A private area in front of the LOVE sculpture

• A licensed Journeys of the Heart officiant

• A selection of ambassadors to greet your guests

• A 30-minute ceremony slot

• Freedom to choose additional vendors such as photographers and florists

Why Choose to Say, “I Do” In the Middle of the Week?

It’s not at all a mid-week haste, actually. It’s a carefully planned-out event where you choose your date and time, bring your guests and allow the exchange of vows to take place.

That said, the opportunity to do so only lands on Wednesdays. This could be down to the Fairmount Park Conservancy calendar, but I like to think it’s more of a traditional affair.

As the tale goes; a wedding on a Monday brings wealth, a wedding on a Tuesday brings health, a wedding on a Wednesday brings the best day of all, a wedding on a Thursday brings losses, a wedding on a Friday brings crosses and a wedding on a Saturday brings no luck at all.

So, only cherish a Wedding Wednesday Philadelphia elopement if you want it to be the best day of all!

How Do You Reserve a Philadelphia Elopement at LOVE Park?

As I mentioned earlier, these special days in Philadelphia’s best open spaces is a first- come-first-serve thing. So, I think it’s best I walk you through how to secure your day.

So, Wedding Wednesday is an event held by both Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. With this, you’ll need to liaise with both. Here’s a step-by-step to help make things a little more straightforward.

• Step 1: Get your marriage license (or your Quaker self-uniting license)

• Step 2: Contact Philadelphia Parks and Recreation to book a Wednesday

• Step 3: Pay the $100 fee to Fairmount Park Conservancy

• Step 4: Select your other vendors

• Step 5: Turn up to your day and let the LOVE sculpture do the rest

  One hint, though, is to turn up to your Philadelphia elopement ceremony 30 minutes in advance. This helps make sure you’ve got a parking space and you’re making the most out of your nuptials at the LOVE sculpture!

Which Elopement Package is Best for Wedding Wednesday?

Typically speaking, there are a lot of traditions that carry a wedding (or micro- wedding) through from the “yes” to the “I do” and all the way into the honeymoon. Which can cause some raucous!

Whereas, a Philadelphia elopement provides all the flexibility to break tradition and give you and your fiancé the “I do” day of your dreams.

I don’t want to toot my own horn too much as this is a piece about how to discover your elopement on Philadelphia’s Wedding Wednesday. But there are a few ideas around elopement packages for a photographer (and a couple of other vendors) that can help you plan accordingly for the anything-but-traditional event.

So, that pretty much ties together everything there is to know about your Wedding Wednesday in LOVE Park. While it might not sound like there’s much to be told; that’s the whole beauty of it.

The day centers around you while taking away all the stress that comes with a traditional church do. So, there’s no reason to not throw your bouquet in the air and say “I do” beside the iconic statue of LOVE in John F. Kennedy Plaza.

In the meantime, take a look at some of my other articles. Whether you want to know more about your venue or more about your micro-wedding, there’s a little bit of everything:

• Vaux Studio: Intimate Winter Wedding

• Tying the Knot in Philadelphia’s Powell House

• The Benefits of Eloping Over Having a Traditional Wedding