A Free People Buyer *Would* Have The Raddest Boho Wedding Ever

Ayse and Eric wed in late January at the Horticulture Center.


The Horticulture Center is one Philly’s most unique — and therefore most popular — wedding venues. We’ve seen it done up up a million and one different ways, so it takes a lot for us to stop on a celebration. But we stopped immediately for Ayse and Eric’s beautiful boho wedding, and it won’t take long for you to see why thanks to the gorgeous photos below by M2 Photography.

Fishtown couple Ayse Cueto and Eric Boemer have traveled the world together, but their history starts in 2011 at the National Mechanics bar in Old City. Eric, who works in operations at Philadelphia Energy Solutions, had just moved to the neighborhood; Ayse, an assistant buyer at Free People, was on a night out with friends. Ayse tapped Eric on the shoulder (she liked that he was tall and had a great smile), and the connection was immediate — they “talked, drank, and danced the night away.”

Their first date was at nearby Uzu Sushi Bar. Ayse found the experience “intimidatingly intimate” but the pair fell into easy conversation about “culture and the world,” which continued well into the night. The relationship blossomed; five years later, during a trip to Vietnam, Eric proposed in a hotel room overlooking a busy square in Ho Chi Minh City. He didn’t have a ring, but that didn’t stop Ayse from saying yes. (They later picked out vintage-inspired bands together at Halloween, a jewelry store on Pine Street.)

Fifteen months later, the pair exchanged vows in front of 120 guests at the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center. The bride drew inspiration for their bohemian celebration from Istanbul, where she spent summers with her grandmother and attended high school. Jessica Nam, a close friend of the couple, hand-painted the welcome sign. Handwritten escort cards by friend Emily Kim were displayed on an oversize macramé weaving by Faye + Renee. The couple’s beloved dog, Bug, escorted Eric down the aisle in a wreath of eucalyptus and garden roses.

The couple’s next big adventure? A road trip through Tuscany for their honeymoon.

The Details

Photography: M2 Photography | Venue: Fairmount Park Horticulture Center | Catering: Starr Catering Group | Event Coordinator: Rabbit Rabbit Crew | Florals & Event Design: Faye + Renee | Bride’s Gown: Rue De Seine from Lovely Bride | Hair & Makeup: The Bonafide Ginger | Trolley: Cescaphe Trolley | Music & Entertainment: Pennsylvania String Ensemble and Lovesick | Invitations: Design by Jessica Nam, printing by Papertree Studio | Videographer: Stagger Films | Dog Care: Bow-Wow’s & Wedding Vows

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