A Chester County Mansion Wedding That Felt Straight out of The Great Gatsby
The bride grew up near Soledad Mansion and always dreamed of a wedding there.
Moneib “Mo” Nahas and Abbey Rouse at their Soledad Mansion wedding / Photography by Madison Neumann
Many children dream of their wedding day, but few get to be married in the venue they envisioned walking down the aisle in as a child. Abbey Rouse is a lucky exception. Her childhood home in Chester County neighbored Soledad Mansion, a private residence owned by close family friends.
She used to walk by the Exton mansion’s fountains and beautiful gardens “and dream of a wedding there someday,” she says. Her wish came true on a sunny day in August 2024, when she wed Moneib “Mo” Nahas at the estate, surrounded by family and friends. Photographer Madison Neumann captured the Gatsby-inspired garden party.
College sweethearts, Mo and Abbey met at Penn State, becoming friends first before beginning to date their senior year. Their first date? The movies — where they had the entire theater to themselves. (Mo jokes that he “rented out the theater” for the occasion.) Seven years later, during a spontaneous summer trip to Montauk, New York, Mo planned a surprise, candle-lit beach picnic to pop the question, featuring the bride’s favorite foods: vodka-sauce pizza and broccoli rabe.
Their families threw themselves into planning from the start, working with Bucks County-based Courtney Space Events to bring the vision of a romantic, Gatsby-esque mansion bash to life.
The rich green gardens, spotted with pink and red flowers, provided an ideal backdrop for the black-and-white checked dance floor and banquet tables, lined with classic white linen, from the Party Center. Anne Schmitt Florals drew on the garden’s natural beauty for the tablescapes with bud vases filled with white, pink, and fuchsia carnations, roses, and dahlias.
The bride’s mother hand-painted their initials on shot glasses to give out as favors to the guests. The groom’s mother baked the cake — three layers of knafeh, a sweet cheese and filo dough, to honor Mo’s Egyptian heritage. Stacked in between the layers of syrup-soaked, orange filo dough were white rose flower stands, giving it the appearance of a six-tier cake.
The morning of the wedding, the bride and groom decided to start their day together, meeting up at the bride’s childhood home at sunrise to share coffee and privately exchange their vows before the festivities were underway. “Drinking coffee is our favorite thing to do together, so we wanted to share this moment together to express our lifelong promises,” Abbey says. College friend Sarah Moore then officiated the outdoor ceremony on the house’s back steps.
Later, during cocktail hour, guests enjoyed a mezze station with hummus, harissa roasted carrots, and marinated feta, as well as passed hors d’oeuvres. Their signature cocktails were an Olive You (dirty martini with blue cheese olives) and a PaloMo.
People gathered to smoke in the reception’s cigar lounge, decked with vintage furniture, custom matchboxes, and Polaroid cameras to capture candids. Dinner was served under the flickering lights of gold-tapered candles, string lights, and the stars.
As the reception wound on, the groom’s parents had one more surprise: a traditional Arab money dance, where guests toss cash onto the dance floor to wish the couple prosperity in their life together. Their saxophone player, Art Crichlow, energized everyone during the dance, making it one of the most memorable moments of the night.
THE DETAILS
Photographer: Madison Neumann | Venue: Soledad Mansion | Planning/Design: Courtney Space Events | Tables, Chairs, & Dance Floor: The Party Center | Florals: Anne Schmitt Florals | Catering: Peachtree Catering & Events | Bride’s Gown: Eva Lendel | Hair: Jamie Waldman | Makeup: Taya Bermudez | Groom’s Attire: The Black Tux | Entertainment: Chris Obando at SCE Event Group | Transportation: Werner Bus Lines | Officiant: Sarah Moore (friend of the couple) | Saxophone Player: Art Crichlow
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