Philadelphia Medicine Fall/Winter 2019 - 37

p h i l a m e d s o c .o rg

managing work/life balance

A Physician Wedding - Surviving and Thriving in its Midst

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of the Lehigh Valley-based An Affair to Remember by Sharon, to
plan his 2017 wedding to his wife, Swe Zin Mar Win Htut Oo.

accommodations and transportation, advised Pellechia, who planned
the wedding for Thein Tun Aung and his wife in Newark, New Jersey.

While he was at first reluctant to pay Pellechia's fees, he feels they
actually spent less with her help than they would have on their own.

The venue, located near major airports, made it easier for
international guests, and assured that there were plenty of hotels
and restaurants nearby, Pellechia said.

"If you try to manage everything yourself, you can easily be
overcharged," he said. "By having a wedding planner, you can
control your budget better."
Having said that, however, as long as you're going to be spending
money, look for a credit card with a great rewards incentive and
charge all your wedding expenses to it to reap the benefits. Just be
sure you know how you're going to pay the bill when it comes due.
Destination weddings

Establishing a Guest List
Your wedding budget really will dictate the number of guests
you'll have, as about half of total wedding costs typically go toward
food and drink for guests.
According to tripsavvy.com's Wedding Statistics and Honeymoon
Facts & Figures, the average number of wedding guests is 136, with
a per-guest cost of $268. If you do the math, that comes to $36,448.

About 25 percent of all U.S. weddings these days are destiJones said most physician weddings are medium-sized affairs.
nation weddings, and they bring with them a whole other set of They often have a higher-than-average decline rate, she said, due
opportunities and challenges.
to the fact that invited guests tend to include other physicians with
complicated
schedules.
A new subset of wedding planner is the destination planner, who
scouts out locations and venues in far-flung locations when you're
not able to do so. He or she also can help guests with travel plans,
identify activities near the wedding site, arrange for vendors and
assist guests with any cultural or practical matters that might arise.
Picking a date

Choosing a Venue

Philadelphia and the surrounding area are rich with a variety
of wedding venues. There are those with great historical significance, such as The College of Physicians in center city, restored
neighborhood industrial sites like Moulin in East Falls, beautiful
country locations similar to The Farmhouse at Peoples Light, and
museums, hotels or country club sites - or you could go "down
the shore" and get married by the ocean.

There's more than the weather to consider when picking a wedding date. Doctors may also have to work around work schedules,
the needs of colleagues and other practicalities. Medical students
and residents need to consider class schedules, exams and rotations,
Philly weddings even include events in sports venues such as
among other things.
Citizen's Bank Park or Lincoln Financial Field!
Also, keep in mind that your wedding might not be the only
game in town on the date that you choose.
Sure, a spring wedding at the posh Stotesbury Mansion on
Walnut Street sounds lovely, but wait . . . Remember that the
Broad Street Run that attracts more than 40,000 runners and tens
of thousands of onlookers to the city, and the Rittenhouse Row
Spring Festival that brings more than 50,000 to Rittenhouse Spare
are both held in May.
If your event is in Center City, do you really want it to be on
a weekend when the Eagles are playing at home?
Consider any pre-scheduled, large events, and don't forget about
holidays that might make it difficult for guests to attend or make
the cost of travel and lodging more expensive.
Factoring in diversity
Physicians practicing in the U.S. tend to be a pretty diverse
group, and many guest lists include relatives and friends who will be
traveling not just from another town or state, but another country.
This can be a factor when considering wedding venues, guest

A top venue choice for doctors is the beautiful and historic
College of Physicians of Philadelphia's 22nd Street building, which
was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2002. Founded
in 1787, the College of Physicians is one of the oldest professional
medical societies in the United States.
While the College continues to work toward its original mission
of advancing the cause of health and upholding the ideals and
heritage of medicine, it also provides a special place for anyone,
but perhaps especially doctors, to be married.
Every year, about 30 physician couples of all backgrounds from
the Delaware Valley exchange their vows at the College.
Susan Norcross, owner and wedding director of The Styled Bride,
Philadelphia, explained that while venues for physician weddings
vary, she notices a trend toward locations that have the capacity to
accommodate various events.
"Doctors might gravitate toward an upscale hotel that can host
the rehearsal dinner, welcome drinks and brunch all in one location,"
Norcross said. "Many of them don't have a lot of time, so it's nice
to have everyone in one place for the weekend." *

Fall/Winter 2019 : Philadelphia Medicine 37

Philadelphia Medicine Fall/Winter 2019

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