A Traditional Wedding at West Willow UMC and Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square | Karen & Phil Kirman | Lancaster, PA Wedding Photographer

On a cool October afternoon, Karen took an Amtrak Train home from New York City to Lancaster, with a brief stop in Philadelphia. After an exciting weekend in New York City with her cousins and their significant others, she boarded the 3:13 PM train.

Phillip was visiting a few friends at Drexel University and decided to take the same train home. As he boarded the train, he looked down the aisle of the second car and noticed there were no open seats. Making his way down the aisle of the third car, Phillip couldn’t find an open seat once again. Hoping to find a seat in the fourth car, he crossed the threshold between the two and opened the door. He happily saw a few open seats, but one of them would change his life forever!

Towards the back, he noticed an open seat with a cute girl. He politely asked “Is this seat taken?” and Karen casually said “No, go ahead.” With one of her favorite songs playing, she put her earbud back in and continued to study the beautiful Philadelphia skyline as the train pulled away from the station.

After settling into his seat, Phillip was trying to think of ways to strike up a conversation with Karen. A few moments later, the conductor entered their car to collect tickets and it dawned on him, “I’ll see what stop she is getting off at and that’s how I can talk to her!” To his surprise, she was getting off at Lancaster, just two stops before his! The plan worked, and they immediately struck up a conversation. It wasn’t until they were halfway home that she asked what his name was!

Fast forward to the end of their trip, Phillip asked for her phone number. She happily gave it to him, and asked for a hug. As she walked off the train, he waved goodbye and decided to text her the next day. They set up a first date at BJ’s Brewhouse and the rest is history!

What a Hallmark love story, right?! It makes our hearts skip a beat every time we read their story.

Karen & Phil had a beautiful traditional ceremony at West Willow United Methodist Church on July 16, 2022, officiated by Karen’s aunt. Afterwards we went to the Myers family farm for portraits, but had to do them all under the covered porch due to the rain that came just after the ceremony ended. The celebration then began at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square. What a fun party!

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Kirman! What an honor to serve you on your incredible wedding day. Thank you for your trust and friendship! We look forward to our next double date together. ♥

The Creative Team
Officiant | Pastor Christine Beaudoin
Ceremony Venue | West Willow United Methodist Church
Reception Venue | Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square
Photographer | Soul Focus Media
Second Photographer | Geordie Jackson Photography
Videographer | Soul Focus Media
Second Videographer | Grant Michaels
Florist | Lavender and Locks
Dress | In White Bridal
DJ | Klock Entertainment
Cake & Cupcakes | Lancaster Cupcake
Catering | Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square
Coordinator | Becky Nett with Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square
Hair & Make-up | Envy Studio
Bridesmaids Dresses | Azazie
Groom & Groomsmen Attire | Joseph A. Bank
Invitations | The Knot
Additional Rentals | Reves Etheres Chiavari Chair Rental

If you’re planning your happily ever after, then we’d love to chat with you! We are currently booking 2023 weddings and we provide our couples with both photo & video services. We serve all of Pennsylvania and are open to traveling, so if you’re out of state, we still want to hear from you. Give us a call at (717) 422-6857 or email us at hello@soulfocusmedia.com to set up your consultation. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Also, be sure to check out our neat Referral Program here. Rewarding those that continue to be an amazing support system who send business our way is super important to us, so thank you!