Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, but with the expertise of our dedicated wedding specialist, your journey is seamless. At Kimpton Palomar Philadelphia, we prioritize your special day, offering personalized experiences guided by our onsite hotel wedding planner, Erin Schwamb. From reserving room blocks to coordinating every detail, Erin ensures nothing is overlooked. Our catering services guarantee a culinary experience that exceeds expectations. With our wealth of real weddings success stories, trust us to bring your dream wedding to life effortlessly.
Known for her attention to detail, focus on design as well as resourcefulness, clients rely on Erin Schwamb for their own unique vision. Her process starts with getting to know each client and his or her personal aesthetic to create authentic and custom experiences. She listens to understand who you are and what matters to you most. Erin leaves no stone unturned, no detail untended to and no possibility unexplored. With over 20 years’ experience she has heard it all. When searching for the best Philadelphia wedding planner, Erin's expertise ensures your special day is flawlessly executed. And since no question is too small, we’ve decided to flip the table and ask her a few questions about herself.
Favorite engagement story?
Every Story is my favorite! This is one of my favorite questions to ask my clients. Call me sappy but I truly enjoy hearing about all love stories from the simplest of engagements to the over the top creative experiences.
What is your dream wedding menu?
I would skip the salad and opt for a unique starter—maybe a classic ceviche or a Lobster Ravioli (my favorite)—filet mignon, cooked medium rare, topped with a cabernet demi glaze, pearl couscous and sautéed spinach. Then of course something sweet, perhaps an after dinner cordial.
What budget advice do you have?
Set a range that is ideal and then add 5% more to have on hand for “Just in Case” costs. If you are not working with a wedding planner, lean on your venue to help you understand all costs that can be involved from the start. I love to help guide my couples during planning to find the best fit for their budget and vision.
What are your tips on how to trim your guest list?
Trim down your guest list with the "priority" trick. Place immediate family, the bridal party and best friends on top of the list; follow with aunts, uncles, cousins and close friends you can't imagine celebrating without. Under that, list your parents' friends, neighbors, coworkers and so on. If you need to make some cuts, start from the bottom until you reach your ideal number.
What is one question that all couples should ask on venue sites?
Do you customize packages? So often venues have a set packages that cannot be edited and they do not match the couple’s vision. I particularly like to customize for each couple to make every wedding experience different and unique.
What is one piece of advice on the couple's big day?
My best advice is to make the wedding about the two them and their relationship by adding in subtle touches of memories and hints of personality that friends and family will be sure to notice.
What is one of your favorite places to show people when looking at the Hotel Palomar?
There are so many unique spaces in the hotel - it’s so hard to choose! The historic, art-deco details that have been preserved from when it was built as the Architect’s Building are stunning. From the beauty of the tile and woodwork on the second floor elevator landing, to the stylish finishes in the AIA Library, there really is something unique and special about each space.
How do you approach the planning of weddings?
The very first thing I like to do when planning a couple’s special day is to make sure I fully understand their vision and expectations. Then I set the plan in motion. I any answer any and all questions and throughout the planning, I assist couples with expert guidance to bring their special day to life.
What is something most couple would not know the Hotel Palomar could offer?
John F. Collins Park, located just steps away from the Palomar, is our hidden gem for outdoor ceremonies and perfect photography shots. Couples can choose to have their ceremony in this beautiful and intimate space before continuing on to their reception at the hotel. The best part about this is that we will always keep a back-up indoor ceremony space on hold in case of bad weather!
What are your favorite hors d'oeuvres?
Charred sirloin on blue cheese toast, cauliflower tempura for vegetarians, and if you want to incorporate a touch of Philly, the cheesesteak eggroll.
What is a nice touch clients can add to weddings that is relatively inexpensive?
Adding craft cocktails will enhance the bar by giving your guests an elevated experience unlike your ordinary mixed drink. Our talented bar team is happy to work with couples to create a signature craft cocktail customized for their tastes and personality.
Must have photo op in or around the hotel?
Don’t miss out on a photo inside the AIA Library – this unique space on the 25th floor captures so much style and sophistication.
We held our Wedding Welcome Party, Room block, and Brunch at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar. All I can say is WOW! The staff is incredible, the venue was clean, centrally located, and food was amazing. It was perfect for our getting ready photos! The rooms were so clean and spacious. We stayed at the presidential suite which was so nice to have as a central point for the wedding.
1) Lauren, Catering Sales Manager, went above and beyond for planning our welcome party and brunch. We could have have pulled off the food and party without her!
2) Jill, Catering Coordinator, made our room block experience seamless. She made sure we were up to date as well as coordinated all the bonuses we got from our wedding weekend as well as food and drinks from the weekend
3) Savannah, Conference Services Manager, was the best overall contact for the entire weekend. She was there whenever we had questions and so helpful inside
4) Jenna from the events/catering team managed her team for the welcome party and brunch seamlessly! She made sure our guest were comfortable, food was out correctly, and the set up was perfect
Also, so happy you are dog friendly!
Thank you again! It was amazing
Testimonial from Mark A.
Married on 09/23/2023