The Basics
Wedding and reception
October 11th, 2025
5 PM sharp
Ukrainian American Citizens’ Association
lawn (ceremony) and hall (reception)
847 North Franklin Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19123
Both the lawn entrance and the hall entrance are near the parking lot.
Dresscode
Festive!
Reception food and drink
There will be a cocktail hour after the ceremony with charcuterie/crudité from Willow Creek Charcuterie.
At 6 PM, a wood-fired pizza oven in from north-central Jersey will begin serving pizzas, bumping out an initial batch of crowd-pleasers. Il capocuocco of Carmelo’s will be available for pizza making until 8 PM.
The bar will be open for the duration of the reception, which goes until 9 PM. Guests who are 21+ will be served at the bar by the bartender. Guests who are under 21 will retrieve beverages separately.
The Ukie’s rules require that guests over 21 not take beverages from the under-21 cooler, even if you really want to, and that guests under 21 cannot receive a drink from the bar, even if it’s just a soda. These rules were likely borne out of past experience and are in place to protect the bartenders.
About the Ukie
The Ukrainian American Citizens’ Association (the Ukie) is a Philadelphia institution with a legacy spanning more than a century. The Ukie’s commitment to civic engagement has included support for refugee resettlement efforts, voter registration drives, and language preservation initiatives. Please be specific when entering your location into the Maps app, as there are multiple Ukrainian social clubs in Philadelphia.
The UACA is the oldest, continuously running Ukrainian club in the country.
The history of the Ukie can be found on their website: https://www.ukieclub.com/about-us/
Additional history for nerds:
The Ukie is in the East Poplar neighborhood, which was one of the first areas selected for redevelopment under the notoriously racist 1949 Housing Act. It is a prototypical example of urban renewal "slum clearance": the demolition of single-family homes in a dense, poor neighborhood after the eviction/displacement of residents, with some housing replaced by substandard projects. Many of the Ukrainian immigrants who were evicted relocated to far Northeast Philadelphia, but continue to commute to the Ukie and the church across the street. In 1963, the Ukie purchased the entire block on which it sits. This acquisition was a form of reinvestment in the neighborhood by the club, creating a green space around the club that could be used for gatherings and sports amid the razed lots. The dearth of housing and commercial activity in the neighborhood ensures abundant street parking, in addition to the parking lot next to the Ukie building.
Note from the affianced: Member-only bars are common in Philadelphia. Local guests may be familiar with the RUBA Club (Russian-Ukrainian Boating Association), which accepts membership applications at the door for a nominal fee, or the Pen and Pencil, which offers full membership only to journalists but allows after-hours entry to restaurant workers with a pay stub.
Our ceremony and reception do not require membership for guests, as the lawn and the hall are separate from the members-only bar.
The UACA relies on member participation and dues to further its mission; membership is not merely a technical requirement for compliance with the liquor board. The UACA Board of Directors has graciously voted to allow membership applications from guests at our wedding, even those from outside the area who may never return. If you think there is a chance that you might want to grab that after-party drink with us, please apply for membership as soon as you can! Instructions will pop up when you RSVP!