Alex & Jen's Detroit Disco Wedding
8/18/18 - Alex & JJ had a 10+ year love story in the making by the time their wedding day arrived last August. It was the most popular day to get married in 2018 with such an aesthetically pleasing date, and we are convinced Alex & JJ shook the earth with the rager of a celebration they hosted!
Married in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, a city on the rebound from a tough few decades, Geoff and I were so impressed by the soul and energy that is reviving around every corner. Think hip new breweries, giant stretches of wall art, rebuilt industrial style buildings, and the beautiful Detroit River, lining the edge of the city. Detroit is also a mecca for all things dance music, something that has been at the center of Alex & JJ’s love story. The city is sprinkled with old night clubs and is home to the annual Movement Music Festival.
Geoff and I flew into Detroit just in time for a classic Midwest summer rain a few days before their wedding. It left everything dewy, green, and beautiful. There were so many personal touches to their day, with a disco theme being one of them. Also included was their ceremony venue, the McGregor Memorial Conference Hall, which has its’ home on the campus of Wayne State University where Jen went to medical school. With the McGregor having an all-white interior, it was basically every photographer’s dream. Their wedding day started here with lots of photos ops against the asymmetrical walls and leading lines.
Probably our favorite part of the day (although very hard to choose just one!) was riding around downtown Detroit in their party bus with the entire wedding party. Alex & JJ chose to have a big window of time before their ceremony to take photos with their crew all over Detroit. We hit a couple different special spots for them, including their favorite place to dance all night, Temple Bar, the mural-filled Eastern Market, and couldn’t resist a crisp brick wall just begging for some wide-angle shots.
Little did we know, Alex & JJ would also be wedding trend setters with the creation of flower grannies! One of our favorite touches to the day for sure. Their ceremony was filled with so much emotion, literally every photo is of someone cracking up, crying, or cheering. It’s so powerful to witness such a strong union in the making.
Finally, everyone headed to the reception venue: the Jam Handy, an old warehouse turned event space, for the dance party of the year. We could not get enough of all the décor – disco balls, velvet furniture, neon signs, personalized everything – they went all out! They also had their favorite DJ duo spin the night away after an insane meal of Asian-inspired dishes.
All in all, this day could not have been more perfect. Geoff and I are incredibly honored to have been flown across the country to capture it. Also, with 90% of our weddings being outdoors, this wedding filled every ounce of our creative cups – so unique and different. It was just icing on the cake that Alex & Jen also happen to be two of the coolest humans we know.
Thanks to this dream team for helping make their day so special:
Planning & Coordination: Curtsy and Bow Events
Ceremony Venue: McGregor Memorial Conference Center
Reception Venue: The Jam Handy
Wedding Dress: Sarah Seven
Bridesmaids Dresses: Show Me Your Mumu
Florals: Vine Floral Design
DJs: Haute to Death
Catering: Angel Food Catering
Signs & Furniture: Modernly Events
Disco Balls: Display Group
