An Art Nouveau Downtown Detroit Wedding | Jocelyn and Spenser

September 8, 2022

Spenser and Jocelyn hired me only a little while before their Downtown Detroit Wedding. I was a little nervous as we only had three weeks until their wedding date! Normally I try to have a little more time to get to know the couple, do an engagement session/ send out my questionnaires/ build the timeline, etc. I decided to say yes and I am so glad I did. These two are the sweetest people who unfortunately had a mishap with another photographer. That photographer’s loss was my gain because their wedding day was stunning and they were so much fun to work with. Even though we only had three weeks until their Downtown Detroit Wedding we were still able to sneak in an engagement session, which I feel was so vital to our success on the wedding day.

Jocelyn knew EXACTLY what her vision was for her downtown Detroit wedding. Art Nouveau was carefully thought out in every aspect of the wedding day. From Jocelyn’s stunning intricately sparkled Stella York dress from White Arbor Bridal, down to her invitations from ZebraPress. We started the day at the Fort Street Presbyterian Church where both Spenser and Jocelyn prepared for their ceremony. The Church is so unique in its architecture and the perfect backdrop to fulfill Jocelyn’s dream for her Art Nouveau vision. The staff there was so accommodating and a breeze to work with! We didn’t need to travel far for portraits as the outside of the Church is exquisite and provided the perfect location. We did eventually head over to the Z parking lot for some skyline portraits of Spenser and Jocelyn.

Let me tell you guys a little tip! If you are planning a downtown Detroit wedding, make sure you know what events are happening that day. Whether that’s a concert or two! A Tiger’s, Lion’s, or Red Wing’s game. Maybe even a convention/conference. CHECK THE CALENDAR!!! This has absolutely nothing to do with Spenser and Jocelyn they were incredible and everything worked out perfectly. However, I have never seen that much traffic downtown ever! Their reception happens to be literally right next to the Lion’s Stadium. Guess what event was happening the same day. A LION’S GAME! Our original backup plan if we had time was to travel to the DIA which is a little outside of downtown. I should have known better. My husband is the biggest Lion’s fan and right before I left the house he was talking about the game at 6pm that night! Looking back I can’t help but laugh, but just a warning to you to make sure you know what is happening during your downtown Detroit wedding AND where it’s happening! Before that the day was smooth sailing and actually running on time for once. I guess I jinxed it!

Luckily we made it to the reception with enough time to spare. The perfect choice to continue with their vision for the day was The Gem Theatre, with its distinctive design elements inside the building! Spenser and Jocelyn’s wedding party made their way across the stage under the marquee lights. Until lastly, Spenser and Jocelyn took the stage to join their friends for a bow! It was probably one of the most fun and unique entrances I have had the pleasure of photographing. The Gem Theatre is a great location for your downtown Detroit wedding reception if you are looking for a more historic and arts driven venue! The two of them danced the night away under the stage lights with their family and friends.