Generations of Detroit Weddings

November 20, 2014November 17, 2014 by Steph | Leave a comment

Today’s LoveintheD blog post is by Julie Tobi, a Metro Detroit wedding planner who planned her own Detroit wedding in 2010! A few months after the wedding, her family discovered her grandparents’ Detroit wedding album from 1949. Read on for the story…

Drawn to Detroit

When planning our 2010 wedding, my husband and I considered Detroit right away. We were both drawn to Detroit – its history and its future, and our family history in Detroit. At some point, most people in our families had lived in Detroit in one decade or another, and many others had worked in Detroit. My husband and my dad attended high school in the same building, though decades apart the school had different names.

Logistically, Detroit was fairly central with us living in a nearby city, me being from Metro Detroit, and my husband being from Detroit. But it was not logistics that convinced us. We believed in Detroit and wanted to show our family and friends a good time in a city that many spent little time in because they thought there was “nothing” in Detroit. A city that we had great hope in..

We decided on the Rattlesnake Club and it was amazing. We were married on an absolutely perfect fall day (75 degrees and sunny in October!) right on the edge of the Detroit River. Our hope of showing our guests a glimpse of a Detroit they hadn’t experienced became reality. During cocktail hour I saw one of our guests smiling and looking around her. Then she said, “This feels like Chicago.” “No,” I thought, “It feels like Detroit.”

A piece of family history

Three months before our wedding, my grandma died. Before she passed, she told my aunt to tell me she was sorry she wouldn’t be at my wedding. She was always thinking of her grandkids. I honored her on our wedding day by wearing her rhinestones in my hair (earrings I turned into hairpins), wrapping her pearl necklace twice around my wrist during the reception, and putting one of her handkerchiefs in the bodice of my dress. She was with me.

A couple months after our wedding, my family was going through my grandma’s belongings and came across her 1949 wedding album to my grandfather, who died before I was born. They wed in Detroit. Looking at the album, I was transported to a time that looked magical and simple in a beautiful. Some of the pictures seemed serious and formal; some showed what I interpreted as deep love; others showed dancing. What I loved most was that they seemed so rich. I felt like I was holding a piece of family history and Detroit history that should be in a museum.

My favorite picture is from the reception, or maybe even the after party, with everyone gathered at a bar. You see people talking, my grandparents kissing, my great-grandma at the bar wearing a hat and a huge corsage. Then — a real gem, the last picture in the album, my grandparents in their get-away car with a sign on it that reads “Just Married Watch Detroit Grow.” I tried to imagine the hope they had in their youth for the city they lived in. The history of my grandparents’ wedding in Detroit and finding that picture months after our wedding made our Detroit wedding even more perfect.

Moving forward

Now I help other couples with their big day as a wedding planner and coordinator. I started J. Eliza Events because of how much I loved planning my own wedding and because I wanted to help couples plan a wedding focused on the reason for the event – to join two people together and revel in the emotion of it all. I like to say that weddings aren’t about chair covers and perfect make-up – they’re about committing yourself to another person and the emotion and beauty that comes with it. I love being a part of that.

In wedding planning, I encourage couples to only do what feels right to them. It is easy to get caught up in “musts” and “shoulds” and feeling like you need to spend a fortune, and throw the bouquet, and eat cake, and have it all. (Of course if you want to do those things, have a blast doing them!) One of my favorite weddings skipped most of the “traditions” and they served key lime pie instead of cake…it was truly one of the most spectacular weddings I’ve been a part of. You could feel the love and happiness the entire night and when it was over, no one wanted to leave. And I can guarantee no one missed the bouquet toss.

Now that I help so many other couples with their weddings, I often think of my own wedding day. One of my favorite moments from that day wasn’t even part of the wedding festivities. The morning of our wedding my husband and I walked out the back door of the hotel and looked at the Detroit River. It was a cool fall morning and the sun was shining. We just stood next to each other and looked at the river in silence. We knew the day was going to be busy, full of emotion, and at the end of it we would be married. That silent, calm anticipation, standing next to my now-husband, is one I’ll never forget. What we were about to do was big, and we were ready.

Wedding registry options…at the new West Elm!

October 6, 2014October 4, 2014 by Steph | Leave a comment

Last Wednesday, my husband and I got to go to a preview “soft launch” of the new West Elm store in Birmingham, MI. Okay, okay. Yes, this blog is Detroit-centered. But Sean really loves West Elm. And this blog post includes Detroit and socially-conscious items that we learned about at the preview. Read onward…

If you are trying to figure out where you want to have your wedding registries, add West Elm to your list to check out. Whether you and your soon-to-be-spouse are looking for glassware, bedding, locally crafted goods, curtains… you’ve got a lot of quality items to choose from.

The store has a “West Elm Local” section with goods that are, well, local! Right now Detroit-based Jodi Lynn’s Emporium of Doodles has some great artwork available at the store.

We also discovered that West Elm has a partnership with FEED, “a social business dedicated to ending world hunger through the sale of products that have a measurable donation attached to them.” So far FEED has provided almost 84 million meals. Purchasing the mug pictured below leads to FEED providing four meals.

From bedding made from materials produced at the country’s oldest woolen mill to entirely handcrafted rugs, you get the sense from wandering around the store that items are selected for quality and with care. Also, there is an in-store stylist that can help you figure out your interior decor plan. You can bring in your floor plans and get to work!

If you’re interested in setting up a wedding registry, visit the store at 215 W. Maple Rd in Birmingham or click here.

[real wedding] Philip and Clare’s Wedding at the Detroit Athletic Club

June 5, 2014June 5, 2014 by Steph | 1 Comment

Real wedding posts are the big favorite at LoveintheD, and we’re excited to share details about Philip and Clare Baker’s 2009 wedding at the Detroit Athletic Club. Read on for LoveintheD co-blogger Shannon’s interview with Clare Baker, the bride!

If you were married in Detroit, please send us an e-mail and you could be featured on LoveintheD!

Why did you decide to get married in Detroit?
I grew up in this area and I feel a special attachment to Detroit. My dad has been a member of the Detroit Athletic Club since I was a child. We went there all the time for different activities and events. The DAC was a great value for us, because we were able to have our ceremony and reception in the same place. They took care of all the catering and table arrangements for us, and our guests stayed at the DAC hotel.

Tell us about the DAC as a wedding venue.
We loved the atmosphere of the DAC; it’s very classy. We had our wedding on the second floor and used all three rooms. We had our ceremony in one room, cake cutting and hors d’oeuvres in the second room, and dancing and dinner in the third. Plus, their wedding coordinator made planning so much easier.

How did you and Philip meet?
Philip is from the United Kingdom and we met while I was studying abroad. We had a long distance relationship for many years, and in 2009 he moved to the United States on a wedding visa. We had three months to plan our entire wedding!

Are there any other unique details you can share?
My sister-in-law’s father passed away from cancer, so instead of purchasing gifts or trinkets for each guest, we made a charitable donation to the American Cancer Society.

Do you have any advice for others who are planning their Detroit wedding?
Explore the many different venues Detroit has to offer and find out what fits your personality. And, use your personal contacts to keep your costs down. We had friends and acquaintances that helped us with music and photography.

The Details:
Venue: The Detroit Athletic Club
Photographer: Ryan Koehler
Dress: The Wedding Shoppe
Catering: The Detroit Athletic Club

Readers: Have you considered making a contribution to a cause in lieu of wedding favors?

Vintage wedding dress turns into samurai inspired gown!

May 9, 2014May 9, 2014 by Steph | Leave a comment

Last spring I met Bridget Sullivan while shopping at the Peacock Room in Detroit and exploring the idea of doing a vintage wedding photo shoot for LoveintheD. Turns out Bridget is a fashion designer who loves using vintage apparel to create new looks!

She is a contestant in the Detroit Institute of Arts “Beyond the Armor” design contest and created an amazing dress using a vintage wedding dress. I interviewed Bridget recently. Check it out!

How did you get into fashion design?
I’ve been making things for my entire life, but it was’t until I found the Fiber Arts department at the College for Creative Studies that I decided to focus on fashion design. After graduation, I moved to New York City where I interned at Diane von Furstenburg and worked in an eco-friendly fashion showroom called FoundFuture. Grammy-Award winning musician Esperanza Spalding began performing in my designs around the same time, and has since worn my garments around the world on tour. I’m now back in Michigan, where I work as a fabric desiger at Lear Corporation and work on my personal fashion line, Bridget Sullivan Designs.

What do you love about using vintage wedding apparel?
I have used many types of vintage clothing for my designs, but wedding dresses are my favorite. Not only do the yards and yards of white material make them the perfect blank canvas, but I love the romantic idea of working with a dress that someone has gotten married in. It seems like such a waste for these beautiful garments to be worn only once. I love giving a new purpose to traditional, romantic dresses.

Tell me about the dress you created for the DIA samurai exhibition design competition and how you found the vintage wedding dress you used!
My “Crane Dress” is inspired by “Reeds and Cranes,” a silk painted folding screen painted by Suzuki Kiitsu. He was trained by a powerful Samurai artist named Sakai Hoitsu, who adopted him and elevated him to the elite Samurai class. Samurai culture is full of rich symbolism, and the crane is a powerful image that can mean many things. The Samurai warrior learned about facing death bravely by watching cranes, who appear calm and fearless when attached by an enemy. Cranes are a symbol of longevity and soaring spirit. They are also considered good luck in marriage because they mate for life.

I designed the Crane Dress specifically for a talented dancer named Destiny. I was inspired by the Samurai practice of balancing”bun” (arts) and “bu” (war). This reminded me of the beautiful blend of strength and grace in ballet, as well as the delicate power of the crane.

I bought the vintage wedding dress I used to create my competition design at the Grosse Pointe Neighborhood Club Thrift store. It was only a sheer shell of a dress with no lining. I kept it in my studio for over a year before using it to create my “Crane Dress.”

Can you tell me more about the competition?
I am one of 10 fashion designers competing in the “Beyond the Armor” fashion challenge sponsored by the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Detroit Garment Guild. We were given a private tour of the fascinating “Beyond the Armor” Samurai exhibit at the DIA, and challenged to design garments inspired by what we learned and saw.

You can vote for your favorite design by clicking here (vote for Bridget Sullivan, #8!) now through May 12th. The winner will be revealed on May 17 at a fashion show finale at DIA. The show starts at noon and is free with general admission. RSVP by calling 313-833-4005.

What/who/where in Detroit inspires you in your fashion designs?
Detroit is a wonderful city to be an artist. My education at CCS taught me how to be an professional working artist, and opportunities such as this competition have allowed me to showcase my designs in unique and special ways. There is a strong community of creative people, and I’m happy to have met many more through this competition.

As a fashion designer, it is important to have a network of people to help my designs come to life. I consider myself lucky to be friends with very talented photographers, models, makeup artists and business owners who have supported me and my designs. For the Crane Dress photo shoot, local photographer Lindee Robinson took photos of model and dancer Destiny Mankowski at the DIA. Hair and makeup was done by Natalie Briles, and jewelry was provided by the Peacock Room boutique. Thank you all!

Unique weddings at the Science Center in Detroit

May 2, 2014May 1, 2014 by Steph | Leave a comment

Did you grow up going to the Science Center in Detroit? Or are you engaged to a self-described science geek? If so, consider the Michigan Science Center as a wedding venue!

LoveintheD blogger Shannon interviewed Melissa Wilson, the events manager at the Michigan Science Center. Check out the interview below!

Tell us about the Michigan Science Center.
The Science Center is a unique museum in the midtown cultural center. We have hundreds of touchable, hands-on educational and entertaining exhibits that bring out the kid in all of us. Of the five theaters in the center, my two favorite are the Toyota Engineering Theater where 150 people at once can ride through a kayak obstacle course, and the DTE Energy Sparks Theater, our classic show about electricity that can make your hair stand on end (if you’re lucky!). We also have two huge dome theaters, our planetarium, which seats over 100 and the IMAX® theater, which seats over 200. We have truly unique aspects that can only be experienced at the Science Center.

Have you hosted weddings before? How many? Can you share any details about them?
The Michigan Science Center has hosted several wedding receptions over the past year. One couple decided to just use the main floor of the museum, which included a huge sit down space for 230 of their guests. They used the Health & Wellness Gallery for the cocktail reception and then later as the unmarked dance floor. The reception was held in the Lunar Gallery and decor was specifically designed to connect with the ambiance in the room.

Many people probably wouldn’t think to host their wedding in a science center. Why is it such a great venue?
The site visits I conduct are for couples thinking outside of the traditional reception venues. The Science Center is full of quirky spaces and spacious floors filled with fantastic hand-on activities. There are a variety of ways you can use our building to create the FUN in your special day. You could have a sit-down dinner in our Lunar and Space Gallery for up to 300 guests or a strolling dinner for 400. Dessert can be set up on our lower level among our Sounds, Waves and Vibrations exhibits centrally located near the Chrysler Science Stage, a dance floor, big enough to hold a band AND your dancers!

What kind of space do you offer for weddings? Is there room despite all the exhibits?

Currently, we have a great open space called the Science Hall on our fourth floor that is about 9,000 square feet, or the size of a ballroom. It’s the perfect space to design as your own, using lighting, draping and table linens and can hold over 600 guests. The best part is that you get the Science Center along with that huge space, including a dance floor and separate cocktail reception area.

What kind of people get married at the Science Center? Is it just science geeks?

The stories I’ve heard from the couples that either call us or book site visits vary. Most are looking for a really unique venue with an incredible backdrop to their special event. Some either met at the Science Center, came on a field trip when they were young, or really are science geeks. I’ve met engineers marrying physicists, nurses marrying chemists and even a couple who met in their teens during a robotics competition!

What steps should someone take if they’re interested in holding a wedding at the Science Center?

Step One: Contact me at melissa.wilson@mi-sci.org or 313.577.8400, or simply visit the Science Center one day! Walk around, feel the atmosphere, envision your family and friends roaming around just like you are. Step Two: Schedule a site visit. I can help you see past our normal day-to-day activities and envision your special day in this great venue.

Anything else?

Some bonuses to the Science Center: You may choose your own caterer or use our preferred caterers. We have a great flow to the building, allowing your guests to experience it in stages. We have three great theaters where you can run your personal slide show or video for your guests’ enjoyment. We can open our planetarium during your event for casual viewing of the night sky with our projectionist pointing out constellations and showing your guests beautiful nebulae and solar systems. We have a central, built-in dance floor with plenty of space for a band or DJ AND all of your guests!

Readers: What is the most unique wedding venue you have experienced?

Weddings at the MOCAD

March 13, 2014March 12, 2014 by Steph | 1 Comment

By: Shannon Mackie

Today’s post comes from fellow blogger Shannon Mackie! Check out her blog, One Inch of Grace.

Once a couple is engaged, generally the first big question is: “Where should we get married?” The venue decision is a big one because it impacts the budget and sets the setting (literally) for all of the other important decisions that come with wedding planning.

Shannon recently interviewed the staff of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, located on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Did you know that they host weddings? If you didn’t before, now you know! Check out what they had to say:

For those who might not know, tell us about MOCAD.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) is a non-collecting institution based on the Kunsthalle model popular in Europe. This allows us to work with art and artists from the last 30 years without being constrained to an aging collection. With this flexibility we can address and engage many current ideas and issues in almost real time.

Why is MOCAD a good wedding venue for those who love Detroit and want to support the city?

MOCAD has an interest in the holistic and long-term success of our community and works hard to engage at all levels. The ideas presented by the museum in our exhibitions and programs help to leverage shifts in thought that in turn act as catalysts for the actions needed to bring change to the city.

What options does MOCAD offer for weddings?

Depending on availability, the museum can offer 5,500 to 22,000 square feet of total space. The typical rental space (open almost the entire year) can hold about 140 people seated with room for a dance floor and food service.

How many weddings has MOCAD hosted? Are there any ceremonies that were particularly unique/memorable?

MOCAD has hosted many weddings. In 2013, we did around 10 weddings. A unique/memorable wedding that we had took place this past October at the Mike Kelley Mobile Homestead. The couple had their ceremony performed in front of the garage of the mobile homestead. It was officiated by artist Carey Loren from Destroy All Monsters and who was a good friend of Mike Kelley. The ceremony was open to the public and had a great turn out. The reception was held in the café of the Museum.

What makes MOCAD a unique venue for weddings?

MOCAD is a unique venue for weddings because we offer an alternative to the traditional wedding venues. Our walls allow for a blank slate for decorations and simplicity.

Can MOCAD accommodate/recommend local and sustainable vendors?

MOCAD has a list of preferred vendors for catering and rentals. These preferred vendors must be used unless there is a special exception that the preferred vendor cannot meet, such as dietary needs or specialty menus. Cakes can come from where the wedding party desires.

Source: Dziekonski Photography

What steps can someone take if they’re interested in holding a wedding at MOCAD?

If someone is interested in having their wedding at MOCAD it is best to contact the Facility Rental Coordinator by either calling MOCAD or emailing rentals@mocadetroit.org. Our website, MOCADetroit.org has a rental inquiry form that people are able to fill out and submit to us as well. We can give them all of the rental information they are seeking, as well as schedule a walk-through of the Museum.

Organic Detroit wedding cakes by Good Cakes and Bakes

August 13, 2013August 13, 2013 by Steph | 2 Comments

So I missed Jazzin’ on Jefferson this summer because I was out of town, but Jazzin’ on Jefferson (a must-visit summer festival in Detroit) is where my friend Tierney met April Anderson of Good Cakes and Bakes! About a month later, Sean and I met April at the East English Village 100th Anniversary Party.

Of course we ordered a red velvet cupcake (one of my faves), and it was delicious!! And get this … Good Cakes and Bakes uses local organic ingredients whenever possible and is based right here in Detroit. I knew there must be a spot on LoveintheD for this local socially conscious wedding vendor! Last week I had the joy of interviewing April. Read on for the details!

April Anderson has been baking since she was nine or ten years old. She used to bake for everybody in the family! When she was ten years old, she hadn’t purchased a Mother’s Day gift for her mother, so instead she made her a cake and got a great response from her family members. April found her passion in baking and says “people can never be sad when you have baked goods!”

In 2008, she decided to take a cake decorating class and later made a birthday cake for her niece. After that, people began to offer to pay her for her cakes. A year later, she decided to go to school for pastry art. She found the perfect program at Macomb Community College, which is the only college in Michigan which offers a specific pastry art degree. Skip ahead to June 2013. April left her day job and has now been running Good Cakes and Bakes full time for a few months!

What does Good Cakes and Bakes have to offer a Detroit wedding?

Good Cakes and Bakes has cupcakes, cookies, sheet cakes, cake pops, brownies, pies, French pastries like danishes and croissants… you name it. As April says, she can “do anything that requires sugar and butter!”

April has baked cakes and cake pops for several Detroit weddings. She also has a September wedding for which she will bake a cake along with more than 100 “cakes in a jar.” I had no idea what a cake in a jar was (here’s a link to a cakes in jars Pinterest page but be forewarned that mouth-watering is likely to ensue), so April explained that she bakes a cake in a wide-mouthed jar and then puts icing on the cake along with decorations such as wedding monograms.

Say you’re a bride or groom interested in Good Cakes and Bakes for your wedding. Two months or more before the wedding, you would set up a tasting appointment for which April would make samples with three different fillings and icings. Together you will develop an image for the cake or you can give April a sense of what you want and she will make it happen!

How is Good Cakes and Bakes socially conscious?

Whatever April can purchase locally, she does. The eggs used in Good Cakes and Bakes cakes are from Beaver Farm in Southwest Detroit. She purchases fruits and vegetables at Eastern Market. For red velvet cakes and cupcakes, she does not use red dye. Instead, she uses beet juice! April’s interest in organic cakes began because of her wife, who “eats organic everything!” April realized she could really taste the difference. She began using unbleached organic flour. She does not use ingredients that include hormones or steroids.

Detroit themed wedding cake, anyone?

If April could do any Detroit-themed cake, she would love to make a Motown record cake. If she was into three dimensional cakes (she isn’t so much), she would like to say she would make a car cake.

I asked April if she has observed any trends in the wedding cake business in Detroit. Cupcakes and dessert tables are where it’s at, people!

Big news!

Guess what? Good Cakes and Bakes is going to have a storefront on Livernois Avenue, the Avenue of Fashion in Detroit! Good Cakes and Bakes is among the winners of the Revolve Detroit “Art + Retail on the Ave” competition, and will team up with Local Social Ice Cream on a storefront opening on September 20! April found out about the competition when she had her pop up earlier this summer and local residents encouraged her to apply.

Congratulations, Good Cakes and Bakes!

Meet Dana & Joe – Engaged in the D

July 19, 2013July 12, 2013 by Steph | 5 Comments

I am excited to introduce a new guest LoveintheD blogger – Dana! She and Joe were engaged on June 8 and have started to plan their Detroit wedding. Dana is also a Detroit blogger: check out the Miss Detroit blog!

Dana shares the engagement story:

For months, I had been pestering Joe about getting engaged, or at least getting a hint for when he was planning to do it. He kept putting me off, telling me he couldn’t afford it now and it would happen when the time was right. Even our friends kept telling me that he was trying hard to save his money and that I needed to be patient. They did such a great job at convincing me that it wouldn’t happen for another year or two, so I began to settle down. Little did I know, they were all in on the planning…

The week leading up to Saturday, June 8^th, Joe kept asking if I would go for a walk with him on the Dequindre Cut when I got off of work at my weekend retail job, where I was schedule to work Saturday afternoon. Since I knew I would be on my feet for six straight hours, I was not committing to this walk he had been trying to plan.

The day of June 8^th, Joe begged me to call into work and take the afternoon off to spend with him, but I insisted on going. When I arrived home that evening, Joe asked again if I wanted to go for a walk on the Dequindre Cut, and I finally relented. We began a nice stroll where Joe kept mentioning the murals along our walk. We approached one that he said was his favorite, and knowing that I was brainstorming for blog posts on Miss Detroit, asked if he could take my photo in front of this mural.

Once I was standing in front of the mural and had turned around to face him, I saw Joe with his phone out, as though he was going to take my picture, but there was a white box in his hand. I realized he was recording the moment, when he kept his phone up and got down on one knee. I was shocked as I heard the words I’d been longing to hear exit his mouth: “Will you marry me?”

Of course, I said yes! Afterward, he instructed me to call my parents, who were waiting to hear from me and planning to have dinner with us. Joe also mentioned that after dinner we would be meeting our friends for drinks at the Old Miami. It still puts a big smile on my face to think about this amazing evening he surprised me with!

We are still in the process of setting a date; because we love Detroit so much, location rather than date is more important to us. We want to provide our guests with a uniquely Detroit wedding experience that will exemplify our love for the city and each other.

Readers: Share your Detroit engagement stories in the comments section!

Psssst. Are you following LoveintheD on Twitter? Check out the twitter feed.

Forging wedding bands, forging a new path together (Part Two)

July 8, 2013July 1, 2013 by Steph | 3 Comments

Today’s Engaged in the D blog post is by Christopher Holt, who is engaged to Melissa Damaschke. Check out Part One here and read about their engagement story here.

Jewelry is delicate and precious. However, I’ve come to admire the brute force that goes into its making. It’s a bit like childbirth: there’s grunting, careful monitoring, blood, placenta, the force of contractions and labor, the smacking of a newborn bum, crying and all that, but in the end you have this precious delicate life. Minus the blood and a few other things there is an element of brutality in making jewelry.

How do you think the ring gets that nice round shape? You hammer the sucker. You hammer it into that ring-like shape and hammer the ends as close together as possible. Did they get out of line with each other? Put the metal in the vice and tap the sides ’till they’re even with each other. Then repeat. Then you solder the ends together. Now this piece of metal that once looked like, well just a piece of tiny metal, is starting to look more and more like an actual ring. I’ve seen ultrasound images of fetuses in the womb and thought, “Ok. Where the hell is the baby?” Not until later does the freakish cluster of cells become recognizably human. Up to this point, one might ask, “Ok. Where the hell is the ring?”

We now arrive at the point where Melissa took my ring-fetus and hammered it into a ring-baby.

Our Mistress of Metallurgy introduced us to this thick metal rod that was tapered to a point. It was a little shorter than my forearm. Using her demonstration ring, she slid it ‘round the tapered the end and wedged it a few inches onto the rod. Ring sizes were engraved up and down this tool. She demonstrated what we had to do and Melissa was first.

With the grace of a ballet dancer, the muscle of a valkyrie, and the focus of a laser-beam, Melissa hammered my ring into existence. She slid it off the rod and I slid it onto my finger. I shook my hand wildly to see if it would fall off. It flew across the store. This act was repeated about four times before the ring fit my finger comfortably.

Upon my turn, I raised the tool with my left hand and the hammer with my right. Like the Greek god Hephaestus, I brought my hammer down upon the ring not once, not twice, but several times. Many, many times in fact.

Repeatedly.

Until finally, the gold and silver that were once divorced, were once again united in a perfect, perpetual circle, soldered together by the suave hunk that is marrying Melissa Damaschke.

We spent the next 10-20 minutes sanding and polishing the rings giving them a slightly grey finish. (Neither of us wanted anything too shiny or glossy). Julie permitted us to use the photo set-up she has to take the picture you see here. When all was said and done we were there for about five hours with a break for lunch. We can’t thank Julie Sanford of Studio JSD enough for her patient guidance, talent, and encouragement. If there are any couples considering doing such an activity together for their rings, we highly recommend doing it.

And we didn’t have to forge our rings in Mordor.

Readers: What do you think of the idea of making rings for one another as an engaged couple? How would you design your own unique ring?

[photography] By Ryan Southen: Lauren & Tyler’s Colony Club wedding

June 24, 2013June 17, 2013 by Steph | Leave a comment

Are you ready for some more Detroit wedding photography? Check out these lovely photographs from Lauren & Tyler’s Colony Club wedding. The Colony Club is located in downtown Detroit and was at one point a women’s club. Sean and I held our wedding reception at this gorgeous venue in 2011. The images are by Ryan Southen Photography.

Readers: Which of these photographs is your favorite shot?

Don’t forget to take two to three minutes to fill out the anonymous LoveintheD reader survey! I would love to hear from you about what you’d like to see more of on the LoveintheD blog. Lastly, please consider following LoveintheD on Twitter here!

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