Rooftop Wedding at Detroit Opera House

Sunday, August 21st, 2022

Taylor and Jerry celebrated their rooftop wedding at Detroit Opera House surrounded by family and friends.

Last fall, I spent a breezy afternoon walking the streets of Detroit, getting to know Taylor and Jerry as I photographed their engagement session. We ended our session in Eastern Market near sunset. I remember, like it was a cinematic moment in slow motion, watching Taylor, Jerry, and their dog walk down the street and this sense of calmness blanketed over the entire moment. There was something about Taylor and Jerry together that didn’t need anything more, anything “extra.” The sun was casting a golden hue on them as they embraced and looking at each other while I took photos. Once I was done shooting, the remained motionless, lost in the moment and lost in each other. As a lucky observer, I realized that what I witnessed was the fact that they didn’t need anything besides each other. It was a beautiful moment that I held for months knowing that sentiment would be present again on their wedding day.

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Months later, Taylor and I met up at the Westin Book Cadillac to walk through their wedding day. It was going to be a busy day with several moving parts. To honor Jerry’s heritage, the morning would begin with a traditional tea ceremony, where Taylor and Jerry would offer tea to their grandparents and parents. After the ceremony, Taylor changed into her white wedding dress and shared a first look with Jerry in the beautiful Venetian Room in the Westin Book Cadillac. Following the first look, photographed our way around Detroit before beginning their rooftop wedding at Detroit Opera House. It was a hot day, but that didn’t deter the excitement from Taylor, Jerry, and their guests. Once their rooftop wedding at Detroit Opera House ceremony ended, guests were invited downstairs, where they were treated to a traditional lion dance, performed by Michigan Lion Dance, before the rest of the reception events commenced.