Katie & Mitchell’s wedding at the Detroit Institute of Arts…but make it anything but expected.

When I first met Katie, I immediately understood her energy. She is playful, whimsical, stylish, and completely unafraid to have fun. So creating another “beautiful wedding” was never going to be enough. We wanted to transform a room we know so well into something we had never seen before.

We brought in eleven mirror-covered serpentine tables cascading down the center of the Great Hall. Down their centers, an explosion of florals unfolded. They were color-blocked, wildly textural, sculptural, and intentionally unexpected. The mirrored tables reflected every stem, light, and candle back into the room, making the entire installation feel surreal.

And then we took it one step further….

Custom stages were built directly into the curves of the tables, where three violinists performed above guests as they dined beneath them.

When the doors opened, guests walked into a completely transformed space. They were greeted, naturally, by two champagne skirted performers passing out champagne. The room was theatrical. Interactive. A little whimsical. A little outrageous. And completely Katie & Mitch!

This is the kind of wedding design I love most. Not simply making something beautiful, but asking: what haven’t they seen before? My advice to every bride? Do something DIFFERENT.

Give them the unexpected entrance. Put musicians in the middle of dinner. Build the ridiculous thing. Create the moment that makes people stop when the doors open. Because the best weddings aren’t just beautiful. They’re the ones people can’t stop talking about.

Planning & Design: @anntravisevents
Venue: @diadetroit
Photography: @kylejohnphoto
Videography: @olson.film
Florist: @bloomfloraldesign
Entertainment: @e3detroit
Strings: @midtownstrings
Rentals: @nuagedesignsinc & @displaygroup
Champagne Display: @7stonedetroit
Event Assistance: @jrnyeventassist
Paper Goods: @invitationsbycaitlin
Photo Booth: @myboogiebooth