Brittany + Jon | The Detroit Opera House
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
As a Detroit Wedding Photographer, it was such an honor to be able to capture a wedding at the Detroit Opera House in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The Detroit Opera House has a stunning lobby adorned with large hanging chandeliers, a beautiful two-sided staircase, and three open levels that give the space an air of grandeur.
Brittany and Jon held their wedding reception in the lobby, with tables on the lower and second floors. Nestled on the staircase landing, the couple was able to share views of both floors when sitting at their sweetheart table.
Brittany and Jon love theater, so it was natural to host their wedding at one of the most famous locations in Detroit. Jon is also a huge baseball fan, so it was quite serendipitous (maybe planned!?) that the Detroit Tigers were playing a game within peeking distance from the rooftop of the Opera House.
Up on the rooftop, cocktail hour was dotted with customized puzzles and games, a live painter, and the couple's first dance. Under the open sky, the two waltzed effortlessly, making it easy to capture great candid photos of them, surrounded by their family and friends.
Dinner was followed by toasts, parent first dances, cake cutting, and finally open dancing. The dance floor, being on the lower level, was open to everyone above which made dancing fun and engaging. The late night snacks coaxed everyone to join the bride and groom on the lower level, just in time for their sparkler exit. The two ran through the sparkling tunnel, then ran around the corner and off to their hotel room at The David Whitney to end the evening.
Having shot almost 100 weddings, I have a unique perspective on wedding venues. I'm honored to share my insights with you. Let's get down to it.
Wow Factors
The Detroit Opera House is beautiful. Let's just start there. It gives a luxury feel and elevated guest experience. It's a unique location for a wedding in Detroit.
Easy to get to and from:
Nearby parking - there's a parking garage a block over so guests can easily park and walk
The People Mover stops one block over
The Detroit Metropolitan Airport is just a 30 minute ride away
Amtrak Train station is an 8 minute drive
Great staff. The staff were attentive, helpful, and polite.
Many zones for creative planning:
The rooftop is a great spot for cocktail hour
The lower level was great for the dance floor and late night treats
The second floor felt intimate and cozy
The third floor was unused but was fabulous for me as a photographer to get photos from a higher vantage point
ADA Accessible - there were elevators to each floor (including the roof) for easy access.
Things to Consider
Parking was not included. Guests will be responsible for their own parking tickets if you are not taking care of parking for them.
Everything was pretty spread out. Guests were on both sides of the staircase on the lower level and the second level, some were behind posts, and there were many tables that only held 2-3 people along the rails.
The sweetheart table is in front of a mirror down a quarter-floor. You are slightly isolated on a small landing.
Your vendors are served last. When planning timelines with your vendors, ensure that toasts or dancing don't occur at the end of dinner as they do not serve vendors after the wedding party is served.
Simone Arora is a Detroit-based editorial wedding photographer who specializes in capturing personality-rich photos. She has been photographing people since she was in middle school, and weddings since 2021.
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