Country Club of Detroit Wedding

There’s those weddings that just stick with you as a wedding photographer. Christine and Jacob’s Country Club of Detroit wedding was one of those weddings. From the moment I arrived to photograph Christine getting ready, I could feel how special this day was going to be. Between the stunning venues, the thoughtful details, and the genuine love between these two, every moment was a gift to capture. This wedding took us across some of the most beautiful and iconic locations in the Detroit area. It was a day filled with surprises, laughter, and so much joy.

The day started out as a rainy day in June, but ended with the perfect sunset and the love and happiness you could ever want out of a wedding. Can I gush about this venue for a minute? The moment I walked in, I knew it was a special place. Just the attention to detail in not only the architecture itself, but all the decor and other elements that make this venue what it is. There’s something exciting to me when I get to be more creative with detail photos at a venue.

Getting Ready at the Country Club of Detroit

My day with Christine and Jacob started at the Country Club of Detroit, a stunning Tudor Revival estate in Grosse Pointe Farms. Christine was getting ready in one of the beautiful suites there with her bridesmaids. We did a first look with her in her dress with the bridesmaids and her mother. It was such an emotional and special moment. Then we did a separate first look with her father in the library. The library here is quaint, but such an eye catcher for aesthetics. The way his face lit up was priceless when he walked into the room and saw his daughter. Before we headed to the ceremony, I was able to also capture some beautiful portraits of Christine as well.

Ceremony at the Grosse Pointe Academy Chapel

After getting ready photos, we all boarded the bus and headed to the Grosse Pointe Academy chapel for their ceremony. The historic chapel dates back to 1899 and features rich architectural detail that creates an intimate yet grand atmosphere. The chapel is situated on a beautiful 20-acre lakefront campus and is primarily used for weddings now. Following the ceremony, we captured some quick portraits of the whole wedding party outside on the steps of the chapel. We also grabbed some couples portraits all around the building showing off the architecture, the ivy growing on the building, and Lake St. Clair in the background. The architecture and grounds provided a gorgeous backdrop. Looking for the perfect little Catholic Chapel for your wedding day? Check out the Grosse Pointe Academy Chapel.

Portraits Around Detroit’s Most Iconic Locations

We hopped on the bus and headed downtown Detroit to Hart Plaza. The couple really want some portraits at Hart Plaza, but when we arrived it was blocked off for an event. We had to pivot quickly. We all ran across the street and took some quick wedding party and couples portraits at the Spirit of Detroit statue instead. It’s always fun to feature some iconic Detroit locations in wedding photos. We ran back across the street and onto the bus to head to our next location. We made our way north to the Detroit Institute of Art. The DIA is a stunning, marble historical building situated right on Woodward Avenue. The building features a triple-arched entrance made completely out of white marble that is very popular for wedding couples. We got one photo of the whole wedding party in front of the white arches and then got more couples portraits here and then on the white marble steps. We didn’t have a ton of time for driving around for portraits, but what we did get was absolutely perfect.

A Reception to Remember at the Country Club

Everyone headed back to the Country Club of Detroit for the rest of the evening. Christine and Jacob were able to attend their cocktail hour with all of their guests. The Country Club of Detroit features elegant event spaces and a back terrace that overlooks the championship golf course. It is a great time when the couple gets to attend their own cocktail hour. They planned all this time for their wedding, and many couples don’t even get to try their cocktail hour hors d’oeuvres. The cocktail hour was spread out between the inside hall and the back terrace overlooking their white reception tent. It was a hot day. Everyone was so thankful there was air conditioning inside.

The bride and groom made their formal entrances into the reception by coming into the tent where everyone was seated for dinner. Of course the wedding party had some antics up their sleeves with entertaining and funny entrances. Right when Christine and Jacob entered, they cut their cake and did their first dances. These are always sweet moments to capture. The speeches followed. The best man, Jacob’s brother, delivered an epic speech. It was expressive, funny, and deeply meaningful all at once. It most weddings I photograph, I truly get to know not just the couple, but their family members through listening to these speeches. Dinner followed after speeches. The food was delicious and definitely worth the wait.

Live Music and Dancing

They had both a DJ and a live band at their wedding reception. There was a reason for the band other than just liking live bands. The band played during open dancing until a certain time that night then the DJ took over and kept the party going. As a surprise for Christine and all of their guests, Jacob and his former bandmates came together on stage. They played a couple songs with the band members. It was so epic to witness Christine’s surprise when her new husband started playing those drums for the first time in a long time. Her face was absolutely priceless. It was just like seeing people enjoying a concert, but they all new the band members!

I was able to capture some great dancing photos of the whole party that night. Everyone was enjoying themselves and celebrating Christine and Jacob. The energy on the dance floor was incredible. The combination of the live band, surprise performance, and DJ kept everyone dancing all night long. We (the videographer and myself) even found out later before we left for the night that that night was the first time all those band members had played together. It was incredible to learn this after hearing and seeing them play because they were outstanding. It was the perfect way to end such a beautiful Country Club of Detroit wedding celebration.