This Art Deco Wedding at the Shinola Hotel in Detroit, Michigan, Included an Eight-Course Meal

Kristina, co-owner of Eyedolize, a Birmingham, Michigan-based beauty salon, and Brady, an orthopedic surgeon with Beaumont Hospital in downtown Detroit, have a deep appreciation for Detroit and its ethos. As a nod to their beloved city, the couple planned a foodie-inspired art decor wedding at the historic Shinola Hotel in Detroit, Michigan, with 30 of their closest loved ones present to enjoy the luxurious urban affair. "We loved how the Shinola Hotel helped showcase Detroit's revitalization. We hope our wedding depicted what makes Detroit beautiful, highlighting remarkable creative local talent, with Midwest hospitality at the forefront throughout the wedding day."

For the ceremony, every household sat in their own private garden surrounded by flowers as they watched the two say their vows. "Because of COVID, we wanted to ensure as much safety as possible so we sat all 30 of our guests in groups according to family in private 'secret gardens' surrounded by lush florals," notes Kristina. At cocktail hour, guests were greeted to their seats with custom whisky sours stenciled with the table number in foam. Kristina and Brady are foodies so the evening's dinner menu was a big priority for them. "We often order from the chef's tasting menu when we go out for dinner so having a premiere culinary experience for our guests was very important to us," explains Kristina. Their friends and family enjoyed white-glove service at small bistro-style tables designed to feel like the ultimate private dining experience, seated just far (but not too far) away from a friend. The menu felt like that of an upscale restaurant, revealing the exceptional 8-course meal to come. 

Personalization was paramount for Kristina and Brady throughout the wedding-planning process—the couple had a custom logo designed that incorporated both of their initials and wove that emblem throughout much of the wedding's design, from the stationery all the way through to the signature cocktail garnishes. "Most everything was personalized but the stand-out was our escort cards that were foamy cocktails with our logo stenciled on top," recalls Kristina. Kristina goes on to explain that "guest experience was near the top in priority when planning our wedding. We didn’t share any details with anyone beforehand, so it was very special to see everyone’s reactions to the amazing floral we had at our ceremony and all the personalized details throughout the reception." Not only did all the guests enjoy seeing the beautifully curated day, but Brady notes that seeing the finished wedding design was also one of his favorite moments from the celebration as well. "I loved seeing the floral arrangements in person and all the special details come together like the personalized cocktails that served as escort cards and the 'KB' logo in the ice cubes," he recalls. 

Looking back on the wedding day at the Shinola Hotel in Detroit, Michigan, Kristina's biggest piece of advice for current to-be-weds is to "leave the planning to the experts. We both agree that when it comes to planning a wedding, a planner is a must. So many details we didn’t know existed would’ve been left out if it wasn’t for our planner and the amazing vendors she recommended. It made the whole experience from start to finish much more enjoyable."