Vintage-Inspired Gaelic Wedding at Gem Theater in Detroit, Michigan

Shannon Brown (28 and a teacher) and Michael Milne (26 and an accountant) were neighbors at Michigan State University. Art Nouveau accents and traditional Gaelic garb turned their downtown nuptials into a one-of-a-kind affair. “Incorporating our Scottish roots into our wedding was a no-brainer,” Shannon says of sealing the deal in a Celtic-knot-tying ceremony that included nods to Michael’s Jewish upbringing. A bagpiper greeted guests at the start of the ceremony, and Shannon met Michael under a flower-adorned chuppah to the sound of a traditional Gaelic tune. Michael donned a plaid kilt made from a tartan pattern representative of Scotland’s Isle of Skye, which is where the pair got engaged. All six groomsmen paired their patterned kilts with a traditional five-button waistcoat, sporran, chain, ghillie brogues and an imitation knife, or sgian dubh. Matching Shinola watches from the brand’s Detroit outpost adorned the men’s wrists for a modern element that juxtaposed their time-honored duds. “We booked the theater because it has the perfect mix of old and new,” Shannon says of their historic venue. White feather centerpieces and arrangements of thistle and lilies popped against gold linens for a glam, 1920s-inspired look.