A Trendy Intimate Wedding at J’Adore Detroit | Angela and Paully

Angela and Paully’s trendy intimate wedding at J’adore Detroit in January was the perfect way to kick off the New Year. Angela and I have been friends for a while, both members of Trvfit Detroit gym. So when Angela reached out about photographing their intimate Filipino wedding, I was so excited! 

These two are an online dating success story and it’s amazing. When they matched on Hinge, Angela was curious if Paully was also Filipino so she immediately asked. He replied and told her to call him as he was about to start making his commute to work. (As Angela tells it, this was a sneaky way of getting her phone number really quickly!) But Angela did call, and answered the phone by saying “Hello Kababayan” which means hello fellow countryman in their language. You could say they have been together since. 

Angela and Paully did things a little differently than most and I love it! While waiting on the ring they had designed together to arrive, they both decided to start wedding planning. And to make things even better, they chose a wedding date less than 4 months away because “why wait?”. 

During a trip to Iceland, Paully got down on one knee and asked Angela to marry him and about 6 weeks later, they got married with 60 of their closest friends at J’adore Detroit in Detroit’s Eastern Market neighborhood. They wanted an intimate day that was entirely about them – no wedding party, a short ceremony incorporating a few Filipino traditions, and a whole lot of dancing. They worked with A Tiny Wedding Co. to plan their intimate Detroit wedding and everything turned out perfectly, even in the freezing temperatures of January in Michigan. 

I met both Angela and Paully in their suite at the Westin Hotel downtown Detroit. They got ready in the same hotel suite with just the two of them and their moms. When it was time to get dressed, they each went into their own room, but with the door open, could still hear and talk with one another. The energy was amazing! Like when Paully opened his gift from Angela and burst out laughing, to which she yelled over “what are you laughing at???” 

Once Angela got into her stunning dress and Paully into his trendy velvet tuxedo, we made our way (separately) to Parker’s Alley in downtown Detroit. Angela and Paully saw one another all dressed up for the first time and then they chose to read personal vows to one another. After a few photos and a tequila shot from The Brakeman to help stay warm, we headed to the Detroit Institute of Arts for more wedding day portraits. I loved Angela’s fun gloves that had their wedding date embroidered on them!

Then we made our way to J’Adore where the venue was ready for their intimate ceremony. In Filipino tradition, Paully passed Angela 13 gold coins symbolizing his promise of prosperity and they read additional vows in front of their friends and family. And the best part? Angela’s pup made his way back up the aisle with the new Mr. and Mrs. after their first kiss!

While guests enjoyed cocktails and mingled with Angela and Paully, the space was quickly flipped for dinner and the reception. Angela and Paully cut their cake before surprising everyone with a super fun first dance! From there it was dinner, bouquet and garter toss and then time to dance the night away! And because we needed to do something fun to show off Angela’s dress change while staying true to her spunky personality, we got creative with the venue’s elevators…Angela and Paully took a minute away from their guests and you could say things got a little steamy! The rest of the night was spent dancing, enjoying the photo booth, sippin’ on  cocktails, chowing on late night pizza and dancing some more.

Angela and Paully’s trendy intimate wedding at J’adore Detroit was the perfect way to celebrate their love story! From the get go, they chose to do things in their own way and planned a unique, small wedding that was perfect for them and their styles. I loved being a part of this day and getting to work with a friend was such a privilege! 

If you’re planning your own wedding and conflicted between eloping and hosting a larger wedding, consider a small wedding with 50-60 guests like Angela and Paully! With fewer guests, you’ll have more choices in venues, more time and your budget will stretch further so you can plan your dream wedding. And if you loved this intimate wedding, be sure to check out Taylor and Connor’s wedding at Bea’s Detroit.