Gem Theater Wedding in Downtown Detroit | Tori and Drew

Weddings

Tori and Drew’s wedding at the historic Gem Theater in downtown Detroit was a fun, sunny and very Detroit day, perfect for celebrating their love story (and their love for the city of Detroit). From the heartfelt moments shared between the couple and their beautiful baby girl to the vibrant energy of the city on a Saturday, their special day was filled with only the best energy and love. I should have known after their engagement session that their wedding day would also partly be a celebration of Detroit and their favorite spots and memories around the city. 

Tori began her wedding day at her parent’s house on the east side of Detroit, while Drew got ready at their home in southwest Detroit. Their adorable baby girl played an integral role in their wedding day, adding an extra layer of love and joy to the celebrations. To start the day off uniquely, Tori and Drew chose Jumbo’s, a dive bar in Detroit’s midtown, for their first-look. Jumbo’s holds special significance for Tori and Drew as a favorite spot where they “started and ended a lot of nights together.” They shared their first look in front of the bar before we brought their wedding party in for a shot and a few drinks. Tori and Drew wanted to enjoy some time with their closest friends and siblings, so we built in time in their day to just hangout and be at Jumbo’s for about an hour. 

From there, we ventured to Brush Street, where we found a relatively quiet spot with a view of the iconic Renaissance Center in the background. Unfortunately, with lots of orange cones and roadblocks due to several games and concerts happening that day downtown, and thanks to lots of new condos, the skyline view of Detroit from Brush Street is pretty limited nowadays.   But regardless, the area provided a fun and unique wedding day backdrop that perfectly complemented their love of Detroit. Not to mention that blocking roads is always fun and will inevitably lead to lots of cars cheering and honking you on. 

We then made our way outside of Ford Field for a few last photos. Tori and Drew (especially Drew) are big Lion’s fans (hence the Lion’s socks for the groomsmen) so it was a great final photo spot right next to the Gem Theater.

The Gem Theater, with its timeless elegance and classic aesthetic, served as the perfect venue for Tori and Drew’s ceremony. Led by a close friend who beautifully narrated their love story, the ceremony captivated everyone in attendance (including me!). It was one of the best, most meaningful, tender and funny ceremonies I’ve witnessed to date. There were tears, lots of laughing and even a ring that accidentally hit the floor, all of which made for a very personal and memorable ceremony. 

Inside the Gem Theater, the couple’s chosen décor of black, white, and gold exuded an air of sophistication that perfectly matched the venue’s glamorous ambiance. Tori and Drew kicked off  the evening with a grand entrance, followed by their first dance. Drew had a little surprise for Tori up his sleeve (or rather, in his jacket pocket) which was the most Tori and Drew thing to do since they love to joke and have fun together. They danced to “Check Yes or No” so Drew pulled out a paper with “Do you love me?” And “Will you marry me?” with two boxes for Yes and No. He was ready with a Sharpie for Tori to check yes or no in front of everyone. It was great!

Then Drew shared a special dance with their precious little girl, Celia and all of their guests were loving it. 

Before the plated dinner, guests heard a couple of speeches and a blessing. And to open up the dance floor, Tori and Drew each shared a dance with their parents. Drew and his mom had the whole room cheering when they started by taking a shot together before impressing everyone with their dance. 

Tori and Drew’s Gem Theater wedding in downtown Detroit was a fun day with the perfect balance between heartfelt, personal touches with a lot of fun and lighthearted moments. It really felt like a day truly representative of Tori and Drew’s relationship in their beloved Detroit. If you love Tori and Drew’s wedding at The Gem Theater, you might also like Brittni and Dan’s wedding at the Detroit Opera House!

Dream Team