Weddings

The Gem Theatre Wedding | Cary & Meghan

March 26, 2022

If you find me a better location than the Gem Theatre in Detroit for Cary and Meghan’s wedding, I will send you a bottle of wine. There just isn’t a more natural or better-suited venue for these theater folks.

But first, let’s travel back to the beginning of their story…in their words. (Get ready for some twists and turns, I could read this over and over!)

“It all starts in New York City back in 2016, when Cary and Meghan first met through their mutual friend Sylvia. Meghan’s an actor, Cary’s a playwright, and Sylvia’s a playwright who went to grad school with Meghan and is now in a writers’ group with Cary. In other words, it’s a theater thing. Sylvia invites Cary and Meghan to come see a play with her, which they do, but they’re both dating other people at the time, so it’s merely a friendly outing. The fact that the play they see together is set in Detroit is just a bit of dramatic foreshadowing.  A series of tragically missed connections follow Unbeknownst to each of them, Meghan performs in a short-play festival that also includes a play written by Cary. (Actually, this happened a few months earlier, but let’s not split hairs.) They both attend a birthday party of Sylvia’s at her Upper West Side apartment, but they’re still tied up in those pesky relationships. And finally, when Cary and Meghan are each newly single, Sylvia plans to pair them up at yet another theater gathering—but Cary shows up with someone else! Meghan shrugs. Fate foiled once more.

Flash forward a year to the fall of 2017. Meghan has since left New York and moved home to Michigan, but she’s back in the city for a month to appear in a show. Cary, meanwhile, is single again. Coincidentally, he thinks of Meghan and texts Sylvia: “Hey, whatever happened to your cute friend?” Even more, coincidentally, Sylvia is sitting next to Meghan when she receives this text. Meghan has Sylvia give Cary her number, and they make a date the next day—for that night.  Sunday, September 17, 2017. A historic evening. Cary and Meghan meet at 8 p.m. at DTUT, a hipster cafe-bar on the Upper East Side, near where Cary works his day job. They sip red wine and talk for four hours until the lights come on and the barista/bartender boots them out. The rest is history. Even when Cary hears that Meghan’s actually living in Michigan now and is in New York for only a couple more weeks, they’re undeterred.  They make the most of these whirlwind weeks, roaming the city hand in hand like the lovestruck protagonists of a Nora Ephron movie.

Then Meghan’s show ends, she leaves for Michigan, and they embark on a long-distance relationship that stretches over nine months, with both braving the indignities of Spirit Airlines to take turns visiting each other. Until at last, in June of 2018, Cary, a lifelong East Coaster, makes the Midwestern leap and moves from New York to join Meghan (and her intrepid dog, Roo, whom he’s also fallen for) in Ann Arbor. Cary proposes to Meghan at a Christmas tree lighting in neighboring Ypsilanti in November of that year. They take their time enjoying their engagement, but then, to their surprise, a global pandemic strikes in 2020. So they plan their wedding for September 2021, at Detroit’s Gem Theatre—a theater, naturally—almost four years to the day of their first real date.

In the end, as they learned in Greek Drama 101, you can’t fight fate.”

I argue that their love story could be written into a pretty killer script (hint, hint, Cary).

And now comes the culmination of all of those moments threaded between mutual friends, mutual interests, and fate: their wedding day.

The morning began for the girls at the Siren Hotel with hair, makeup, and a lot of chatter. Excitement can’t truly describe what everyone felt in the air. The couple couldn’t wait for the long-anticipated first look. (If I’m being honest, I couldn’t wait either!)

When the moment finally came, Cary’s eyes said more than any words could describe as he gazed at his bride. We wandered a few city blocks and took photos with the family and their wedding party. Their pups even met us at Capitol Park for a few photos.  After some lovely portraits, we headed back to the Gem Theatre to touch up and get ready for the main attraction.  Folks from all over gathered to watch these two tie the knot. The rest of the night was simply enchanting.

Congratulations, Cary & Megan!

Engagement Session: Ann Arbor
Second Photographer: Maria Loomis
Hotel: The Siren Hotel
Venue: Gem Theatre
Wedding Coordinator: Laurie Kort & Missy D’Angelis from Your Perfectly Planned Occasion
Dress Store: Beloved Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Configure Beauty Detroit
Florist:   Blumz by JRDesigns
Videographer:  Red Byrd Creative
Band:  Cancel Monday

Just a short postscript—Meghan called me Friday night to give me a head’s up that they were chosen to have their wedding story shared in the New York Times. I proudly own three copies of the printed paper from that day.

Shot of the front of the Siren Hotel in the morning by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Black and white photo of bride sitting and cuddling with the flower girl before getting ready by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele MaloneyShot of the rings, bride's shoes, and jewelry pieces by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Wedding Dress hanging in the Penthouse Suite at the Siren Hotel by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Groom looks out of the window as he adjusts his tie and gets ready for the first look by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney View of the bride and bridesmaids getting ready at the Siren Hotel by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Groom's shoes and tie sitting next to the ring bearer's shoes and bowtie; black and white photo of the groomsmen's mini drinking bar set up for while they get ready by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride holds her special bride thermos in her lap while she gets ready by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Close up shot of the groom buttoning up his suit as he gets ready for the wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney The ring bearer giggles for the camera as a groomsmen is buttoning up his shirt by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Close up black and white shot of the makeup artist's hands applying lip liner to the bride by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Close up shot of the bride ready and waiting before the first look, the bride is looking downwards by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bridal Portrait of bride before her wedding at the Gem Theatre in Detroit by Detroit wedding photographer Michele Maloney Bride grins ear to ear beside the spiral staircase in the Siren Hotel and the bridesmaids and mother of the bride smile at the bride by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney First look with bride and her father before the wedding ceremony at the Gem Theatre Detroit by Detroit wedding photographer Michele Maloney Portrait of the bride looking out the window of the Siren Hotel by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Black and white portrait of the groom lightly smiling for the camera outside by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride and groom close their eyes while hugging during their first look by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride hugs groom from behind, groom looks back at bride and smiles; bride and groom are looking at each other during first look and grinning ear to ear by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride and groom pet their pups in downtown Detroit by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Groom holds his bride and kisses the top of her head by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Groom holds his bride's waist as bride touches her groom's face; bride and groom look at each other and smile while bride holds her bouquet of flowers by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele MaloneyBride and groom smile at each other during first look before their Gem Theatre Wedding Ceremony by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Groom holds his bride close as they look off into the distance by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride and groom hold each other close during their first look by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Black and white shot of the bride fiddling with her ring as she stands next to her groom by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Portrait of the groom during the first look; shot of bride walking toward camera during the first look and holding her flower bouquet by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bridal party poses for formal portraits in downtown Detroit by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride and groom hold hands and stroll across a walkway in Detroit by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Faraway shot of the father of the bride hugging the bride at the end of aisle, groom comes down stairs to approach the bride and her dad at the Gem Theater wedding by by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride grins ear to ear at her groom while the officiant speaks during the ceremony by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride and officiant smile as the groom is reading his vows to his bride during the Gem Theater Wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride and Groom exchange Wedding Vows at a ceremony on stage at the Gem Theatre in Detroit by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Groom places wedding band on bride's finger at the Gem Theater Wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele MaloneyFaraway shot of the bride and groom looking at each other during ceremony; faraway shot of the groom kissing his new bride at the Gem Theater wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride lifts up her bouquet and holds hands with the groom as they exit the ceremony at the Gem Theater by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Detailed shot of the hors d'oeuvres table at the Gem theater wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele MaloneyNewly married couple approach guests after their Gem Theater wedding, bride is wearing sunglasses and laughing by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride talks with guests; bride holds child; guests are talking and laughing during cocktail hour by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele MaloneyBlack and white photo of child laying on shoulder and looking at camera after the wedding ceremony by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Detailed welcome sign at the Gem Theater Wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele MaloneyShot of guest cards next to bird cage at the Gem Theater Wedding reception by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Faraway shot of a reception ready to welcome the guests and wedding party at the Gem Theater wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Cake table shot by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Table setting details of the reception at the Gem Theater Wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele MaloneyBride and groom are announced as Mr. and Mrs. for the first time at the Gem Theater wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney bride and groom cut the cake at a reception at the Gem Theatre in Detroit by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Black and white photo of the bride and groom enjoying the first slice of their cake by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Groomsmen gives a toast by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride and groom smile and laugh as they sit and listen to toasts at the Gem Theater wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Black and white photo of the groom watching his new bride laugh while she listens to wedding toasts by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Groomsman holds paper and looks at bride and groom as he gives his toast by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride laughs and looks at groom during wedding toasts by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Guests laugh and smile as they listen to toasts at the Gem Theater wedding reception by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride claps hands as she laughs, groom puts his hand on her back and watches wedding toasts by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bridesmaid holds her notes and watches bride and groom as she gives her wedding toast by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Close up of hand holding champagne as wedding toasts take place at the Gem Theater wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride laughs and touches groom as he sips his drink during wedding toasts by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Wedding favor table for guests by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Faraway shot of the guests and bridal party sitting at their tables during the reception at the Gem Theater by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride's parents give a wedding speech by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride and groom hold each other close on the dance floor during their first dance by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Frank Sinatra vinyl record sitting out and playing during wedding reception by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride and groom dance during their reception at the Gem Theater Wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele MaloneyCloseup shot of the bride and groom dancing cheek to cheek by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Father daughter dance takes place at the Gem Theater Wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Bride and mother of the bride dance and laugh together at the reception by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Faraway shot of a band playing during the wedding reception; child is lifted up on the dance floor; guests dance together at the Gem Theater Wedding by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Mother and son dance takes place on the dance floor at the Gem Theater by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Black and white shots of the father daughter dance and mother son dance by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney Guests smile and dance during wedding reception; bride and groom get down on the dance floor by Detroit Wedding Photographer Michele Maloney

Behind The Lens

About Michele

Mom, Wife, Photographer, Volunteer, Joy Seeker, Faith Driven, Compassionate, Artistic, Creative and Grateful.

Michele is an expert in the industry with over a decade of experience. Spending most of her time raising her kids, volunteering at church, entertaining friends, taking care of her family. As a Southeast Michigan wedding photographer the client experience is her biggest priority. Ultimately wanting to be a part of your day, not only your photographer but a trusted friend. 

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