A Detroit Wedding Film

It’s hard to put into words how immensely special it was to film this day for Juliana and Jeremiah. Their day was filled with pure, overwhelming, and overflowing joy.

Tim and I worked at summer camp with Juliana several years ago and I had the privilege of being her “unit leader,” essentially a mentor for her and several other girls over the summer. It was so meaningful to celebrate and join in the joy of Juliana and Jeremiah’s day. I sat for a few moments with the other girls from my Unit during the reception, and we just looked across the table at one another, joy and happy tears filling our eyes at the beauty of this day.

When you’ve been in the trenches together – even just for a season, when you’ve served together, prayed together, rejoiced and grieved together, when you’ve walked alongside one another through joy and through pain – it makes a day like this one that much more meaningful.

I love the words that Jeremiah’s dad shared with the two of them during the ceremony. He gave them three important things to remember as they enter into marriage. 1. Believe that you were formed for one another. 2. Be best friends forever. 3. Treat each other as equals. These three things together form such a beautiful picture of what marriage should be.

The love that Jeremiah and Juliana have for one another is so sweet and intentional. Each piece of their ceremony reflected this intentionality – we chose to open the film with their vows because of how carefully thought-out they were. Juliana and Jeremiah’s words simply set the tone for the rest of their day.

These two got married against the backdrop of Detroit – a city they’ve fallen in love with. They had their ceremony in a gorgeous historic church and the reception at the classic Detroit Yacht Club – a beautiful space out on Belle Isle, overlooking the Detroit skyline. And that reception. Man oh man did we have a celebration on our hands. I have never seen a dance floor fill up so quickly before – you’ll see it in the film – a little surprise choreography and then BAM everyone else joined in. Epic is the only way I know how to describe it. The feeling of being in that room and experiencing that overflow of joy was unbelievable.

All that being said, I pray this film reflects even just a fraction of the beauty and depth and joy of Jeremiah and Juliana’s wedding day.

Jeremiah + Juliana // A Detroit Wedding from Grain & Compass on Vimeo.

Hair + Makeup: Detroit Glam

Ceremony Venue: Hope Community Church

Flowers: Viviano Flower Shop, Eastern Farmers Market

Officiant: Jeremiah Lepasana Sr.

Reception Venue: Detroit Yacht Club

Caterer: Detroit Yacht Club

DJ: Matthew Sakdalan

Photography: Robert Tunberg Photography

Videography: Grain & Compass