An Art Museum Celebration in the Heart of Detroit

When Gretchen Valade and Kevin Steen first met in February 2011, she "thought it was love at first sight," she says, recalling the "great eye contact" they initially shared at a party in Chicago. Alas, she'd failed to notice the TV set behind her—which is what Kevin, a filmmaker, had fixed his gaze upon. By the end of the night, though, he had noticed her, and they were soon dating (for a while it was long distance: he in New York City, she in Detroit). By 2016, the Michigan natives both landed in Detroit. There, in December 2016, he proposed at a friend's gallery by installing pieces of art that commemorated their relationship, with the last piece reading "Will You Marry Me?" The grand gesture inspired the couple's next move: a wedding at the Detroit Institute of Arts. "We loved the idea of getting engaged in a gallery and married in a museum," says Gretchen, a retail merchandiser.

To avoid fighting against the museum's inherent beauty, the couple pulled design inspiration from the venue's artwork to coincide with their desired timeless and elegant vibe for their August 26, 2017 wedding. Their color palette came from the Diego Rivera Mural within the art institute, and they based their invitations off the museum's artist plaques. "We added where it was necessary, but we also left spaces alone, just adding greens and candles," says the bride. "It was important for us that it felt intimate, even in such a large space." The ultimate goal was to give guests what felt like a private tour of the museum, which Gretchen and Kevin effortlessly pulled off as the wedding migrated throughout the locale, starting with the ceremony in the colorful Rivera Court and ending the night with dancing outside the building.

Keep reading to see how this couple pulled off their beautiful art-infused Detroit wedding, captured by Sarah Falugo and planned by Mood Events.

Even the couple's invitation suite was inspired by their venue. "We pulled colors from the Diego Rivera Mural and even the museum's artist plaques inspired our invitation design," says the bride.

When it came to her wedding dress, Gretchen wanted a look that felt understated and elegant. She turned to a high-neck, sleeveless silk sheath gown with a low V-shaped back. "My favorite element of this dress was that I felt comfortable and like I could move and be 'me' on my wedding day," she says of the ensemble, designed by Charlie Brear.