The Elegant Detroit Wedding of Johnny and Janela

Is there anything more beautiful than the union of two souls that were simply meant to be? We have always believed that weddings are the biggest testament to true love, marked by an unending level of happiness and joy all around. Weddings are filled with a tremendous support system, where a couple’s friends and family come together under one roof and raise a glass to say cheers to brand new beginnings and relationships. Whether it is an artistic wedding at a museum or art gallery or a lavish beach wedding at a faraway, exotic destination or even a backyard affair with intimate wedding details, weddings are fascinating and enchanting, irrespective of where it is taking place. We are endlessly inspired by real wedding stories of couples when they are packed with gorgeous wedding dresses, transforming wedding details, personalized wedding touches spread throughout, and unique love stories translated into unforgettable anecdotes. Especially after two years of intimate elopements, staycation ideas, micro wedding details, and mini wedding ceremonies, we are loving the fact that couples are coming out and hosting their dream weddings again, in the way they were always meant to be!

From over-the-top wedding ideas that are all about things extravagant and luxurious to celebrating weddings with unique details that were never seen before, couples are experimenting now more than ever. It especially stands true for couples who have either spent the entire lockdown apart or were locked up together and were forced to take minimoon glamping ideas instead of their dream honeymoon in the Bahamas. Hence couples are getting married in special ways by hosting incredibly personalized celebrations after navigating a global pandemic. From jumping through hurdles to declare their love for one another to making the most out of the current situation, these couples made us believe that “love cannot be canceled!”

In the early fall of 2021, we came across Janela And Johnny, the gorgeous couple from Detroit who had a fire in their eyes and sprinkled stardust as they swayed through their wedding day! From hosting a Greek wedding ceremony at a Cathedral in Detroit to hosting a glamorous wedding reception filled with extravagant details at a country club that was marked with Filipino traditions, this modern cultural Greek-Filipino wedding tugged our heartstrings stronger than ever with its sheer brilliance! Their wedding video was filled with memorable wedding moments that will definitely be played by this beautiful Detroit couple for years to come! As they move on to their new chapter in life, let us take a sneak peek at their extravagantly detailed wedding day which was all the more beautifully captured by our talented team of wedding videographers in Detroit.

The wedding day of Johnny and Janela started bright and early at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Detroit. The gorgeous church wedding venue in Detroit marks the beginning of this lovely couple. Our premium wedding photographers in Detroit started capturing this magnificent day bright and early which began with sweet moments that were exchanged between the love-drunk couple! The story started with our Detroit wedding photographers capturing Janela while practicing her wedding vows during the early hours of the day after she decked up in her bridal ensemble.

Flashes of many special wedding moments of this Detroit wedding were featured in between. Her voice crackled with thousands of emotions flowing through her as she practiced her vows and we instantly fell in love with her and her idea of love which she beautifully managed to pen down in her wedding vows! It was followed by Johnny as he unfolded his envelope of wedding vows which started off with describing their love story that spanned six and a half years up until that day. The to-be groom left us emotionally stirred up as he was in total awe about the future with his soulmate that was to begin today. After the wedding video in Detroit began with the bride and the groom practicing their respective wedding vows, our wedding photographers moved on to the other parts of the wedding.

The next scene unfolded at the bridal suite that was filled with our beautiful bride Janela and her team of closest friends and family. The bride getting ready portraits were clicked along with small glimpses of all the excitement that spread through the room among everyone present. The professional bridal makeup and hair artist got our stunning bride ready for the biggest day of hard life and we were stunned by the final result that revealed a bride that looks straight out of a modern-day fairytale! Her luxurious bridal accessories were placed next to each other and our Detroit wedding photography captured these details intricately. The classy bridal accessories were a pair of ivory Jimmy Choo wedding shoes, a Versace Bright Crystal perfume, and a luxurious wedding ring box that elegantly showcased the Cartier wedding bands. Stunning indeed! Special moments were captured as the bride got ready with her mother and best friends by her side. Special bride getting ready portraits were clicked in these intricate and nuanced moments.

The wedding dress was beautifully captured by hanging it against a light-filled window with the bright sun rays illuminating the intricate details of the dress. Our bride took some time to pose with her wedding dress before she slipped into it. It was a beautiful sheath wedding dress with elegant floral embroidery and beading work spread throughout the dress. The plunging neckline of the wedding dress featured illusion details along with a sweeping train that swept the grounds as she walked. The classic v-neckline flows into elegant off-the-shoulder straps which frame the décolletage perfectly. Her all-white bridal bouquet featured roses and greens that were beautifully arranged to make a refreshing statement. The stunning vintage bridal accessory that brought all the more glam to her wedding look was a headpiece in copper tone. The cathedral bridal veil was another statement-making bridal accessory that added to her sophisticated bridal ensemble. Her simple bridal jewelry choices perfectly accentuated the overall minimal bridal aesthetics.

Our groom Johnny looked equally fabulous in his three-piece groom suit which was a dark navy blue suit with black lapels and a crisp white shirt. Complementing the bridal bouquet, he wore a groom boutonniere featuring two white roses with a little bit of greenery! He paired the entire sophisticated groom look with shiny black formal groom shoes and a navy blue tie with a platinum tie pin. The groom getting ready portraits as he was dressed up by his best man was equally stunning and emotional. The look of nervousness and anticipation for probably the biggest day of his life was clearly reflected on his face as he got ready for the ceremony.

The team of bridesmaids brought their A-game of dressing up as they slipped into personalized bridesmaid jackets in neutral colors which featured their names in embroidery at the back. The bridal getting ready attire was a matching light pink jacket that had an embroidery at the back that said “Mrs. Diamantopoulos!” The white bridesmaid dresses were sheath dresses which was a very modern way to break the age-old wedding tradition of “bridesmaid can’t wear white!” The elegant bridesmaids’ bouquet featured purple, pink, and mustard-colored flowers and greens that nodded to the entire wedding color scheme.  The team of groomsmen wore all-black three-piece suits that were paired with crisp white shirts and elegant black ties. Complementing the groom himself they also carried white rose groomsmen boutonnieres. The overall groom and the groomsmen look featured a complete black-tie wedding affair that looked out of a Cosmopolitan magazine!

The Greek cathedral wedding venue was lit up with sunlight entering through the tall clerestory windows! All the attendees made themselves comfortable in the spacious wedding ceremony seating arrangement that featured long wooden pews in a natural finish. The wedding band played beautiful songs on their violins and entertained everybody present there. In an intense and emotional moment, the bride was walked down the aisle by her parents on both sides. The wedding ceremony took place with complete Greek wedding traditions.

From the couple holding tall candles to wearing their marital crowns or Stefana, many important Greek wedding traditions were observed during this cultural Greek wedding that celebrated the groom’s heritage and culture. The priest too said that “this is the marriage between two cultures- the Greek and the Filipino” which made it even more beautiful. And shortly after they were announced, husband and wife that was followed by a wild cheer through the crowd! The wedding exit with rice tosses stole the show as they made their way through the sun-kissed ground. They also posed to click many couple portraits along with group wedding portraits with their respective team of groomsmen and bridesmaids. The stunning bridesmaids’ photos and groomsmen’s portraits looked orchestrated for a glamor magazine!

Johnny and Janela chose Shenandoah Country Club as their reception venue. This elegant country club wedding venue in Detroit is a chic and stylish place for wedding celebrations in Detroit. The entire ambiance was lit up with crystal chandeliers dangling overhead with statement wedding arches made out of purple and yellow flowers and an ample amount of greenery. The remarkable wedding flower installations featuring white and green looked majestic along with the gold plated wrought iron accents. The wonderful all-white wedding cake was a five-tier wedding confection. Adorned with white edible sugar roses, this statement wedding confection was placed at the center of the reception event space which played an integral part in the overall wedding décor.

There were also overhead installations of dangling pink, purple, and blue flowers with wreaths of greenery that were punctuated by twinkling fairy lights. The entire wedding venue was decked up with white, yellow, lilac, pink, and blue flowers with garlands and wreaths of greenery that instantly added a storybook feel to the entire atmosphere. The welcome wedding sign was a dark green ivy-filled board that featured “the Diamantopoulos” in bold gold calligraphy letters. The picturesque reception table décor featured overhead flower installations along with long and sleek transparent glasses with floating tea light candles.

After making a grand entrance at their reception, the couple went on to cut their wedding cake. It was followed by an amazing time at the reception dance floor where the newlyweds had their first dance as husband and wife. The first couple dance also featured the amazing Filipino money dance which is another Filipino wedding tradition. It was a strong nod to the bride’s heritage and culture. According to this Filipino wedding tradition, the male guests would line up in front of the bride to pin money on her dress and the same would be done by the bridesmaids to the groom. The money bills are pinned together as garlands and crowns, and many guests would take turns to dance with the groom and the bride while they wear those money bills on them! They were also joined by the teams of bridesmaids and groomsmen as they carried LED sabers as wedding photo props for their dance. It was an amazing and fun part of the wedding photography session in Detroit.

As the day came to an end, we reflected on how much we loved this multicultural wedding day in Detroit that celebrated so many fun and beautiful wedding traditions with the utmost respect and an equal amount of fun. As much as our wedding photographers loved documenting this beautiful wedding day in Detroit, we loved retelling this special piece as this magical love story deserves to be heard by every Romeo and Juliet out there who believes in the power of true love!