REAL WEDDING

  • Photography By:

    Ksenija Savic

    TARA FORMAN AND JAY HACK

    April 25, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan

    During her first week working at a community nonprofit, Tara Forman met Jay Hack, an Executive Board member of the department, at a board meeting. A few months later, Jay moved downtown and asked Tara to show him around the area, sparking the beginning of their Detroit love story. 

    The proposal took place during a weekend getaway to New York City, which Jay carefully planned and orchestrated. When the couple arrived at their hotel, they were greeted by champagne, strawberries, friends, and family. “I am devastatingly easy to surprise,” Tara admits. “We felt like we had the whole city to ourselves.”

    “IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO ME THAT OUR GUESTS FELT LIKE THEY WERE PART OF THIS MOMENT” TARA FORMAN

    Having previously imagined her dream wedding, Tara was excited to begin the wedding planning process. Her fiancé was also more involved in the preparations than most grooms-to-be, as he felt strongly that he didn’t want to be a guest at his own wedding. With the help of both sets of parents, wedding planner Dee Dee Hoffman, and a selection of talented vendors, the couple’s wedding vision came to fruition.

    During the big day, the bride and groom had their ketubah signing in front of a group of 50 guests including parents, siblings, grandparents, and their closest friends. For the ceremony, they read vows each had written, which was an intimate moment despite the large guest list. “It was so important to me that our guests felt like they were part of this moment,” says the bride. “Opening up in our vows welcomed everybody to be part of our larger story.”

    With music being an important aspect of the wedding, a specific playlist was created for the ceremony as well. The bride and groom’s parents and grandparents walked down the aisle to “The Book of Love” by the Magnetic Fields; the groom and wedding party walked to “I’ll Be There” by the Jackson 5; “Here Comes the Sun” played as the flower girl made her way down the aisle; and the bride made her entrance to “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen–all, played live by the Rondo String Quartet. 

    Tara’s love of flowers was a great part of the inspiration behind the décor. “All-white weddings are classic and stunning,” she says. “I knew I wanted to incorporate the infinite color and variety that flowers can offer.” Working with Liz from Parsonage Events, they created a flower concept with a gothic, lush and romantic feel. Flowers cascaded from the ceiling, climbed the walls in blooming branches, covered low long tables, and were nestled in apothecary jars. The space ultimately had a vintage feel, as if guests were transported to an overgrown and forgotten garden paradise. With candlelight and several personal touches, it was a stunning and romantic setting that soon turned into an all-night dance party.

    In the weeks following the wedding, the comment the newlyweds heard most was how much love everyone felt in the room. “It’s an insane feeling, being surrounded by 350 people showering you with love, warmth and well wishes,” says Tara. “We were blissfully happy–both so in love, and also feeling so loved.”


    WEDDING TALENT

    Location: The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, Detroit, MI; Event Design and Planner: DeeDee Hoffman Party Design, West Bloomfield Township, MI; Floral Design: Parsonage Events, Clarkston, MI; Cake: The Townsend Hotel Bakery, Birmingham, MI; Stationery: Lee’s Specialty, Bloomfield Hills, MI; Wedding Dress: Ines di SantoBridal Salon: Roma Sposa Bridal & Evening Atelier, Birmingham, MI

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