A Modern French Palatial Wedding Inspiration

Bride and groom toasting at a bar during their wedding

The historic vibe of the New Hotel Mertens was the inspiration behind this next wedding shoot put together by a talented team of wedding professionals and captured by Mae Photo Co. They went with a modern, French inspired feel with vibrant hues of yellow and green that were inspired by the old tiled floor of the venue. The result? This dreamy luxury wedding we can't wait to share with you!

From the beautiful blooms by Merci Beaucoup Floral, to all three of the brides gorgeous looks from Casablanca Bridal - including a chic long bridal jacket and cute cocktail dress for the reception. This shoot has a strong sense of style that’s fresh and sophisticated. See all the highlights below, and catch every last photo in the full gallery.

Elegant wedding invitation suite with floral details

Wedding bouquet with roses and a silk ribbon on a stool

From Mae Photo Co.

The inspiration from this styled wedding comes from the historic venue itself. After walking into New Hotel Mertens and hearing about the history of the building, our modern french palatial wedding started falling together with ease. New Hotel Mertens was opened up to the public as a hotel in 1914 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After more than 100 years the building has kept many of the hotels original features. The original tile floor is to die for and it naturally became a large inspiration (You will fully understand when you see it).

Elegant wedding shoes with crystal details on tiles

Bride in lace gown sits with bouquet in vintage restaurant

Bride with bridesmaids in gowns at bar wedding reception

Bride and bridesmaids in stylish dresses at a wedding

Bride and groom share a moment at the bar on their wedding day

Newlyweds kiss behind a lush bouquet of peach roses

Smiling newlyweds on rooftop wedding venue city view

Bride and groom pose on a rooftop city wedding day

a unique color palette

With the venue itself being so rich in history and having so many unique and beautiful aspects; myself (the photographer), Joan (the florist of Merci Beaucoup), and Holly (vintage dish rentals of Gigi & LeClede) moved forward with a simple design; from the brides dress, to the minimal table designs, allowing the space to speak for itself. The greens and mustard yellows are a unique combination especially in today's wedding industry. We jumped at the opportunity to deliver something different; and we couldn't be more pleased with the way it all came together.

Elegant banquet table setting with flowers and candles Elegant place setting with golden cutlery and flowers

Cozy restaurant table setting with wooden chairs decor Elegant tablescape with roses candle and glassware

Croquembouche wedding cake with kissing bride and groom

3 bridal looks to love

We invited in wedding guests to enjoy a delicious meal to create the feeling of community in a space of rich history. We ended the meal with a delicious croquembouche as a nontraditional wedding cake. Not only does New Hotel Mertens have an event space, restaurant, cafe/bakery, but they also have a rooftop view of the city. The bride rocked three different bridal looks with a Casablanca Bridal lace gown, then added a long bridal jacket (yes it was amazing!), and she ended with a fun tea length cocktail dress.

Woman in white dress smiling indoors Bride in tea length gown twirling indoors on tile floor