Zach & Daniel
Wedding at the Millwick by Marvimon
in Downtown Los Angeles Arts District
Zach and Daniel’s wedding at Millwick was colorful, personal, a little unconventional, and completely their own.
Tucked away in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, Millwick gave us the perfect mix of lush greenery, industrial DTLA character, and plenty of space for the day to unfold naturally. Zach and Daniel kept things relaxed and fun from the start, surrounded by their closest friends and family for a celebration that felt less like a production and more like a really great party.
We took advantage of Millwick’s greenery, textured walls, and the surrounding Arts District for portraits, giving us everything from intimate garden-like photos to colorful and gritty city backdrops without having to venture far from the venue.
From there, the night transitioned into dinner, speeches, dancing, and Crumbl cookies in place of a traditional wedding cake. Add in a dance floor fueled by early 2000s hits, and you get a wedding that was energetic, colorful, and full of personality from beginning to end.
These are always some of my favorite weddings to photograph. The traditions are there when they mean something, the rules get thrown out when they don’t, and the couple actually gets to enjoy their wedding day.
Millwick by Marvimon in Downtown Los Angeles Arts District
Millwick is a wedding and event venue tucked into the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles. From the street, you might not expect just how much greenery is hiding inside. Step through the entrance and the industrial surroundings give way to a lush courtyard filled with plants, trees, brick, and tons of character.
That contrast is one of my favorite things about photographing weddings at Millwick.
You can create portraits that feel almost garden-like without leaving the property, then step outside and immediately have the brick, concrete, murals, and city textures of the Arts District as a completely different backdrop. For photography, that means you can get a surprising amount of variety without spending a big portion of your wedding day traveling between locations.
The venue itself also gives couples plenty of flexibility when planning the flow of the day. The different indoor and outdoor spaces allow the wedding to transition naturally from ceremony to cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing while keeping everyone in one place.
For couples who want something distinctly Los Angeles but aren't interested in a traditional ballroom or hotel wedding, Millwick hits a really nice middle ground. It feels urban without feeling cold, lush without feeling overly formal, and unique without needing a ton of decoration to give it personality.
What to Know About Planning a Wedding at Millwick
If you’re considering getting married at Millwick, one of my biggest recommendations is to take advantage of where you are. You’re not just getting married at a beautiful venue. You’re also right in the middle of one of the most visually interesting neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
Leave Some Time for Arts District Portraits
You don't need to disappear from your wedding for an hour to get great portraits. Even a short walk around the blocks surrounding Millwick can give you a completely different look from the greenery inside the venue.
If you like a mixture of colorful portraits, candid photography, direct flash, greenery, and grittier city images, building 15 to 20 minutes into your timeline to explore outside can add a ton of variety to your final gallery.
Think About the Light
Millwick has a mixture of open and shaded spaces, so the look of the courtyard changes throughout the day. When you're deciding on your ceremony and portrait times, it can be helpful to talk with your photographer before locking everything into the timeline.
Give Your Timeline Some Breathing Room
One of the advantages of having your wedding at a venue like Millwick is that you don't need to spend a huge chunk of the day moving between locations.
Use that to your advantage.
A little extra breathing room between portraits, the ceremony, cocktail hour, and the reception means you can actually enjoy those parts of your wedding instead of constantly feeling like you need to move on to the next thing.
You Don't Need to Overdecorate It
Millwick already has a lot going on visually. The greenery, brick, architecture, and surrounding Arts District give you plenty to work with before you add a single flower.
Rather than trying to completely transform the space, details that actually reflect your personalities can go a long way. Colorful florals, interesting tablescapes, personal touches, or even swapping a traditional wedding cake for Crumbl cookies can make the wedding feel much more like yours.
Most importantly, your Millwick wedding doesn't need to look like every other wedding that's been held there. It's a flexible enough venue to work with completely different personalities, aesthetics, and traditions, which is a big part of what makes it such a fun Los Angeles wedding venue.