The Millwick, Los Angeles | LGBT wedding

The Millwick, Los Angeles | LGBT wedding

One Saturday in April, grooms Aleks and Raffael sealed their love with rings and a kiss in the Millwick’s courtyard garden, a lively, green oasis situated in among the skyscrapers and brick buildings of Downtown Los Angeles. The Millwick’s bare brick walls became blank canvases for an evening of going against the grain and defining new traditions.

Before becoming the go-to private event and wedding hub, the Millwick, located in Downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District, was once a livery and cold-storage warehouse. Now, with the right people and joyous vibes, the former warehouse can easily transform into a place to remember for married couples to-be.

Perfect for a number of private events in addition to wedding ceremonies, the Millwick boasts 7,000 square feet ready for all sorts of ceremonies, traditions and cultures. The downtown establishment, though versatile in purpose, has become a fairly common destination for weddings for all sorts of couples, cultures and traditions, with reason.

Courtyard Garden

Offering an atmosphere of eco-friendly SoCal shrubbery and natural lighting, the Millwick’s courtyard requires little to no dressing up to be romantic, keeping attention where it should be: in the aisle or at the alter.

Personalizing the outdoor space, which seats more than 170 people, doesn’t have the be a pain. As Aleks and Rafael walked down the aisle, their loved ones waved rainbow Pride flags bringing another layer of color to the ceremony, without the hassle. Bouquets of white roses decorated the outdoor space, adding flair and elegance to the bare brick walls.

Brides, grooms and other newlyweds to-be can also indulge in the romance of the Millwick’s courtyard garden without the environmental guilt. The open skylight serves to beautify the space as it also regulates the temperature with minimal energy usage. For those who say their vows and exchange rings in the courtyard, it’s a green step towards the future. The Millwick, however, has so much more to offer as a wedding venue.

The grooms also showcased some of their own Hispanic and Filipino cultures with round chalkboards reading “Te amo” and “Mahal Kita” or “I love you” in both Spanish and Tagalog, respectively.

Grand Hall

Following their touching ceremony in the courtyard, Aleks, Rafael, and their loved ones moved into the spacious grand hall where hours of dancing, entertainment, heartfelt speeches, and memories worth savoring awaited them.

The communal tables in the Millwick grand hall encouraged conversation, camaraderie, and celebration, allowing the friends and families of the newlywed grooms to become one. As the evening reception went on, the indoor space transformed from a grand dining hall to a dance floor, boasting ample room for the couple’s first dance. Aleks and Rafael moved around the dance floor twirling and carrying one another as their friends and family gathered around.

The Grand Hall also comes equipped with floor-to-ceiling projection, fit for photo slideshows, romantic videos or montages of the happy couple. From mother-son numbers to money dances, to chair lifting, to drag queen performances, the Millwick grand hall can handle all sorts of excitement.