A 1920s jazz orchestra, tuxedos with tails, and feathered shawls. A scene from The Great Gatsby? Nope: this was a real wedding at the Emerald Theatre in Mount Clemens. Dave Moore and AJ Palucki-Moore turned their special day into an unforgettable Roaring Twenties celebration that honored the elegance of a bygone era—in the heart of their hometown.
Though many suggested they look elsewhere, the couple was determined to showcase the charm of Mount Clemens. "We just thought the Emerald would be the perfect venue," Dave explains. "We were committed to doing something in Mount Clemens, and it just lent itself perfectly to our theme."
Built in 1921, the Emerald Theatre already had the bones for a period-themed event. The couple envisioned a 1920s Chicago nightclub vibe, and the staff, led by owner John Hannah and event coordinator Becky West, brought that vision to life. “They made everything stress-free,” Dave says. “They even hung a period chandelier.”
Wedding colors were gold and off-white, with Gatsby-style Art Deco accents. “The Emerald is already stunning—you really don’t have to do much to make it shine,” AJ observes. Still, the couple went all out. Guests were greeted with dramatic floral centerpieces created with white roses (symbolizing eternal love, new beginnings, and loyalty), white dendrobium orchids (for faith and a dramatic feather-like elegance), and white carnations—chosen both for good luck and as a nod to the 1920s, when they were a common wedding flower.
The tables, dressed in gold-detailed off-white cloths and gold linen napkins, shimmered with candlelight. “The tablecloths gave the wow factor to the entire presentation,” AJ says. Decor, like streamers cascading from the ceiling, helped create intimacy and elegance beneath the Emerald’s soaring ceilings. It was all executed by Lorio Ross Events and Entertainment, from concepts generated by wedding coordinator Linda Bahr.
The invitations asked everyone to come dressed in period garb. "I didn’t want it to feel like a Halloween party," AJ shares, but almost everyone dressed to impress. “It felt like we'd stepped back in time,” Dave recalls. AJ’s family flew in from Berlin fully “20ed right the heck out,” she laughs, with hats and headbands to match. Even their officiant, local favorite Larry Ireland, came in 1920s attire.
Dave wore a custom tuxedo with tails made by Tom James Clothing, complete with cufflinks, clip-on buttons, a handmade bowtie—even spats. AJ found her Timelace gown—“perfection,” she calls it—on Amazon for $76, then paired it with a $300 vintage ostrich-feather shawl from the Peacock Room, a downtown Detroit boutique specializing in 1920s fashion. She’d asked the boutique if they could help her find a bridal gown for the theme. “But they didn’t have anything for brides,” she says with a laugh.
AJ’s bridal accessories, including a flapper-friendly wrist dripping with chic bracelets, were from Babeyond.com. Her dramatic period hairdo was fashioned by Laura Davey of Olympia Salon and Spa. Her makeup was by Kimberly Beauchemin Radomski.
Outside the theater, vintage Packard convertibles lined the curb, while a saxophone player serenaded guests arriving in style. Inside, D’Amato’s of Royal Oak was serving up Prohibition-era delicacies and signature cocktails. Dave’s was an Old Fashioned with bourbon and a twist of orange peel; AJ’s was Grey Goose vodka with Pepsi and a wedge of lime.
While the 1920s may have been the decade of Prohibition, Mount Clemens was once infamous for its speakeasies. The Emerald recognized that legacy with two premium open bars, serving up ‘moonshine’ drinks in Mason jars, along with plenty of martinis. Even the traditional tiered wedding cake, from Josef’s European Pastry Shop, was right out of the Jazz Age.
“Everything was from that era,” AJ says. “It made the night feel so alive and authentic.”
To set the evening’s soundtrack, the couple hired The Stardusters, an 18-piece orchestra specializing in music from the 1920s and ’30s.
“I got on the mic,” Dave remembers with a smile, “and said, ‘We’re bringing back fancy, and we’re going to party like it’s 1929.’” And they did.
As revelers Charlestoned the night away to period hits like “Puttin’ On the Ritz,” “My Blue Heaven,” and “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby,” the couple spent most of the night making the rounds. They had to greet more than 250 guests, many of whom had traveled from out of state or even overseas. “We only saw each other for the ceremony,” Dave says, laughing. “But we felt the love,” AJ adds.
“Our ceremony was meaningful,” Dave reflects. “That’s what mattered most.”
They made the night meaningful in other ways too. Instead of traditional wedding favors, the couple made a contribution to a local animal rescue. “Nobody keeps those little gifts,” AJ points out. “So we donated the money instead.”
AJ runs LIVFIT, a personal training studio in Harrison Township; her second location is opening soon in Mount Clemens. Dave owns Collision Collision in Clinton Township, where he’s known for both collision repair and classic car restoration.
And for one dazzling night, they were the toast of the town, living their Gatsby dream.
“The Emerald deserves recognition,” Dave declares. “They let me show my friends you can do something elegant and unforgettable right here.”
Dave and AJ are restoring a piece of Mount Clemens history to its former glory.
In 2012, Dave purchased the former home of John Jacob Sherman, son of John Brill Sherman, founder of the Chicago Stockyards and owner of the Mount Clemens racetrack. John Brill’s cottage sat directly across Cass Avenue from the old Miller Brothers Creamery; John Jacob’s was the stately white home on the corner of Cass and Lodewyck.
For Dave, the project is deeply personal. “This house is the love of my life,” he says. “Everyone is watching the progress and anxious to see it all done…us too.”
With its deep historical roots and the couple’s commitment to its restoration, the Sherman’s residence is Dave and AJ’s love letter to Mount Clemens.
“Everything was from that era…it made the night feel so authentic.”
“I said, ‘We’re bringing back fancy, and we’re going to party like it’s 1929."