Maya & Roi
I love a couple that knows what they want on their wedding day. To me, when a bride and groom tell me exactly what they're looking for and actually stick to it, I leave their wedding with a smile on my face knowing they had a vision for their special day and it came true.
For Maya and Roi, that vision was a simple one: They wanted an easy peasy day to celebrate with friends and family. No crazy prep photos. No need for a lot of time spent on details. No over the top, Pinterest-inspired décor. Just a wedding ceremony, a few formal photos and a fun party.
When you strip away the layers of a wedding, it really doesn't need to be more complicated than that and, if Maya and Roi are any indication, sometimes the simplest of wedding days can be the best ones.
I knew before beginning my time with Maya & Roi on their wedding day that this would be a relaxed vibe kind of day and the moment I walked into the MIT Samberg Conference Center, I could tell my instincts were right as both the bride and groom casually strolled in in casual clothing with no fuss and no worries about the schedule.
Sure, they'd be dressed when it was time to get dressed but why stress beforehand? Neither Maya and Roi cared much about prep photos but I was lucky enough to capture at least a few moments before they began their official timeline of activities and I could tell in those moments that both were in a lighthearted mood and ready to get this show on the road.
Our first major task on Maya and Roi's wedding day was their ketubah signing.
I love Jewish weddings for a number of reasons but my favorite is often the ketubah signing, the tradition where a bride and groom sign a marriage contract, before their standard wedding ceremony, in a small and intimate moment with just the closest of their closest people by their side.
I always feel privileged to be in the room when this happens as it is a special moment with a couple and it was, easily, my favorite part of Maya and Roi's wedding day.
The raw and real emotions Maya had during the ketubah signing, coupled with the genuine love expressed by Roi and the sweet, lighthearted laughs their friends had made this the perfect way to kick off a beautifully relaxed and special wedding day.
Following their ketubah signing, it was time for Maya and Roi's traditional wedding ceremony.
I am always fascinated by the ways Jewish couples organize and plan their traditional wedding ceremonies as there are a lot of things they can choose to keep in or take out of the celebration but Maya and Roi kept their ceremony fairly traditional and yet it was lighthearted and fun at the same time.
Take, for instance, the way the two circled each other at the start. Maya's dress got caught up with Roi's leg and the two just started laughing and I loved how sweet the tone was that that created.
Maya and Roi's wedding ceremony was full of beautiful emotion and reflection on who they are as a couple but also the people and the love surrounding them. I lost track of how many tears Maya shed during this ceremony but it was dwarfed by the amount of full laughs the bride and groom had and it was pretty special seeing BOTH Maya and Roi choke up a bit during their vows.
By the time Roi stepped on the glass and capped this ceremony off right, I knew I had just witnessed something special and I knew this bride and groom couldn't wait to celebrate their special milestone with the room full of people who gathered to honor their big day.
Following their ceremony, and some special time away from everyone, Maya and Roi made their way onto the back deck of the MIT Samberg Conference Center for their formal photos.
This bride and groom only had one strong request from me on their wedding day and that was to make this part of the day go as quickly as possible and I don't think I've ever done more family photos, in less time, than with Maya and Roi.
That same mentality extended to the bride and groom's couples portraits and while it was certainly a challenge to work within such a tough time window — I only got seven minutes to work with the bride and groom — I was pretty happy with how many poses we were able to work through for the newlyweds.
With formal photos in the book, it was just about time for Maya and Roi's celebration to begin.
First, I wanted to make sure I captured all the remaining details of the MIT Samberg Conference Center because Maya and Roi did a wonderful job decorating the space for their special day.
I'll be honest, I didn't know what to expect from Maya and Roi's wedding reception as the two decided not to do most of the traditional formalities you would see at a reception.
There was no traditional first dance. There were no parent dances or toasts.
But the moment Maya and Roi walked into their reception, I knew it wouldn't matter because the vibes were GREAT.
Maya and Roi chose to keep one formality in their pre-dinner reception timeline: The Hora.
And while their actual Hora — more specifically, the part where they are carried in chairs — didn't last very long, the dance itself sparked a full dance floor and a lot of great opportunities for hugs, laughs … and awesome candid photos.
I think I loved the most about this pre-dinner period dance floor was how much fun everyone was happening. Young, old, kids, pets, didn't matter. EVERYONE on this dance floor was laughing, smiling and partying and that's just beautiful honestly.
I knew from the Hora that we were likely going to have a busy dance floor but it wasn't until after dinner where things really got popping. Thanks to DJ Jake Altholz, Maya and Roi's wedding reception rocked all night long.
There was such a beautiful balance between traditional Jewish music, classic wedding tunes and modern pop hits that I couldn't tell what the audience liked more. I could only see that almost every song made Maya and Roi's friends and family dance even harder, which is a testament in and of itself.
As my time slowly came to an end, I had one last request of Maya and Roi: Come outside with me for a nighttime gel shot.
I've been trying to do more and more of these this year and, honestly, they're so much fun so I'm always thrilled when couples take me up on it.
Maya and Roi's was a sweet one too and the best way I could have closed my coverage of their special day.
Before I headed out of the MIT Samberg Conference Center, I asked Maya and Roi if they wanted anything else before I left. In a moment that summed their night up perfectly, they had one final request: A big group shot of everyone in attendance.
Considering how special this night was and how important it was for these newlyweds to celebrate with their friends and family, I wasn't surprised by the request and honestly thought it was the cherry on top of a wonderful day I know this bride and groom won't soon forget.
So, thank you Maya and Roi for a beautiful summer evening spent on the Boston harbor. I wish you all the best on this new and exciting chapter together. Congratulations once again and good luck!
-Paul J. Spetrini
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
Chris & Nicole
The Barn at Wight Farm,
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
May 3rd, 2025
The Vendor List:
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Hair: Dawn at Franco’s Hair Studio, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Ceremony & Reception: MIT Samberg Conference Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts; DJ: Jake Altholz.