Eilat & David
The Barn at Wight Farm, Sturbridge, Massachusetts (Ceremony & Reception)
August 29th, 2026
It's easy to forget sometimes but, at their core, weddings are supposed to be a joyous community celebration. While it's certainly true that you don't NEED to have a lot of people with you to make your wedding day special, I'm always a little happier when I see a bride and groom have awesome friends and family around them that are just as happy, if not happier, to see them get married than they are themselves.
That sense of love and joy is just something you can feel when you're in the middle of it and that's why I knew days before Eilat and David said "I do" back in August at the Barn at Wight Farm that their wedding was going to be amazing.
How? Well, the bride's mother emailed me days before the event to let me know that Eilat and David's friends and family members had planned a surprise flash mob during the dancing portion of the evening to celebrate the new couple. It was a small gesture, sure, but it told me everything I needed to know about this day: This love was a special one and people were genuinely excited to see it made official.
And, yet, somehow, the day itself was so much more magical than I could have ever predicted and quickly became one of my favorite weddings of the 2026 season.
From the moment I walked into Eilat's bridal prep, I could feel how much joy was in the atmosphere. The bride and her bridesmaids were laughing and having a great time with no stress or anxiety anywhere to be found.
I've always thought having good people around you is the key to a successful wedding and that was certainly the vibe to start this afternoon.
It continued as both Eilat and David got ready as their final preparations, like the groom putting his boutonnière on and the bride getting zipped up, were noticeably casual. It's not uncommon to see brides and grooms start to get a little nervous before a first look or ceremony, for instance, but for Eilat and David, the only feeling I could see on either of their faces was excitement and anticipation.
Eilat and David chose to start their wedding day with a first look and, honestly, I think it was a fantastic call because it meant the pair could knock out their formal photos early and celebrate with their friends and family members during cocktail hour.
I was especially thrilled because it meant I got to be one of the few people to witness the first time David turned and saw his soon-to-be bride and, judging from how adorable these two were during their engagement session last December, I had high expectations for how sweet this moment would be.
Eilat and David exceeded them. Easily.
Perhaps the most underrated part of why I found Eilat and David's wedding day so great was how cooperate their friends and family members were during formal photos. Even though the bride had a length shot list and wanted a bunch of different combinations, things never felt difficult and we breezed through this portion of the day because everyone was in great spirits and the lighting was so nice.
Eilat and David's wedding party members, in particular, were down for all of the silly ideas we had and did a wonderful job showing off their personalities in some of the most fun group shots I took during this summer.
Because Eilat and David's formal photos went so smoothly, I had plenty of time to work with the bride and groom on their couple portraits prior to their ceremony. I'm glad I did because the Barn at Wight Farm can be a tricky place to take photos in the early afternoon — the sun hits the property so strangely sometimes — but I had just found a nice shady area that offered the best backdrop.
I loved working with Eilat and David because the two are just so effortlessly themselves posing for photos and their love comes across clearly on camera and today was no exception.
I especially loved the bride's dress, which had one of the nicest trains I've seen this season so far.
As much fun as Eilat and David's couple portraits were, I knew the real highlight of their wedding day would be their ceremony itself and I was right. As tough as the Barn at Wight Farm's ceremony room can be to shoot in, it really is one of my favorite places for a bride and groom to say "I do" in on a sunny day because the room just comes to life and makes everything feel a little more special inside.
I had a feeling Eilat and David's ceremony would be an emotional one but, much like the couple, really fun at the same time and it sure was. And the look of complete love and affection on both the bride and groom's face as they walked down the aisle told me everything I needed to know about how much this moment meant to the two people at the center of this day.
Eilat and David's wedding ceremony had everything I love from a ceremony. It was personalized — David's sister was the officiant — and felt like an incredibly intimate look into their relationship while still being lighthearted and fun.
The bride and groom's vows, in particular, were the perfect blend of a couple opening their heart to the world but also not taking themselves too seriously at the same time.
I found myself getting choked up a time or two myself because you could just feel the love these two had for each other.
Following their ceremony, Eilat and David headed to cocktail hour to mingle with guests while I focused on capturing the rest of their details. It didn't take too long because Eilat and David kept things simple in the best way.
They had decorated tables, an area with a guest book, a cake and that was essentially it. I loved that because it showed what this couple really cared about and the fact that MOST of my time during cocktail hour was spent just taking random photos of the newlyweds with their guests said the rest.
I didn't really know what to expect from Eilat and David's reception but had a feeling it would be fun regardless, just based on vibes alone.
The newlyweds confirmed my thoughts right from the start with a beautifully choreographed first dance set to “Annie's Song” by John Denver. I absolutely ADORED this dance because Eilat and David went all in on it. You could tell they spent a lot of time practicing this routine and, honestly, it paid off because it was one of my favorite parts of their entire wedding day.
You can tell a lot about a couple based on the toasts they have at their wedding and Eilat and David's said a ton. Both Eilat and David had two people in their signature maid of honor and Best Man roles and you could see why in these speeches as the three combined toasts went to great lengths to talk about the bride and groom but, more importantly, talked about the relationship at the center of this day and how inspiring it was to see.
I normally worry that long speeches might lose a room but, in this case, they really elevated the day and provided excellent insight into this couple and why their love was so special.
Following dinner, Eilat and David rolled into the back half of their reception with a short but sweet cake cutting and two adorable parent dances. I especially loved the father-daughter dance as it was set to "Dear Theodosia" from the Hamilton soundtrack, one of my favorite tracks from one of my favorite musicals.
You don't see a lot of weddings that feature songs from Hamilton but, when they do, it just hits different.
Almost immediately after David's dance with his mom, the vibe of the night shifted hard. Right away, Eilat and David's DJ turned on the party lights and the celebration was ON.
I didn't know what kind of dance floor we'd have but I assumed the aforementioned flash mob, which was set to take place a couple of songs in, would tell me a lot.
When the ENTIRE dance floor joined into the moment, I knew we were in for a good time.
Eilat and David's flash mob hit so, so well and at other weddings, it would have been the peak of the night but this reception kept getting better.
I especially loved how much utter joy was everywhere you looked as Eilat and David were lifted up for a traditional Hora that turned crazy fun quick and the ensuing circle dances that followed it. Talk about a beautiful blend of culture and, honestly, it was so nice to just see people going all out on the dance floor.
Even after the big planned moments of their dance floor, Eilat and David's friends and family members showed no signs of letting up as the party continued. So much so that, by the time my time came to an end, they were still going strong with a spontaneous limbo taking place in the middle of the dance floor.
I think that says a lot about how much these guests loved this day and, honestly, I can't blame them. Eilat and David's wedding was a celebration of love and a beautiful example of why I never take for granted how lucky I am that I get to witness and document these kinds of special days for special couples like these two.
So thank you Eilat and David for an outstanding summer wedding I won't soon forget. I hope, no I know, it was everything you dreamed of and more and wish you all the best in your future togerther as husband and wife. :)
-Paul J. Spetrini
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The Vendor List:
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Hair & Make-Up: K Shea Company; Bride's Dress: Ve'Lace Bridal, Bellingham, Massachusetts; Groom's Suit: Eastern Clothing Company, Watertown, Massachusetts; Florist: Cameron & Fairbanks, Sturbridge, Massachusetts;
Ceremony & Reception: The Barn at Wight Farm, Sturbridge, Massachusetts; DJ: Matthew Probst, Brite House DJ; Cake: Francesco's Italian Bakery, Charlton, Massachusetts; Day of Coordinator: Moira Clawson.