There are weddings, and then there are two-day celebrations that bring together two families, two faith traditions, and what felt like every beautiful corner of Boston. Nikki and Justin’s wedding was the second kind. From a colorful Sangeet at The State Room to an elegant ceremony and reception at the Boston Public Library, this was a multicultural Boston wedding with so much heart, and I feel lucky I got to document all of it. I’m Nicole Perfetuo of The Perfet Photo, and this one will stay with me for a long time.

A Decade in the Making

Nikki and Justin’s story started where a lot of great ones do, completely by chance. They met during freshman orientation at Tufts University when they were both eighteen, spent a year as friends, and started dating during sophomore year. Now, almost ten years later, they were standing in front of everyone they love, making it official. Ten years of knowing someone before you marry them gives a wedding a particular kind of ease, and you could feel it all weekend.

The Proposal on a Boston Water Taxi

The proposal was pure Boston. Justin reserved a water taxi for the ride from the Seaport over to Pier 6 in Charlestown, and brought a photographer along to capture it. Nikki thought they were simply meeting her brother and his girlfriend for drinks. She’ll admit she had a hunch something was coming, she’d spotted a photo of the ring on Justin’s phone that he had texted to himself, but the execution still caught her completely by surprise. On the water, with the city skyline behind them, he asked.

A Colorful Sangeet at The State Room

The celebration kicked off the night before the wedding with a Sangeet and welcome party at The State Room in Boston, and the vibe was festive, vibrant, and full of color. This evening honored Nikki’s family’s Indian traditions, with the couple and their loved ones in stunning Indian outfits and jewelry. Nikki also had henna done, and those intricate designs made for some of my favorite detail photos of the entire weekend. If the wedding day was about elegance, the night before was about joy turned all the way up.

Getting Ready at the Fairmont Copley Plaza

Wedding day began at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston’s Back Bay, one of the most timeless getting-ready spots in the city. The light, the rooms, the calm-before-the-celebration energy. It’s a photographer’s dream, and the perfect place to capture those quiet anticipation moments before everything begins.

An Elegant Celebration at the Boston Public Library

From there, everyone made their way to the Boston Public Library for the ceremony and reception. If you’ve never seen a wedding at the Boston Public Library, picture soaring architecture, old-world detail, and a sense of grandeur you simply can’t fake. The wedding day leaned elegant and classic, a beautiful contrast to the colorful night before, and it wove in Jewish traditions to honor Justin’s family.

What I loved most was how naturally the two cultures came together across the weekend. Indian traditions one night, Jewish traditions the next, each given its own moment to shine. And then came the part Nikki had been most excited about: espresso martinis on the dance floor. With live music filling the room, the dancing did not stop.

The Personal Touches

The details are always where a couple’s personality comes through, and Nikki and Justin nailed it. Custom matchbooks, custom cocktail napkins, and personalized cocktail signs gave the whole celebration a signature feel. Nikki carried something old, new, borrowed, and blue, and gifted Justin custom cufflinks engraved with their wedding date, the kind of small, meaningful keepsake that lasts long after the last song.

The Dream Team Behind the Weekend

No celebration like this comes together without an incredible group of vendors. Here’s everyone who helped make Nikki and Justin’s Boston wedding weekend unforgettable.

Sangeet & Welcome Party at The State Room, Boston

• Wedding Planner: @mkyourdreamday
• Venue: The State Room / @longwoodvenuesanddestinations
• Photographer: The Perfet Photo / @theperfetphoto
• Hair & Makeup: @jgal_beauty
• DJ: @djrohan_
• Florist: @justbloomdweddings
• Henna: @hennacafe_designs
• Lighting: @cjc_lighting_and_production
• Rentals: @peakeventservices

Wedding Day at the Boston Public Library, Boston

• Wedding Planner: @mkyourdreamday
• Venue: Boston Public Library / @bplboston
• Getting Ready: Fairmont Copley Plaza / @fairmontcopleyplaza
• Catering: @thecateredaffair
• Photographer: The Perfet Photo / @theperfetphoto
• Hair & Makeup: @jgal_beauty
• DJ: @grooveevents & @djmatttoto
• Live Music: @hudsonhorns
• Florist: @justbloomdweddings
• Lighting: @cjc_lighting_and_production
• Content Creator: @thesocialvows
• Rentals: @peakeventservices

Dreaming of Your Own Boston Public Library Wedding?

If you’re planning a wedding at the Boston Public Library, The State Room, the Fairmont Copley Plaza, or anywhere around Boston, I would love to hear all about it. I’m Nicole Perfetuo, the photographer behind The Perfet Photo, and I’d be honored to capture your story the way I captured Nikki and Justin’s. Get in touch here and let’s start planning.