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A Very Philly Franklin Institute Wedding

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February 5, 2026

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I'm Anna

Maya & Max’s Franklin Institute Wedding was, simply, the most Philly wedding I have ever witnessed. From beautiful custom stationery by Storia Collective, to a tour of Lincoln Financial Field, and a Trolley Tour of the whole city the day after the wedding (not to mention, of course, the wedding day itself at the Franklin Institute), every decision was made intentionally to create a perfect experience for all of their out-of-town guests. Take a look at every detail that made Maya & Max’s wedding day truly Philly-Philly.

The Setting

About Maya & Max

Maya & Max’s relationship began through the dating app, Bumble, on October 18th, 2018. A few messages were exchanged which led to dinner, and dinner led to dating for five years and then the rest of their lives. Maya knew immediately when she met Max that she was going to marry him. He felt safe, grounded and he communicated openly. The couple talked about many things on their first date. They both shared their connection felt easy, like love should, I think. Maya even texted her future maid of honor that she’d met the man she was going to marry. Max’s first impression was that Maya was a special person and he admits, he fell in love quickly. 

At this point, Maya & Max have lived in the Chicago area for 10+ years. On September 20th, 2023, Max proposed to Maya. They got married on the anniversary of their first date, six years later: October 18th at 6:30pm in Philadelphia, where Maya grew up. They chose to celebrate their love with close friends and family, almost all of whom traveled to be with them from Chicago, to the city of brotherly love. M&M planned a full weekend of wedding festivities all planned around the phrase: “A weekend in Philly with the Orrs.” Philly wasn’t merely the location of their wedding; rather the city was the theme for every aspect of their big day and surrounding days of celebration.

Engagement Session

I was super fortunate to get to meet Maya & Max during a visit to Philadelphia for their engagement photos at Enswell. We immediately hit it off! It’s no small feat to plan a wedding from states away, and their trust in me as their vendor was such a gift!

“Anna Robinson took our engagement photos (which were featured in Philly Mag Weddings as well!). She was the first vendor we hired for the wedding and honestly her energy, excitement, professionalism, everything about her is the standard we compared other vendors to. Wedding planning was stressful so surrounding yourself with good energy and people who are excited about their craft is what we looked for. We also personally just love Anna and wanted to be her friends. She captured our engagement and almost every event from our wedding week.” – Maya & Max

close up of engagement ring on bride's hand, with her hand on groom's knee
engaged couple sitting at a beautiful cocktail bar, clinking cocktail glasses, with the bride wearing a veil embroidered with the words "coming soon"
close up of bride holding custom brown leather purse with an image of their dog screen printed on it
black and white image of an engaged couple embracing in front of a beautiful cocktail bar, the bride wearing a tulle veil, and smiling at each other
close up of emerald cut engagement ring on bride's hand, as she holds the tulle of her veil
engaged couple embracing on the streets of Philadelphia

Where/The Venue: The Franklin Institute

I can think of no better location for a Philly themed wedding than The Franklin Institute. Maya & Max’s Philadelphia destination wedding in Maya’s hometown consisted of a full weekend of wedding festivities. Their weekend long celebration was quintessential Philly in every possible way. 

The Franklin Institute is an iconic Philadelphia landmark. It’s a mighty building in the heart of the city with tall columns and historic architecture. The building itself is stunning, and to get married there is awe-inspiring. Nationally recognized as a science museum, the Franklin Institute’s mission is “to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology,” to honor Benjamin Franklin, the namesake of the institute. Benjamin Franklin is known for and remembered because of his passion for discovery and spirit of inquiry. Read on and enjoy Maya & Max’s fabulous Philly wedding photos!

wedding ceremony set up on the roof of the Franklin Institute, facing the Philadelphia Skyline, with white chairs and colorful flowers running down the aisle
interior image of the ballroom at the Franklin Institute, featuring the enormous statue of Ben Franklin, surrounded by white-linen tables of a wedding reception
image from the roof of the Franklin Institute facing up the Ben Franklin Parkway of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

The Night Before

Rehearsal Dinner

Custom cookies designed with The Orrs and Philly’s iconic LOVE sign greeted guests for Maya & Max’s rehearsal dinner on Thursday evening. Placards with signature cocktails matched the cookie color scheme along with specialized dinner cards. Love was truly in the air at Maya & Max’s weekend long wedding celebration. Maya opted for a beautiful baby blue pantsuit and Max wore a sweater and pant combination.

There were speeches made wishing the happy couple well. Guests relaxed, ate and drank before the full festivities of the coming days. Maya & Max kicked off their weekend in an intimate setting at Urban Farmer, a restaurant located on none other than Benjamin Franklin Parkway, known for its fresh, flavorful dishes and world-class wines. The space itself is elegant, modern and fits the aesthetic of Maya & Max’s wedding vibe rather perfectly.

exterior image a restaurant's sign, reading "Urban Farmer: Philadelphia's Steakhouse"
close up image of exterior string lights
heart shaped cookie decorated in a vintage style, reading "the Orrs" in white script, as part of a decoration for a rehearsal dinner on a wooden table
a lit candle with the label "Dirty Martini" as part of a centerpiece
A TV screen displaying a red & white striped graphic with M&M in the middle (For the bride & groom's initials)
a pink marble welcome sign for Maya & Max's rehearsal dinner
close up of custom sugar cookies, one heart-shaped red cookie with white script reading "the Orrs", and one white square-shaped cookie with red letters spelling out "LOVE" in the same style as the sign at Love Park, in Philadelphia
brown leather bag with a screen-printed image of a dog
close up of a red and white menu and a martini-shaped seating place card at a rehearsal dinner, with a cocktail at the placemat
bride (baby blue jumpsuit, cocktail) smiling at groom (brown shirt, black pants, cocktail) against a wall of gold picture frames at their rehearsal dinner
rounded half-moon wooden drink menu with gold lettering
decorative "dinner cards" with conversation starters
parents of the groom holding beverages and smiling at the camera
mother of the bride along with three other family members smiling at the camera
two bridesmaids holding drinks and smiling at the camera
bride and groom giving a welcome speech in front of their seated guests at their rehearsal dinner
father of the groom giving a speech to seated guests at the rehearsal dinner
groom embracing his father after giving a speech at his rehearsal dinner
groomsman giving a speech for the bride and groom at their rehearsal dinner
bride and friends laughing
close up of welcome sign to the rehearsal dinner for Maya & Max, with the table of guests enjoying dinner out of focus in the background
groom leaning over his seated parents to talk, all smiling

The Wedding Day

Getting Ready

Matching cozy pajama sets and mimosas in cups with M&M on them were distributed to Maya’s bridesmaids. Maya’s Skims pajamas were custom embroidered with her new title Mrs. Orr (rather iconic of her).

Maya’s mom helped her into her wedding dress, accented perfectly by her stunning Manolo Blahnik jeweled heels (an iconic “something blue”). She wore personalized gloves with lyrics from their first dance song by Kacey Muskgraves: ‘you’re my golden hour / the color of my sky’.

Max’s suit was a formal black tie suit. Cigars and beers in hand, Max and his groomsmen walked the streets of Philly for photos. They spent their morning together getting ready and shared a lot of laughs in the process.

aerial image of bride (blue pajamas) sitting on the floor talking with five bridesmaids, also seated, laughing while one takes a disposable camera image
mother of the bride helping her into her wedding dress
bride in custom blue Skimms pajamas with her name embroidered on the pocket, sipping a drink while getting ready on her wedding day
mother of the bride buttoning the back of bride's wedding dress
mother of the bride making sure the bride is securely in her wedding dress
bride in her wedding gown, eyes cast down, with her hands gently held in front of her. She wears a long veil and gloves that read "you're my golden hour / the color of my sky"
bride wearing a long wedding gown, a cathedral-length veil, blue heels, and fingerless tulle gloves, gently holding her hands in front of her and smiling softly at the camera
black and white image of the bride in her wedding gown, smiling softly off camera
close up of bride's hands crossed gently in front of her, wearing fingerless gloves that read "you're my golden hour / the color of my sky"
first look of bride with her bridesmaids, smiling widely and wearing mismatched black bridesmaids dresses
groom in black suit, seated in a chair and putting on his dress shoes
groom in black suit fixing his cuff links
groom in black suit leaning on window frame and looking out window
black and white image of groom in a mirror, being helped by a groomsman to put on his tie
groom in black suit, holding his jacket in his hand, surrounded by other groomsmen in black suits
groom holding his black suitjacket in his hand and walking down a street in Philadelphia, looking off-camera, while his groomsmen stand in a group behind him (the kids call this "game day photos" like a sports team)
groom holding his black suit jacket in his hand, as well as a beer, and walking down a street in Philadelphia, looking off-camera, while his groomsmen stand in a group behind him
groom and groomsmen in black suits standing on the steps in front of a building with a sign that reads "Sonder", looking at each other and talking
groom and groomsmen in black suits standing on the steps in front of a building with a sign that reads "Sonder", looking at each other and talking
groom in black suit, holding a beer, surrounded by other groomsmen in black suits smiling and talking
mother of the bride helping bride to pull up her sheer gloves
bride in her wedding gown, smiling softly at the camera
close up of bride's hand holding her veil with a ring on her finger, the words written on her sheer gloves "the color of my sky"

First Look at the Franklin Institute

Maya & Max shared an intimate first look with just the two of them at the Franklin Institute. They practiced their first dance upstairs in one of the libraries with high ceilings overhead. Both smiled fondly and shared smiles so sweet and authentic, it’s hard for me to capture in words.

Maya & Max made their way downstairs, taking photos along the way and soaking one another in as they went. At one point, Max dipped Maya and they shared a kiss – this moment could have been out of a movie! The couple looked absolutely stunning together as they found nooks of their venue to take photos in. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to head back outside to their ceremony site for more photos.

groom in a black suit with a black bowtie standing in a large empty room with a large window behind him, staring off camera at their franklin institute wedding
bride in white wedding dress coming up behind groom for their first look, both grinning with excitement
groom smiling widely as he turns to see his bride for the first time on their wedding day
bride smiling widely at her groom after their first look at their franklin institute wedding
bride and groom looking at each other and smiling on their wedding day
aerial image of a groom leading his bride down a large marble staircase at their franklin institute wedding
bride looking down at her bridal bouquet, standing in a wide marble staircase
bride standing on a very large marble staircase, holding her wedding bouquet in her hands and smiling softly at the camera, with a cathedral length veil flowing down the stairs
close up of bride and groom's hands reaching around to place their wedding bands on each others fingers
aerial image of a groom leading his bride down a large marble staircase at the Franklin Institute on their wedding day
bride and groom kissing on large marble staircase, while bride's cathedral-length veil flows down the stairs behind her
groom dipping bride in front of a wide spiral staircase at their franklin institute wedding
groom in a black tuxedo and black bowtie smiling widely at the camera on his wedding day, hands in his pockets, while standing on a marble staircase
bride and groom kissing on large marble staircase, while bride's cathedral-length veil flows down the stairs behind her at their franklin institute wedding
groom sitting on a marble staircase, hands clasped in front of his knees as he looks at the camera without smiling
bride and groom walking through the lobby of the franklin institute together, towards a display labeled "Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pavilion"
bride and groom both looking down at her dress while she situates her veil for a photo
bride and groom in front of a large window, embracing, while she holds his lapel at their franklin institute wedding
bride and groom embracing in front of a large window, bride looking at the camera
close up of bride and groom's bands, focused on their wedding rings and the bride's sheer fingerless gloves that read "you're my golden hour"
bride and groom hugging tightly in front of a large window
groom holding bride's train as they walk up to the roof of the franklin institute
bride and groom looking softly at each other on the roof of the franklin institute, a floral installation on the ground behind them and skyscrapers rising in the distance, with the bride's veil flowing behind her dress at their franklin institute wedding
close-up of the groom's hand on the bride's arm, featuring his wedding ring and a tattoo just above her sheer gloves that reads "RIPLEY"
close up of bride and groom holding hands on the roof of the Franklin Institute and laughing toward each other
bride and groom holding hands on the roof of the Franklin Institute and looking off at the skyscrapers in the distance
bride and groom holding hands on the roof and looking off at the skyscrapers in the distance at their franklin institute wedding
close-up of bride and groom looking at each other and smiling while standing side by side on the roof of the Franklin Institute, her left hand reaching up to hold his face and his left hand on her forearm
wider image of bride and groom looking at each other and smiling while standing side by side on the roof of the Franklin Institute, her left hand reaching up to hold his face and his left hand on her forearm
bride standing in direct sun on the roof of the Franklin Institute, staring into the camera with her veil spread out behind her, the Philadelphia skyline in the distance
groom standing in direct sun on the roof of the Franklin Institute, staring into the camera with the Philadelphia skyline in the distance
bride and groom, backlit by the sun, embracing with eyes closed
groom standing in direct sun on the roof of the Franklin Institute, smiling into the camera with the Philadelphia skyline in the distance
bride and groom, backlit by the sun, looking softly at each other while the bride holds a corner of her veil
close up of bride's veil, with floral textures attached
black and white image of bride and groom kissing, her hand holding his face
bride and groom, backlit by the sun, looking softly at each other while the bride holds a corner of her veil at their franklin institute wedding

Friends & Family Portraits

Wedding party photos took place on the classic museum staircase. Maya & Max took turns with their groomsmen and bridesmaids, family and friends.

stoic image of bride and groom with their full wedding party at their franklin institute wedding, at staggered heights on a marble staircase, all wearing black except the bride and looking right at the camera
bride and groom smiling with his parents and sister, all on a marble staircase in formalwear
bride (white wedding gown) and her mother (chartreuse gown) smiling at each other on a marble staircase at her franklin institute wedding
a couple, both wearing black, smiling at each with the lights of the Philadelphia skyline at dusk behind them
a group of friends, all wearing black, smiling at each with the lights of the Philadelphia skyline at dusk behind them
a couple, both wearing black, smiling at each with the lights of the Philadelphia skyline at dusk behind them
bride, groom, and groomsmen, all in formalwear, smiling at each other on a marble staircase
groom and bridesmaids all looking at the camera while standing staggered on a marble staircase
groom and groomsmen, all wearing black tuxedos, seated on a marble staircase and all smiling at each other at his franklin institute wedding

Wedding Ceremony at the Franklin Institute

There aren’t many venues where guests feel like they can touch the skyline and like they’re a part of the lifeblood of a city. That’s exactly how Maya’s and Max’s ceremony felt for their Franklin Institute wedding ceremony. The space was decorated with so many flowers and candles, with crisp white chairs for guests to sit in as the couple walked their way into their forever beneath towering city skyscrapers just as the sun set.

The space was the epitome of elegant and whimsical all at the same time. Guests enjoyed listening to a string duet during the ceremony and looked on as they stood in front of their friends and family, promising one another the rest of their days. The lights emanating from nearby skyscrapers added an element of lighting that made the ceremony extra special as dusk fell.

guests seated in white chairs on the roof, facing the Philadelphia skyline at sunset with rows of flowers lining the aisle and a floral arrangement at the altar of a franklin institute wedding ceremony
close up of a bursting floral arrangement with hydrangeas, roses, baby's breath, and olive branches
close up of a bursting floral arrangement with hydrangeas, roses, baby's breath, and olive branches
Groom being walked down the aisle at his wedding ceremony by his mother and father
groom embracing his mother at the end of the aisle at his franklin institute wedding ceremony
groom looking expectantly up the aisle for his bride
bride and her mother walking down the aisle for her wedding ceremony
groom hugging the mother of the bride at the end of the aisle during wedding ceremony
bride hugging her mother at the end of the aisle during wedding ceremony
mother of the bride seated, holding bride's bouquet, smiling during the wedding ceremony
bride and groom holding hands during their wedding ceremony at sunset on the roof of the Franklin Institute, the city skyline behind them
bride holding groom's hands and looking at him softly during their rooftop wedding ceremony in Philadelphia
bride and groom kissing at the end of their rooftop franklin institute wedding ceremony at sunset in Philadelphia
groom dipping bride as they walk down the aisle after their rooftop franklin institute wedding ceremony
bride and groom smiling widely as they walk down the aisle after their rooftop wedding ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
bride and groom walking away from their rooftop franklin institute wedding ceremony, the train of the bride's veil trailing behind them

Cocktail Hour at the Franklin Institute

At the beginning of cocktail hour, guests were greeted by a stunning seating chart of luggage tags requesting them to grab a seat. This was such a perfect wedding favor, both useful and personalized (and incredibly aesthetic). With espresso martinis flowing, a photo booth for memories to be made in, customized matchbooks as take home gifts and a spread of bites for guests to enjoy, cocktail hour was a hit.

The best part and most surprising aspect of the cocktail hour was when Benjamin Franklin himself made an appearance.

a couple smiling at the camera while holding wine glasses, wearing formalwear during a wedding cocktail hour
a group of friends in formalwear smiling at the camera during cocktail hour
two couples wearing formalwear smiling at the camera during cocktail hour, in front of a large lit-up sign that says "M&M"
a stand of postcards featuring themes from both Philadelphia and Detroit
close up of green and white matchbooks that say "m&m" and "someone in Philly loves you"
green sign that reads "cards & gifts", next to a wooden card box, a postcard stand, and a green rotary phone for an audio guestbook
seating chart for wedding reception of custom luggage tags with every guest's names written on them
close up of a rotary phone for an audio guestbook in a wedding reception
large white-neon letter sign of the letters "M&M"
two guests in formalwear stepping into a photobooth, surrounded by a large white and green balloon installation
vintage-style photobooth with an orange curtain, surrounded by a large balloon installation
two wedding guests laughing and smiling at each other
close-up of a guest's hand reaching to select an espresso martini from a tray
guest picking out a post card from the post card display stand, smiling
two men laying on the ground and posing in front of the M&M sign
"late-night flat lay" consisting of an espresso martini, a piece of cake, a mule, several post cards, a matchbook, and disco balls
a benjamin franklin impersonator giving the camera a thumbs-up

Wedding Reception at the Franklin Institute

There were shiny silver disco balls, thoughtful liberty bell stationary, and small notes from (M&M) reminding guests that someone in Philly loves you – all with the backdrop of a very large Benjamin Franklin statue at the Franklin Institute. Maya changed into a second dress for the reception. Maya & Max joined their guests and danced in the grandness of their ballroom venue at the Franklin Institute. 

a pink-and-purple hued image of the sweetheart table at the wedding reception, with a large floral installation and disco balls
black and white image of bride and groom entering their reception space for the first time
formal wedding reception space, each table decorated with white linens, a colorful floral centerpiece, and tall candlesticks
a purple-hued image of a wedding reception centerpiece, featuring a large floral bouquet and tall candlesticks at the Franklin Institute
close up of menu on a plate at a wedding reception, featuring a name tag seating assignment on a cut-out of the Liberty bell
close-up of a pillar candle during a wedding reception, near a large floral display in the middle of the table
image of a rust-colored table number on a table at a wedding reception
bride and groom walking onto the dance floor during their wedding reception in Benjamin Franklin Hall, an enormous statue of Benjamin Franklin behind them
bride and groom during their first dance during their wedding reception
bride and groom during their first dance during their wedding reception
bride and groom during their first dance during their wedding reception
black and white image of a guest watching a first dance and smiling widely
groom and his mother during their mother/son dance at a wedding reception
groom and his mother hugging during their mother/son dance at a wedding reception
maid of honor giving a speech during a wedding reception
mother of the bride smiling during a speech at a wedding reception
one best man giving a speech during a wedding reception, standing next to the sweetheart table
one best man giving a speech during a wedding reception, standing next to the sweetheart table
a guest smiling during the formalities at a wedding reception
mother of the bride unfurling a scroll for a speech at her daughter's wedding reception
a guest smiling widely during teh formalities at a wedding reception
father of the groom smiling widely during formalities of a wedding reception
late-night flat lay at a wedding reception, featuring an espresso martini, a mule, a slice of wedding cake, post cards, a matchbox, and disco balls
bride and groom cutting their wedding cake
a close-up of the slice that the bride and groom took out of their two-tiered wedding cake
late-night flat lay at a wedding reception, featuring an espresso martini, a mule, a slice of wedding cake, post cards, a matchbox, and disco balls

The space was filled with lights showcasing museum exhibits – making the wedding feel larger than life. M&M added their own flair to the already incredible venue with a photo booth and many Philly centered thematic decorations such as their clock rug, keychains as seating chart identifiers and favors, white and metallic balloons, candlelight to complement the venue’s lights, flower arrangements throughout and a lit up life-size M&M sign. The sign made for a fantastic photo opportunity for Maya & Max and their guests. 

a franklin institute wedding reception, featuring a large clock projected onto the wall
a carpet depicting a clock set to "10:18", which is the date of the wedding, next to a bunch of disco balls
a large, all-white, four-tiered wedding cake
a franklin institute wedding reception table, decorated with white linens and a large pink-and-white floral arrangement
a large statue of Benjamin Franklin in the center of a Franklin Institute Wedding Reception
bride smiling and dancing during her wedding reception
mother of the bride and a guest dancing and smiling during wedding reception
bride exiting the photo booth during her wedding reception
close up of a disco ball surrounded by a large floral installation
a guest smiling at the camera as he steps into the photobooth during the wedding reception
groom dancing during franklin institute wedding reception
two guests dancing and smiling at a wedding reception
two guests dancing and smiling at a wedding reception, one lifting the other and spinning her
groom with his arms in the air, dancing during his wedding reception
bride and groom standing near each other and smiling during their wedding reception
bride and groom kissing in front of the large LED "M&M" Sign

Maya & Max also added on disposable camera coverage from my team. We were thrilled to have a dedicated photographer all night capturing every perfectly imperfect moment on only the most nostalgic of mediums.

The Day After

Trolley Ride

The wedding festivities most certainly did not end after the reception! With Coors Light in hand, guests loaded onto a trolley for a special treat of a tour around Philadelphia on Saturday. Many guests had never been to Philly, so Maya especially wanted to introduce their loved ones to the city she loves so dearly. Hosting their friends and family on a trolley tour meant spending intentional time together, seeing the sights of the city, and getting the party started with everyone gathered together. Guests enjoyed learning more about the city, listening to the trolley tour guide from Founding Footsteps, and experiencing the city like locals. 

The trolley stopped at the infamous LOVE sign for photo opportunities and M&M didn’t miss a beat.

Maya & Max, your wedding was one for the ages. I cannot possibly thank you enough for your trust throughout your planning process! It was such an honor to spend your wedding weekend celebrating with you. I hope your first year of marriage was as fabulous as the first weekend. Congratulations again!

See the official blog of Maya & Max’s wedding day over on Philly Mag!

Ready to see more wedding goodness?
Head on over to this Colorful Fall DIY Wedding in Central PA!

Planning your own wedding, and ready to chat?! I can’t wait to get to know you and hear more about your plans! Reach out through the link below and I’ll be in touch soon. Congratulations again!

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