Uncategorized

Have you ever met a couple whose energy just lights up the room?

That’s Yael and Doug for you!Where do I even begin with Yael and Doug?! 🥹

From the second our session started, it was clear that these two are absolute magic together. ✨ Their playful energy is contagious—constantly teasing each other, laughing at the little things, and just fully embracing every moment. You can tell they love every single part of each other, from the quirks to the strengths and everything in between. 💕

What struck me most is how they’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders. Whether it’s supporting each other’s dreams or just being there on the tough days, they’ve built this incredible foundation of love and support. And let me tell you—capturing that on camera? Priceless. 📸

“All that matters is we are getting married” Stefanie said as we watched the clouds roll in. Her smile didn’t falter. 

It didn’t matter that it was supposed to rain all day. 

It didn’t matter that they had to go with their back up plan for the ceremony.

It didn’t matter that she wasn’t getting her outdoor winery wedding. 

All that mattered was that they were getting married. That they belong together and that they were joining their two families into one. It’s as simple as that! 

As Jim watched Stefanie walk down the aisle, his smile light up the entire room. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. His bride. His love. His future. 

You could just tell from the twinkle in his eyes that Stefanie is his happily ever after. It made my heart flutter and my eyes water. When you find your partner in life like Jim found in Stefanie, you hold on to them no matter what!

The rain cleared up just in time for Stefanie and Jim’s husband and wife portraits, it was like a photography miracle! I knew how much Stefanie wanted those vineyard photos and I am SO glad that we were able to capture them the way she wanted!

It’s really amazing when two people like Stefanie and Jim find each other. They have already been through so much together. With one look at these two you could just tell that they are each others rocks, each others soulmates and each others best friend. 

Stefanie and Jim, my wish for you is to never stop smiling at each other, never stop laughing together and never stop waiting for the rain to clear up so you can walk hand in hand towards the sunshine!

Xos!!

Creative Team:

Venue: Tomasello Winery | @tomasellowinery

Florist: The Flower Junction |

DJ: Sean Perry

Bridesmaids Dresses: David’s Bridal | @davidsbridal

Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Mens Warehouse |@menswearhouse

Invitation Suite: Zazzle | @zazzle

Bridal Gown: Country Way Bridal | @countrywaybridal

Everyone in the room was singing their hearts out.

Sam was waiting at the front table smiling as big as ever, singing the loudest and the Ketubah was right next to him, laying on the table waiting to be signed. 

The energy was electric! 

The love in the air was intoxicating and the support from their community was unflappable! 

And then Amanda walked in…. 

Everyone turned, the smiles grew wider, the singing got louder, the love felt even bigger! Sam’s eyes never left Amanda as she walked towards him. Amanda looked like she was floating on love and joy as she made her way to Sam.

So much love. So much admiration and so much warmth. I started crying immediately!

As I witnessed them signing their Ketubah, I took a quick peek around at all the faces that made up their world. And I was in awe. Every single person there had a twinkle in their eye as if they were watching their best friend getting married. Every single person there had such an intimate and strong relationship with Amanda and Sam that it filled the room with a life of its’ own. But that is just Amanda and Sam for you. Two people who love with all their hearts. Two people who give with everything they have and two people who make an incredible couple that touch so many peoples lives. 

You could tell that this wasn’t just any wedding day, this was Amanda’s and Sam’s wedding day! They put their love and soul into every decision, every detail and every moment. All they wanted to do was celebrate their love and commitment to one another with their friends and family and let me just say it was a CELEBRATION!! With the help of Arielle Davis and EBE’s Band, Rio, the party never stopped! Amanda and Sam were on the dance floor, hand in hand, surrounded by their family and friends, living their best lives the entire night and I couldn’t be more happy for them!!

Amanda and Sam, you touched my heart in a way I cannot even begin to express. I am so honored to not only call myself your wedding photographer and your new friend but also a long lost relative (for everyone else reading this, Amanda and I found out when we first started talking about wedding photography that we are actually related! How lucky am I?)! I feel lucky that photography has brought us together and I cannot wait to see where life takes you two!!

My blessing and wish for you is that you always feel the love and the support from one another and your community that you did on your wedding day and that you never stop dancing!!! Cheers to you Amanda and Sam, love, happiness and health until 120 +!!! 

Creative Team

Wedding Planner: Arielle Davis | @arielledavisdesigns

Bridal Boutique: Nicole Bridal | @nicole_bridal
Florist : Beautiful Blooms | @beautifulbloomsevents

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Temple Beth Sholom

Band: Rio of EBE Talent | @ebetalent

Videographer: Allure Films | @allurefilms

Catering: Prestige Catering | @prestige_caterers

Bridesmaids Dresses: Designer: Azazie | @azazieofficial

Groomsmen and Groom attire: Men’s Warehouse | @menswearhouse

Live Painter: Aliyana Gewirtzman | @aliyanagee

https://www.instagram.com/menswearhouse/

Passover…

Passover has always meant family, traditions and late nights with tons of wine. It has always been my Dad’s favorite holiday and has slowly but surely became my own. It’s the one holiday, without a doubt, Robert and I make a huge effort to head down to Baltimore so we can celebrate Passover in the way that I love. The way I grew up practicing and the way that fills my heart with pure Jewish bliss!

This year, as I am sure you can guess, we couldn’t make our way to Baltimore. “I think it’s just not happening this year” my Dad said with his words laced in sadness. I was heartbroken. Not just for myself, but for my dad. This was his holiday and now, passover was turning into something neither of us could ever imagine.

I called Robert immediately, “So, it looks like we are staying in Philadelphia for Passover” I said with a sigh, feeling sorry for myself. In typical Robert fashion, he told me it will be ok, we will have a great time just the two of us and we’ll have the best Passover yet. To be honest, I didn’t really believe him, but just hearing him saying it, was enough to make me smile and be grateful that I have the best person by my side.

Two weeks later.

The table was set. The shank-bone didn’t cook exactly right, but I did my best. The Charoset (apples, wine and walnuts) looked a little chunky, but it still worked and I completely forgot to get a Matzah cover, so instead, we used one of Roberts new, white Hanes T-shirt. I brought up the two beanbag chairs from the basement and set the brand new, haggadah (seder books) by each of our wine cups. The smell of Matzah ball soup and sweet potato kugel was in the air. A small smile spread across my face. I looked over to the clock “8:01” it was time to start.

The second Robert and I sat down I knew he was right. Even though I wished we could have been with my family, it was amazing and incredibly special being just the two of us. We sang, we asked questions, we talked and we laughed. We drank wine, Rob split the Matzah perfectly in half (both nights), we ate all of the seder things and then barely touched our three course meal. We read beautiful thoughts that my sisters, brother- in-laws and dad sent us and we celebrated Passover just the two of us in our cozy house in Philadelphia.

” You are my patient zero” the doctor told Robert as the nurse handed us two face masks. ” I was shocked. “You are officially quarantined.” I really thought they were going to just tell him it was allergies. I gave Robert a OMG! Is this really happening look as I slipped on my mask. We got into our cars and drove home.

Thank God, Robert’s test came back negative, but six weeks later, here we are, still quarantined. The shock wore off but the craziness of the situation hasn’t.

Robert and I have been lucky thus far. We were both too young to really feel the hit of the 2008 recession and we both started our careers during a decent economic time. But now, now the entire country is quarantined.

Now, the small businesses and the local cafes we all love are struggling. Now the mom and pop shops, the family jewelers and the farmers markets are all fighting to stay alive. They are hurting and there isn’t a whole lot they can do about it.

But there is something we can do. We, as their loyal customers, we as their fellow neighbors, we as the ones they live to serve, can help. We can help!

We can buy gift cards, pre-pay for future services and postpone events instead of canceling them all together. We can act now, to save small businesses, to save our neighbors and to save our communities!

As a small business owner myself, I can tell you, that your support and your love means the world to us and right now, we need our communities more than ever.

#RescheduleDontCancel is a rallying cry to stand behind small businesses that bring so much to all of our lives. This nationwide effort will raise awareness for the challenges that small business owners are facing and empower consumers with ways to support them!

Visit RescheduleDontCancel.com to join the movement.

“He proposed under water!”

“What?!” I gasped!

“We were on vacation and decided to go snorkeling. Once we were in the water, Armor waved me over and there was a ring. At first, I didn’t fully understand what was going on. Did someone loose the ring?! But when I finally figured out what was going on, I couldn’t believe it!”

I was in awe. Jenny and Armor sounded like they had one incredible, fun, full of love, energy and hours and hours of laughter kind of relationship. They met at a game night in LA and Armor was charmed by Jenny’s awesome board game skills and never once looked back. Long distance, time zones and all the craziness that life has to offer didn’t get in their way.

Between FaceTime dinner dates and coast to coast flights, these two have built a relationship that is so strong and so loving that I have no doubt they will forever be partners in crime. Jenny and Armor are madly in love, best friends and in just a few months husband and wife!

Jenny and Armor, thank you so much for giving me the luxury of photographing your engagement! I could not be more touched by who you are and where you are going! Cheers to 150 years of love, laughter and happiness!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

“I have no idea what to wear! What do you recommend!?” This is the number one question I get from women no matter what kind of session they are dressing for! From maternity photos, to engagement sessions, from family mini sessions all the way to entrepreneurial headshots, I am always asked about outfit choices. “What colors work the best? What is the most flattering? Should I just wear black?” These are all great questions and guess what? I used to ask the same ones but then I became a photographer and over the years, I have photographed hundreds of sessions and have seen an abundance of color combinations in front of my camera and this is what I have found..

Selecting softer, lighter tones and more muted shades are always great choices! By avoiding an ultra-bright dress or a bold colored skirt, it will help bring all the attention to your faces and let the eye focus on the way you feel about each other instead of what you are wearing. The camera loves shades of soft pink and muted blues mixed with sophisticated light neutrals like heather gray, creams, leather brown and white. That softer color palette fits beautifully into almost all natural outdoor environments!

I know, you want to wear something nice, and I totally support that! You should feel beautiful in your photography session outfit, but, as a photographer who loves to capture people, emotions and love, I am here to remind you that your wardrobe isn’t the center of attention, you are. Your love deserves to shine brighter than any other aspect of your beautiful photos and that’s why I strongly suggest, soft, light tones!

“Outsource! Outsource as much as possible!” I’ve heard this in every podcast, read it in every book and found myself nodding my head as I agreed with this sentiment in every speech. To be the best and most successful entrepreneur you can be, you need to learn to outsource. You need to learn how to let go and allow the experts to take over. Learn how to acknowledge when it’s time to just hand all of your taxes to your Accountant, let the Graphic Designer actually design your logo and let the Bookkeeper keep your books.

Easier said than done my friends.

Hi. My name is Yael and I am a control freak. I mean… just ask Robert.

I love to be in control, especially when it comes to my business. It’s as simple as that. I love being the one who fixes the problem. The one who has her hand in every aspect of everything thing. And the one who can get it all done. But let’s be real, just because it’s what I want, doesn’t mean it’s what I need.

There are just things in business I will never understand well enough to justify doing it myself, no matter how stubborn and hardheaded I am. I am better off letting the professionals take care of it.

Whenever I finally release another aspect of my business to someone else, it feels like an epiphany.

There I was, sitting next to my dear friend Ilene of Design Options Group, as she pointed out everything I needed to do to make my online presence run a lot smoother. I was in awe of her knowledge and expertise. As she was explaining the difference between tags and keywords, I couldn’t believe I waited THIS long to set up this meeting. I couldn’t believe how much time and energy I spent researching and pretending like I knew what I was doing. I couldn’t believe I just didn’t let it go.

As I walked out of our meeting, I felt a weight off my shoulder. Ilene was going to take care of it. Ilene has got my back. And it was just one more thing that I know will be better off now that an expert is working on it. It’s one more thing I can take off my plate. It’s one less thing distracting me. Now, I get to focus even more of my time becoming the absolute best photographer I can be, and let’s be real, my clients deserve just that.

If you don’t have a wedding website, are you really getting married?!

It’s 2019 my friends! This means we must go digital! Gone are the days were an invitation and a save-the-date is enough. Online, custom websites are here and they are here to stay!

There are so many website platforms out there it can get super overwhelming! I don’t know about all of you, but I feel like there is a new one every week! You should have seen me when I was researching website platforms for my own YPP website! Let’s just say, it wasn’t my finest moment : )

Now that I have researched, seen and visited countless of couples wedding websites, I am here to share the deets! Here are YPP’s Top 4 Favorite Wedding Website Platforms!

The Knot

If you ask me, The Knot Wedding website has it all! Completely free and user friendly! Is there anything else you could possibly want!?? Within minutes you can have your Wedding Website up, running and integrated with all of your favorite Knot wedding tools and The Knot App. Plus, you can also manage RSVP right through your Knot Website. I LOVE having everything in one place and The Knot’s Wedding websites are as close to everything in one as possible!

So what’s the downside?! The only L I’ve found with The Knot are the lack of guest RSVP customization, but let’s be real, if someone really wants to share their good wishes, they will reach out to you in a different way!

Wedding Wire

As always I am a huge fan of the WeddingWire! Although there is less integration with the WeddingWire, there is something so charming about keeping things just to the essentials. The WeddingWire websites are for the couples who like to keep things simple, easy and straight forward! No bells and whistles, no frills, just straight forward and to the point. The Wedding Wire websites are all about going back to the Basics. Free or you can purchase a custom domain for $12.99, plenty of options, themes and a handful of integrated planning tool options!

WeddingWire is a little less user-friendly than others and you can only edit your website via a computer, but besides that I give WeddingWire two thumbs up!

Zola

Who is almost as excited for their wedding registry as they are for their wedding party? I mean obviously nothing beats actually getting married to your best friend, but if putting together your registry with higher-end products gives you butterflies, Zola Wedding websites are the perfect option for you! Zola’s guest feature is one of the best! You can even make certain wedding events private and invite specific people from your guest lists via your Zola Website. How cool is that!? It is super user-friendly, free (custom domain for an additional $14.95), great set-up tips and tricks and has an awesome registry integration!

I know what your thinking, this sounds great! And it is, it really is, if you are a a trendy millennial who likes the finer things in life! Zola is all about higher end products, so if you are a couple who feels pure joy walking into Target, I may check out a different option!

Minted Weddings

Minted is FAB for the kinda couples who like consistency! If you want your wedding website to coordinate with your actual wedding invitations, Minted Weddings websites are for you! That’s right, you can get matching invitations right through Minted! When I saw this, I was in awe! It is a great choice for stylish, quality conscious brides and grooms who want to keep it consistent! I know what you’re thinking, consistency comes with a price… Right?! Good news! Minted Weddings has a free, yet limited, option or you can pay a one time fee of $20 for their premium website! If you ask me, it is totally worth the $20 upgrade!

The platform is super user friendly and easy to use! It is perfect for the couple who cares more about quality and consistency than integration and customization!

If I was you, I would keep in mind the fact that Minted Weddings Websites are not as customizable as one may hope and does not have RSVP features or photo album and privacy controls. Just some food for thought!

So, now that you have all the details, go create your own wedding website! I swear, it is easier than it sounds! Give your wedding the online presence that it deserves and don’t forget, enjoy every moment of being engaged!!

 

I hope with all my heart that you will not need to use your Wedding Day Emergency Kit and I know you are probably thinking “why did you just put these awful thoughts in my mind!”  Don’t worry! Your wedding day will be incredible but I am a strongly believer in being prepared! Think of your Emergency Kit as insurance. Just in case a hair falls out of place or if a hemline so happens to fall, your bridesmaids will be ready.

So grab yourself a cute little tote or make-up bag, take a trip to Target and put together your own DIY Wedding Emergency Kit! Here is the essentials (but feel free to add things that you know YOU will want on your big day).