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!!

You love your bridesmaid and groomsmen. I mean there is a reason why you chose these humans to stand up there next to you during one of the most important moments of your life! You want your bridesmaids and groomsmen to feel their best, look their best and have the best time celebrating your big day! YPP does too! And that is why, I am excited to share with you YPPs quick and easy tips to help keep your bridesmaid and groomsmen portraits looking everyones best! Keeping it classy and awesome, just like what you all deserve!

Ladies!!

Hair Ties

If you are anything like yours truly, you have three hair ties on your wrist at all time! There is nothing that bothers me more than not having a hair tie when this Jewfro gets in the way, but trust me on this one. Take the hair ties off. Make sure your bridesmaids leave them in the getting room or put them in their clutch, it makes your bridesmaid portraits look that much more put together and elegant!

Sleeveless Dresses

Most bridesmaid dresses are sleeveless, it’s a fact. As a woman, who does everything she can possibly do to tone my arms, I am still extremely self conscious of showing them off and I don’t think I am alone in this! Whenever I do wear sleeveless (probably once a year), I have the tendency of squeezing my arms to my body, as a way to make them smaller. I find other women do the same thing. But here’s the thing, in photos, the way to make your arms look your best is to put at least a little bit of space between your arms and your body. Think about it like this… if your arm is pressed to your body, you’re essentially flattening your arm against your body and it will look wider. If you put even just a little space between your arms and your body, gravity takes it’s role and creates a more toned look! So bridesmaid, when your photographer says “bend those elbows,” you know they are looking out for you!

For the men…

Phones

Your groomsmen are going to look sharp as anything in those suits. I know it. You know it. They know it. As a society, we are all VERY attached to our phones. I am no exception! But, to make your groomsmen look even sharper in those suits, have them leave the phones in the room, on the trolly or even just literally behind the photographer. It is truly amazing how much you can see the outline of a phone in a pants suit and your boys deserve to look as GQ as possible!

Keeping Hands Consistent!

Groomsmen are one of my favorite groups to photograph. I love seeing the camaraderie and bromances between the groom and groomsmen. The energy is incredible, the humor is fun and the love is a live! There is nothing thats screams friendship more, but as I remind all of my groomsmen, hands need to be consistent! If one persons hands are in their pocket, all hands go in the pocket. If one person has his left hand over the right, everyone has their left hand over their right. It gives the photo a little extra something that screams “If I was in a boy band, these would be be my band members” and honestly, what is better than that!?

BONUS: Keep the suit buttons consistent too! If the groom has his suit unbuttoned, everyone should have their suit unbuttoned!

These four quick and easy tips might sound like minute details, but they make such a difference when it comes to your bridesmaid and groomsmen portraits! So remember, hair ties off, phones down, arms out and hands consistent!!

Your bridal bouquet. You spent a lot of time and money picking out your bridal bouquet. You spent months dreaming about them. You walked down the aisle holding them. You said “I do” with them by your side. So, why wouldn’t you want to find a way to preserve them!? I mean how tragic would it be if you couldn’t keep them around! Here are YPPs favorite ways of keeping your bridal bouquet around long after your dress is hung up and the shoes are in the closet.

Press the Flowers

All you need is your flowers, parchment paper and a really heavy book, such as your old Chem Textbook or even a dictionary!

Take the flowers. Spread them out onto the parchment paper. Once the flowers are laid out, place the parchment and flowers into the heavy book. Sandwich the flowers with another piece of parchment paper, we wouldn’t want the ink leak onto your beautiful bouquet! Close it. Put something heavy on it. Leave it for 10 days and let them dry out baby!!

Hang the Flowers Upside Down

All you need is a string, your’ flowers and well, air! Gather up the stems, tie them together tightly and let them hang upside down. Place them in your hallway closet or any other dry, temperate area. Leave them there for a few weeks. Once you check on them again, they will be a full air dried bouquet of stunning flowers!

Preserve Your Flowers with Epoxy Resin

Want to go with a more fun, potentially usable method? Turn your bridal bouquet into a paperweight or some other decorative shape! You can use clear epoxy resin in a pinch! All you need to do is get a spherical mold from your local craft store. Fill it halfway with the epoxy resin and carefully arrange the flowers in the fluid. Once the flowers are in the exact right place, fill the rest of the mold with epoxy resin. Let it dry. Finally, when you take the mold off, your bridal bouquet has officially morphed into something that you can cherish and use forever!

Have your flowers painted

Not into dry flowers? That’s ok! Have them painted instead!

Although this isn’t exactly preserving your bridal bouquet, it is keeping the spirit alive! I know you will have plenty of photos of your bouquet from your amazing photographer, but having your flowers painted is a great and unique way of keeping your wedding day a live and hanging on your wall!

I love wedding flowers, I seriously do. I don’t think I have ever met a bridal bouquet that I didn’t like. I will never think a wedding day has too many flowers. If you ask me, your bridal bouquet deserve to be around for more than a day, they deserve to be preserved!

I know, without a doubt that you love your family. I also know that you are going to love your wedding photography and, of course, love your wedding day itself. Putting it all together can be a lot to handle, to say the least. Family photos can be overwhelming. So many different combinations, unique family dynamics and a ton of coordination. Even though it might feel like the longest part of your wedding day, the family portraits end up being some of the most cherished photos. Family comes first. Family is everything. Family photos are a must. Here is the best way to prepare for your wedding day family portraits!

First look or Cocktail Hour?

Having a first look or waiting to see each other as you walk down the aisle has a direct effect on when we will capture your family portraits! If you want to enjoy your cocktail hour as much as humanly possible, but also want to make sure you have plenty of time for family portraits, I suggest doing a first look! This way, you can have your family arrive before the ceremony and have all of the family portraits completed before you say “I do!” PLUS: No one has started crying yet, so everyone’s wedding day look will be on point!

Write a list… check it twice!

This is a game changer! Take an afternoon, sometime before your wedding day, and write down a list of all the family combinations you want to capture. Once you have your list, ask your mom take a look and make sure there are no other combinations she is dying to have! I know, it sounds strenuous but trust me on this one, when you see your photographer reading off the list and being 100% sure that they got every family combination you could possibly want, you will feel a whole lot better! PLUS: It takes the pressure off of you on your wedding day… who doesn’t want that?

Select a meeting time and place

If your family is anything like my family, they run 15 minutes late to everything, and I mean everything. This is the perfect time to pull the tell them it starts 20 minutes earlier than it actually does so they make it on time strategy. And don’t you dare feel guilty about it! This is your wedding day! You and your photographer have put a lot of time, energy and consideration into your wedding day photography timeline, as much as you love Aunt Margie, she must be on time!!

Designate a Family Portrait Captain

Every family has a busy bee, someone who likes to take charge and who can actually get Uncle Harry to stop telling his jokes and pay attention. Do you have someone in mind? Great! Give them a call! Ask them to be the Family Wrangler and they will not only feel important, but kick some major ass doing it!

Consider Ages

I have nine nieces and nephews. The oldest is twelve years old, the youngest is not even two months old. There is a big difference between how much time you can have a twelve year old and a two month old stand there and smile. Be mindful when you consider which combinations go first! The same thing goes for the older generations! If Bubbe has a hard time standing, make sure there is a chair nearby to use, if Grandpa is recovering from hip surgery, make sure he gets in and out of his photos as quickly as possible. Your family is going to be grateful that you thought of it all!

Keep your Photographer Informed!

It is your family and you know it best! Your family deserve to have it captured in whichever way best represents who you all are, that means, keep your photographer in the loop! As a photographer, I assure you, that we want your wedding day experience to be as pleasant as possible and if that means keeping Mom and Dad away from each other, we will do it!

These are the photos that are shared and loved by all generations. These are the photos that get framed and hung up on all of your walls. These are the photos that matter because the people in them matter. Make sure you are prepared to get everything you possibly can from your wedding day family portraits. No one loves your family as much as you do!

You have spent months, maybe even years choosing every last detail of your bridal look. From the shoes and flowers, to the beautiful earrings your Mom picked out and all the way to the necklace that every woman in your family wore on her wedding day. Every detail counts. Every detail is important. And every detail deserves to be photographed in the best way possible.

This week, I want to share with all of you the “YPP top 5 tips for your wedding day detail photos!” When you go to check out your bridal suite, or talk to your venue florist and Maid of Honor, these are the top things to consider!

Windows, Windows and more Windows

Whenever I walk into a bridal suite and see natural light flowing in and big, beautiful windows all around, my heart does a happy dance! Windows are a photographers best friend, especially in the Bride and Groom getting ready rooms! The natural light is the best light! It will make your rings shine like no other, your flowers pop and your dress look stunning and elegant all in one. Before your big day, take some time and talk to your venue or hotel to make sure there are plenty of windows in both the Bride and Groom getting ready rooms! We want to photograph your details with the best like as possible!

Put it all together!

You have a million and ten things going on the morning of your wedding, getting all the bridal details together shouldn’t be one of them! Sometime the week before your wedding day, put all of your bridal details together in a box (besides the dress of course)! This should include everything you want photographed! Here is the YPP List of Details to consider:

• Invitation
• Perfume
• Rings
• Shoes
• Earrings
• Bracelets
• Necklaces
• Other Jewelry
• Veil (maybe not actually in the box, but near it)
• Hair pieces
• Keepsakes
• Gifts

Bridesmaid Dress

If you are anything like me, you absolutely love color and tones, that is why your wedding colors are essential in telling your bridal story! Ask one of your bridesmaids to volunteer her dress while we photograph your details! It will add that little extra something to tie it all together!

Bouquets and Extra Petals

You can never have enough flowers on your wedding day! They are elegant, fresh and beautiful! Have your florist deliver your bouquet to your getting ready location! This will give us plenty of time to photograph the incredible bouquet you will be holding as you say “I do!” When you chat with your florist the week of your wedding, ask them if they can include some extra petals or the flowers that they clipped off when finishing your bouquet! The petals and extra flowers will be an incredible accent for your detail photos!

Enough Time

I always suggest at least 45 minutes for the bridal detail photo portion of the morning! I know, you might think it sounds like too much time, but those 45 minutes fly by and your bridal details deserve to be captured and forever remembered! You carefully selected each and every bridal detail, let’s make sure we have plenty of time to feature them!

There is something so special about capturing a woman’s bridal details. It is so personal, intimate and incredibly touching. Your details deserve the best light, the best care and the best love we can offer and if you ask me, these five tips will let you love your details in the best way possible!

Every time I talk to my nieces, on the phone, in person or even via email, no matter what, the first question they ask me is “When are you getting married Aunt Yael? I want to be your flower girl!”

“You will be the first to know” is always my response.

Honestly, I cannot wait to see my favorite girls in their pretty dresses and watch them walk down the aisle at my wedding with flowers in hand and a huge smile on their faces. That’s what every bride envisions right? Their favorite little girls and handsome little boys, behaving perfectly and making the entire room say “AWE” as they walk down the aisle! I know that is what I want! Yet,  sometimes, the ceremony can be a little overwhelming for the little ones that is why I am excited to announce that I have put together “The 6 YPP best tips and tricks for Flower Girls and Ring Bearers.” All I want are my nine nieces and nephews to feel comfortable,  excited and happy at my wedding and if I had to bet, you feel the same way about your favorite little humans!

1. Big Kid Job:

   Children love to feel like they are all grown-up, they want to be exactly like mommy and daddy which means one thing, they want to feel like they have a big kid job! If you emphasize how big and special their job is, they will be eager to do it and do it well! The more you can do to get them excited and looking forward to their job, the more likely they will enjoy it and work hard at it!

2. Practice, Practice, Practice!

   Have them practice several times! Practice makes perfect, even for the little ones! Let them practice as close to the actual processional as possible so it is fresh in their minds! The familiarity of the entrance and walk-way may help as they watch all the ceremony chairs fill up and they start feeling shy or anxious!

   Bonus:  Tie a small, yet pretty helium balloon on a string around their wrists. It will be the perfect way to distract them! As they walk, the balloon will bounce up and down and our favorite little girls and boys won’t even notice that they made it all the way down the aisle!

3. We are not above bribery!

   Bribe them down the aisle. Promise them a treat at the end of the aisle or something really, really special at the reception. Kids of all ages, well, let’s be real, even adults, cannot refuse a good bribe!

4. Don’t forget the Snacks!

   Being Hangry is never fun, specially when you are a little human, in a completely new environment, wearing a dress or a sports coat that might not be as comfy as pajamas… bring snacks! Stick with foods that are easy to transport and don’t make a mess (i.e. string cheese, fruit snacks and animal crackers)!

5. Let them help pick their outfit!

   I know, I know you have a vision of what you want your flower girl and ring bearer to look like as they walk down the aisle, but if you let them pick out one aspect of their wedding day attire, they will feel so excited and will want to show it off! So, let your flower girl pick out her pretty bow and your favorite little guy pick out his cool tie. They will feel important and you get to see their personality come a live!

6. Finally, Thank Them!

   Being at a wedding, and especially a part of the wedding party, is a big deal for a little one, make sure you and your new spouse thank them! Let them know how happy you are to have them be a part of your big day and how much it means to you! Take a moment after the ceremony to give them a big hug or a high five for doing such an incredible job!

 The cocktail hour is the glue between the ceremony and reception. It might seem like a small detail but planning an amazing cocktail hour will really bring your wedding to the next level. The ceremony is beautiful and meaningful, the reception is lively and fun and the cocktail hour gives your guests a chance to mix, mingle and relax. It is up to you to create the perfect cocktail hour vibe. Here are YPP’s top 8 tips for the ultimate wedding cocktail hour!

1. Be Interactive!

   This is where you can get creative with your food and beverage stations! Whiskey tasting, create your own cocktail stations or even a wine and food pairing set up can be super fun and great for your cocktail hour. It will give your guests a chance to move around and mingle instead of  standing around a high top. And come on, who doesn’t like a good food pairing?!
   Bonus tip: Provide sweet and savory options!
   Bonus Tip x 2: bite-sized appetizers are always a big hit. Easier to eat and less of a mess!

2.  Keeping it Cozy and Comfortable!:

   As I stated before, the cocktail hour is the most relaxing and casual part of your wedding day, a cute and comfy lounge area can make the hour fun and unforgettable! Lounges are great for guests who are a little bit older and guests who need to give their feet a break in their high heels! Low chairs, coffee tables and tabletops with bar stools is a great combination to give your wedding cocktail hour the ultimate lounge feel. Want to go even a step farther?? Great!  Armchairs, rugs and vintage end tables are a great way to go!

3. Games & Entertainment!

   Ok, let’s be real. We are a generation that loves games. From Jenga to corn hole, from bocce ball to lawn croquet or even a big connect four set up! We love having something fun to do as we  catch up and sip our cocktails. Pick your favorite games and monogram it with your names, it will be adorable and fun all in one!

4. The music sets the mood!:

   You have the entire reception to dance the night away, so let’s turn the volume down low and keep the vibe mellow for the most casual part of your wedding. You want your guests to be able to chat easily without shouting “Eh what did you say!?” over and over again. Let your DJ finish setting up in the reception area and allow a jazz trio or acoustic guitarist set the mood for your cocktail hour. Trust me, you will be thanking yourself!

5. Themes, themes, themes:

   The great thing about cocktail hours is that they are usually not in the same room as your reception which means one major thing, you have two rooms you can decorate! There are two ways to go about decorating your cocktail area. (A) Keep it consistent! Make your cocktail hour area just a continuation of your reception! It can give your guests a sneak peek into the rest of the evening and allows you to have even more fun with the theme you already fell in love! (B) Or, if you want, your cocktail hour can give off a totally different vibe than your reception! You can have drinks served out of coconuts or ice cream carts during cocktail hour and not have it clash with your wedding cake or centerpieces. It is a win win win!

6. Mr. & Mrs. EVERYTHING!:

   The details matter. Monogrammed napkins and barware, can make a gin and tonic so much more personal. The guests can take home the barware as a keep sake and the wedding signages can be a great decoration in your home!
   Bonus Tip: Hand out your wedding favors during the cocktail hour. It is a great way to keep the room buzzing with your own special touch. PLUS, your guests be more inclined to remember to take it home!

7. Mocktails and cocktails!:

   Having some unique non- alcoholic options, or mock-tails if you wish, will make all those DD Drivers, and anyone else who isn’t drinking, feel like they are not missing out on the fun (besides a wicked hangover the next day)!

8.  Enough to go around!:

   YPP’s Rule of thumb:  One server for every 12-15 people. You do not want your friends and family to be waiting for that one appetizer plate to come around. You want food and service to be quick, easily attainable and always right there!

So who is ready to create the ultimate wedding day cocktail hour that everyone will be talking about for years to come?!