forevertogether

The love, the laughter and the happiness that spread like wild fire from the moment the day started until the late hours of the after party was infectious in every sense of the word. You could feel the love getting deeper, the laughter getting louder and the happiness getting bigger as the day went on.

Between the Hamilton Manor’s gorgeous venue and Lauren and Tony’s impeccable style, I couldn’t have asked for a more incredible wedding to photograph. Lauren’s attention to detail made for every photographers dream.

From the moment I walked into the hotel room, Lauren was all smiles and giddiness. Tony, on the other hand, was a little bit more nervous. As soon as he saw his beautiful bride walking down the aisle, his expression changed from nerves to complete and total appreciation.

It is as simple as that. Tony loves Lauren with all his heart. He will do anything to make her happy and Tony will protect and cherish her till forever.

Lauren is the sweetest thing in the world. Just as I suspected, she was giggling through the entire ceremony and there is nothing more contagious and joyous than a giggling bride. She giggled her way into marriage and what could be better than that!?

Although Lauren and Tony are of course the best part of the day, one of my favorite moments was of Lauren and her darling father.  As Lauren’s dad spun her around the dance floor, there were tears in our eyes. She has always been daddy’s little girl. You can tell by the way they adoringly look at each other, the way they enthusiastically talk to each other and the way they lovingly smile at each other as if they are in on a secret that no one else would understand. It is a bond that everyone wishes they had with their daughter. As the two of them danced around, a slideshow started playing in the corners of the room. Lauren’s dad had created a beautiful montages of her life leading up to this day; the day that he gave his little girl away to start a life with her new, incredible husband Tony.

Lauren, Tony, it was the biggest pleasure being a part of your wedding day. It was a dream come true and you two together, are what it is all about. Cheers to 150 years of marriage, health, love and happiness!

The moment I spoke to Nick on the phone, I could tell he was smiling and genuinely thrilled to be talking about the love of his life, Amanda. He could not wait to propose to his girlfriend of 6 years. He could not wait to see her face as he got down on one knee and asked her to be his partner for life. He could not wait to call Amanda his fiance.

Nick is one of the sweetest, most detail oriented men I know. Even from our first conversation, I knew that he genuinely cares about people and just wants everyone to be happy. The way he described Amanda made my heart full. He loved her with every fiber of his being and they were going to have a happily ever after, I just know it!

A few weeks before the big day, I met up with Nick and one of his closest friends at Spruce Street Park so we can choose the best location for Nick to pop the question. As we walked, we talked about life, his family, Amanda’s family and his big plan!

Nick had everything figured out. He was going to take Amanda to this great restaurant right next to Spruce Street Park. After dinner, he would suggest a nice, little stroll and BAM! That is when the magic would happen…

At exactly 7:45pm, I watched as Nick and Amanda walked out of the restaurant, hand in hand, and towards me. I got into position, camera up and my finger ready to fire the shutter. That is when it hit me, Amanda seriously had no idea, I mean absolutely no idea that he was about to ask her one of the most important questions of his life. She was just minding her own business, walking with her boyfriend, admiring the beautiful night when all the sudden he stops and starts talking. She looks at him “OH MY GOD!” he gets down on one knee “OH MY GOD! NO WAY!” he pulls out the box “OH MY GOD! STOP!” Her expression was a beautiful combination of complete, total shock and intangible, unconditional love. It was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever seen.

Once the moment was over, I ran up to them, wished them a congratulations and had the chance to chat with Amanda. She was exactly how Nick described her. Sweet, beautiful, caring and totally lovable. As I captured a few more photos of them around Spruce Street, I had the chance to watch the love flow from one another and I cannot even express how lucky I feel to have witnessed this incredible moment.

Nick, Amanda, I wish you the best engagement and the happiest marriage. Love and laughter till 150 years old!

One new message.

When I opened up LinkedIn to see who messaged me, I smiled immediately; it was Sarah. Sarah, was the first person to really give me a chance as a college intern. She was the first person who took interest in helping me refine my skills and make me a better, more attractive professional. She was the first person who made me feel like I was a true asset. As I read through her message my jaw dropped “wedding photography packages.”  I couldn’t believe it! It was a dream come true! Sarah was asking me to be her wedding photographer. Sarah, once again, made me feel like a true asset.

I remember it like it was yesterday, after our morning meeting, Sarah stopped by my tiny, intern desk and I could tell she was excited. “What’s going on?” I asked. Sarah smiled and started to tell me all about her first date with this guy named Al. She was trying to play it cool but it was obvious that is was way more than just a good first date, but this could be the real deal.

A few years later, I find myself driving down 95 to DC on my way to Sarah and Al’s engagement session. Spring had FINALLY sprung. The cherry blossom’s were peak bloom, the weather was starting to warm, and I couldn’t have asked for a better day! I was eager to see my dear friend Sarah after all these years and finally meet her fiance, Al, whom I have heard so much about.

When I arrived at their apartment, Al met me at the front and I couldn’t help but laugh to myself. He was just as wonderful, just as kind hearted and just as sweet as I knew he would be. I knew the man who was going to be Sarah’s partner in crime had to be incredible and Al definitely fell under that category.

As we walked around DC, there was one thing that really stuck out to me. Sarah and Al are just totally and completely in sync. It’s pretty incredible to witness. They get each other, they respect each other and they are aware of each others wants and desires. Watching them together was like watching a beautiful love story come to life right in front of me. I feel lucky to have been there in the beginning, and now, after all these years, I get to be a part of their engagement and their wedding! Their commitment to one another is an inspiration and I have loved every second of getting to know Al and getting to reconnect with Sarah again.

Sarah, Al, I cannot wait to be there on your big day!

You would think, by early April, it would be warm, the sun would be shining and the flowers would be blooming. Unfortunately, as we all know, this year mother nature had a different plan for us. But that did not stop Imani and Keon.

From the second I shook their hand to the minute I said goodbye, Imani and Keon had smiles on their faces and love in their eyes and I knew that they had something very special together. They were not going to let anything get in their way from these photos.

Imani, Keon and I met at the La Colombe in Fishtown. As soon as I walked into the cafe, my eyes went straight to them. They looked like the perfect match in their coordinated outfits. I couldn’t stop smiling. I was already excited for our session, but seeing how much thought and effort they put into this too, made me even more excited!

“So, I heard Imani’s perspective, but I want to hear yours… How did you propose?” I asked Keon as we were walking to our first location. Keon glanced over at his joyful fiance and then back to me. There was laughter in his eyes. “The best part about my proposal was that Imani was so nervous, she started fixing my bowtie as I was down on one knee!” Keon said with the biggest smile on his face. That my friends, sums up Imani all into one.

Imani is the epitome of good-hearted. She is the sweetest little thing. The way she talks about her life, her family and her fiance showcases her genuine goodness and I swear, being around her made me feel like a better person.

Keon, may be just as motivated as Imani is sweet. Don’t get me wrong, Keon is an extremely nice and amiable person as well, but the way he talks about their business and his excitement over property investment was infectious.

Together, they have created a beautiful life together and it is only the beginning. They may have just started their business, but I know with Imani’s kindness and Keon’s drive, they will flourish in every sense of the word both personally and professionally.

Imani, Keon, thank you for sharing your hearts, sharing your personalities and sharing this time with me! I feel so fortunate to be a part of your love story. I wish you 150 years of happiness together!

Cheers to you!

I was sitting in Starbucks, catching up on some emails and waiting for Robert to get out of his law class. It was date night and I couldn’t wait to get to our favorite place, Ponzio’s.  As I was finishing up my last email, I got a phone call. “Hello, my name is Advait and I am looking to propose to my girlfriend in March. I live in Texas and she lives in Philadelphia.” At this point, my heart smiled and I knew I couldn’t wait to photograph his proposal. Robert and I were long distance for the first year of our relationship and capturing another long distance relationship promise to spend the rest of their lives together is something that is very near and dear to my heart. I loved everything Advait was saying, from how he got the ring, to where he was envisioning popping the question, to how he was going to get his girlfriend to the chosen location. We hung up the phone after 20 minutes and I could not wait to tell Robert all about it!

Advait and I were in constant contact over the next few weeks. His attention to detail was truly amazing. I can’t tell you how touching it is to watch a man put so much thought and care into his proposal. He wanted everything to be perfect and I could not agree with him more.

Fast forward a few weeks- Senia, my second shooter for the day, and I were walking toward the Orchid Extravaganza at Longwood Garden’s. I had to keep myself from skipping all the way to the Orchids…that’s how excited I was. After weeks of planning I just couldn’t wait for Advait and Abhilasha’s big moment!

Once Senia and I got there, I realized one thing. There were a lot more people around than expected.  I even dragged my dear friend Sydney to scout it out the week before and it was significantly busier this week than last. My first thought was, we need to switch locations. Staying calm, cool and collected, I contacted Advait and explained the situation. He snuck away from his beautiful girlfriend and called me to chat. I really felt like a ninja. We made the final decision to move the proposal to right out front of the Orchid exhibit and I am so glad we did!

He saw me out of the corner of his eye and he knew he was in the right place. I sighed feeling relieved. The relief quickly turned into joy and I could not stop myself from smiling behind my camera.  He was doing it, he was really doing it! After all the energy Advait had put in to making this an incredible moment for the woman he loved, he was really doing it!  As he got down on one knee, Abhilasha’s expression was extreme shock and pure joy all mixed into one. It was one of the sweetest expressions I have ever seen. You could tell that she had been dreaming about their life together. You could tell that all she wants is to spend the rest of her life with the man right in front of her.

Thank you Advait and Abhilasha for letting me be a part of such an important moment. Cheers to always looking at each other with sweet expressions, love and joy : )

Emily and Paul have one of those loves that you think only happen in the movies… the kind of love you see in RomCom’s, the love that can handle all obstacles, all distance and all that life has to offer. It felt magical on our cold March morning. It felt like we had the entire Fairmount Waterworks to ourselves. It felt like there was no bigger love then the one I was witnessing through my camera.

Having the luxury of speaking to both Paul and Emily before our session had me walking into it with a clear picture of who they were. Dog lovers with huge hearts and a great sense of adventure. The first thing Paul asked me was “Do you photograph dogs?” YES. I was shouting in my head. I absolutely love dogs, which if you knew my family, would totally and completely shock you. Paul and I chatted for a little bit longer and that is when the magic started. The way he talked about Emily made me feel like I already knew the warm, amazing person who she is.

“Our engagement party is going to be in North Carolina, but we wanted our engagement photos to be here in Philadelphia and  our wedding is going to be on top of a mountain in the Midwest.” Emily explained a few weeks later. I was in awe. As I was listening to her describe her wedding scene, I could tell that it was much more than just a destination, but it meant a lot to her and her family. The way she warmly talked about her life,  her dogs and her fiance made me smile throughout our entire phone call.

Fast forward to the engagement session and Paul and Emily were even greater than anticipated. Paul spent the entire session trying to get Emily to laugh. It worked like a charm, she was giggling from start to finish.  They danced to their favorite song, they cuddled in close to stay warm and they played with their two incredible dogs, Cleo and Drover. Did I mention, they didn’t complain once about the cold! With the park to ourselves, the dogs with their cute bandanas on and the love so real in front of me, I was in photography heaven.

The most amazing part was that every time Paul and Emily looked at each other respect, love and happiness charged between them. That is where the magic really came in. That is what made this engagement session so special; their sweet and beautiful admiration for each other.  Emily, Paul, shall your respect for one another, your love for one another and your happiness with one another last for the next 120 years and beyond.

“I’ve had a lot of big decisions to make in my life, Sophie isn’t one of them. Being with her is hands down the best and easiest decision I have ever made.” Yossi said as my heart melted into a huge pile next to him. The best word to describe Yossi and Sophie’s love is absolute. They are absolutely best friends. Absolutely supportive of each others hopes and dreams. And absolutely and completely in love with each other.

It is one of the coolest feelings in the world to see someone you grew up with build a beautiful and strong relationship with their one and only. I have known Yossi for years, we went to Middle School together and I can still hear his shocked gasp as he stuck a hairpin into a wall outlet in the middle of our morning prayers. If you told me then that I would have the pleasure of witnessing his absolute love for Sophie, I would not have believed you.

For their engagement session, we walked around Dumbo Park on the hottest Sunday in January, It was an incredible day, we created a ton of awesome photos, talked about our lives and sipped on some kick-ass Brooklyn coffee. As I drove back home to Philadelphia that night, I was grinning from ear to ear.

Sophie is one the kindest women I have met in a very long time. Her energy and her genuineness makes you warm from top to bottom. Her smiles brightens the room, her wit makes you laugh, and her excitement for life makes you excited for life. She has this way of talking to you that makes you feel like you are the most important person in the room.

Yossi is just as kind. He has this ability to relate to everyone and anything. He is sharp, sincere and very funny. He had me laughing the entire engagement session and more importantly, he had his Sophie smiling and giggling the entire time too. There is just so much love between the two of them. It is so real, so strong and so very absolute.

A few days after our couple’s portrait session, I received a phone call from Rob.

“So…big news!” he said, and my heart skipped a beat. Alyse was pregnant. I just knew it.

“Guess!” Rob continued.

“I don’t know” I said, worried that I might be wrong.

“Come on guess!” he responded.

“Alyse is pregnant!?” I asked with a big fat question mark. Immediately wanting to take back such an inappropriate question

“and…?” I felt a rush of relief.

In that moment, all I could think about was a conversation I had a few years before this one. It was with my sister, Shana. She called me to tell me the big, exciting news.

“TWINS!??” I asked imagining my niece and nephew. I could hardly contain my enthusiasm

“Yes!”

A few months later, I received another phone call from Rob and Alyse. This time, instead of sharing the big news, they wanted to set up another session. They were about to become parents for the first time and wanted to capture this very special era in their lives. As I listen to them describe what they wanted from the session, all I could do was smile and say “Yes!” I felt honored to be a part of their growing family.

It ended up being a terrific December day. The sky was clear and the wind wasn’t too cold as Alsye, Rob and I walked around Batram Gardens in Philadelphia. For a woman who had two babies in her belly, Alyse was a champion. She was down for anything  I asked. Rob was equally as awesome. Our session was just as calm as it was energetic which felt very fitting. Alyse and Rob are the perfect combination of relaxed and excited. They are laid back and easy to get along with, but also passionate and animated about the things they care about most.

Working with Rob and Alyse was a dream come true the first time and now that we are even more comfortable with each other, it was even better (hard to imagine). Alyse and Rob have this playful, fun energy that flies between them but they also have mutual respect and love and it is obvious to anyone who sees them together. The two of them, as individuals are incredible, but together are going to make one amazing set of parents who will lead their family to conquer anything and everything life throws at them. I am happy to announce that both baby Morgenstern’s and Mama Morgenstern are healthy, happy and doing well. Thank God!

Alyse, Rob, Adina and Baby Boy Morgenstern, I wish your family the best in every sense of the word. I cannot wait to continue photographing your family as you grow and flourish.

Sending my best to you all!

-YPP

Julia is fiery, intelligent and gorgeous. From the moment we spoke on the phone, I knew Julia and I were going to get a long just fine. She impressed the hell out of me. Julia founded and runs this amazing organization called Kids at Play. An organization that is devoted to providing each child with individualized attention and therapeutic care. In other words, Julia is one kick ass woman.  Although Nick doesn’t technically work there, you can find him building shelves, moving things and helping out in his free time. Nick is not only an incredible person, but an awesome husband, funny man and an amazing spirit. They would do anything for each other and it is evident in every look, every smile and every hand graze.

When Julia and I spoke on the phone, we referred to our session as a secret mission. She was surprising Nick with it for their one year anniversary and what I quickly figured out is that there was only one location of choice, the one place that means the most to them, their bench in Wissahickon Park. This is where Nick proposed. Well, let me explain, they both planned on him proposing there, but that is part of what makes Julia and Nick so special. They are a team. They make their decisions together and are one amazing unit.

After one year of marriage, you can tell that nothing makes Julia and Nick happier than being together and I so lucky to have had the chance to capture their love with my camera.   

“I’ve been giving her toy rings for the last 10 days” Adam said with a smirk. All I could do is laugh, I could not even imagine what I would do if my boyfriend gave me toy rings when I was ready for the real one. Adam had it all figured out, he was going to mess around with Nicole all the way up until New Years Eve morning. Then, as they walk casually to dinner through Rittenhouse Square, Adam would get down on one knee and ask Nicole to spend the rest of her life with him. His plan was thoughtful, unique and fun. Let me tell you guys, nothing beat the look on Nicole’s face when she finally got her diamond ring. Complete and total joy.

Adam and I met up the day before, we planned it all out. Where I was going to stand, where he was going to propose, which way Nicole was going to be facing and where Robert, my second shooter for the day, was going to be standing. We even spent our time, watching as the sunset and the lights turned on, picking the perfect time for Adam to propose.

Adam and Nicole are what I consider one amazing couple. You could tell from just looking at them that their house is never boring, they are always laughing, messing around and having a great time. You could feel the love, happiness and respect is between them from a mile away.

Witnessing their proposal warmed my heart on so many levels. Adam and Nicole’s excitement made me giddy for the rest of the day.  Once we took a few engagement photos, we all went to grab a cup of coffee from La Colombe. Nicole pulled me aside and showed me a toy ring she bought Adam. Those two are meant to be.