tip of the week

“I just don’t know about the dress” she said as she looked down.   “I just can’t tell if it is the right look for me. ” My friend said as she twirled around to see the back in the mirror.

I just stared at her, in awe. My eyes watering, my mouth wide open. “Are you serious? It is perfect!” I said.

She put her hand on her chin and started squinting “I just don’t know”

As I watched her all I could think was… She looked incredible. It was the perfect dress. It was everything she described all wrapped up into one beautiful white dress. How could she not see how gorgeous she truly looked! 

Then it hit me. Her hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head. She was wearing her big, round glasses. Her bra-strap was showing and her sneakers were peaking out at the bottom. She needed to feel confident in herself before trying on  wedding dress….

“I love it!” I said, ” I think we should put in on hold.”

“What? Why!” She asked as we start unbuttoning the dress.

“Trust me on this one” I said.

A week later, we went to her favorite hair salon, got her hair and make-up done… on me of course. Once we were done, we went back to the bridal boutique, tried on the dress again. When she turned around to see herself in the mirror. We were both in tears.

“This is THE dress!” She said.

Primp First, Shop Second.  Bridal Boutiques are great when it comes to having the best lighting, great mirrors and incredible customer service. But, and there always is a but, you will be much happier with the experience if you felt confident and beautiful walking in already! Dress shopping can be a little intimidating and you are the bride for crying out loud! You deserve to feel beautiful and gorgeous so, instead of showing up with your usual shopping hair and glasses on, primp a little. Walk in feeling your best! You won’t regret it : )

“Cake or cupcakes. CAKE OR CUPCAKES?” I read as I was walking Ziggy Goldberg (Robert’s family dog) around the neighborhood. As Ziggy paused to stare at one of the neighbors, I had the chance to respond to my text.

“Well, there is no real right answer to that one! Which one do you like the better?” before I could even put my phone away I felt it vibrate.

“I love ALL desserts, how can I choose?!”

And with that, I realized that many of you out there planning a wedding might be having the exact same sugary dilemma. Wedding Cupcakes are one of the latest Wedding trends, but, is it right for you and your fiance?

Unfortunately, I cannot make this decision for you, but what I can do is this… I have put together the YPP Pros of both Wedding Cakes and Wedding Cupcakes for you to help make this delicious decision…GOOD LUCK!

The Big Debate:  Wedding Cake vs Wedding Cupcakes

Wedding Cake Pros:

• Timeless:
  Let’s face it, every little girl who dreams about her wedding day envisions a BIG white, delicious cake. It is timeless, it is elegant and it is always a crowd pleaser!
• The Classic Cake Photo:
  You’ve seen your grandparents’ cake photo, your parents’ cake photo and even your Aunt and Uncle’s cake photos…. now it is your turn!
• Wedding cakes can have different shapes to mix it up: Cakes are great and the bakers who design your wedding cake are even better! They can make each tier whatever shape you want it! The shape can really add to the decor of the room and be a great way to highlight your wedding theme!
• Wedding cakes are definitely prettier: Wedding cakes are stunning all on there own. They are works of art… not saying cupcakes can’t be beautiful too, but there is something about a wedding cake that really screams WOW!
• Traditional: If you are planning a more traditional wedding, a cake is definitely a must!

Cupcake Pros:

• You can offer more flavors with cupcakes:
  There are so many delicious flavors, how can you choose just one! I mean really, who doesn’t want the option of Lemon cake with Lavender frosting, Triple Salted Caramel and Swiss Fudge Chocolate?
  BONUS: You can deviate from all the cliché flavors the vast majority of guests are expecting, I mean hey, if you like vanilla, go for it, I am not knocking it down. But, if you are more of a Peanut butter swirl kinda bride, I am all about that too!
• Cupcakes are so much easier to deliver:
  Enough said!
• Cupcakes are easier to eat:
  I love any dessert that I can eat with my fingers and not dirty a fork!
• Cute cupcake display:
  Adds a little bit of fun to your desert options! Kids and adults love checking out the different flavors and picking their favorite!
• Cheaper:
  Some times, your budget speaks for itself  and there is nothing wrong with that!

Still not sure? Why not have your cake and eat it too!

Literally. Feature a three-tier display with a small cake (6-8 inches) as the top tier and a mix and match of different cupcakes on filtering down tier 2 and 3! It will elegant, it will smell delicious and it will make everyone happy!

So there you have it, my take on the “Wedding Cake vs Wedding Cupcake” dilemma. Let me just say this, whatever you decide, your wedding is going to be beautiful, fun and full of so much love so pick the right desert for you and your fiance, you two are the guests of honor : )

“I want to have at least five minutes alone with him before our wedding day ends! But I am not so sure how to ensure that!” one of my brides expressed on our phone call a week before her wedding.

“I just saw the cutest thing!” I said excited to share this adorable idea.

“Do tell!” She said intrigued

“Well, have you thought of having two first dances?!”

“What do mean?”

“Well, everyone knows about the classic first dance in front of all your family and friends, but what do you think of this? What if you had everyone move into a different room to grab some dessert and coffee, and you two love birds can have the entire reception room for yourself. Pick a second song, to slow dance to, just the two of you!”

A second first dance might not be the right choice for you and your fiance, but you get the idea! This is your wedding for crying out loud, it should be all about you and your SO, but sometimes, with all your friends and family around celebrating and loving you, you don’t have a chance to be alone. So even before the day has started, plan to take 10 minutes to yourselves. Excuse yourself from the reception for a nice little walk alone, be the first to try the double scoop from the ice cream truck before the guests come out or take 10 minutes to escape all the fun and get some night portraits done. Whatever you do, make sure you spend a few minutes at the end of the night alone. You will thank yourselves!!

“Ok, I don’t know what to do… my parents keep telling me that it’s bad luck to do a First Look, but I don’t know… I think seeing him in the morning will make me feel a lot less nervous!” my bride explained as we were sitting across from each other at Starbucks.  I just nodded. This is a conversation I have with a lot of my brides. “Plus we can get ALL the photos done before the ceremony,” she continued. I nodded again and took a sip of my tea. “I don’t know Yael. Do you really think it is bad luck?” That was my cue…

“I think doing a First Look is a great idea! And NO it is not bad luck! Seeing each other a couple hours sooner won’t change your marriage in the least! It is going to be the most incredible day no matter what. You are marrying your best friend! Seeing him sooner will just make it that much sweeter!”

First Look? Or no First Look.. That is the question… there are plenty of reasons why couples opt out of doing a First Look, and that it totally fine! If you are more traditional and want to wait until you walk down the aisle to see your husband-to-be’s face drop in awe as he sees you in your white dress, I say go for it! But to be honest, if it was me, I would definitely do a First Look and this is why…

1. Calm those nerves:  Wedding days can be hectic, crazy and extremely exciting! There are so many little things to keep track of. So many details to take care of  and so many people to interact with. Just so many things! If you are anything like me, that combo creates one heck of a lot of nerves.  I absolutely love when my couples opt for a First Look.  The second you walk up behind your SO, tap him on the shoulder and see the admiration in his eyes, the nerves wash away and all you have left is complete and total bliss. I mean, it is your wedding day and you are marrying your best friend, why not spend as much time as possible together!
2. Looking fresh AF: No matter how much hairspray you put in your hair or how much you try not to get any part of your attire dirty, you will look the best before the ceremony! Think about it, it is right after you finish getting your hair and make-up done, your dress is perfectly in place and your mascara hasn’t been cried off yet. You’ve spent a lot of time and energy putting together your wedding day attire, may as well get photographed when you are looking as fresh as possible!
3. Finally, some alone time: The First Look is an intimate moment between you and your hubby-to-be. No one else is around, it is just you, the love of your life (dressed to the nines I may add), and your photographer (who will give you guys enough space and time to have all the feels). For the first time all day, you will have a second to breath, take it all in and just spend some alone time with your one and only.
4. Photos, Photos, Photos: This one may be my favorite reason… I am a photographer ya know? Not only does the First Look provide incredibly intimate and awesome photos, but it gives you a chance to get the majority of your formal portraits done before the ceremony, which come on, who doesn’t want that! There is less stress, less rush and everyone is excited and ready to go.  If for some reason there is a delay, because let’s face it, delays can totally happen on a wedding day, everything will be ok because you planned! You carefully scheduled plenty of time to capture every photo and every person that means the most to you! I have never had a couple say, “I wish we didn’t get all the formal portraits done before the ceremony.” I have never had a couple say “I wish we had less time for photos.”
5. Party as much as possible: You spent months, maybe even years, planning your wedding and I want you to do enjoy every moment to the fullest… but without sacrificing any photo opportunities, of course. A First Look gives you the time to get the most out of your party and your photography! It gives you more time to talk to your guests, but also make sure you have plenty of photos with Great Aunt Margie. It gives you the time to enjoy the present but also create lasting photos for the future. At the end of the day, your party will end, the wedding details will be stored away, all the cake will be gone but your photos will forever keep the day alive in your wedding album or on your walls.  If you ask me, it is a win, win situation

Don’t get me wrong, no matter what you decide, first look or no first look, you will have incredible photos an amazing wedding and happy memories that will last a life time! I just want you to enjoy every second of your wedding day!

xo,

Yael

“How do I not have enough friends to help with my wedding projects” asked my bestie as she was describing how many hours she spent on her DIY centerpieces the night before. “I mean, when we started all this wedding stuff, I seriously thought we’d have it all done by now.” Her wedding was only a few weeks away and it sounded like she needed all hands on deck. “What can I do to help?” I asked as we made our way through the hustle and bustle of Rittenhouse Square. “OH MY GOD. Seriously!?? You want to help me put the rest of the centerpieces together tonight???  I’ll buy the wine!” She asked me with the biggest puppy dog eyes possible. “Of course!” I said, and with that we walked into La Colombe and I could tell she felt a little bit closer to her goal.

DIY weddings – keep it helpful, not stressful: DIY Weddings can be an awesome idea; Cost- effective and adds that extra little something that makes your wedding personal and intimate. But, and this is a big but guys, DIY takes a lot of time, planning and energy. Some brides absolutely love it! They have a vision, the organizational skills and the creative touch to be able to DIY without even a sweat. And for those brides, I say go for it! You do you booboo! But for those brides who are more like me: for those brides who find themselves never having enough time or never having the specific details in mind and more of a general idea of what you want, I advice you to be very selective on your DIY projects. Don’t go overboard! Sometimes, just like in business, it is easier to outsource than do it yourself. You don’t want to overwhelm you, your family and your fiance even more!

If I was you, I would choose three big DIY projects that can be done months in advance; for example, centerpieces, table numbers and even party favors. This way, you can work on them over time instead of rushing to the finish line. Don’t forget! You are engaged to the one you love! This time is special and should be cherished. These DIY projects are your wedding details and should be meaningful and loved instead of stressful and rushed.  Leave the time sensitive details to the professionals. It will make the wedding planning that much less taxing!

xo,

Yael

“I feel like I haven’t seen him since he was down on one knee!” one of my 2019 bride’s said as we sat across from each other at Starbucks. I continued to listen and took a sip of my herbal tea. “All we do is plan, research, talk to our moms and then do more research. It is exhausting! I miss just hanging out with him” she explained. I waited for her to take a breath… “I have something for you.” I responded as I started sifting through my bag. I always keep a few extra gift cards on me just in case this happens… you’d be surprised how often I hand them out. “AHH!” I say, as I pull out an AMC movie theater gift card and hand it over.

“What’s this for?” she asked as she flipped it over to investigate further.

“When was the last time you guys went to a movie?” I asked. She didn’t respond. That’s what I thought. “This,” I said as I pointed to the gift card “Is your initiation into your weekly date night.” I explained. “Every week, you guys should put everything aside, maybe even leave your phone at home, and do something fun just the two of you. I don’t want you to talk about your wedding or your checklist once. Just go out and appreciate one another!” She smiled and nodded. I could already see some of the tension leave her shoulders and with that, I smiled and nodded right back.

Make time for just the two of you (and maybe your puppy too): Even though your wedding day is supposed to be just about you and your SO, planning a wedding is always more complicated than that. It’s about the caterers and the venue. It’s about mom’s wishes and dad’s family traditions. It’s about keeping up with your todo list, checking things off and quadruple inspecting every detail. Planning a wedding takes up a ton of physical, mental and emotional space and that is why weekly date nights are a YP must! Don’t get me wrong, I think date nights are immensely important in every stage of a relationship, but when you are waking up at 2am concerned about the guest list or you just re-did the seating chart for the 14th time, it is so vital to take a step back, put the checklists, schedules and planners down, grab your SO’s hand and go out! Take some time to remember exactly why you are doing all of this. You are getting ready to marry your best friend so you better take some time to appreciate them, love them and spend some time JUST the two of you…