You are on cloud nine! Your best friend in the whole wide world just proposed and he pulled it off  better than you could ever dream of. You are happy. You are planning your future and you are absolutely loving the engagement bubble that you are living in. You are sporting a shiny new ring that fits perfectly on your left hand and you feel like the luckiest girl in the world! But what if something happens to the ring? God forbid it gets stolen or falls out of your bag while you are at the gym. Although diamonds are a girls best friend, diamonds have their own best friend named Ring Insurance. Here are YPPs top tips to Insuring your ring for the just in case situations…

1. Get your ring Insured ASAP:

   Your soon to be groom can get your ring insured as soon as it is purchased, which, if you ask me, is awesome news! That means you won’t even have to worry about it! But, in the off chance that he was too busy planning the big moment instead of insuring the beautiful sentiment, pick up that phone ASAP and call your insurance provider!

2. Think outside of the house

   Many couples put their engagement ring under their home owner or rental insurance, and that can definitely be helpful but a lot of those riders do not cover your ring outside of the house, and we all know you are planning a big honeymoon away!

3. How much are we talking??

   Good question! The estimated cost for your engagement ring insurance will be between $1 to $2 for approx. $100 your ring is worth. I know what you are thinking, that sounds like a lot! But trust me, it is worth it! The cost will ultimately be determined by a few different factors such as the value of your ring, where you live and the theft rate in your area, and whether or not your policy has a deductible, but the good news is it will protect that ring! Remember, this is your engagement ring for crying out loud! It is a symbol of love and nothing says love like protection!

4. Get an appraisal.

   Now ladies, this one is important! You can’t protect it with out knowing what you are actually protecting!! This is what your appraisal should include: (a) the carat weight, (b) cut, (c) color and (d) clarity of your diamonds. (e) The carat weight and (f) shape of any colored stones, (g) the metal type and (h) fineness or karat, as well as any (i) identifying marks, (j) hallmarks, or (k) stamps. BONUS: Make sure you trust your appraiser! Look at their online reviews, chat with them on the phone and find someone who earned a graduate degree in gemology AND is a member of a national appraisal society. We mean business when we are talking about our diamonds!

5. Get a Diamond Certificate or Grading Report: The 4 C’s

   The 4 Cs are my favorite C’s! Color, cut, clarity, and carat weight. In other words, A diamond certificate or gradating report. While this is not an appraisal, A Diamond Certificate is often provided by your jeweler if your ring is around a half a carat or larger. The 4 C’s are great for your appraiser and super important to track down your stone if anything happens to it!

6. Reappraise every few years!

   Your groom made a good investment. The value of your ring will increase over the years and that is why it is super important, for insurance purposes of course,  to get your ring appraised every few years. BONUS: If you go back to the same appraiser time and time again, they will already have a lot of your rings information and therefore, can cut costs! BONUS x 2: Don’t forget to bring a copy of your last appraisal with you. Always better to be safe than sorry!

This ring is way more than a ring, it is a symbol of your love for each other, it deserves to be protected! So now, go get that beauty insured and step right back in that engagement bubble! I know you want to!

Although most men haven’t been dreaming up their wedding day since they were five years old, might not know what an Arbor is or have any idea how to pin his boutonniere on correctly, your groom still wants to be involved. It is their special day too. They want the planning to be as easy as possible for their bride. They want to help but may not even know where to begin! Here are the Yael’s top 10 ways your groom can assist and contribute to make things a whole lot better for you!

1. The Guest-list and keeping track:

   He is going to know his side of the party way better than you! It is up to him to figure out his side (and parents side) of the guest list, find the addresses, follow up and make sure he knows who wants chicken or salmon!

2. Guest Accommodations:

   This one is something he can totally do and it will make you the happiest of brides! Give him the responsibility of reserving the rooms for the out of town guests and making sure they have all the details. Even if your venue has rooms as part of the package, some guest might need different price points. Your future-hubby will totally be able to handle these logistics!

3. Pick the Wedding Music:

   The music you request for your wedding can really set the tone. The process can be long, overwhelming and very time consuming. Giving your groom this task will make him feel like the king of the party! When he sees his friends and family having a great time on the dance floor, he will feel amazing! But between you and me, I would write down your favs too!

4. His side of the family:

   Wedding planning can make things a little tense and uncomfortable with your future-in-laws. To navigate through all the chaos as smoothly as possible, make sure he is the one communicating with his family. He knows how to best talk to his parents, so let him handle it!

5. Learning how to dance:

   Enough said…

6. Groomsmen Gifts:

   Boys will be boys which means one thing, let him pick the gifts for his friends. They have inside jokes and interests that you and no one else will ever understand so let him take this one for the team. Just smile and nod with whatever great idea he comes up with!

7. Vows/ Letter to the Bride:

   No matter what you do, let him be in control of what he says, how he shares and what he promises to you on your wedding day. This is for both of you! You will thank me!

8. Planning the Honeymoon:

   No matter when the honeymoon is, right after your wedding, six months into your marriage or even a few years down the road, let your man plan the details! He will have such a great time imagining you laying on the beach in Mexico or hiking up the mountains in Colorado, it will make him feel like a hero!

9. Don’t forget to say ” I love you”

   Make sure he knows to up the cheese-factor! With your busy schedules, everyones opinions and advice about your marriage and the insane amount of decisions you two will have to make during this season of your life, make sure he knows to say “I love you” in every way he can. On post-it notes, grocery lists, even on a top of a cake or using those HUGE letter balloons. Keep the love alive and strong!

10. Make your engagement as fun as possible

    If you are anything like me, you stress and over-analyze everything! Let your fiance know that you are going to need his help making this engagement as fun and as easy as possible. You are a team, you are going to need him to help you blow off steam by practicing your first dance in your kitchen or by turning center-piece decorating into a drinking game. He will know exactly how to calm you down and make things fun again!

There you have it ladies, the ultimate guide to making both of you happy! Now go on, hand over some of the responsibility to your eager and amazing fiance! You both will be so happy and so excited to be able to contribute to your big day in a big way!

Hello my beautiful bride!

I have a serious question for you… How is your wedding shoe shopping going? Do you find a new pair of shoes that you absolutely love every three weeks? Are you going back in forth between a subtle, strappy nude, the classic, fun pump or that pair of Mexican embroidered wedges that you have been obsessing over since before you got engaged?! Do you change your mind five times a day? Have about 100 pinned photos and still can’t decide what will go best with your dress?

Trust me on this when I say, I understand completely! I personally love shoes. All shoes. I don’t discriminate. There hasn’t been a shoe I have seen and not loved. So, I get it, how do you decide?

Shoe shopping for your wedding can be insanely overwhelming, that is why, I have created a list of my YP Sharp shoe shopping rules to live by!

1. Research right away! Do not wait!

   So this is what you should do… even before you go wedding dress shopping, even before you pick out the flowers, jewelry and your something blue, create your Wedding Shoe Pinterest Inspiration Board. Look to see what is out there. Find the shoes and styles that speak to you the most and THEN go shopping for your dress. With all your favorite options pinned, it will be a heck of a lot easier to make a shoe-dress combo that is your match made in heaven!

2. Keep it Consistent

   Don’t get too adventurous for your big day!  I know sometimes are imaginations can run wild, especially when it comes toyour wedding plans, but keep your shoe choice consistent with who you are and what you are comfortable with on a normal bases. If you are a normally a 5-inch stiletto kinda gal, go for it. If you are never caught in anything besides sneakers or sandals, keep it simple and find a pair of gorgeous flats that will keep you moving and dancing all night long!

   

3. Your venue matters

   Always ensure that your shoe choice works well with the venue. Is your ceremony in a garden? on a beach? On a cobblestone pathway? Indoors? Outdoors? Is your reception taking place in the dead of winter or under the blazing sun? Keeping the place and time of year in mind will make you that much happier on your big day.

   

4. Wear them in

   Seriously though, your feet will thank you!

5. Make sure they make you feel like the princess that you are.

   It is your wedding day for crying out loud! You should feel like the beautiful, special princess that you are! Even though your wedding dress will probably hang all the way to the floor and therefore, hide your feet, your shoes will still be seen. Between the dancing, walking and the bustling your shoes will definitely grab your guests attention. So don’t just settle for a boring pair that you are fine with… make sure they make you feel like the incredible person that you are all day long!

   

6. The Sky is your Limit!

   This one is my favorite! Who says you need just one pair of wedding shoes!? For all those shoe lovers out there, I feel you. Choosing just one is like choosing just one chocolate out of the assortment box! How can you choose!  If you find two shoes that you absolutely adore, bring them both! One for the ceremony and one for the reception. It will make you that much happier : )

And there you have it ladies! Now go on, get on Pinterest, get inspired and find yourself the perfect style for your wedding!

xo,

Yael

“Look at all these flowers!” one of my brides said as we walked around the park during her engagement session. “We should just pick some flowers from here for our wedding!” she joked as she looked over at her fiance with a big smile.

“Do you know how much flowers cost!?” The groom said as he turned to me. “It’s literally insane!” He said picking one of the flowers and handing it to his beautiful bride-to-be. My heart melted…

Mix it up: For all the bride and grooms out there who are on a budget but are dreaming of a wedding day with beautiful flowers and petals all around. I get it, and I will be the last person to tell you to nix your flowers. Flowers are some of my favorite wedding details myself! It is your wedding day and you deserve to have everything you want! How do you get the flowers of my dreams? Three simple words. Mix it up!

Instead of sticking to just one floral centerpiece on all of your wedding tables,  ask your florist to create several arrangements at a variety of sizes.  Size variety = different price points. Different price points = more flowers! Instead of 20 tables with $800 floral centerpieces, you can have 5 tables with $800 centerpieces, 5 tables with $600 centerpieces, 5 tables with $400 and 5 tables with $300. This way, you stay in your budget and get to add a little bit of flair You will still have the WOW factor and your wallet isn’t hating you! Can you say, “bring on the flower!”

“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 : )

“I don’t have shoes on and it’s freezing outside” one of the Rebecca’s Bridesmaid said as we walked over to the first-look.

“Do you want to go get some shoes?” I asked, concerned about her bare-feet…

“No!” she said, “I want to see this! I need to see this!”

And with that, the girl gang escorted Rebecca down the street to her first look. No complaining, not even a second thought. They just wanted to witness their beautiful bride see her handsome groom for the first time.

And that was just the way it was… all day : )

It was obvious from the minute I met Becca and Ben that they are deeply loved by everyone around them. Their wedding day was one for the books.  It was an incredible day to witness. The energy, love and excitement that was present in every moment of their wedding day at the Hilton, Philadelphia City Ave hotel made my heart smile on every level. The way the Wedding Party anticipated Becca and Ben’s every need assured me that they have one incredible chevra (group of friends).

Becca and Ben are the sweetest thing you can imagine and they fit together like milk and cookies. They just were meant to walk through life together hand in hand.  The way Becca and Ben smile at each other and the way they whisper back and forth to each other, makes me feel like they are in on this amazing secret, but it is only for the two of them.

Ben’s smile as he waited for Becca to tap him on the shoulder made my eyes water. The tears started falling down my face as soon as he turned around and saw his sweet, strong and stunning Becca. With the Wedding Party in the background cheering them on and the sun peaking through the clouds, it was the perfect moment.

Becca and Ben, you are two amazing individuals, your smiles light up the room, your laughter brings joy to everyone and your hearts are so full of love and kindness, you touch everyone around you. I wish for you to keep whispering to each other for the next 120 years! Your love is beautiful, don’t ever forget it!

As Zach, the best man, brought the microphone to his lips and looked over at the sweetheart table, his eyes twinkled and laughed at the same time. His younger brother, the groom, had no idea what was coming next…

” This one,” Zach began, “is called Gonna date my next door neighbor”

Gonna ask Britt out

She’s next door. It’s convenient.

We’ll see what happens

And with that, the whole room broke out into laughter!

We have all seen the Hollywood version of the girl next door story, and let’s be honest, it is always adorable. But watching Britt and Greg, best friends from childhood, walk down the aisle and stand under the Chuppah together was an incredibly intimate and beautiful moment to witness. It left me speechless. Everyone should walk through life hand in hand with their best friend. I am so immensely happy that these two get to spend the rest of their lives married to the person that has always had their back.

When Britt and Greg first told me they were getting married at One North Broad, my eyes widened and my mouth dropped opened. This venue is stunning and one of a kind, just like Britt and Greg.  The respect, love and friendship that charges between them is an inspiration to us all.

Between Britt and Greg’s impeccable taste, One North Broad’s attention to detail and the amazing energy of their friends and family, this was a wedding taken out of a dream. I couldn’t have asked for anything more and I wouldn’t have expected anything less from this remarkable couple. From the moment the band started playing, through the cake cutting and all the way to the last song, Britt and Greg were on the dance floor, singing and dancing their hearts out… now isn’t that the perfect way to begin a marriage?!

Britt, Greg, it was truly an honor to be your wedding photographer. I wouldn’t have it any other way. You have added so much love and joy into my life and for that, I will always be grateful. I wish to you the happiest of lives and the best of marriages. You two deserve it!

Vendors || Dress: Nicole’s Bridal, Caterer: Catering by Design, Flowers: Nature’s Gallery Florist,Band, Lighting & Videography : EBE, Venue: One North Broad

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!