I’m lucky enough to still be in the stages of planning the big picture of my wedding, which has proven to be no easy task. And if I’m already having a rough go at it now, what happens when I’m planning those fine details? There are so many things I already haven't thought of, I can almost envision myself sitting in my dressing room on the big day without a hairbrush!
With fears like this looming in my head, I turned to my trusty loved ones for a little advice.
Emergency Kit
My future sister-in-law Gina had quite the surprise on her wedding day. Her gown was so unique, so elegant, so lavish, and apparently-- so unfinished! The woman that did her alterations completely bypassed hemming the bottom of her gown.
Standing at a beautiful 5’5”, Gina had an incredibly hard time walking around in a gown that fell inches below her feet. Fortunately, her band of bridesmaids was at her rescue, following her throughout the night to help her with the extra material. She looked stunning nonetheless and until she recently admitted the incident to me, I was completely unaware.
Needless to say, Gina’s advice was to have an Emergency Bridal Kit on hand-- complete with sewing kit, stain remover stick, super glue (for that broken heel), a pain reliever... and just about anything else you can fit in there. Here’s a complete Emergency Kit list I plan to go by.
Make-up
Another detail I hadn’t given much thought to was the type of makeup I plan to use. Aside from selecting a color palette and deciding whether to go for a natural look versus a glam one, a bride should also take into consideration the chemicals found in her makeup.
Some makeup (namely the mineral powders) contain a chemical called titanium dioxide, which can also be found in sunscreens. The safety of this chemical has been under a lot of scrutiny as of late.
In addition to its questionable effects on your health, this chemical has another unfortunate side effect: it washes you out under light. When a picture is taken, the chemical reflects the flash producing a much pastier complexion.
The ideal makeup for the Bride and her Ladies is a cake or stick foundation. They are a heavier alternative, but offer the most coverage while using a smaller amount-- and they usually don’t contain titanium dioxide.
Wedding Planner
Something I completely overlooked, in regards to the day of game-plan, is an appointed planner. Mike’s cousin Aubrey pointed this out to me recently. Even though I don’t intend on having a hired wedding planner, someone needs to be in control of the day’s events. I’m not going to want that job!
Aubrey reminded me that in the fuss of everything, the last thing I’m going to want to concern myself with is where the cake should go. It’s not only important that a person be appointed this job, but it’s perhaps even more important that everyone understands who to direct questions to. I’ve been assured that I will be a little more high strung that day, so handing someone else the reins is probably a safer idea for all involved.
I know that no matter how much I grill my loved ones on the easily forgotten details, I will run into a rough patch of my own that I can warn future brides about down the road. Just as with life, every wedding has its “good” and its “bad,” but it’s always the “good” that is remembered.
Lena M. Sack is a 25 year old student of life currently working her way through Massage Therapy School. By day an Executive Assistant for a magnet company, by night, writer and artist, Lena's latest mission is planning a dream wedding with her wonderful fiancé, Michael.