Engagements: Cat & Todd - BB Jean Events, Bellingham, WA Wedding Planner

How to describe Cat & Todd . . .well, they met on a commercial fishing vessel, she's a fesity blonde from California that does roller derby, he's a guy that likes to cook, make mead, and adores the feisty roller derby blonde from California, and together they're a breath of fresh air because with them came ideas for one of those most outside the box weddings we'll be putting together and I'm super excited for their date to arrive! All kinds of fun and mayhem and great times will be had at their ocean themed wedding. And by ocean, they meant that there would be plenty of anchors and octopi used, maybe some quirky vintage details, maybe flower girls dressed as sea princesses, maybe a killer band at cocktail hour and plenty of fantastic food... But alas, the big day is still two months away - two months exactly until the summer solstice when these two get hitched and for now, you'll have to be satisfied with their incredible engagement pictures by Kaylee at Kaylee Eylander Photography. Their shoot took them from 20th Century Bowling in Downtown Bellingham, WA to the railroad tracks and then to the waterfront...

Happy Friday: Get Your Bridesmaids to Love You By Loving Them!

Another fabulous Friday in our midst! And once again I have a picture posted of some AMAZING bridesmaid gowns! They make me chuckle :) I LOVE the matching bow in everyone's hair!!

Along with our wonderful illustration for today's post, I have a few words of wisdom when working with your maids.
#1 (See above pic) NEVER do this to your girlfriends! Real friends don't let their friends leave the house with this on! And for brides intimated by their hot girlfriends: don't punish your friends for your insecurity by choosing icky bridesmaid gowns and forcing your friends to wear them (and you brides know who you are!). You'll be in a big white gown, trust me, everyone will have their eyes on you

#2 Brides please remember this is YOUR wedding and not your bridesmaids' wedding. They all most likely have jobs, families, friends and other activities other then your wedding. Be kind and considerate when you ask them for help and keep things reasonable. Having them there for your gown shopping=acceptable, forcing them go to the mall with you because you forgot to get new socks=unacceptable.

#3 "Thank you" goes a long way. Use it often on your maids. Make sure they know how much you appreciate their help. They're spending a lot of time, money and energy to make things happen for you.

#4 Be budget conscious for your friends. Some bridesmaids may be ok spending hundreds of dollars on a dress they'll only wear once. Most, however will not. Remember that apart from their dress and shoes, they may have to pay for hair and makeup, hotel accommodations, bachelorette party activities, a wedding gift and possibly even shower gifts.

#5 Have fun! Weddings are supposed to be a joyous occasion so make sure that not every time you gather is work and be sure to have some fun friend time. It gives you all an opportunity to remind yourself why you're all friends in the first place.

Wedding How-to: Destressing for the Big Day!

If you aren't already following a health regime for your wedding, now may be a good time to start. Regardless of whether or not you want to lose weight for your wedding, excercise and eating right are essential for a healthy lifestyle (before AND after the wedding) and are one of the easiest ways to help your stress levels.

If you aren't already working out regularily, simply look at exercise as a wedding free time to unwind. Cardio at the gym is fine, but you can also mix it up by going for a run in the park, go for a bike ride, or take a fitness class with your bridesmaids-anything for you to be active and to get those endorphins pumping!

Also take a close look at your diet. What we eat directly affects our physical well being AND mental well being. Choosing highly nutritious foods can help you stay mentally alert and energized. Nix the caffeine (if you can) and keep sugars low to avoid crashing throughout your day. Eat breakfast to give your body a healthful start and keep snacks on hand. I personally always have almonds in my purse or car and I've had many moments when I'm so glad they're there!

Try meditating. Find a clean and quiet space in your home-away from the TV, the cat and dog and any other distratctions-and breathe and relax. Couple this with stretching and you have a pleasant way to end your day.

Real Weddings: Erin & Steve

I got in contact with Erin after discovering her amazing DIY wedding invitations online last month. When I got her permission to post her creation, I asked her to let me know how her wedding turned out because I was certain if it was planned as creatively and detailed as the invites, it was sure to be amazing. I was right. Here are just a sampling of the fabulous pictures taken by Shelby and Rich at 927 Photography.

Erin, thank you for letting me share a few pics from your gorgeous wedding! And thanks for sharing that small world moment with me: if you're friends with K, who is an amazing woman herself for being able to date Ben, then you're a pretty fabulous person in my book! My sincerest congratulations to you and your new husband and best wishes for an amazing future together!

Freebie Friday!

I can't believe it's Friday already! How exciting!

Well here it is, our first giveaway of the month! This month is a 6x9 bridal scrapbook featuring paper, stickers and other goodies for you to document that amazing bridal shower or bachelorette party!

Want it? Leave me a comment telling me your best piece of wedding advice you have or have received. Winner will be chosen at random next Friday!

Happy Friday: Bridesmaid Gowns

I found this little tidbit of infomation on CNN's website. It comes from an article written by Jennifer Thompson regarding the origins of wedding traditions. It's perfect for anyone wondering what the point of matchy bridesmaids' gowns were. The cute photo above? It's from People Magazine's 10 worst bridesmaid gowns-this one was #2 (yes, there was actually a gown worse then those shown above!). Enjoy!

Ladies -- believe it or not -- the concept of the bridesmaid's gown was not invented to inflict painful dowdiness upon the bride's friends and female relatives thus making the bride look hotter by comparison.

Historically, that dress you'll never wear again was actually selected with the purpose of tricking the eye of evil spirits and jealous ex-lovers (spicy!). Brides' faithful attendants were instructed to wear a dress similar to that of the bride so that during their group stroll to the church it would be hard for any ill-willed spirits or former boy-toys to spot the bride and curse/kidnap/throw rocks at her. (Ditto for the boys in matching penguin suits, saving the

groom from a similar fate.)

Happy Friday!

DIY: Silk-Flower Ring Pillow

This lovely ring bearer's pillow comes straight from the Martha Stewart Weddings site. Because this is a DIY project, it gives you the flexibility to create the pillow to match your event beautifully. The technique used to create the flower on the pillow can also be used to make the flower girl's bouquet making your little duo perfectly matched. And because you wouldn't need real flowers, both become strong enough to withstand anything little girls and boys can throw at them.

How-to:

Crisp fabric is recommended for this project. The Martha Stewart team utilized taffeta, silk dupion, and shantung for the pillow shown above. To beging this project you will need to cut out straight sided ovals with scalloped shears. Recommended oval measurements are 4"x 8" for this pillow. You will need to cut a minimum of 9 petals of this size to achieve the look of the pillow above.

For the Pillow:

Create a 6" ring pillow in fabric of your choice. Stuff it to desired thickness and finish the seam to enclose the stuffing.

For the Flower:

1. Gather the center of one petal and hold it firmly.

2. Gather the center of a second petal and lay it on the first at an angle; continue holding the center gathers in place.

3. Repeat with a third petal, positioning the stacked petals so they make a complete rosette with no gaps. (If you want a fuller effect, make the rosette with up to 5 petals.) Wrap floral wire tightly around petals at the center, and twist underneath to secure. Excess wire becomes a stem.

4. Make 2 more rosettes (for a showier flower like the bouquets, make 4 total).

5. Stack rosettes, slipping each wire stem between the petals of the rosettes beneath.

6. Twist stems together; cover with floral tape. Fluff petals. For the ring pillow, cut stem short, sew flower into place through wires at center, and tie on a ribbon, threading it through wire on top.

Need a Little Inspiration?

Join me and other local wedding designers and florists for Semiahmoo's Wedding Open House! The event will have venues at Semiahmoo staged for weddings offering you plenty of inspiration for your own big day. You will also get the opportunity to meet the designers and Semiahmoo staff, taste plenty of treats from Semiahmoo's catering menus and have a fabulous time! Admission is free-For more information, please visit the Semiahmoo website.

Vendor Spotlight: Snap Sisters

Still looking for wedding photography? Here's another local company that may have just what you're looking for!



SNAPsisters is a two sister photography team based out of Whatcom County and servicing Western Washington. They currently offer affordable wedding photography rates that include two photographers with a lot of energy and an obvious joy at being able to capture your day.

Here's a little more info from the SNAPsisters themselves: Wendi and Jodi created a fun new photography business called theSNAPsisters and we've been taking pictures from Lynden to Seattle, WA. We are passionate about photography, and are always looking for creative and fun new ideas. If you select theSNAPsisters to take your pictures, you can count on laughter and fun. We do our best to make this a great experience and to capture those beautiful moments. We offer three great packages. Each one includes a DVD of all your edited images.

Check out their website for more information: http://www.thesnapsisters.com/

Organic Bridal Beauty

No bride is complete on her wedding day without adding a little something extra into her makeup routine-whether you want to go natural or glamourous, cosmetics play a big part into giving a bride that gorgeous glow. And if you aren't pick into packing harsh chemicals and preservatives on your skin, check out these companies! They offer amazing spa-quality cosmetics and skin care that will leave you and the planet and little healthier

Ecco Bella offeres a full range of cosmetics and skin care. Not all are preservative free- check the label-but non are tested on animals and all use all natural ingredients. http://www.eccobella.com/

Eminence is all about high quality skin care: made in small batches by hand with spa quality all natural ingredients! They're also unveiling their new biodynamic line of skin care. For those who aren' familiar with the term "biodynamic"-it's a more difficult rating to get then "certified organic" and is the ultimate good-for-you and good-for-planet certification! http://www.eminenceorganics.com/

When it comes to greener makeup, Australia has it going on! Most of the top organic cosmetic companies I could find were based out of Australia. NVEY is one company that I really liked that carries plenty of makeup goodies to make any blushing bride look flawless! And they're also certified organic! http://www.econveybeauty.com/

Other companies to consider:

Burt's Bees-www.burtsbees.com

Kiss My Face-www.kissmyface.com

Annmarie Borlind-www.borlind.com

Nature Girl-www.nature-girl.com

Small Wedding Packages Now Available!

We're now offering Small Wedding Packages for groups of ten or less and for groups of 25 or less! They include all of the necessities for a beautiful and intimate wedding for one low price. All you need to do is show up with your marriage license, and then relax and enjoy your day!

For up to ten guests, you will receive:

• A planning session for the big day
• An indoor or outdoor location for your ceremony and reception
• Up to 3 hours for your ceremony and reception
• An officiant
• Ceremony and reception music
• A custom music playlist
• 9-inch wedding cake decorated with buttercream flowers
• 1 hr of professional photography
• A collection of 20 photos
• Fresh flower bouquet and boutonniere for the bride and groom
• Champagne or sparkling cider toast for the bride, groom and their guests
• A light hors o'deuvres buffet
• Linens, buffet plates, cake plates and flatware
• A two night mini-moon for the bride and groom at the Fairhaven Village Inn
• Complimentary champagne, flutes and basket of goodies in your hotel room
• 10 wedding announcements to send friends and family

For up to twenty-five guests, include everything above and inlcude a larger cake and a bouquet and boutonniere for a maid of honor and best man.

Check out our website for additional information!

Eco-Friendly Wedding Gowns

Trying to find an eco friendly wedding gown? For some brides that I work with, they're trying to be eco-conscious with their wedding without looking eco-conscious and the words "hemp" and "bamboo" were not there first thoughts when they envisioned their wedding dress. Well, there's more then one way to get that earth friendly gown (and not all of those ways involve hemp-a few do, but not all). Here are a few of my favorite resources when you want your white gown to also be green!

Olivia Luca
Olivia Luca is a dream for brides. Their website is quite literally a design studio where you pick and choose the features you want for your gown. The design sketch below is my creation and I was pleasantly surprised when they let me choose my fabric from about 12 different options, as well as color. I got a truly custom made, one-of-a-kind gown that's gorgeous, earth friendly, and only around $1400.00. Best of all, take a look at their website and their blog for photos of other wedding gowns they've created: they're lovely and you'd never even know that hemp was involved with a few ;)
Threadhead Creations
Threadhead is another custom wedding gown shop. Their style looks more earthy and organic at times, however they offer off-the-rack gowns if you're short on time, and with most gowns under $1000, they're a budget-friendly option as well. They can also custom create your gown as well, so if you have something specific in mind, know that they can make it come to life for you

Bravo Bride

Still not finding a gown that suits your style? Or determined to have a designer gown but aren't sure how to make that fit with the word "eco"? Consider purchasing a used wedding gown from Bravo Bride (or eBay, or Craigslist or your favorite listing site). Used gowns are (virtually) new, by purchasing one they're being reused-that's where "eco" comes in, and you can save some serious money. The gown below is currently being featured. It's a Vera Wang gown originally purchased for $4000 and being sold on Bravo Bride for only $995. That's right, you could wear Vera (or Maggie Soterro or Monique Lhullier) for under a grand. Prices vary by the seller and there are plenty of styles to choose from. Take a peak, you might be surprised!

Greener Gifting: Pinkerton Totes

If you're looking for greener gift options, always look for something that can be reused. In this case, I LOVE these totes from Pinkerton Design. Not only have they been made out of recycled paper and plastic, but they make a perfect gifting vessel if you have more to give (i.e. forgo the gift wrap and place any additional items inside the bag, tie off the handles with some ribbon and VOILA!). After the party, these versatile bags become the perfect companion when you need an extra hand.

How Much Alcohol to Serve at Your Soiree

I'm recycling a post from the old blog for a few of my brides that have been asking for some basic bar service info:

The sky is the limit when it comes to your bar at your event. It’s perfectly acceptable to serve a full bar, or limited array of cocktails, keeping things simple with beer or wine, maybe only having a champagne toast or nixing the alcohol all together. Because of the variance in what you can offer at your drink station, it can get difficult to determine what to purchase and how much. This post is here to help you sort out some of those questions and make it a little easier for you to throw your bash!

The Basics

• Average out about 2 drinks per guest per hour
• One bottle of Champagne fills 6 glasses
• One bottle of wine fills 5 glasses
• One liter of alcohol can make 18 drinks
• A case of wine has 12 bottles of wine
• A case of beer has 24 cans or bottles
• A standard keg equals about 6 3/4 cases of beer or 165 12 oz. servings or 124 16 oz. (pint) servings
• One 740 ml bottle of alcohol equals 3/4 of a liter

***

The samples below are based on what an average crowd of 100 will drink during a 4 hour reception. Adjust more or less depending on your specific guest list and their preferences.

The Full Bar
This list of alcohol comes from the Wedding Channel website:

• Beer-2 cases
• White Wine-1 1/2 cases
• Red Wine-1 case
• Champage-1 1/2 cases
• Vodka-6 liters
• Gin-3 liters
• Sweet Vermouth-2 bottles
• Dry Vermouth-2 bottles
• Scotch-3 liters
• Bourbon-2 liters
• Whiskey-2 liters
• Rum-2 liters
• Tequila-1 liter
• Assorted Mixers: Grenadine, pineapple, orange and cranberry juices, Sprite/7up, Coke/Pepsi, club soda, peach nectar, etc.

Beer and Wine Bar

• Red Wine-3 cases
• White Wine-5 cases
• Beer-5 cases

Beer, Wine and Champagne/Signature Cocktail

• Red Wine-2 1/2 cases
• White Wine-3 1/2 cases
• Beer-3 cases
• Champagne-2 cases or 8 liters of alcohol type used in signature cocktail

Don’t forget the Non-Drinkers!
Some people don’t drink and that’s ok! Don’t make them feel like their only option at your event is water while everyone else indulges in expensive wines and cocktails. Offering assorted juices and sodas will give them options and make them feel like the special guest they are! My favorite takes on these are offering sodas and juices in bottles (Izze sparkling juices are at the top of my faves list). A more elegant look and a little more class-guests should also have the option of drinking from the bottle or being given a glass (for more formal events).

Cutting Costs
Alcohol is expensive and no doubt and it can be hard to integrate it into your event if your budget is tight. So before you go running for the “cash bar” or “no host bar” options (which goes way against the Emily Post wedding etiquette rules) consider getting creative.

• Champagne cocktails: No one will notice that you chose a more cost effective champagne when you blend it with mixers. Bellini’s, Blue Poms and Mimosas are delicious and more cost effective then cocktails mixed with hard liquor.
• Pre-mixed cocktails: Every time I’ve been to a party (or hosted a party) with sangria, it has been a huge hit! It’s perfect for summer weddings or holiday parties (mix with cranberry juice!) and you can control the servings a little easier. Plus, when it comes to sangria, the cheaper the wine you purchase for it, the better! You can also pre-mix champagne punches or other cocktails and have them in a pitcher ready at the drink table. A great option if your affair is more casual and you won’t have a bartender.
• Return policy?: Find out if the retailer you purchase your alcohol, beer and wine from has a return policy for unopened bottles or cases. Keep your receipt and any goods not used, you can take back. Perfect if you feel you need to buy a bit extra “just in case”!
• Affordably Elegant: Having a full bar from start to finish at your fete can be expensive! Cut the time your bar is open in half by passing glasses of champagne for cocktail hour. This limits guests to drinking only what is passed rather then giving them full bar access right away. Combine this with a paired wine during dinner and guests will feel like they are pampered while you save money on drinks! Liven up the party by opening the bar during the dancing-you can do a full bar or keep things affordable by offering beer and wine only for the rest of the evening.
• Cut out the champagne toast and let people toast you with the drink of their choice.
  

Safety First

Please play it safe when you serve alcohol at your parties!! Encourage guests to carpool, offer guest shuttle services if you’re hosting an out of town event near the hotel (or better yet, have your event at the hotel where everyone is staying!) offer cab #’s in your programs, HIRE A GOOD BARTENDER who will know how to mix drinks appropriately and cut people off when necessary and consider having your last call for drinks an hour before it officially ends so people can have time to sober up. Keeping your guests safe is essential to having a fun and successful event.

Worst Case Scenario

If you're going to forgo the event coordinator for your wedding, purchase a little "insurance" for yourself. The Worst Case Scenario Handbook offers a wedding edition complete with step-by-step instructions for how to survive even the worst situations.
Here's the full synopsis from Spoonsisters: "Lose your ring? Wedding bouquet make you sneeze? Band not show up? Months of precision planning can go awry in the time it takes to split a seam or drop a cake. Here’s an indispensable guide to help the bride and groom, and everyone else, survive the nuptials. Learn how to charm nightmare in-laws, survive the bachelor party, stop a disastrous toast, conceal wedding day blemishes, and make an emergency ring out of a gum wrapper. Appendix includes useful checklists and creative solutions to wedding disasters. Don’t let the bride and groom get married without it!"

Available at Spoonsisters.com

Mmm marshmallows!

So, it's been one of those dreary rainy weeks thus far that has turned itself into snow. SNOW. I'm not really a fan of snow, but I'm totally down with snuggling under a quilt with hot chocolate and a book. And the only thing that would make that scenario better is plopping a few homemade marshmallows into my cup. Seriously, life is just better with homemade marshmallows.

I found this recipe at Cooking for Engineers and heading to their site will give you the ultimate step by step (with pictures) guide on how to make these. If you don't need pics, simply continue reading.

You will need:
3 tbsp. gelatin
1/2 c. water
2 c. suggar
2/3 c. corn syrup
1/4 c. of more water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Powdered Sugar

Soak the gelatin in the 1/2 c. of water for 10 minutes. Place the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 c. water into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until the mixture reaches 250 degrees (hard ball stage for all of you candy makers). Start mixing the gelatin mixture slowly. While mixing slowly add in the sugar and corn syrup mixture. Once combined, increase the speed of your mixer to medium/high and add in the salt (take care at this step, the sugar is HOT so avoiding splattering any on yourself will guarantee a positive experience here). When it fluffs, increase the speed to high and continue mixing 8-12 minutes, or until marshmallow stops fluffing. Add in the vanilla extra and mix until thoroughly combined. Dump marshmallow into a powdered sugar covered pan and let sit uncovered overnight. The next day, turn out the mix onto a powdered surface and cut into squares. Dust each square in powdered sugar. Devour.

The perk to these sweet little gems is that they can last up to two weeks in an airtight container. So the hot chocolate goodness can continue. Or use them to make some AMAZING rice crispy squares.

For brides planning any winter weddings, these made an adorable favor handed out to guests when paired with a tin of gourmet hot chocolate!

When even the details on the garter matter

I stumbled across the Garter Lady Etsy Shop online the other day and looked over some of the bautiful garters she creates. On a few of them I was truly blown away. The intricate details, the designs and the quality were all lovely and there are plenty of styles to accommodate even the most discerning bride.
This silk rose number was my favorite. I like being feminine but I'm not an overly foo-foo girl so I'm all about elegant simplicity. I found out while reading through some info, that the Garter Lady puts a blue petal on the back of each of her garters that she creates so you'll not only have a fancy little item for your groom to find at your reception, but you'll satisfy the "something blue" element as well ;) The garters she sells are comparable to other market prices for the simpler garters and then go up when you add in more details (like the corset garter below). If you're wondering whether the cost is worth it for the more costly garters, consider it to be the perfect heirloom piece to your wedding torusseau giving you something to treasure and eventually pass down.

Tickets to Paradise Compliments of Erin

I came across these amazing invites online and the bride was kind enough to let me share them :) According to Erin's blog, she isn't terribly crafty but made them herself (could have fooled me! They are awesome!) and considering how custom and detailed they look, they came to only a little over $3 each. For a couple that enjoys travelling and is having a destination wedding in Hawaii next week, their stationery is the perfect compliment and offers guests an amazing and fun sneak peak at the festivities ahead!

The invitation's "inner envelope" is really a ticket jacket made to mimic those at the airport and inside, ticket invitations and travel information in a fun modern meets retro design that is only emphasized more when you see the very cool RSVPs.

Erin purchased vintage style Hawaii postcards online and had the print shop add the RSVP information on the back.

And to add the details, Erin added custom stamps to the outer envelope featuring a photo from either her parents' wedding or her fiance's parents' wedding.

Vendors Erin used:

Belgate Printing-Bellevue, WA

Scoring Board from More Then Ink-http://morethanink.com/hahg120crpvc.html

Custom Stamps from Stamps.com- http://www.stamps.com

Outer Envelopes (not shown, outer envelopes featured a cloud pattern) from Office Depot

Vintage Hawaiian Postards from Island Art Cards-http://www.islandartcards.com/shop/Hawaiian_Vintage_Postcards_Box_Sets.html

Ideas and Inspiration from the Hawaii message board on TheKnot.com

Thanks for sharing Erin and congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I wish you and your fiance all the best!

Welcome your guests

Welcome baskets and goodies seem to only be increasing in popularity but times are tough and not every bride has the money to put an elaborate basket together for her guests. My tip is to keep things simple. You can still put thoughtful touches in your guests' hotel rooms without spending tons of money doing it.

• Bedtime snack: Prepare little boxes or baskets of milk and cookies. Order the cookies from your favorite local bakery and get small cartons or bottles of milk. Ask the hotel to keep the milk cold and to deliver the goods in the evening when guests arrive.
• Rise and shine: If the hotel your guests are in has a coffee maker, provide local coffee or tea and a pair of mugs
• Fun in the sun: If you're in a warmer climate, provide a cute bag of sunscreen packets, bug repellant packets and flipflops

I also love this cute doorhanger idea from Martha Stewart. It's an easy way to welcome guests right when they check in with little details of your wedding weekend.
To make it you will need:

• Legal sized cardstock
• A ruler
• A craft knife
• 2 1/2" circle punch
• Bone folder
• Round label stickers

Martha's How-To:

"Print the word 'welcome' (or have your calligrapher script it) twice across the top of a legal-size sheet of card stock. With a ruler and craft knife, cut the card stock in half lengthwise; punch a hole in the bottom of each piece with a 2 1/2-inch circle punch. With a bone folder, crease each card-stock strip 4 inches from the top, and fold to form a pocket. Fasten sides with round label stickers."

In Case of Emergency . . .

Ah, the wonderful world of weddings where truly anything (and I mean ANYTHING) can happen. That's where having a fun wedding day survival kit can be a good investment. It should include all the "what-if" essentials so that you and your bridal party look sharp, can stay comfortable, and can be prepared for whatever life throws at you that day. If you're a bride already working with me, you can rest assured that I have my own mondo kit that will be with me that day. If not, you can always choose to purchase a kit (the one pictured below is available at Target for $50-although it's missing some important pieces it'll cover the basics). Or make your own.

Here's a list of basic items that you should include. Starred items should be kept in a bridesmaid's purse to be carried throughout the day:

- For your hair: Brush or comb*, hair bands, hairpins*, bobby pins*, hairspray* and hairdryer

- For your teeth: toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss* and mints

- Extra Makeup: concealer*, translucent powder*, mascara*, eye liner, fake eyelash glue, lipstick*, makin blotting papers (if it's hot out)* and lip gloss*

- Nail care items: nail clippers, clear polish, emery board*

- Toiletries: deodorant, perfume, ibuprofen, aspirin, small first aid kit, bandaids, antacid, contact lens solution and case (and extra set of contacts if you wear disposables), eye drops, insect repellant, lotion, an extra dose of any medications you or your bridal party might be taking, lotion, smelling salts, moist towelettes, sunsreen, tampons and/or pads, tissues or handkerchief*, cotton balls, cotton swabs, baby powder, an extra washcloth and hand towel

-For your attire: Static cling spray, extra corsage/boutonniere pins, extra earring backs, iron, lint brush, extra pair of new undies, shoe polish, extra panty hose and dress socks, spot remover, wrinkle remover spray, white chalk and a sewing kit that includes needles, black, white and gray threads, scissors, hem tape, safety pins, buttons and straight pins

-Just because they're good to have: Extra toss garter, an extra pair of shoes, a disposable camera, cash (I would reccommend a variety of change such as quarters and dimes, a few $1 dollar bills and a few $5 bills-because you just never know!)*, duct tape, a list of family/bridal party phone numbers*, vendor and taxi phone numbers*, extra sets of directions to your venue(s), a flashlight, a notepad and pens, umbrella, bottled water and non-perishable snacks (ganola bars for example)

A fun twist on this idea (whether you make your own or buy one) is to replensh any items you use from the kit after the wedding and pass it on to the next girlfriend to get hitched. It's a fun tradition you can start among friends and a way to help your friends on their own special day!