Right before I left to be a Professional Bridesmaid for a  wedding in Minnesota, I put together a bridesmaid survival kit.  I loaded up a hand-held cart at CVS with handfuls of bridesmaid essentials – enough stuff that the lady behind the check out counter asked me if was donating supplies to a village in a small African country.

But  Instead of tossing them in a tote bag, among my flats and blazer and wallet, and staying hopeful that i’d be able to claw on to a tiny bottle of eyelash glue at the bottom of the bag in a moment’s notice, I decided to store all of these items in a bright purple Fanny Pack.

After being front and center in so many weddings and hearing the shrills of, “Oh my god, we really need this!” just minutes before the bride and her bridal party were set to sashay down the aisle, I started keeping a master list of things I personally vowed to have on me as a Professional Bridesmaid.

*After the wedding in Minnesota last weekend, I added a few more items to that master list: extension chords and mirrors.

If you’re about to be a bridesmaid for the first time or you’ve been a bridesmaid so many times that you have never-fading blisters on your big toe from that pair of $99 guess silver pumps, here’s a list of essentials you should keep on you the day of the wedding.

 1. Body

• – Protect your feet. Your favorite pair of heels may make your feet dazzle in photos –  but it’s only a matter of time until those blisters pop up and join the party. Be sure to have a handful of band aids (but them on before you put your shoe on for added protection) or this blister protection spray handy, so that you’re not wobbling around during the party or confined to your chair the whole night.

– Protect your armpits. It gets hot inside of those fluffy bridesmaid dresses (regardless of the weather outside). A tiny spray on deodorant is a great item to have with you – plus it’s more sanitary and easier to share with the other girls.

– Protect the Unknown. A small bottle of baby powder can be your life savor to do things like: take grease stains off dresses, keep your armpit s and your hair fresh, and even keep your feet smelling pretty. If you want longer lashes, but don’t want to glue on a pair of fake ones, putting baby powder on before mascara will make your eyelashes look long and voluminous.

 

2. Energy

– Snacks. On the morning and afternoon of the wedding, you’ll be so busy that you may forget to eat. The rumbles in your stomach will be flirting with endless nerves. Either way, it’s important to munch on something throughout the day – and if you find yourself miles away from the nearest restaurant, a couple of protein bars – or a sandwich bag stuffed with almonds – should hold you over until cocktail hour comes around.

– Emergen – C. You can dump a pack of this in your water and it’ll give you a boost of vitamin C and tell your immune system, “Hey you, you better stay strong today even though i’m running around like a crazy person.”

3. Dress

 

– Safety Pins. In case you need to fix any sudden rips, tighten bras or dresses. If you’re more of a DIY kind of gal, invest in a tiny sewing kit that you can keep beside your fanny pack for any list minute and small alterations.

– Fashion Tape. This kind of tape is double-sided and can stick on fabric or skin. It’s perfectly to help avoid wardrobe malfunctions and keep your dress in place.

 

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4. Last-minute beauty fixes

– Tide-to-Go stick. For any quick stains that soap and water can’t get out.

– Coffee filters. They help blot sweat off your face without taking off any makeup.
Straws. So carefully painted on lipstick doesn’t end up all over a cup.

 

 

 

 

5. One More Thing Before You Go

– Phone chargers. Ask the bridesmaids beforehand what kinds of phone chargers they have and have one of each on hand. There will be a lot of selfies snaped and home made videos taken throughout the night. Plus, of course, your phone can help with last minute emergencies (Calling vendors, googling how to get ranch dressing out of your dress).

 

 

 

 

If you’re a bridesmaid-to-be, you can find some of the essentials in your home already (a comb, moisturizer bobby bins) or in the travel section of CVS. If you’re running out of time, you can even buy some complete sets straight from Amazon: like this one.

* Or enter here to win our Bridesmaid Survival Kit giveaway!

 

Brides, putting some of these kits together will be very practical gifts for your brides. Here’s a few examples of ways to package the kit and even write a cute note to your brides: