So i posted about what foods to provide and I know what I'm going to send to the guys and have for the girls, but I'm curious from anyone who has been a bridesmaid, or knows what the groomsmen may need, as far as items that were needed as a convenience.
I'm going to provide tissues, at least for the bridesmaids, but what else did you run into that you really wish you had the morning of the wedding? I am already giving the guys small ER kits, and I will have one kit for the girls, but did anyone need anything that shouldn't be shared, like lip balm, mints etc. I'm trying to provide some convenience items for last minute issues. Any ideas?
I'm editing my response...
Wanted to just point out that you could look up emergency kits and get some ideas from there!
@Happy2bMrs: Yeah I think I pretty much have it covered but wanted to get an idea from actual bridesmaids. Ive never been in a wedding so I dunno what goes on back there while everyone's getting ready haha!
Breakfast or lunch & champagne/wine while getting ready! One bride had mimosas and they were a HUGE hit.
Some music to listen to really livens up the mood too :)
@nl: Well, for every wedding I've been in, the morning consisted of hanging around together while each girl gets their hair and makeup done. When I'm a BM, I like to bring champagne and orange juice for the morning getting ready for the bride and BMs to enjoy together.
As long as there is enough space for you guys to be together, food for everyone to eat, etc. you'll be fine. The only thing people need is their stuff to get ready, plus emergency kit stuff in case there are any issues.
One thing you could bring is an iPod docker so that you can have fun listening to music while you get ready.
Other than that, not sure what else to suggest.
Shoes! Ihad to buy give her the cash and theN she bought me the ugliest shoes in the world and kept the change!
@CityBearBride: Yay mimosas! I bring them to every wedding I'm in! Everyone loves it!
To be honest, I have never need any item that was in a wedding emergency kit. I'm a grown woman and I have my own chapstick and there will always be TP around if I need to blow my nose. Getting my dress paid for (or assisting to pay for it), hair and makeup, a massage or pedicure...these are all the things I really liked/wanted as a bridesmaid.
@CityBearBride: Music is a good idea thanks... yeah I have the food covered now.. thanks!
@BooRadley: Thanks for your perspective. Guess I'm just trying to treat my BP like royalty to keep them happy. Ive gone pretty easy on them with everything else. They have some rough guidelines and could find their own looks for the day. I didn't make them buy a dress or shoes. I more so wanted them to just be a part of the day. I figure... even grown women like some little amenities!
@Happy2bMrs: I dont think mimosas in the church will go over well... haha... so i'm just providing some sparkling water or juice, soda, and water.
@Anamenoonehas: Oh brother... I told my girls to get whatever they were comfortable in and would wear again!
One thing I really appreciated was lunch! You run around all day and forget to eat. The last wedding I was in they ordered sandwiches and drinks. The fmil made everyone sit and eat lol. Good thing bc it was an evening reception would've passed out without eating all day!
More champagne, and maybe some music. I didn't have any need for lip gloss, mints, etc because I have my own lip gloss/purse. Lunch for sure.
OK well thanks ladies... I've got the lunch under control as stated above, but no one needed anything else... leaves me off the hook! One less thing to plan! hah
This might just be me, but Tums are a great idea! I know you're the bride, but a surprising number of bridesmaids get nervous (which can quickly turn into an upset stomach!). I had them at my wedding, and we just passed the bottle around, haha. Some Tylenol might be good, too, just in case. And I know a lot of people have said that they have their own chapstick, but my BMs actually forgot to bring anything. So, maybe some of that Burt's Bees tinted chapstick would be great!
This isn't from being a bridesmaid, but just a friend, and I second having a bottle of tylenol on hand. It's a total drag when a gal pal is feeling down because of a headache.
@Nona99: Ha that's cute. My bridesmaid have been pretty lucky I think to not have to talk about the wedding. They very quickly displayed themselves as not really caring about it at all... my maid of honor dropped out a week ago... and my matron of honor has been trying to one up me and give me reasons to worry by posing what ifs to me... not very good "friends" so I've kinda just been doing my thing and they are doing theirs. So no wedding talk is the norm around here! But that was a really really cute post!
I know you mentioned food but that was a biggie for me! I was a bridesmaid in a friends wedding last year and she had us spend the night with her the night before the wedding (totally fun!) The morning of the wedding she made us get up at 7am and help set up the venue (it was literally freezing and none of us knew we were doing it that morning). She had one box of granola bars in her house for us to eat before we went to the venue. We went straight from there to get our hair done, and straight from the salon to the hotel to get ready. I asked if she knew what we'd have for lunch and she said "I got a fruit tray". So it was around 2pm by this time and all we had eaten was a granola bar and now a small (SMALLLL) fruit tray! The bridesmaid ultimately banded together and ordered a pizza to get delivered to the hotel. Not that we expected the bride to pay for our lunch/food, but if we wouldl've known in advance I would have packed a sandwich!
@nl: No problem. I think what you're already doing is great, plus less things to buy for you.
Ive gone pretty easy on them with everything else. They have some rough guidelines and could find their own looks for the day. I didn't make them buy a dress or shoes. I more so wanted them to just be a part of the day. <----This is gift enough for a bridesmaid! Hassle free. If there's food in front of me and no arguements going on around me, I'm a happy camper.
I was MOH at my besties wedding recently. We got ready at a lovely hotel and she had a platter of food sent up (cheese, dips, small sandwiches etc) and we had Mimosas. We were so nervous & excited that we didn't eat a thing but drank a lot (but didn't get drunk, adrenaline is a funny thing) Well by end of the night we all had sour tummies and bad indigestion! Too much champagne and oj and no food is a bad combo. I wish we had bought some kind of antacid but that wasn't really the brides responsibility, more something we all wish we had thought of.
I definitely think the bride should provide food for her girls. Doesn't have to be fancy, pizza or sandwiches is fine.
@MrsKitty: I agree. I think I'm going to get a subway platter for each side and then some cereal bars, mini bagels, muffins, snacks. Maybe some donut holes too! We have a lot of out of town groomsman and people will have to be coming from allover. The hotel isnt close to the ceremony lcoation but it is to the reception, so I want to provide them with some goodies so they dont have to go anywhere.
Depending on where the wedding is taking place, I know I've REALLY appreciated the times that TRANSPORTATION has been provided in some form, to & from venues, airports, hotels, etc. :}
@makemake: yes, I have people carpooling with one another for our out of towners so they can leave their vehicles at the hotel and be returned there at the end of the night. I do want to make sure this is ok. Thank you!
My biggest things that I appreciated were clear expectations (like a detailed you need to be here at this time) where I knew ahead of time, communication (if we're going to be driven in the limo, please tell me before right after the ceremony ends so my ride can head over to the reception and not be stuck waiting on me, and security (if you want me to leave my purse and duffel here, will it be locked up or watched, and how can I get it back).
@nl: No Tylenol with/before alcohol!!! Both drugs are processed by the same enzyme system in the liver and if you have partially broken down Tylenol in your liver when you start drinking, your liver goes to work on the alcohol and can leave toxic Tylenol metabolites hanging around. Bad news!
Aspirin and ibuprofen are ok.
Sorry to threadjack but I thought it was important!
Things that were provided that were very appreciated:
-lunch
-a schedule
Things that were not provided that would have been appreciated:
- A plan for how to get our *stuff* from place to place. We had to bother the bride & groom the morning after their wedding to get all our "getting ready" items out of their room.
I know you've already decided to do this but this is a biggie - FOOD ALL DAY LONG! I was in a wedding where I stayed with the bride from 8 AM for hair until her wedding at 3 PM. They provided sugary, sweet breakfast items at 8 AM and nothing else until the reception! We didn't get to eat again until 4 PM!!! I don't remember a thing about the wedding besides being hungry and eating my weight in shrimp cocktail at the reception.
Food! I'm pretty good at bringing my own emergency supply of things, but a well-fed bridemaid is a happy bridesmaid. :)
i think the one thing that i really recomend that ive loved when brides did for me as a BM....was that after the wedding was over, not only did they say THANK YOU (it wasnt the perfect gift, or something cutesy.....just an honest look in the eye a hug and a THANK YOU from the heart because its stressful on the bridesmaid end to and its nice to know you still care at the end of the day)....
Ive also noticed that my fave bride ever.....still one of my bff's....after the wedding and honeymoon, she made a group date with all the girls and then a one on one date with each of us......to catch up and talk about our lives, not the wedding, not the honeymoon, and even though she was still in the "Newly Wed Phase" just her taking the time after it was all said and done made me feel alot more special and loved, since ive had one bride who hasnt spoken to half the wedding party since 2 months after her wedding 2 years ago....
Lunch! The one and only time I was a bridesmaid we started getting ready at like 8am and the ceremony was a noon, and she didn't give us a chance for lunch, so I ws starving until the reception food at like 3 or 4! That is my one and only complaint lol.
Because of this, at my wedding I made sure to order lunch for us while we were getting ready!
@vermonster: I was researching this when I was going to do mini hangover kits at the bar. Thanks for clearing that up!
@MRSsrm85: HAHA. Yeah i actually dont want my girls around me the whole day... annoyed by most of them. So i don;t have to provide that much food but I definitely will have a variety
Boo to the church for no mimosas! But ask - I was a wedding coordinator at a Lutheran church and we allowed the girls to have mimosas! They just had to get permission before hand and not get out of control.
Also - Good music to get ready to!
@kansas_nurse: I wish I had that type of relationship with my girls, but its sad to say I most likely won't talk to two of them ever again. I dont even talk about wedding stuff now, and when I do its quickly dismissed by them. My matron of honor's job lately has been purposely to panic me and put me in stressful situations by lying to me that her family hated my invitations and stuff. If youre really my friend.. dont even tell me that! Anyway... yeah. not a keeper. But I'm moving away with my hubby after wedding so we shall see how it goes. sorry for the vent!
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