Weddings are always full of surprises, which is something all wedding photographers know about.  Although it is usually a very happy day for the bride, there are many things that can go wrong.  These things can ultimately affect the quality of the photographs, which is where the bridesmaid comes in, crash kit in-hand.  A well-prepared bridesmaid can save the day in more ways than one, so add the following items to your bag of tricks—it’s better to be on the safe side.

1.  Deodorant remover sponge:  Easily procured at the local drug store, deodorant remover sponges can quickly erase the embarrassment of staining someone’s suit or tux with underarm residue.

Needle and thread:  Accidents happen, and being ready to mend a loose button or a small tear in someone’s dress can help resolve the situation quickly without much trouble.
 

Pain relievers:  Stress and pressure can bring on headaches at the worst of times.  Having the appropriate medication will help alleviate the pain and get back to the business at hand.
 

Clear lip gloss:  A very helpful thing to carry, especially as the day wears on and the lipstick wears off.
 

Powder:  Especially depending on weather and temperature, shine can begin to develop.  Having powder ready to go is a quick and easy fix for this problem.
 

Tissues:  On this emotional day, chances are more than a few tears will be shed by the bride and/or other members of the wedding party.  Be ready to help clean up those tears of joy.
 

Antacids:  Indigestion could be the result of the reception dinner or nerves, but taking care of the problem quickly and easily with an antacid will reduce the possibility of pictures with that uncomfortable face.
 

Stain remover wipes or pen:  Get rid of the stain the moment it happens with a handy wipe or pen.  Although they can be retouched in the photos, no one likes spending the evening wearing a stained garment.
 

Wet wipes:  Very handy for quick clean up of a variety of things.  You never know when you’ll need one, so bring them along just in case.
 

Breath mints:  Confidence makes you smile easily, and nothing saps confidence like bad breath.  Make sure to have them ready and available, especially after the caviar. 
 
 

Glamour is in, thin is in, as any adolescent girl will tell you. But what they don’t know or conveniently forget is that health is in too, and by focusing too much on glamour and obsessing about their weight, they lose out on health. No matter what anyone says, I believe that beauty is definitely skin deep. It doesn’t matter how many layers of makeup you apply, your true inner self is still going to reflect strongly through all of them. You’re as beautiful as you believe you are, and the sooner young girls understand this, the better their physical and mental health.

If you try to explain this to them, then why, they would ask, do women frequent beauty salons and spas? Why do they accord so much importance to looking good? The answer is – they don’t go for beauty treatments because they make them LOOK good, they do so because they make them FEEL good. Aren’t both the same, they would tend to ask? No, they’re not, and let me explain how. Even if the whole world felt that you were the most beautiful woman in the universe, and you still felt that you could look better, then you’re never ever going to feel good about yourself, no matter how many salons you visit or how many spas you frequent. But if you look in the mirror and love the person staring back at you even if someone is standing next to you telling you that you’re ugly, then you have no need for beauty treatments, because you already feel good about yourself.

Salons and spas exist so that a woman can feel good about herself, in her eyes, and not in that of the world. Satisfaction has to come from within, because the moment we start looking into the eyes of other people for approval, we’ve begun an endless search for acceptance. It’s only when we accept who we are that we begin to be truly happy. So go ahead, give yourself a treat and pamper yourself at a spa, but do so because it makes you feel good and not because you want to please other people.

I remember how I felt when a friend of mine treated me to a luxury vacation at a spa in a posh resort – it was a memorable weekend, especially since I was just recovering from a bad breakup and needed something to make me regain my lost self esteem. I needed those two days of “me” time to help me get back to normal, to feel good about myself after a horrible rejection. And yes, I do admit that it felt extremely satisfactory to relax, get the entire range of beauty treatment, and be treated like a queen, just because I wanted to, and not because I was getting ready to look beautiful for someone else.