Plans fail all the time but if it happens on your wedding day, it can lead to utter chaos! As you prepare for everything to go right on your big day, you also need a backup plan for those bridal emergencies that are bound to rock your boat.
Here are 6 things that could go wrong and some quick fixes for them so you can relax and enjoy your special day.
1. YOUR CHIEF BRIDESMAID IS LATE
This is the one thing every bride dreads. The chief bridesmaid is supposed to be your right-hand woman and Man-Friday, ensuring that everything progresses smoothly and ever ready to calm your nerves amidst all the wedding tension. So what do you do when the person who is meant to have your back fails to show up?
The best way to deal with this kind of situation is to prevent it. When you are choosing a chief bridesmaid, ensure she is both responsible and reliable. This way you won’t need to worry about her not showing up on your wedding day.
If she is notorious for being a regular late comer, prepare in advance by arranging for her to spend the night before the wedding with you. That way, you can see her get dressed and ready right before your eyes.
2. A CYSTIC PIMPLE
That pimple that turns up just when you prayed for clear, radiant skin. Talk about bad timing. Your skin appearance depicts your overall health to an extent. Lack of sleep, a poor diet and high levels of stress can negatively affect how your skin looks. While it is unavoidable to avoid stress when planning a wedding, you can mitigate it by hiring a good planner and eating healthy. This reduces the stress to an extent and also allows you get enough sleep.
It is always advisable to have a good skincare routine in place before your wedding. Invest in a gentle cleanser, a good exfoliant (use this only a few times weekly to avoid damaging your skin barrier) and a moisturizer to keep your skin soft and hydrated. If your skin is acne prone or sensitive, you may want to see a professional to recommend some skincare products.
So what do you do if the zit shows up a day or two before your wedding? Avoid pinching, squeezing or prodding the pimple as this can make your skin worse, instead you can apply a pimple patch or place ice on it to reduce the size and inflammation.
If it’s really obvious, make an appointment with a dermatologist to get a cortisone injection into the cyst. Sounds awful but in less than 12 hours you will be glad you did. This injection works for pimples and cold sores, so remember this one because it works!
3. TIRED SKIN, DARK CIRCLES, PUFFY EYES
Less than perfect skin due to lack of sleep as a result of last-minute scheduling dramas or timing delays is one of the most common bridal emergencies ever. It is unsavory for your skin look tired and dull on a day when radiance and luminosity is needed. To be honest, the trick below can and should be used daily as a quick fix for tired skin.
An Ice Water Facial is the fastest and most truly effective way to de-puff your face and eyes and refresh your skin. It will shrink your facial pores (which helps with oil production control) and also help with your makeup application. Your skin will feel smooth, tight and glow with a radiance of a woman who has slept for 8hours uninterrupted!
Take two trays of ice and place them both in a very large bowl with cold water. Add cucumber slices if you wish. Dunk your face for 10-15 seconds for around 15-20 mins. This can be a daily ritual for those who want to sculpt their face or run an ice cube all over your face for 20 mins, paying particular attention to your jawline, eyes, and forehead.
An eye cream that contains caffeine also works magic for puffy eyes and dark circles.
4. WEDDING DRESS DISASTERS
Your clear, white wedding dress, as beautiful as it is, is an invitation for disaster. So, take extra care once you are in it. Here are some of the likely issues you may face and the solutions to each of them.
Makeup stains: On a day when you have to wear makeup, there is every chance of it staining your gown. To avoid this, complete your makeup before you change into your dress, and then step into the gown without letting it brush against your face.
Should any makeup stain your dress, immediately blot the area with a towel? Don’t rub it at all. Use white chalk or talcum powder to cover up the stain as much as possible.
- Oil stain: This could happen during the reception, when oil from your plate may drip onto your wedding dress. Don’t worry. Simply dab some talcum powder onto the stain and let it set. It will soak up the moisture and the stain will disappear.
- Wine stain: Soak up the wine from the dress with a blotting paper or cotton towel. Once you get it out, sprinkle talcum powder or chalk on the stain. Send the dress to the dry cleaners soon after the wedding, and they can prevent the stain from setting.
- Ink: Tackle ink stains quickly with hairspray or rubbing alcohol. Spray it on the area and rub it off with a clean white cloth.
- Ripped gown or veil: Use safety pins, super glue or double-sided tape and attack the problem, based on what is most effective in the situation. Safety pins can hold buttons in place as well as attach torn pieces of fabric. If you have enough time and someone in your bridal party can quickly cover the damage with a thread and needle, ask for their assistance in restoring your gown.
Since your white wedding dress is very prone to stains, make sure you carry an emergency kit with all these essentials. You can then address the problem without delay rather than wait for the supplies. Either set up your own wedding emergency kit with the help of this article or buy a complete emergency kit like the one here.
5. MAKEUP DISASTERS
This puts the fear of GOD into any makeup-wearing woman because, at some stage in her beautiful life, she has been there. Lipstick on teeth, running mascara and concealer or foundation that has separated because of heat. Of course, this should not happen to you with a professional makeup artist applying your makeup on your wedding day, but life happens and the weather can get the best of us so it’s best to be prepared.
To prevent this, always carry a few pointed Q tips pre-dampened with Micellar Water and kept in a ziplock bag with a touch of extra micellar. This is amazing for cleaning any mascara that has moved and run around the eyes and also any lip colour that has travelled due to kissing and smiling.
I would also carry a beauty blender or sponge pre-moistened with Smashbox Primer Water. Carry this in a zip lock bag with a little extra primer in it. Squeeze to reduce any extra primer out of the sponge and dab and blend lightly over areas that your base has separated or maybe the area just looks too made up. This will bring back a flawless, radiant look to the skin.
If your nuptials are holding at an open-air venue, make sure you use waterproof makeup on the day because you are more at risk of your makeup melting. Instruct your makeup artist to use cosmetics that won’t smudge or run when you are outdoors. If you are doing your makeup yourself, invest in good quality waterproof makeup and stay away from oil-based foundations. Before you apply makeup, it is a good idea to drag ice over your skin. This will close off the pores and improve the chances of your makeup staying put.
6. LAST-MINUTE VENDOR CANCELLATION
Make sure you read your vendor contracts carefully and clarify any likely grey areas. Explicitly ask about cancellations and last-minute emergencies. This will help you prepare in advance for the worst-case scenario. In any case, situations may occur when a cancellation is inevitable but the wedding must go on. First of all, check whether the vendor can still make it to the event or arrange for a replacement. If that is the case, slightly adjust the schedule to accommodate this change.
However, if it is an actual last-minute cancellation, it is best if you ask for assistance from the other vendors at your wedding. They will know many people in the wedding industry and may have the right contact who can handle the task at short notice. In any case, make sure that you have copies of the pictures and details of the plans you made so you can quickly help the new vendor understand your requirements. Also, be flexible with your demands. Go with what can be done at such short notice instead of being rigid with your expectations.
Asides these listed bridal emergencies, many other things can go wrong at a wedding. Nonetheless, the day must go on. Try to stay cool and remain undaunted in the face of any hassle regardless.
Did you find this helpful? You may also like 16 Bridal Beauty Secrets For You.
