It’s no secret that being a bridesmaid is an expensive role for your friends to take on. They will find themselves paying for pre-wedding events, transportation costs, and of course the dress you’d like them to wear on the big day. So if you’re looking for a way to pick up some of the expenses your bridesmaids may incur, here are 6 things you should pay for, if you can, for your bridal party.

1. A Wedding Survival Kit
Whether it’s a bowl filled with travel-sized toiletries from the drug store or a personalized tote bag filled with emergency items for the day, be sure to equip your bridesmaids with any last-minute must-have items.

2. Their Transportation Home
Since the average wedding day for a bridal party is 10+ hours, be sure to provide your wedding party with transportation home or back to the hotel. You can do this through a taxi service or a scheduled shuttle for all of the guests.

3. Hair and Makeup
If it’s in your budget, a great treat (and gift!) for your bridal party is to pick up the tab on the glam squad, paying for them to get both their hair and makeup done on the wedding day. If you can’t manage to pay for both beauty fees, opt for one or the other. They’ll definitely apprecaite the gesture.

4. Bridesmaid Accessories
Any and all items you’d like your bridesmaids to wear on the wedding day to accentuate the dress can be items that you buy for each bridesmaid as the ultimate thank you gift.

See More: How to Get Your Bridesmaids to Do What You Want (and Not Hate You For It)

5. A Mani/Pedi
There’s no better way to relax and pamper your bridal party before the wedding than with a group outing to get a mani/pedi, especially when you’re paying for it! Treat your girls to a fun day at the spa, and get wedding-ready while doing so.

6. Alterations
If you’re asking your bridesmaids to buy their dresses themselves, one thing you can do to help keep the costs down is offer to pay for any alterations that they might need. That way, you can be sure the dresses fit optimally and look stunning in photos on your big day.

Jen Glantz is a “Professional Bridesmaid” and the founder of Bridesmaid for Hire. She’s the author of All My Friends Are Engaged and frequently wears old bridesmaid dresses to the grocery store and on first dates.

Uh-oh! We hate to break it to you, but whether your bridal bun is more Bride of Frankenstein or the wedding party’s limo never arrives, wedding day disasters can — and do — happen. But as the BRIDES October/November 2016 issue proves, brides-to-be can survive any catastrophe. (Trust us!) In our latest issue, real and very brave brides are sharing their wedding nightmares. These major mishaps might have you clutching your pearls, but don’t worry — everyone still had their happily ever after. See? Brides can handle anything! Still don’t believe us? Read one of the catastrophic wedding day tales below.

I have an unusual job. I’m a dating coach for smart, strong, successful women. I have a long history that involves a failed screenwriting career, 300 online dates, and four books I wrote about relationships. But finally, after 10 years of dating and five years of coaching, I found lasting love. Instead of choosing the female version of me (my previous pattern, and, yes, even the experts do that), I landed a warm, patient, easygoing woman who accepted me 100 percent as I was.

Unfortunately, that meant that for the six months before our wedding, she had to accept my groomzilla tendencies. My wife, Bridget, had been married before, but this was my first rodeo, and I wanted the party to perfectly reflect my personality. So I found the location, tasted the food, booked the band, created the wedding website, and so on. And it all came off flawlessly — the pre-wedding karaoke party, the personalized vows on a yacht at sunset, the choreographed salsa dance…

Then came the speeches. My best man had been my roommate and screenwriting partner for years. He was brilliant, funny, and charismatic, and he knew me better than anybody. He was also a flake with a flair for the dramatic. I’d seen him give a rambling, drunken 20-minute toast at his sister’s wedding, so I made him promise not to drink at mine. To his credit, he didn’t, which made what happened next all the more unfathomable.

In his quest to make the “greatest speech ever,” he forgot the best-man playbook: Tease the groom about his old dating habits, tell the bride she’s too good for him, and give a quick toast. No, this best-man speech didn’t even mention the groom or bride. It was like an Andy Kaufman-esque piece of performance art. After about 20 minutes, when our 110 guests began murmuring amongst themselves, I told him to wrap it up. He obliged. But the next thing I knew, the kitchen’s swinging double doors opened and the service staff hoisted a heavy refrigerator box onto the sweetheart table in front of us. The box was moving. I slowly peeked in. Suddenly, out popped a dwarf in a jester’s costume.

“Holy fucking Christ,” I screamed into the mike. I looked up to see Bridget’s Irish Catholic family, only feet away, with grim looks on their faces. I heard my college friends in the back of the room, cackling. I saw Bridget with a stiff smile on her face, knowing that the entire room was looking at her. The performance was cut short, and everyone went into damage-control mode. The maid of honor spoke about her 20-year friendship with my wife, akin to sisterhood. My two brothers-in-law spoke about how love is an action verb. My mom spoke. My mom’s new husband spoke. Unplanned speakers spoke, all to compensate for the train-wreck best man and his unusual “gift” (which was supposed to be a hilarious allusion to an old screenplay we’d written).

See More: 50 Mistakes Grooms Always Make

Now, you may be wondering what Bridget was thinking. In those fateful moments after the disastrous speech, she was calm, cool, and collected — fully aware that everyone was staring at her and determined not to overreact to something beyond her control. I looked at her in those panicked moments of utter mortification and fed off her no-drama demeanor. It calmed me down, as it has endless times in the eight years since that day.

A wedding is a metaphor for marriage if there ever was one. You plan, you communicate, you try to control things, and then life happens and throws a costumed little person at you. It’s how you react that determines your marital happiness. My wife managed to placate her family, unruffle my feathers, and assure the guests that one bad speech wasn’t going to dictate the tone of the rest of the night. And while we would much rather be known as the yacht wedding than the dwarf wedding, that’s okay. Thanks to the formula Tragedy + Time = Comedy, even my straitlaced in-laws can now tell our story with a smile — although they never quote my reaction to the dwarf verbatim.

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Although celebrities usually steal the show wherever they go, some of your favorite famous faces have taken a backseat to the spotlight on their BFFs’ wedding days, exchanging their red carpet gowns for matching bridesmaid dresses. The latest celebrity bridesmaid? The stunning Emily Ratajkowski! The actress just scored a starring role in her friend’s wedding over the weekend. But instead of just holding the bride’s bouquet and remembering to bring the wedding rings, the actress had an extra special job for the big day — designing her own bridesmaid dress!

While you were complaining about having to shell out major cash for that bridesmaid dress for your best friend’s upcoming wedding, Ratajkowski was busy designing her own! Suddenly, paying for alterations sounds a whole lot less inconvenient… “Bridesmaids,” the brunette beauty simply captioned an Instagram snapshot of the weekend wedding. Clutching a white dahlia bouquet, Ratajkowski is nailing unconventional bridal party style, wearing a blush minidress with bell sleeves which she paired with nude pumps.

Almost everything about the flirty frock — which Ratajkowski designed herself as part of her Christy Dawn collection according to Pop Sugar — from the short hemline to bell sleeves, is totally not what you’d normally expect when you think ‘bridesmaid dress.’ But we are basically in love with its too-cool vibe. And if you are too, you can snag the dress for your own ‘maids! Ratajkowski’s bridesmaid frock reportedly retails for $250.

See More: 37 Times Celebrities Were Bridesmaids

Although the Gone Girl actress might be one of the few celebs designing their own wedding party gowns, tons of other stars have taken on more traditional bridesmaid duties. Amy Schumer donned the dress (a strapless gown in an on-trend blush hue), the ‘do (a bohemian-chic braided style), and even brought along a handsome plus-one (her boyfriend Ben Hanisch) for a friend’s nuptials this past summer. And when Taylor Swift’s childhood BFF wed her high school sweetheart, the singer was right there by her side in a Reem Acra bridesmaid dress. How do we score an invite to one of these star-studded “I dos?!”

Bridesmaids ????

A photo posted by Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) on Oct 16, 2016 at 12:09pm PDT

Time to eat, drink and be scary! If you’re getting married the weekend before Halloween (or any time during the month of October really), give your wedding guests a treat they won’t soon forget with these spooktacularly boo-tiful Halloween wedding ideas in the spirit of the creepy cool holiday.

1. Try a trick or treat candy bar
Instead of a traditional dessert bar, why not give your guests the treat of choosing their own sweets from Halloween-themed bowls and jars on a decorated bar? Provide fun personalized trick or treat bags for your friends and family to take any extra goodies home in.

2. Use tons of candles or dramatic chandeliers
Spooktacularly beautiful lighting is a must, duh! Rachel Jo Silver, Founder of Love Stories TV, suggests bringing the holiday to light with dramatic chandeliers (think big, beautiful antique ones dripping with crystal and candles) or spooky nest-style chandeliers. “You can also use tons and tons of candles for a wonderfully ominous feel.”

3. Turn miniature pumpkins into place card holders
Wedding planner Marilisa Schachinger of Martel Event recently worked with a bride whose birthday happened to fall on Halloween so to celebrate that they knew a subtle nod to the holiday was a must for her big day. “We used mini white pumpkins that doubled as a holder for guest place cards, as well as their take-away favors,” she says. It was a huge hit and definitely not gaudy at all!

See More: 25 Ways to Decorate Your Wedding With Pumpkins

4. Make it a masquerade party
If you’re not into the idea of turning the entire wedding into a full-on costume party, keep it upscale and opt for a masquerade ball theme instead. Have a fun assortment of masks for guests to choose from once the reception kicks off and dancing gets underway. Your friends and family will have a ball (literally), and it’s a chic way to incorporate the holiday.

5. Create spooky signature cocktails
Or as the couple in the image above so perfectly dubbed them, “magical potions”! Work with your bartender to brew up a few favorites that are in the spirit (literally) of the holiday. And definitely don’t be afraid to get creative with names and colors.

6. Have a Halloween-themed photo booth
There’s no better way to get your guests in the spirit of the holiday than with a photo booth chocked full of Halloween costumes and props to play dress up in. Think lots of scary (and/or funny!) masks, wigs, swords, and the list goes on and on.

While you may be busy with the preparations for the wedding, it’s so important to take some time to think about how to show your soon-to-be groom just how excited you are to marry him. Taking a few extra minutes to find him the perfect gift is a special way to say I love you, and I’m so excited to be your bride. Here are some places in San Francisco where you’ll discover the ideal gift for every type of groom.

The Voyager Shop
This unique store offers an eclectic array of gifts for your casual guy. Choose from relaxed ties, wallets, leather goods, dopp kits and even luxe grooming products. They have two locations in the city: the Mission District and Hayes Valley.

Paul Smith
If your guy leans more upscale, venture over to Paul Smith on Geary Street near Union Square. The posh — and slightly quirky — British brand has been in the menswear business for over 40 years, and carries an assortment of higher-end accessories for men including cufflinks, tie clips, wallets, scarves and watches. Read real brides’ reviews here!

Cask
This spirits shop off of Market Street is the go-to destination for specialized and artisanal liquors. If your guy is into hard-to-find whiskeys, this is the perfect place to buy him that special gift. You can even get his bottle engraved with his initials or a heartfelt message from his new bride.

See More: Still Searching for a Florist? Browse SanFran’s Top Wedding Florists Here!

Taylor Stitch
Taylor Stitch is a bespoke company in the Mission where you can make your groom a custom shirt just for him. With the help of the knowledgeable (and always well-dressed) staff, you can choose your fit, fabric, and notions to make it a truly one-of-a-kind gift. Have his shirt monogrammed to make it extra unique.

Wingtip
If your guy appreciates a hint of nostalgia, then Wingtip is the ideal stop for finding the groom gift. Not only does it offer unusual, oldey-timey pieces like canes, leather goods, bar accessories, and even cigars, but you’ll also find an in-house barbershop and private lounge for a true gentleman’s experience.

Discover more San Francisco hotspots to find wedding favors and gifts here!

If there’s one thing that can be said about wedding planning — no matter how much you love or hate it — is that it’s stressful. And that stress is often equated with business. Let’s face it — from gown fittings to hitting the gym for your wedding day bod, brides-to-be are always on the go (and that’s not to mention the non-related wedding aspects of life like work, friends, and of course, spending time with the fiancé). In between it all, it’s easy to forget to eat and when you finally remember, you’re starving and consequently turn to the first thing around you, putting yourself at more likelihood to consume unhealthy foods.

As Rania Batayneh, MPH author of The One One One Diet: The Simple 1:1:! Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss says, “grab and go is the name of the game.” She shares nine nutritious and delicious portable snacks you can pop right in your purse to munch on in between appointments to bring your energy levels up.

1. Avocados
“Avocados are an incredibly nutritious snack loaded with heart healthy good-for-you fats,” says Batayneh. “Guacamole is a great snacking option and pairs perfectly with veggies like celery, broccoli, and carrots.” Don’t have the time to make your own? Try Wholly Guacamole’s 100 Calorie Cup Minis. Available in easy peel and serve cups, they’re free of preservatives.

2. Chickpeas
According to Batanyeh, this can be a great alternative to trail mix or chips. Still want that savory crunch? Crunchy Chickpeas by Saffron Road is where it’s at. Each serving boasts six grams of protein, five grams of fiber, and 3.5 grams of fat. Batanyeh’s favorite? The Korean BBQ flavor.

3. Shakes
“For those of you who like to refuel with a beverage, a shake is the way to go,” says Batanyeh, who is a huge fan of Orgain Organic Nutritional shakes. “With sixteen grams of organic protein and twenty-three vitamins and minerals, these shakes help keep hunger satisfied and are a great recharge after a workout. They even have an Iced Café Mocha flavor to replace your second (or third) latte!”

4. Strawberries
Best cold, strawberries may seem like a difficult on-the-go snack — but, your options aren’t limited to the fruit in its simplest form. Batanyeh recommends Sunkist Fruit Chips Crunch Strawberry. Never baked or fried, these snacks are made with the single ingredient of strawberries and void of added sugar or flavors other dried fruit snacks may contain, she says, adding, “This snack is the closest thing to fresh when you need an easy, on-the-go fruit fix. With four grams of fiber [per] serving, these chips are also high in Vitamin C, which may help to boost your immunity, keeping you healthy leading up to the big day.” She suggests pairing them with a cheese stick for a perfectly balanced snack.

5. Greek Yogurt
If you’re lactose intolerant or just avoiding dairy altogether, you can still enjoy the delights of Greek Yogurt with Daiya’s plant-based, dairy-free Yogurt Alternative, which boasts eight grams of protein. “Made with plant protein from peas as well as real fruit in each container, this is a snack that will help satisfy cravings without sacrificing taste,” says Batanyeh. The blueberry flavor also contains antioxidants, which Ratanyeh says are good for your memory.

6. Salsa
Another great dip option for tasty low-cal snacking, salsa pairs perfectly with veggies and tortilla chips. Batanyeh is particulary fond of Rojo’s Single-Serve Salsa, as it’s made with fresh tomatoes, onions, and spicy peppers and is conveniently portioned to enjoy anywhere. Bonus: They also contain health benefits such as antioxidants like lycophene and Vitamin C, points out Batanyeh, who recommends popping one in your lunch bag to enjoy with a taco salad.

See More: How to Hack Your Happy Hour to Make It Healthier

7. Nuts
Find nuts a bit dry and boring? There’s a fix for that… Find them in an energy bar. Pick up a Nuts & Spices Bar from KIND Healthy Snacks. Complete with five grams of sugar or less, they’re high in fiber, made with all natural ingredients, and are gluten-free. As Batayneh, who says, “This snack hits the spot!” points out, they’re a sweet alternative to the vending machine at work.

8. Hummus
What’s a list of nutritious foods without everyone’s favorite snack? Before you think hummus is a messy food to take on the run, try Sabra’s portable hummus with pretzels. “[It] will give you that crunch and creaminess that you are looking for,” says Batanyeh. “With seven grams of protein and four grams of fiber, this snack will fill you up and not out!”

9. Toasted Coconut
This snack is just plain yum, especially when in the form of barkTHINS toasted coconut with almonds and sea salt. “Fair trade dark chocolate and non-GMO verified ingredients will have you dreaming of that tropical honeymoon in no time,” says Batanyeh, who points out that the re-sealable pouches make an easy travel companion and allows for portion control and snacking on your own terms.

Now more than ever, my clients keep telling me that they’re not sure they want to register for wedding gifts. They feel like so many guests are spending money, and taking time, to be there for them on their big day, that it’s too much to expect an expensive wedding gift, too. “Your presence is present enough,” is a common theme. As a wedding planner, this makes me cringe for two reasons.

Guests Are Going to Ask Somebody About It
First, I know that some wedding guests will reach out to me to ask where the couple is registered if they can’t easily find the information on the wedding website or in other materials sent to them. When I tell them the couple hasn’t registered, they ask me what to get them — as if I’ve got the slightest idea what my clients need to complete their marital home. For the record, I usually suggest a gift card. I never suggest a check, because if the guest had wanted to give a cash gift, they wouldn’t have contacted me for registry information.

You’re Still Going to Get Gifts, Just Not the Ones You Want
The second reason I hate it when couples skip the registry is based on my own experience as a bride. I actually registered a few places, but even with that effort, I received a lot of ugly vases and other home décor items that I couldn’t use or didn’t want, but that I also couldn’t exchange or return. Some things were too hideous to re-gift. I cannot even imagine how big the pile of “what the heck do I do with that?” gifts would have been if I hadn’t given them any direction whatsoever.

Your older relatives and your parents’ friends will call your mom or dad for direction. They will insist on getting you a gift, and many older folks do not believe in giving cash. That’s a Jewish and Italian tradition that has become more mainstream with the younger generations, but anybody who isn’t comfortable giving money will be unhappy.

See More: 5 Nontraditional Wedding Registry Options We Love

Guests Who Can’t Come Will Definitely Want To Give You Something
Don’t forget that invited guests who cannot attend your wedding will most certainly want to send a gift to acknowledge your happy day. They’re not overspending after paying for a trip to the wedding — in fact, many feel badly they cannot attend and want to send a gift to show they will be thinking of you, and regret not being there. It’s up to you whether you want to point them in the right direction, or try to figure out to whom you should re-gift the plastic party platters to later on.

If You Really Don’t Want One, Go Nontraditional
If you are absolutely, positively dead-set against registering for gifts, consider an alternative option for your guests — it will let those who really want to give you a gift invest in something you’d actually like. Whether you register for a honeymoon fund, or sign up for a charitable-giving site that lets your guests donate to the cause of your choice, it’s always good to have something to direct guests to when they ask. And trust me, they will ask.

Sandy Malone is the owner of Sandy Malone Weddings & Events and author of How to Plan Your Own Destination Wedding: Do-It-Yourself Tips from an Experienced Professional. Sandy is the star of TLC’s reality show Wedding Island, about her destination wedding planning company, Weddings in Vieques.

Bridal Fashion Week has come and gone but we’re still obsessing over all the incredible wedding dresses that came down the runways. We saw so much lace, detailing, illusion necklines, and layers of tulle that our heads are still spinning. So, what will the brides of 2017 be wearing on that most important walk down the aisle? We partnered with our friends at Allure Bridals to bring you the latest wedding dress trends and tell you how you can make them your own!

Blush
Jessica Biel and Anne Hathaway are just two of the celebrity brides who rocked a pink wedding dress on their big day. We’ve seen this trend for a few seasons now and it’s definitely not going anywhere. This season’s brides are officially making blush wedding dresses a classic. No longer seen as balking with tradition, wearing a touch of pink on your wedding day is just a romantic accent. At Allure this was seen as an addition to a lace column gown, with a tulle overskirt in just the right hint of blush.

Layered Skirts
The big statement this season was the return of a full skirt, thanks to layers upon layers of fabric. In some cases we even saw trumpet skirts that felt very full. Talk about a dramatic walk down the aisle — these skirts make for a serious entrance.

Off-the-shoulder
Get ready to show off those shoulders 2017 brides! Nearly every collection featured an off-the-shoulder style (a direct influence of the ready-to-wear runways where shoulders have been bare for a few seasons). This season the off-the-shoulder look took a Princess turn — rather than bohemian — with Kate Middleton-esque long lace sleeves making this neckline very sophisticated.

Flutter Sleeves
Bohemian brides will now be looking to make their wedding day style feel as romantic as possible by wearing sweeping sleeves that practically float as you walk down the aisle.