Wedding Planning Basics: How to Prevent Wedding Gift Theft

A real couple shares their story, plus 7 things you can do to avoid the same fate.

Photo: Andrew McCaul

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Michael and Tricia DelGaudio had a perfect wedding day. But the day after their wedding reception at a bistro in Brooklyn, New York, the couple realized something was amiss. "When we opened the card box, we realized that there was a tear in the top, and only six or so cards were inside," Michael says.

How it Happened

The couple began to retrace the evening and remembered a well-dressed man who everyone assumed was a guest -- after the wedding, they learned that he even chatted up other guests, telling one person he was a friend of the groom's family, and another that he met the bride at an art exhibit. The mystery man had stolen most of the couple's wedding gifts, and despite the fact that he showed up in numerous pictures taken during the evening, police closed the case due to lack of evidence, and the presents were never recovered.

An Unhappy Pattern

Michael and Tricia soon discovered that wedding gift theft is far from unheard of -- Michael's cousin and his best man's mother also had presents stolen from their weddings. Though it's unpleasant to think you're vulnerable at your own reception, the reality is that a wedding crasher or staff member can all-too-easily get away with stealing your gifts when everyone else is distracted and having fun.

What You Can Do

• Create an online registry and have the presents sent directly to your house (or another family member's house, like your mom's). The best way to ensure nothing is stolen is to spread the word that you'd prefer presents mailed to your residence rather than brought to the reception.
• Place your gift table far from an exit to make it more difficult for anyone who's trying to steal your presents, or...
• Forgo having a gift table all together. Instead, visit each table during the reception so that guests have the opportunity to hand you envelopes of cash or checks -- but only if they wish to do so. You should never ask for cash.
• If you spot a wedding crasher, don't be polite and ignore them. Ask your day-of coordinator or an attendant to ask the crasher to leave.
• Ask a trustworthy friend to act as gift attendant. Ask him to store the gifts in a secure place (like a locked room) rather than displaying them in the open.
• If your reception is large (over 300 people) and the site is in a high-traffic area (like in any urban setting), consider hiring security, both to prevent theft and to quash any other rowdiness that might transpire.
• Think about buying wedding insurance. Coverage from a company like WedSafe will cover stolen gifts as long as it's reported right away.

What if It Happens to You?

If you're a victim of wedding gift theft, report it to the police as soon as possible. Get in touch with your reception site to see if there are any security cameras that may have caught the crime on tape.
Perhaps the toughest part will be explaining the situation to your guests (after all, you really can't write thank-you notes for gifts you never received). One approach is to send an email to as many guests as you can and give them a rundown of what happened; ask them to spread the word to those whose email addresses you don't have. And then send handwritten notes to every guest expressing your thanks for his or her attendance. If your wedding was on the smaller side, you could call each guest individually, though be prepared for lots of questions about the specifics from concerned friends and relatives.

reposted from the Knot

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Wedding Planning Basics: Ceremony Seating 101

Families are complicated. So is figuring out where they'll sit during the ceremony. Until now: we're here to help.

Family, friends, and family friends: Where should they sit during your big moment? With parents, stepparents, divorced parents, grandparents, and extended family, all in attendence, you'll need a plan. Here are our guidelines.

Ushers: Who Are They?

You can enlist a few of your groomsmen to play ushers, or you can ask some relatives or friends to seat your guests. The rule of thumb is one usher for every 50 guests. If you're having an intimate ceremony, you may not need ushers, but you might want to put someone in charge of "sensitive" seating issues -- like keeping your mom and stepmom apart.
Ushers really need to know where everyone's supposed to sit -- so print out a list for them! Traditionally, female guests are escorted to their seats; the usher offers his right arm to the woman, and her male companion follows them down the aisle. (With a group of women, the usher might offer his arm to the oldest woman.) These days, it's fine for ushers to simply greet guests at the door and lead them to their seats, saying, "Please follow me."

Taking Sides

Ushers needn't ask guests whose "side" they are on. (In Christian ceremonies, the bride's side is the left side of the church when looking from back to front, and the groom's side is the right; for Jewish services, it's the opposite.) But should someone express a preference for one side or the other (many guests will say they are friends or relatives of the bride or groom), they should be seated where they want to sit. If one side of the family will have more guests than the other, ushers should try to even things out, explaining that everyone will sit together so guests can get the best view possible.

Who Sits Where?

Quick answers to your most frequent seating questions:

• Elderly guests should be seated near the front.
• Guests in wheelchairs or on crutches should sit at the end of a pew.
• The first four or five rows may be reserved for immediate and extended family (like aunts, uncles, cousins, and godparents) and other special guests (like the parents of a child attendant) by tying ribbons across those rows.
• Immediate family is seated just before the ceremony begins. Siblings (if they're not in the wedding party) are seated before grandparents and great-grandparents. They sit either in the first row with parents or in the second row with grandparents. Start seating with the groom's side.
• If you have step-relatives, make sure ushers know who they are. Step-relatives should be escorted to their seats first -- for example, step-grandparents precede birth grandparents. You may want to reserve a few extra rows directly behind immediate family for step-grandparents and stepsiblings.
• If the bride's or groom's parents are divorced, seat the parent who primarily raised the bride or groom in the front row with his/her spouse, and seat the other parent and his/her spouse in the third row. Alternatively, birth parents may sit beside each other in the first row, or they may share the front row with stepparents. Discuss this in advance to avoid awkward moments.
• The bride's mother is always seated last at a Christian ceremony; the groom's mother is seated just before her. (In Jewish ceremonies, parents stand under the huppah with the couple). The seating of the bride's mother signals that the ceremony is about to begin.
• Brothers of the bride and groom usually seat their mothers; the head usher can do it if the brothers are in the wedding party, or a brother can seat his mom and then take his place with the other groomsmen.

reposted from the Knot

Questions to ask a wedding planner

Wedding Planners: 13 Questions to Ask

Strongly consider handing the planning baton to a wedding consultant if a) neither you nor your families have time to plan your wedding; b) neither you nor your families have any desire to plan your wedding; c) you're planning a wedding out of town; or d) you simply prefer -- and can afford -- professional help. They'll do the legwork, hire vendors, negotiate contracts, and may even cut you some money-saving deals. Expect to pay them 10 to 15 percent of your total wedding budget. Need a referral? Check out our guide to wedding planners listed by city. Here are key questions to ask.
1. Will the consultant commit to your budget and not push you in the direction of things you simply can't afford?
2. Will the consultant devise a master plan mapping out all the little details, from announcement to zebra-striped decor? (This will clue you in to organizational prowess and a willingness to keep you in the loop on every matter imaginable.)
3. Can the consultant name the best and most original locations in your area (that would be suitable to your wedding size, style, and budget)?

The consultant should have plenty of questions for you too, in an effort to determine your wishes, needs, level of maintenance, budget, scope of imagination, and more.

4. Is the consultant familiar with the best florists, photographers, caterers, bands, and DJs in your price range? Can he/she explain their strongpoints to you briefly? (Ask yourself: Does the consultant seem both knowledgeable and passionate?)
5. Can the consultant score you some discounts with any vendors? (Consultants bring volume to favored vendors; often they'll reciprocate by slashing prices or throwing in extras.)
6. Will the consultant read over the vendor contracts for you? What are some common traps to look out for?
7. Can the consultant create a timeline that tells everyone involved in the planning process -- vendors, members of the wedding party, bride/groom, and families -- what to do and when to do it? How will she/he make sure that everyone sticks to the schedule?
8. Will the consultant handle the invitations, from wording and ordering to the addressing and mailing?
9. Can the consultant counsel you on etiquette matters and alert you to hot trends on the wedding horizon?
10. Will the consultant coordinate delivery, arrival, and setup times with photographer, florist, musicians, caterer/banquet manager, et al?
11. For the day of the wedding, will the consultant be willing to oversee the entire event by supervising vendors, troubleshooting emergencies, and soothing nerves? Can she/he share any anecdotes that required performing above and beyond the call of duty?
12. Will the consultant be willing to step in as your advocate, conveying your visions and desires to vendors when you don't feel up to the task?
13. Will the consultant help plan and book your honeymoon?

Knot Note:

Remember that the consultant should have plenty of questions for you too, in an effort to determine your wishes, needs, level of maintenance, budget, scope of imagination, and more. You're both trying to assess each other and how well you'll work together. The consultant will probably initiate discussions -- take this time to consider manner, personality, confidence, warmth, whatever you're looking for. Whomever you enlist, do not hire a consultant who doesn't want to listen, is bossy, tries to convince you of what's best for you, critiques your ideas, has no references, and won't sign a written agreement.

-- The Knot

Wedding Keepsakes: How to Preserve Your Gown

Keep your gown around with this handy guide to dress preservation 101.

A gown that gorgeous deserves safe-keeping. Here's how to make sure your gown's greatness will live on:

What It Is

Preservation provides a means of maintaining the quality and appearance of a gown through customized cleaning and appropriate storage. Methods range from savvy self-storage (in a temperate, dry, dark location) to museum-quality preservation.

Beware of any vendors that tell you their warranty is void if you open the box in which your gown is stored.

How It Works

Professional preservationists analyze the fabrics, dyes, weaves, and ornaments of your gown, as well as the composition of stains in order to formulate a customized cleaning plan. In removing invisible soils and other stains from the gown, they remove the potential fabric damage that results when these substances embed in the fabric and undergo chemical reactions. After cleaning, the gown is carefully wrapped in stable archival materials and packaged in an archival Coroplast box (the storage box of choice for most major museums) and should be protected from extreme temperatures, moisture, and exposure to direct sunlight.

Cost

The price of cleaning and preservation will vary with the complexity of a gown's beadwork, train length, and stain damage. A local high-end dry cleaner will charge as much as $100 for standard dry cleaning. Specialized gown preservationists will normally charge between $250 and $500.

Why Do It

Preservation is a fab idea for any bride who spent big for her couture-quality gown, and is recommended if the gown will not be used for more than three years. If a dress is not going to be worn ever again, it may seem silly to save it, but consider the amount of time, love, and money that you invested in choosing a gown for your wedding. Preservation can maintain the integrity of this important piece of memorabilia. Also, while you might not agree with your family's fashion sense, you can give them the chance to benefit from your good taste by keeping your gown in beautiful condition so that a future bride -- a sister, daughter, or niece -- can wear it at her wedding.

Tips

Before committing, question several establishments regarding their pricing, procedure, and warranties. Your gown should be preserved as soon as possible after the wedding; however, it is generally safe to wait as long as six months after the ceremony. Until you do send your gown off for preservation, be sure to store it in a dark and dry place, rolled or folded in a clean white sheet.

Shelf Life

Beware of any vendors that tell you their warranty is void if you open the box in which your gown is stored. With professional gown preservation, you can freely remove the gown from the archival box without fear of damaging it in any way -- just wear gloves so the oil from your hands doesn't get on the fabric, and repack it carefully when you're done. Many preservationists claim the gowns will keep for 50-70 years, and some companies even offer a warranty.

reposted from The Knot

Wedding Newsletter?

Wedding Newsletters: Why You Need One

There are lots of people you need to fill in about the wedding -- bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents, vendors. The most efficient way to do it? A newsletter. Here's how.

One of the toughest things about wedding planning is making sure everyone knows what's going on. Between your two (or more!) sets of parents, your siblings, and the wedding party (spread out over the continental U.S. Yikes!) how are you supposed to keep everyone on top of things? It's easy -- put together a newsletter. Here's our handy guide.

Why Do A Newsletter?

It's a way for you to let everyone know the wedding skinny all at once, in writing, so there's much less chance of last-minute confusion. Also, putting all the information together for your newsletter will probably help you organize it in your own head, too.

What Should Be In It?

A newsletter can be as simple as a list of everyone intimately involved in the wedding, what their role is, their phone number, and their e-mail address, so everyone can keep in touch and/or will know who to call (besides you, of course!) if they have questions or problems. You may also want to include information about your wedding vendors and who they are. Feel free to get creative -- if you send out a newsletter early in your engagement, do a little "getting to know you" section in which you include a photo of each attendant plus a paragraph about them and their relationship to you and your honey.
The newsletter is an invaluable place to give bridesmaids information on fittings and let groomsmen know which formalwear store you're using. You can request ideas, info, or help from specific people. And maybe most importantly, you can give everyone who needs it a detailed itinerary for prewedding parties and the wedding day, so no one will be clueless about where to go and when.

A newsletter can be as simple as a list of everyone intimately involved in the wedding, what their role is, their phone number, and their e-mail address.

When Should I Send It Out?

You might decide to do several installments -- one right after you've chosen your wedding party, one before the shower, and one a week or two before the wedding. You could get really into it and do monthly issues, or you might just do one sometime in the middle of wedding planning. It all depends on what information you feel you need to give out and how timely it has to be. For example, you won't know the exact times everyone needs to be everywhere on wedding day six months before the date, but you will know a week or two before -- and that's the prime time to fill in everybody else.

How Do I Do It?

The easiest way is to design and write the newsletter on your computer, and then print it out and make copies made to send out. If you've got a desktop publishing program like Quark Xpress (or one you can borrow at work), you can make it look like a real publication, with columns, headlines, the works. If everyone who needs to get it is online, just do a group e-mail!

Who Should Get It?

Everyone who would benefit from the information you include. Definitely everyone in the wedding party (that should include the parents of any child attendants), your parents, and maybe wedding professionals (florist, photographer, etc.) if the information is relevant to them as well. The exact mailing list for your newsletter is pretty much up to you.

reposted from the Knot

Wedding Guests: Reception Seating How-Tos

It's one of the final tasks on your to-do list. Here's how to make playing musical chairs a breeze.

If you're having 50 guests to a buffet, you may or may not want to give people specific seating assignments. But if you're having 100 guests or more and serving a seated meal, you'll want to make sure everyone's got a specific place to sit. Why? For one, people like to know where they're sitting -- and that you took the time to choose where and who they should sit with. It's also helpful if you're serving several different entree choices, because the caterer and wait staff can figure out beforehand how many chickens, filets, or veggie dishes a given table gets because they (you) know who's sitting there. Read on for tips on how to seat neatly.

The parent-seating question is a flexible one. Set it up in whatever way best suits everybody.

Start Early

We've been at kitchen tables the night before the wedding (or even wedding morning) with a bride and groom just starting their seating chart. Don't let this be you -- you've got more important things to think about at that point! Sure, it's fine to make last-minute changes, but try to get the chart mostly done at least a week before the big day.

Hit the Keys

Create a new spreadsheet. If you haven't already, insert a column into your guest list document categorizing all the invitees by relationship: bride's friend; bride's family; groom's friend; groom's family; bride's family friend; groom's family friend. This way, you'll be able to easily sort the list and break it down into more logical table assortments. Now you'll need to separate these lists into distinct tables.

Create a Paper Trail

If you're feeling more low-tech, draw circles (for tables) on a big sheet of paper and write names inside them (make sure you know how many people can comfortably be seated at each). Or you could write every guest's name on a post-it to place accordingly.

Head Up the Head Table

A traditional head table is not round, but long and straight, and it is generally set up along a wall, on risers, facing all the other reception tables. It may even have two tiers if your wedding party is large. Usually the bride and groom sit smack-dab in the middle (where everyone can see them), with the maid of honor next to the groom, the best man next to the bride, and then boy/girl out from there. Flower girls or ring bearers usually sit at the tables where their parents are seating, much to the relief of the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Decide to seat this way, or plan a sweetheart table for a little one-on-one time.

Switch Things Up

But you don't have to do it that way. All the maids can sit on the bride's side, all the groomsmen on the groom's. Or maybe you're not into being on display, or you don't want your wedding party to feel isolated from other guests. Let your wedding party sit at a round reception table or two with each other and/or with their dates/significant others, and have the head table be a sweetheart table for the two of you. (How romantic!) Another option -- you two sit with your parents and let that be the head table, with the wedding party at their own tables.

Place Your Parents

Traditionally, your parents and your sweetie's parents sit at the same table, along with grandparents, siblings not in the wedding party, and the officiant and his/her spouse if they attend the reception. But if your or your honey's parents are divorced, and are uncomfortable about sitting next to each other, you might want to let each set of parents host their own table of close family and/or friends . This could mean up to four parents' tables, depending on your situation -- or have the divorced parent who raised you (or your honey) and his/her spouse/date sit at the table with still-married parents. (Phew, confusing!)
Remember, the parent-seating question is a flexible one. Set it up in whatever way best suits everybody. If you're unsure, don't hesitate to talk to the parents in question about it before you make your final decision.

Tame Tensions

There may also be situations in which certain family members just do not get along. Maybe they haven't spoken in years. Maybe the last time they saw each other there was a drunken catfight. Understandably, you want to keep them as far apart as possible. Think about these kinds of relationships (or lack thereof) before you even begin making your chart, so you can take them into consideration in the first place and begin by seating Aunt Hattie at table 3 and Aunt Lucy across the room at table 15. Trust us -- they'll appreciate it.

Play Matchmaker

Again, all your college or high-school friends will be psyched to sit at a table together -- and especially if you and your beloved went to the same school and have the same friends, this works out well. It also gives them all an opportunity to catch up with each other, because they may not have seen each other for a while. But again -- reception tables offer a cool opportunity to mix and match your friends and your honey's -- who knows who'll hit it off? Consider seating friends who don't know each other (yet), but who you think will get along exceptionally well, at the same table -- and the rest is history. It can't hurt!

Reposted from the Knot

Wedding Guests: How to Make Out-of-Town Wedding Guests Feel at Home

Chances are that many -- if not most -- of your dearest don't live down the road. Here's how to show your out-of-town wedding guests a good time.

For a significant number of your friends and family members, showing up for your nuptial celebration may mean hopping on a plane to cross state lines. These out-of-towners will go to a lot of effort and expense to share in your momentous occasion, so it's your job to welcome them, help them get around, and keep them entertained. With that in mind, here's how to put them at ease.

Essential Details

One of the simplest, yet probably most useful, things you could do for your guests is to provide a wedding itinerary. After sending out your invitations, mail guests an additional clever, elegant, or interesting communique with a complete rundown of the events leading up to and following your walk down the aisle. In addition, create a wedding web page for an easily referenced one-stop-shop for guests to check up on everything you have planned. In both cases, include key times, locations, who is hosting, what to wear, and so on for each activity. Tell your visitors about any free time they'll have, and provide suggestions for how to fill it. There may be events you have in mind (such as a brunch the morning after the wedding) that travelers should know about in advance so they can schedule their trips around them.

These intrepid travelers have come to see you, so make sure they do -- pull them aside for some one-on-one attention.

Be aware that since many of your guests are taking to the skies, they may be turning your nuptial event into a weekend getaway or part of a vacation. Also, remember that some of your guests may never have visited the area before. You may wish to add in "travel guide" bits of information to your prewedding itinerary to get guests excited about the journey. For example, if there are some great sights to see or points of interest to visit, tell your guests in case they'd like to do some exploring. Do some research and investigate which museums will have amazing exhibits showing, whether or not the local sports team is playing a home game, and what musical or other cultural performances will be happening.

Shelter & Travel

Though footing the bill for travelers' overnight accommodations and flights isn't your responsibility, you and your fiance should offer suggestions for how to find both (and tips on how to score good deals will no doubt be appreciated by guests). Be sure to put important details for airlines and hotels (website and street addresses, phone numbers, directions, and cost information) on an insert sent out with your invitations, or post it separately on your wedding itinerary or web page so guests can book their flights and rooms early and know how to get around once they arrive. Recommend different places for guests to stay. Look for locations near your ceremony and reception sites, and start calling around about six months beforehand to check on large-scale availability for the days surrounding your wedding, and to inquire about special group rates. To get the best deal for your guests, reserve blocks of rooms at a couple of hotels. Keep your guest's probable budget range in mind, and recommend both fancy fare for those flush with cash and a less expensive alternative for the budget-minded. For the best airfares, try getting in touch with the airlines directly. Inquire about frequent-flyer deals, special discounts, and group rates for those who may all be flying in from the same place.

Getting Around

Some out-of-towners will choose to rent cars (be sure to provide car rental info with your hotel and airline details), but for those who don't, you'll have to figure out how they'll get to and from the wedding. Cover all the bases: organize a fleet of relatives that will act as chauffeurs, talk to the hotel manager to arrange for a hotel shuttle, hire a car or limo service, or rent a few vans or a bus. It's also a kind gesture to have someone pick up nondrivers from the airport -- especially if they're new to the area or get nervous traveling. Recruit volunteers for this: parents, next of kin, and friends are likely targets. Put together a roster of arrival times, and have trekkers greeted at the gate with signs bearing their names (be sure to let guests know you've arranged this, and clue them in on who to look for).

Surprise Treats

Comfort the jet-lagged and travel-weary with a little something left in their hotel rooms. Imagine their delight -- walking into their temporary living quarters and discovering a basket of fresh fruit, a bouquet of flowers, a tin of local chocolates, or a bottle of chilled bubbly. What you choose to give depends on your resources, and can be as lavish as a free massage at the hotel spa or as simple as a plate of homemade chocolate-chip cookies. The purpose is to let guests know you appreciate their effort to join you for your special day. Create welcome packets of relevant information (phone numbers of the families of the bride and groom, the names of the other guests staying at the hotel, nearby hot spots to check out) to leave in guests' rooms with another copy of your wedding itinerary, plus local brochures and sightseeing maps. Enlist the aid of your wedding crew to assemble and distribute all these treats. Finally, add that finishing touch and pen a personal note thanking each guest for coming to celebrate with you.

Evening Entertainment

Leading up to the main event, you may have plenty to fuss over, but out-of-town guests may not. Don't leave them in the lurch with nothing to do. If many guests are showing up the night before the ceremony, suggest ways they can stay amused while you hold the rehearsal dinner. Ask a friend or relative to host a gathering like a backyard barbecue or pizza party to help guests get to know one another. Or arrange to have everyone meet together at a restaurant or bar. Better yet, create a more casual rehearsal dinner, and open up the invite list to include everyone who might be around. For guests who like to entertain themselves, be sure to supply a roster of your favorite restaurants, shops, and local movie theaters as a thoughtful gesture.

Time In-Between

Though recommended, sometimes it's not possible to have your reception immediately follow your ceremony. If there will be a lengthy break between your "I dos" and the party, or your ceremony is late in the day, try to come up with a game plan. During a lull, some people won't mind going back to the hotel and kicking back. But others may be interested in touring your stomping grounds. If guests will have the morning free, suggest a game of golf or a visit to a museum. With lots of spare time between the main events, you could organize an excursion, such as taking a group of guests to visit nearby attractions or to see a movie.

Quality Time

Remember the reason that these intrepid travelers have come is to see you, so make sure they do. Pull them aside amid all the revelry for some one-on-one attention, or make it a point to tell them at the receiving line how much seeing them means to you. Raise your glass during toasting time to acknowledge those who have come from afar, and consider setting up something special for journeyers, such as a brunch the morning after the ceremony (if you aren't already off to a magnificent honeymoon).

-- The Knot

Wedding Day Emergencies...solutions

Wedding Day Emergencies: 14 Swift Solutions

It's every bride's worst nightmare: Mere hours before the ceremony, you notice some makeup on your gown. Or ink on your sleeve. Or worse: a pimple. Relax, we've got fast fixes -- for these and other last-minute glitches -- that promise to have you and your groom floating flawlessly down the aisle.

Saving Your Gown

Ink Spot
You were signing a prewedding love note to your groom, and your hand slipped? Beware: Removing stains from your bridal gown can be a pretty tricky business. Water or liquid cleaner could leave a mark, and bleaches can irreparably burn the fabric.
Fast fix: Apply a touch of hairspray to a cotton swab, then rub lightly over the stain.

Removing stains from your bridal gown can be a pretty tricky business.

Water Mark
Sweat, tears, even good old Evian can leave watermarks on your gown. Immediately blot any wet spot with a clean white towel to soak up excess moisture. Beware: Attacking spots with a hairdryer may spread the wet mark even further.
Fast fix: Run a hand-steamer over fabric to lift out the watermark; some fabrics can be ironed afterward. As a preventative measure, be sure to ask your bridal salon about using steamers and irons on your gown when you pick it up after your final fitting.
Makeup Mess
With all those kisses you'll be receiving, it'll be hard not to end up with makeup on your gown.
Fast fix: Don't rub! Press a little club soda onto the spot, then sprinkle salt on top to soak up moisture. Let dry. If a hint of a spot remains, touch up with white chalk or talc.
Oil Stain
Whether from your perfume or a small bite of salad, a drizzle of oil can quickly ruin a pristine white gown.
Fast fix: Dip a cotton swab into cornstarch or talcum powder, then gently -- but generously -- apply it to the spot. The cornstarch or powder will absorb the oil. Wait 15 minutes for moisture to be absorbed, then dust off powder with a clean white towel. Repeat if necessary.
Blood Blotch
Did you prick your finger with a corsage pin and then touch your gown?
Fast fix: Wet a cotton swab with your own saliva, then gently rub it on top of the blood. The acids will break down the stain. Works best when the blood has not yet dried.
Stocking Run
Every bride knows that even the tiniest run in her hose can ruin an otherwise perfect ensemble. Okay, so you didn't listen to us and don't have three extra pairs on hand (or maybe you've run through them all already).
Fast fix: Carry along a bottle of clear nail polish to abolish your runs, as well as any that plague your mother or bridesmaids (just dab some on the end of the run), and consider stashing a couple spare pairs in the ladies room before the reception.

Looking Your Best

Broken Nail
Snag your finely manicured talon on your dress zipper?
Fast fix: Apply a drop of fast-bonding glue to the nail break, and position a tiny bit of unused paper from a tea bag on top. Then add another drop of glue. When it dries, file the paper down until you can't see or feel the edges, then top with a third and final drop of glue.
Swollen Eyes
Afraid you'll wake up wedding morning with eyes all red and puffy from a prenuptial-stress cry?
Fast fix: Sleep with your head propped up a few inches by a pillow to help drain excess fluid from the blood vessels around your eyes. If your peepers are still red and swollen when you awaken, flush with Visine and then relieve puffiness with cold, wet teabags to help tighten swollen tissue.
Lipstick on the Lam
Does your lipstick have a tendency to head south?
Fast Fix: Avoid feathering -- and ensure long-lasting wear by filling in your entire lips with a lip pencil that's the same hue as, or one hue darker than, the lipstick you plan to wear. This creates an adhesive surface on which to apply your color. When you've finished shading, apply lipstick with a lip brush for precise application, then line the outside of your lips. Last, remove excess color and smooth lip texture by blotting your lips with a tissue. Then add a dab of Vaseline to your teeth to keep them lipstick-free.
Sudden Breakout
Prewedding stress can wreak havoc on your skin, upping the chances of waking on wedding morning with a blemish.
Fast Fix: Cover a red pimple with concealer as close to your skin tone as possible. If blemish is dark, dab on a slightly lighter concealer with a small brush, then set with matching powder. If necessary, add a second layer of each. And remember, it's okay if you don't achieve total elimination. The point is to de-emphasize, not to remove. An overly concealed spot will only call attention to itself, which is not the goal you really had in mind. In case of an emergency -- say a glaring cyst-like pimple just days before the big event -- hightail it over to your dermatologist's office for a quick cortisone injection.
Shiny Face
Do you and your groom have a tendency to shine under high pressure and hot lights? You're not alone.
Fast fix: Come prepared with a small package of blotting papers, or keep a cotton handkerchief, loose powder, and big puff close at hand to banish perspiration or shine.
Razor Burn
Your guy tends to get terrible razor burn on his neck?
Fast Fix: Make sure his blade is clean and sharp, then instruct him to avoid pressing too hard on the skin, and also to shave with the grain not against it. Shaving in the shower can help soften stubble with steam. And an aftershave with ingredients like aloe and shea butter can help ease troubled dermis.
Shaving Nick
Hand slipped while shaving your leg? Worse, your groom got nicked shaving his face?
Fast fix: Splash the area with cold water, then apply a product that contains both alum (a hemostatic that helps stop bleeding) and potassium (an antiseptic that cleanses skin and closes up pores).
Conspicuous Tattoo
No matter how proud you are of the tattoo you sport on your right shoulder -- and the pain you endured to get it there -- showing it off during your wedding ceremony (even if the design features your groom's name inscripted in a heart) may or may not be appropriate.
Fast Fix: Use a thick yellow-based medical concealer (companies like Covermark and Dermablend make heavy coverage makeup used for covering scars) for camouflage. Ideally, you should purchase this makeup product in three different tones: the first product should be a perfect match for your skin tone; the second should be one tone lighter; the third, two tones lighter. Begin applying from the lightest shade to the darkest. First, using a concealer brush, apply the lightest makeup shade over the tattoo to form a base. The trick is to keep the makeup only on the tattoo -- not on the skin. Both a stiff brush and a fairly thick concealer will help on this count. Next, layer on the darkest shade and blend it in. Then gently blend skin-tone makeup over the top, and set with matching powder, using a puff.

reposted from the Knot