Wedding Day Essentials | Products You Need (As Maid of Honour) For Prep, Day Of, And Emergencies

Weddings are so much fun, especially if you're from a family that likes to "go big or go home". Yes, it's an expensive undertaking to throw a party for 200 guests, but it's a party they'll never forget!

For brides, your wedding is a true moment to shine, surrounded by all of the people and things that make you the happiest. This also means that you've only got the one day to live out your wildest party fantasies, so it's important to prepare beforehand to ensure that things go smoothly. As a proud MOH for my sister Lauren and bridesmaid in 4 weddings total, I have a *few* items that you need for a successful wedding (or prom/gala/formal event of your choosing!)

Want to see how I prepare for a fancy night out in real time? Check out my video below for clips on how I do my hair, self tan, remove unwanted body hair AND MORE!

My Beauty MVP:

I've been using Cocoa Brown products for a long time now, but haven't had the opportunity to chat about them yet! One of my standout products from the brand though has to be their Shimmering Dry Body Oil. It comes in a sleek glass bottle and convenient pump, which allows you to smooth a thin layer of this weightless oil over shoulders, arms, legs and tops of the feet before walking out the door. It's my secret weapon for looking super glowy in photos!

3 Months Before:

It's crucial to avoid any unwanted reactions and beauty woes by getting into a regular routine about 3 months prior to a big event. This might include using a topical retinoid or any other kind of skin-smoothing product on your skin. Some of my favourites are from NeoStrata, a clinical-strength cosmetics brand available at Shoppers Drug Mart. It's also a good idea to practice self-tanning and hair removal ahead of time too. I swear by my laser treatments at The Ten Spot, paired with this FANTASTIC new depilatory moisture mask from NAIR. Some of my favourite tanners are pictured above:

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning Milk for the face (which I apply with a synthetic buffing brush), Clarins Self Tanning Milky-Lotion for the body, St Tropez Whipped Marshmallow Mousse for the body (in a limited edition package for summer!), St Tropez Purity Bronzing Water Spray for the face, Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff 3-in-1 exfoliator, 1 Hour Tan Bronzing Mousse and Gentle Bronze Gradual Tanning Moisturiser for maintaining your tan on the body between mousses. Finally, the Vita Liberata Instant HD Skin Finish 24HR Body Blur lotion is truly sensational for fixing any self-tanner streaks, for an instant bronze on legs and arms, and for truly giving your gambs a toned glow. I'll mix it in with an unscented lotion if I need to sheer-out the finish.

This is the Cocoa Brown display at Hudson's Bay Queen Street! Such awesome tanning products.

2-4 Weeks Before:

Make sure you start masking at least 2 weeks before your big day. I love the AVON Clearskin Pore Penetrating Black Mineral Mask, applied 2 times per week to keep breakouts at bay. This is also something you could use on chest, shoulders and back to keep skin camera-ready. You'll want to keep your skin hydrated too to avoid wrinkles and ashyness. The Vaseline Spray-and-Go is my ride or die in the warmer months. It applies just the right amount of hydration and leaves the most silky, dry finish which allows me to get dressed immediately. One bottle lasts quite a while for me too.

Night Before:

Ensure that you've self-tanned at least 24 hours prior to your big event, and ensure that you get lots of rest. I try to avoid coffee for the few days before and after a big event, since tea doesn't make me pee as much and keeps my skin less oily. The night before is a good time to use a very gentle acid peel (NeoStrata makes fantastic ones) to create a smooth surface for makeup application. Don't try anything new here, use something that you've loved for a long time. The Nair leg mask is also a great product to use the night before, because it leaves your skin so smooth and hydrated. Note that the act of rubbing off the Nair will be exfoliating, so any self-tan could come off. This would be a good time to use the St Tropez Purity self tan face mist to boost the colour back up, on your face especially.

Finally, lips and sheet masks! it's important to moisturize your lips every night, but there's nothing worse than super flaky lips on a day when you'll be smooching friends, family, and a S.O.! I have been loving the FitGlow Beauty Night Lip Serum. It's thick, potent, plumping and totally long-lasting. This isn't overly sticky, and I tend to apply the product in the centre of my lips and massage it out to the corners with a finger. This product is still on in the morning, and my lips have never looked better. 110% recommend. I would also strongly recommend the NeoStrata Pure Hyaluronic Acid Biocellulose sheet mask (one of which I reviewed here), and their truly incredible 100% Hyaluronic Acid Micro Infusion Plumping Patches which will significantly remove wrinkles and fine lines overnight to give you skin that looks professionally filled for a few days. Awesome. A few more affordable options can be found at the drugstore from 7th Heaven, their Charcoal Detox Sheet Masks bubble up and clear out pores for a spa-like experience at home.

What to keep in your Clutch:

Between an emergency bridal suite bag and my physical day-of-clutch bag, these are my essentials:

Scissors (Swiss Army Knife)
Sewing Kit
Hair Pins (essential for a veil!)
Safety Pins
Compact Mirror
Blotting Sheets
Comb
Lash Glue
Perfume
Face Powder
Concealer
Extra nylons
Liquid Lipstick
Hydrating Gloss (Hi, Wet n Wild or FitGlow Beauty!)
Moisturizing Lip Balm
Hand Cream
Liquid or Pencil Liner

NuBra Stick-On Adhesive Bra

A total game-changer ever since semi-formal in high school has been my tried and true NuBra. I bought my first one from La Senza, and it was a pretty big investment at the time. It was also one of the best $70 investments of my life, because it lasted for 8+ YEARS. I took very good care of it.

I reached out to the NuBra team because I wanted a brand new bra to showcase for my readers, and I'm thrilled to see that they have so many styles available to suit your shape and needs. They have a fabulous customer service team that can help you find the right fit, you could even DM them on Instagram!

This Seamless Original NuBra was perfect for my low-back dress and stayed on all day. It's undetectable, comfortable, lift-giving and smoothing. You need a NuBra for special events, and don't even consider buying a knockoff. The original is premium-grade silicone that won't disrupt your skin, and it'll stand the test of time.