As a wedding photographer, I have advised many brides before their wedding day. I share what they need and things to do to make the day run smoothly. From timelines to vendor recommendations and everything in between, I’m always happy to help. But in May when I was a bride myself, I realized just how fun and important certain pieces are for the wedding day. One of my favorite parts was working on all the little details. Today, I’m sharing my Top 10 Bridal Must-Haves. This can be different for every bride, but for me these are the details I adored the most. I’m happy that I took the time to find these items because they really added to my day to make it special.

Custom Bag or Purse
You need something to transport all your goodies from place to place throughout the day. I absolutely LOVE this Roundie Straw “Mrs.” Bag from The Beach Bride by Chic Parisien. It was big enough to fit all my essentials for the wedding day, including my shoes!

Skin Care
One of the biggest pieces of advice I like to share about bridal beauty is that it starts before the big day. Creating a skincare routine that works for you and soothes your skin is so important. You want to have the most beautiful, glowing skin possible! I truly love products by Eminence Organic Skin Care and Mario Badescu.

Eyelash Extensions
Eyelash extensions were my beauty splurge for the big day. I love fake eyelashes but I didn’t want to have to worry about glue and mascara. I invested in these beauties and definitely recommend them for any bride. My eyelashes were done at Anagen Eleven by Jessica.

Shoes
I feel like this is a no brainer. All brides have beautiful shoes on their wedding day! But what I want to encourage is that you can step outside your comfort zone on this day. Go for something big and bold! I’m obsessed with the black Badgley Mischka heels I wore. Second recommendation – always bring a pair of flats or sandals for the reception. Your feet will thank you later.

Personalized Details
I loved finding pieces for my wedding that were special to my groom and I or to the location we were getting married at. You can do this in so many ways. I chose to do it in our welcome bags and in our decorations for the reception. We had custom stir straws, custom bags, and travel luggage tags that all represented something from our wedding. I highly recommend Etsy for all your personalized wedding needs.

Wedding Day Jewelry
Just like shoes, your jewelry should be a big deal for your wedding day look. Go with something sentimental, maybe something that your mother or grandmother wore on their wedding days. Or find a new piece of jewelry that will serve as a new heirloom. I chose these stunning earrings from BHLDN. I also wore one of my grandmother’s rings too.

Sentimental Details
Your wedding day is the beginning of two lives coming together, two families becoming one. Because of that, I think it’s so important to incorporate details that mean something special. Whether it’s jewelry passed down, special gifts to each other, or writing sweet letters – add your own story and history to this day. Matt and I wrote letters to each other and shared gifts before we got married. As a lover of vintage pieces, I wanted to add something from my family’s history for our day too. I found these old wedding day cards that my grandma and grandpa actually received when they got married. I even had their wedding program! It was so special to have that included with our details.

Survival Kit
Whether it’s for you or for your guests, a survival kit is a must. I cannot tell you how many unexpected things can happen on your wedding day. Trust me, I’ve seen it all. Since we had an intimate gathering for our wedding, each guest received a welcome bag and their kits were inside. Think about all the things you might need on the day. Popular items include breath mints, floss sticks, band-aids, Tylenol, sewing kits, hair ties, and more. You can get creative with this too!

Denim Jacket
You’re wearing your wedding dress all day, from day time and well into the evening. The temperature can change so quickly. I always recommend having some sort of jacket or shawl to bring with you. I adore jean jackets and I knew I wanted to have one on our wedding day. I’m beyond thankful I had it because it got so chilly at night. This jacket is from GAP but you can find them anywhere.

Souvenir from Wedding Day or Wedding Location
I’m a sucker for souvenirs that mean something. Our wedding was no different. I knew I would have amazing photos and memories from our day, but I wanted a piece to take with us too. I found these adorable candles from Santa Barbara Apothecary Co. that were absolutely perfect. Not only did they say they were from Santa Barbara (where we got married) but they had one called Ellwood Eucalyptus! We were married at Ellwood Bluffs, right by the eucalyptus! It was perfect and I’m so happy to have these.

This is a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.