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Your wedding is one of the most important and exciting events of your life. However, it can turn out to be very stressful without proper planning and organization. Sometimes there’s so much to do, that you may end up focusing only on the big tasks. But it’s important to also prepare for anything that could go wrong.
This is where an emergency kit comes in handy.
A wedding emergency kit includes all the items that serve as a backup in case a problem crops up. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at what every wedding emergency kit should include, to ensure that things run smoothly on your big day.
For the PDF version of this checklist, go here. For all the details, keep reading.
Why Have a Wedding Emergency Kit?
Wedding emergency kits can certainly help in creating a more tranquil environment and atmosphere. No one has to keep worrying about what they might have forgotten since the kit will always be there with everything they would need. The entire bridal party will be able to remain calm and composed without having to stress about any sudden emergencies.
Readymade Wedding Emergency Kits
Wedding survival kit by Diamond Harts. See it here.
The Oh Shit Kit by Charlotte Designs. See it here.
Personalized bridal emergency kit by Little Wishing Well Co. See it here.
Bridal emergency bag by Blush Printables. See it here.
If you find it challenging to buy each and every one of the listed items separately, you can purchase a readymade wedding kit like the ones featured here. These kits can be modified to include specific articles and necessities. Smaller versions of the kit can also be placed in the washrooms so your guests can have access to them.
Where to Keep the Wedding Emergency Kit
Usually, it’s the maid of honor who keeps the wedding emergency kit on hand. After all, she will be with you before and throughout the event and she’ll also be the one helping your bridesmaids. You’ll need her help during any emergency, so it’s important that she has the kit with her.
Items to Include in the Wedding Emergency Kit
Items for Mending
Magnetic sewing kit by ZJY Fabric. See it here.
Before the day of the wedding, all couples have a dress rehearsal to make sure their clothes fit properly. However, there’s always the possibility of something going wrong with the attire.
You might need a safety pin to hold things up or pin together a popped seam. In this case, it’s important to have some mending articles in your emergency kit such as:
- Fashion tape
- A mini sewing kit – This should include a needle and thread, buttons, and scissors. Make sure all the thread you have is the same color as the attire of your bridal party.
- Safety pins
- Super glue – This can come in handy for things like sticking on fallen beads or broken hair accessories.
Not only can you use these items to temporarily mend a dress, but you can also use them to fix broken accessories, shoes, or bags.
2. A Makeup Kit
You’ve probably hired a professional to do your makeup. However, you’ll have to touch up your makeup several times during the day. A make-up kit can save the day and keep you camera-ready.
Make sure to include the following essentials in your make-up kit to take care of any last-minute make-up emergencies.
- Blotting paper – These are absolutely necessary for any wedding emergency kit since it helps absorb excess oil and keep you looking fresh throughout the day.
- Face powder
- Lipsticks – Have several colors that match your bridesmaids’ outfits as well as your own.
- Eyelash glue – Just in case eyelashes fall off.
- Lip balm – Dry lips can make your lipstick look uneven and unsightly so having a lip balm will be extremely useful.
- Make-up remover – Have a make-up remover on hand to correct any mistakes and keep your face looking neat and clean.
3. Hair Care
After the formal ceremony, you and your groom will usually spend a considerable amount of time exchanging pleasantries with your guests and you’ll also be ready for your first dance together. By this time, your perfect hairdo might start looking messy with bits sticking out here and there.
When this happens, it would be useful to have the following items in your emergency kit to fix up your hair quickly without too much hassle:
4. Toiletries
A spare set of toiletries are essential for you and your girls to stay fresh and clean throughout the day. Make sure you have these items in your kit since they’re sure to come in handy at some point:
- Tissues, wet wipes, napkins – These can come in handy in case any food or drink gets spilled over.
- Stain-removal pens or chalk– If you notice a stain on your dress or your bridesmaids’ clothes, use a stain-removal pen to cover it up. If you don’t have one, you can always use a piece of chalk instead, so make sure to have one of the two.
- Breath mints or mouthwash – Regardless of how well you plan your wedding, bad breath is something that you just can’t prevent. Mints or mouthwash will keep bad breath at bay so you can smile and chat with your guests all day without feeling uncomfortable.
- Toothpaste and a toothbrush – These will come in useful after a meal when you want to freshen up your breath and a mint just won’t do.
- Dental floss – While flossing your teeth will be the last thing you’ll think of doing during your wedding, you might need to get something out from between your teeth.
- Tweezers or razors – Use these to remove any stray hairs that might have been overlooked.
- Creams and lotions – Flaky, dry, or sunburnt skin can show up in wedding photographs as greyish patches and they also be quite embarrassing. Have some mini-lotions in your emergency kit to hide that sudden patch of dry skin.
5. Medical Kit
A mini-medical kit is a must-have in any wedding emergency kit. During your wedding, it’s common to experience headaches from stress or inadequate sleep. Sometimes, your shoes or your bridesmaids’ shoes could be uncomfortable or tight, causing blisters on the feet with all the walking. Therefore, it’s important to have these items on hand to help ease the pain and prevent further injury.
- Tampons or pads – Even if you won’t need these, someone else in your bridal party might, so remember to always have some in your kit.
- Pain relievers, allergy medications– If you or someone in your bridal crew is experiencing headaches or suffering from an allergy, these medications will come in useful.
- Anti-blister balms or plasters – These are for those painful and unsightly blisters that can crop up on your feet due to uncomfortable shoes.
- Eye drops – This is essential, especially if you’re having an outdoor wedding. Pollen, budding flowers or dust can irritate your eyes and ruin your makeup so make sure to have eye drops in your kit.
6. Snacks and Drinks
It’s an interesting fact that while most couples spend a lot of time planning an amazing meal for their guests, they often end up eating very little or nothing at all.
To deal with sudden hunger pangs, have some snack bars in your emergency kit. Remember to add in a small bottle or two of water to keep yourself and your girls hydrated.
7. Accessories
It’s important to have a few extra accessories and bits and pieces in your wedding emergency kit just in case someone pops a button or breaks a fingernail. Here are some extras to include:
- Backup beads – If you lose a bead off your wedding dress or a hair accessory, have some backups on hand so you can replace it. You can either sew it or glue it on quickly.
- Earring backs – If anyone loses an earring back, you’ll have one handy.
- Crotchet hooks
- Buttons – Have some extra ones on hand in case your groom might need one, too.
- Fake fingernails – If you or anyone in your bridal crew is wearing fake fingernails and one of them falls off, having some extras in your kit can save you from a lot of embarrassment.
Although these items may be really small and seem insignificant, their absence can cause a lot of stress and hassle for you and your girls. Imagine a groom without a button on his shirt or a bride with droopy earrings. These can come in very useful in an emergency.
8. Footwear
Most brides and grooms wear new shoes or heels to their weddings, but these may be uncomfortable and particularly hard to dance with. They can also sometimes be scratchy, tight or ill-fitting. Just in case, it’s always good to be prepared with an extra pair of footwear, so if you find yourself struggling in the ones you already have, you can take them off and wear a more comfortable pair instead.
9. Electronics
Remember to include the following electronic devices in your wedding emergency kit at all times:
- Mini hair iron
- Portable mini clothes steamer – This can be very useful when you need to straighten out wrinkles in your clothing and keep it looking sharp and crisp.
- Mobile phone charger – You or your might have to make a call in case of an emergency and the last thing you’d want to have is a phone with a dead battery. You also might want to take your own photos, post on social media and surf the web at any point during your wedding or while you’re getting your hair and makeup done. This can drain your battery so remember to pack your charger as well.
10. Accessories for the Groom
If your groom doesn’t have a wedding emergency kit for himself and his groomsmen, keep a separate bag of accessories in your kit for him as well. In case of an emergency, he would most likely need the following items:
- A spare tie
- Cufflinks
- Socks
- Pocket squares
- Buttons
- Boutonnieres
These are the most essential accessories for your groom and it would be useful to have them in case something gets damaged or misplaced.
11. Documents
Other than the items listed above, you might find it useful to carry certain documents in your kit such as the wedding itinerary or a list of important contacts. If the required details and information are documented and kept in one folder they can be easily accessed when necessary.
Wrapping Up
A wedding kit emergency kit is one of the best ways to minimize stress and ensure that your wedding runs smoothly. While the list may seem extensive, don’t forget that it’s always better to be overly prepared than underprepared. It’s likely that you won’t need all of these items, but they might come in useful for someone else, in which case having them is entirely worth it.
