Skip to content
  • Wedding planning tools, free to start
  • No adverts, ever
  • Made by Britten, a family business in Bath since 2007

Your wedding day emergency kit

The emergency kit, the don't-forget list and the bags for the day, fitted to your wedding. Say who brings what, tick as you pack, print it.

Fit it to your wedding

No answers yet

0 of 71 packed

A small card for inside the kit, listing what's in it, comes with Plus.

Who's holding the kit? Pick someone dependable.

Emergency kit

Small fixes for the day: pins, plasters, hair grips and the like.

0 of 33 packed
  • Fashion tape
    For a strap or hem that won't behave.
  • Safety pins in a few sizes
    For a loose strap, a gaping seam or a hem that slips.
  • Mini sewing kit with matching thread
    For a popped button or a seam that lets go.
  • Stain-remover pen
    For a small mark on the dress or a shirt.
  • Lint roller
    For dust, pet hair and loose threads before photos.
  • Spare shirt buttons
    For a button that goes missing just before the ceremony.
  • Spare cufflinks or shirt studs
    Small, easy to lose and hard to find on the day.
  • Spare pair of tights
    For a snag or a ladder on the way to the ceremony.
  • Spare buttonholes and pins
    For a flower that wilts or a pin that goes missing.
  • Hair grips
    To hold a veil, a hair piece or a curl that slips.
  • Hair ties and a small brush
    For quick fixes between the ceremony and the photos.
  • Travel-size hairspray
    To settle flyaways before photos and again at the reception.
  • Oil-blotting papers
    A quick fix for a shiny face, without ruining make-up.
  • Lip colour for touch-ups
    So it's easy to refresh after the meal and the speeches.
  • Pressed powder
    For a quick touch-up before photos.
  • Deodorant or freshening wipes
    To feel fresh again once the dancing starts.
  • Tissues
    For happy tears and for the ceremony.
  • Plasters
    For a blister, a paper cut or a scraped heel.
  • Blister plasters and heel grips
    For new shoes that start to rub.
  • Paracetamol
    Your usual one, for a headache or sore feet.
  • Indigestion tablets
    For a rich meal after a long day.
  • Period products
    Easy to forget, and hard to find on the day.
  • Breath mints
    For before the first kiss and the photos.
  • Water bottle and a few straws
    To keep sipping water without smudging lip colour.
  • Power bank and cables
    For a phone that runs low before the dancing starts.
  • Small scissors
    For loose threads, tags and tape.
  • Pen and a small notepad
    For a phone number, a note or a last-minute change.
  • A small bag to hold the whole kit
    So it can be found in one grab and carried anywhere.
  • Umbrellas, clear ones if you can
    For the rain, and they make good photos too.
  • Sun cream
    For an outdoor ceremony on a bright day.
  • Insect repellent
    For an evening outdoors near grass or water.
  • A wrap or cardigan
    For chilly evenings and draughty churches.
  • A small towel
    For wet chairs, damp hands or a spill.

Don't forget

The things nobody can replace on the day. Check them the night before.

0 of 17 packed
  • The rings
    CeremonyThey can't be replaced on the day, so give them to one steady person.
    Usually the best man
  • Your vows, written out
    CeremonyNerves make words disappear, and a printed copy fixes that.
  • Copies of the speeches
    ReceptionA printed copy helps if a phone dies or a hand shakes.
    Usually the speaker
  • The dress, in its garment bag
    Getting readyCheck it's packed with its slip and any layers.
  • The suits, in their garment bags
    Getting readyCheck the jackets, waistcoats and trousers all made it.
  • Shoes for the day
    Getting readyThe thing people most often leave behind.
  • Veil, jewellery and hair pieces
    Getting readySmall and easy to leave behind, and not easy to replace.
  • Cufflinks, ties and bow ties
    Getting readyThe small pieces that finish a suit, and easy to leave behind.
  • Printed timeline and supplier phone list
    Getting readyIn case a phone dies or the signal drops.
  • Phone chargers
    Getting readyPhotos and calls use up a battery faster than you expect.
  • Gifts or letters for each other and for parents
    Getting readyKeep them with someone who will remember to hand them over.
  • Guest book and pen
    ReceptionGuests sign it as they arrive, so it needs a pen at the table.
    Usually the parent
  • Favours and any decorations you are bringing
    ReceptionAnything you supply yourself needs a person to carry it.
  • Confetti your venue allows
    CeremonyAsk the venue first: many allow only biodegradable or dried petals.
    Usually the usher
  • Cash for the taxi or the driver
    Getting readyEasy to forget, and not every driver takes a card.
  • Thank-you cards for suppliers
    ReceptionTipping is not expected, and a handwritten card means a lot.
  • ID for the hotel
    OvernightThe room is often in one name, and check-in needs the ID.

Getting-ready bag

What you'll want while you get ready.

0 of 12 packed
  • A button-up top or a robe to get ready in
    So nothing has to go over hair and make-up.
  • Underwear that works under the dress
    Seamless and skin-toned, so nothing shows through.
  • A slip
    For a dress that clings or lets the light through.
  • A fresh vest
    Keeps a dress shirt neat on a warm day.
  • Comfortable shoes for later
    For the dancing, once the photos are done.
  • Make-up for touch-ups
    Whatever you use most, in small sizes.
  • Deodorant
    A long day with a lot of hugging.
  • Perfume or aftershave
    Put it on last, once the dress or suit is on.
  • Your regular medicines
    So a busy day doesn't skip a dose.
  • Snacks and water
    Mornings run long and the wedding breakfast comes late.
  • Phone charger and cable
    For the morning, when the photos begin.
  • Jewellery and a watch
    Put them on last, once everything else is done.

Overnight bag

For the night and the morning after.

0 of 9 packed
  • Clothes for the morning
    Something comfortable for breakfast and the trip home.
  • Toiletries
    For the shower, the sink and the morning after.
  • Phone charger
    So you can charge by the bed after a long day.
  • Passports and tickets for the next day
    Only if you leave the morning after.
  • Something comfortable to change into
    For the end of the night, when the dancing is done.
  • Glasses or a contact lens case
    So you can take your lenses out after a long day.
  • Pyjamas
    Easy to forget when so much else is packed.
  • Face wash and make-up remover
    For taking everything off at the end of the day.
  • Flip-flops or slippers
    For tired feet in the hotel corridor.

Who knows how

Make sure someone besides you knows how to do these.

  • Bustle the dress
    It frees the train for dancing, and only a few people know how.
    Usually the maid of honour
  • Pin the veil
    It needs a steady hand and the right pins, in the right spot.
    Usually the bridesmaid
  • Tie the ties and bow ties
    A bow tie is hard to tie for the first time in a hurry.
    Usually the best man
  • Pin the buttonholes
    A pin in the wrong place spoils a jacket or a flower.
    Usually the usher
  • Steam creases out of the outfits
    Travel and storage leave creases that show in photos.
    Usually the bridesmaid

8 items don't fit your answers.

Your lists are saved in this browser only.

Save them to a free account to share each person's list by link.

How to use these lists

  1. Tick as you pack. Each list is a plain set of things to pack. Tick them off as they go in the bag, and the list remembers where you got to.

  2. Tell it about your wedding. Three taps: dress or suit, civil or religious, and whether you're flying. Things that don't fit hide, and come back in one tap.

  3. Give each thing a holder and a place. Choose who carries it and where it goes: getting ready, the ceremony, the reception or the hotel. Everyone knows what is theirs.

  4. Share each person's own list. Each person gets a link to their own list and ticks it on their phone. You see what is packed without sending a message.

  5. Print it. Download a clean A4 PDF, free, for the bag or the fridge.

Who carries it, and when to pack it

Pick one dependable person to carry the kit, often the chief bridesmaid or maid of honour. Pack it two to three weeks before the wedding, so it also covers the rehearsal. Keep it in one small bag that goes wherever the dress goes.

Your bridal survival kit

The kit is small fixes only: hair grips, plasters, a spare pair of tights, indigestion tablets, fashion tape, safety pins and a mini sewing kit. Add spare buttonholes and pins, and a power bank. The list sorts everything by purpose, so you can pack it in one go.

The kit by person

The chief bridesmaid holds the small fixes: tape, pins, thread, plasters and touch-ups.

The best man holds the rings, the supplier phone list and the timings. He can also hold the cash for the taxi.

The ushers carry spare buttonholes and pins, look after the confetti your venue allows, and bring umbrellas for the photos.

Parents can hold the guest book and a thank-you card for each supplier. Tipping is not expected, and a card means a lot.

Bridesmaids pack their own bag. Each of them can have their own list by link, to tick on their phone.

Don't forget

Some things can't be replaced on the day. The rings, your vows and copies of the speeches, the outfits and shoes, and a printed timeline with a supplier phone list. Print it, in case a phone dies. If you marry in Scotland or Northern Ireland, add the marriage schedule from the registrar. Give each one a holder, and check it off the night before.

A bag for the day

If you are searching for a wedding packing list, start here. The getting-ready bag holds a button-up top or robe to get ready in, so nothing has to go over hair and make-up. Add the outfit pieces, comfortable shoes for later, make-up for touch-ups, deodorant, your regular medicines, snacks, water and a phone charger. The overnight bag is a separate list, so it can be packed on its own.

If it goes wrong

A ripped hem or seam. Use fashion tape or a safety pin on the inside, and keep going. Someone can sew it properly after the photos.

A broken heel. Swap to the comfortable shoes in the bag. Nobody sees feet in most photos, and the dancing is easier too.

Rain. Open the umbrellas and take the photos anyway; clear ones look lovely. Keep a wrap for cold churches, and ask the venue where else the photos can go.

Frequently asked questions

What goes in a wedding emergency kit?
Small fixes only: fashion tape, safety pins, a mini sewing kit, a stain-remover pen, hair grips, plasters and paracetamol. Add indigestion tablets, spare tights, a power bank and an umbrella. The list above sorts them by purpose so you can pack in one go.
Who looks after the kit on the day?
Pick one dependable person to hold the whole kit. It is often the chief bridesmaid or maid of honour. Pack it two to three weeks before, so it also covers the rehearsal and nobody is hunting for pins on the morning.
What do the best man and ushers need?
The best man holds the rings, the supplier phone list and the timings. The ushers carry spare buttonholes and pins, and look after the confetti and the order of service. Give each person their own list so they know what is theirs.
What if it rains?
Pack umbrellas, and clear ones if you can; they photograph well. Keep a wrap or cardigan for cold stone churches, and a towel for wet chairs. Ask the venue where the photos can go if the garden is too wet.
Is confetti allowed at our venue?
Ask the venue. Many allow only biodegradable or dried-petal confetti, and some allow none. Ask early, and put what they allow on the list.
Can we print and share it?
Yes. Each person gets their own link and ticks their list on their phone. You can print a plain A4 PDF, free, with your ticks on it.

Related tools