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Wedding emergency kit checklist

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

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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, tape, bandages and the like.

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  • 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.
  • Collar stays
    To keep a shirt collar crisp through a long day.
  • Spare pantyhose or stockings
    For a snag or a run on the way to the ceremony.
  • Bobby pins
    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 sheets
    A quick fix for a shiny face, without ruining makeup.
  • Lip color for touch-ups
    So it's easy to refresh after the meal and the toasts.
  • Pressed powder
    For a quick touch-up before photos.
  • Deodorant or freshening wipes
    To feel fresh again after the dancing starts.
  • Tissues
    For happy tears and for the ceremony.
  • Bandages
    For a blister, a paper cut or a scraped heel.
  • Blister cushions and heel grips
    For new shoes that start to rub.
  • Pain reliever
    Your usual one, for a headache or sore feet.
  • Antacids
    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 color.
  • Portable battery pack 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 rain, and for photos in it.
  • Sunscreen
    For an outdoor ceremony on a bright day.
  • Bug spray
    For an evening outdoors near grass or water.
  • A wrap or jacket for chilly evenings
    So nobody has to choose between warm and photos.
  • 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.

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  • The rings
    CeremonyThey can't be replaced on the day, so give them to one steady person.
    Usually the best man
  • Marriage license
    CeremonyYour officiant signs and files it. Check your state's rules with your county clerk.
  • Your vows, written out
    CeremonyNerves make words disappear, and a printed copy fixes that.
  • Copies of the toasts
    ReceptionA printed copy helps if a phone dies or a hand shakes.
    Usually the toast giver
  • 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, vests and pants all made it.
  • Shoes for the day
    Getting readyThe thing people most often leave behind.
  • Veil, jewelry 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 vendor 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
  • Favors and any decorations you are bringing
    ReceptionAnything you supply yourself needs a person to carry it.
  • Tip envelopes for vendors
    ReceptionMany couples tip vendors at the end of the night; envelopes make it easy.
    Usually the parent
  • 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.

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  • A button-up top or a robe to get ready in
    So nothing has to go over hair and makeup.
  • 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 undershirt
    Keeps a dress shirt neat on a warm day.
  • Comfortable shoes for later
    For the dancing, once the photos are done.
  • Makeup for touch-ups
    Whatever you use most, in small sizes.
  • Deodorant
    A long day with a lot of hugging.
  • Perfume or cologne
    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 meals come late.
  • Phone charger and cable
    For the morning, when the photos begin.
  • Jewelry and a watch
    Put them on last, once everything else is done.

Overnight bag

For the night and the morning after.

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  • 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.
  • Pajamas
    Easy to forget when so much else is packed.
  • Face wash and makeup 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 honor
  • 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 boutonnieres
    A pin in the wrong place spoils a jacket or a flower.
    Usually the groomsman
  • Steam creases out of the outfits
    Travel and storage leave creases that show in photos.
    Usually the bridesmaid

7 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 PDF on US Letter paper, free, for the bag or the fridge.

Who carries it, and when to pack it

Pick one dependable person to carry the emergency kit, such as the maid of honor. Pack it two to three weeks before the wedding, so it also covers the rehearsal. Keep the kit in one small bag that goes wherever the dress goes.

The kit by person

The maid of honor holds the small fixes: tape, pins, thread, bandages and touch-ups.

The best man holds the rings, the vendor phone list and the timings. If you ask him, he can hold the tip envelopes too.

Parents can hold the tip envelopes and the guest book, and hand them over at the right moment.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen 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, the marriage license, your vows and copies of the toasts, the outfits and shoes, and a printed timeline with a vendor phone list. Print it, in case a phone dies. 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 makeup. Add the outfit pieces, comfortable shoes for later, makeup 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. Ask the venue where else the photos can go.

Frequently asked questions

What should go in a wedding day emergency kit?
Small fixes only: fashion tape, safety pins, a mini sewing kit, a stain remover pen, bobby pins, bandages and pain reliever. Add a phone battery pack, a few tissues and an umbrella. The list above sorts them by purpose so you can pack in one go.
Who carries the emergency kit, and when should we pack it?
Pick one dependable person, such as the maid of honor, to hold the whole kit. Pack it two to three weeks before, so it also covers the rehearsal. Then it is zipped and waiting, and nobody is hunting for pins on the morning.
Should we buy a ready-made kit or build our own?
Either works. A ready-made kit is quick but often misses the things you will actually reach for, such as your own pain reliever or spare buttons that match. Building your own takes twenty minutes with this list and fits your outfits.
What should the maid of honor and best man carry?
The maid of honor usually holds the kit of small fixes. The best man holds the rings, the vendor phone list and the timings, and often the tip envelopes if you ask him. Give each person their own list so they know what is theirs.
What if the dress rips, a heel breaks or it rains?
A ripped hem or seam is fixed with fashion tape or a safety pin on the inside, then sewn properly later. A broken heel is helped by spare flat shoes in the bag. For rain, keep umbrellas handy and use them in photos; clear ones look lovely.
Can we share the list and print it?
Yes. Each person gets their own link and ticks their list on their phone. You can print a plain PDF on US Letter paper, free, with your ticks on it.

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