This is it. Your Long Island wedding is mere days away and you are now in survival mode. The venue is booked, the playlist is planned out, the guestlist is finalized, and you are frantically, yet efficiently, crossing out items on your wedding checklist. Nothing left to do but await the outpouring of love and party, right?
Wait. Not so fast. There is at least one detail you might have forgotten to include in your nuptial planning. Amid all of the romance and revelry, there’s the off-chance that something could go wrong—mild roadblocks that could compromise an otherwise picture-perfect wedding day. These complications could be anything from a bad hair day to a broken nail to a disastrous wedding dress stain.
Instead of succumbing to the fate of having a minor inconvenience mar your special day, be prepared with a wedding day emergency kit. Filled with items to remedy any unplanned headaches—literal or figurative—this eclectic collection of useful items can help you expect the unexpected.
But what essentials should you cram into your wedding day emergency kit? And who should you entrust with the responsibility of holding onto it from the pre-ceremony preparations through the end of the reception? Let’s find out together!
Getting married means putting your trust in a variety of people. First and foremost, there’s the trust you put into your soon-to-be spouse for the rest of your life. That goes without saying. But on the day of the nuptials, you will find yourself trusting a whole slew of family and friends to help make your day as smooth and enjoyable as possible. When it comes to the keeper of your wedding day emergency kit, find someone who you can count on, but also someone who you know will not crack under pressure should the proceedings hit a snag. A maid of honor or best man is perfect for this role—they are already used to having responsibilities laid at their feet during your wedding, plus, they will likely be at your side or close to it for the entirety of the event. And if your wedding party isn’t exactly the zenith of reliability, inquire with your wedding venue, as they might have someone on hand—perhaps an event coordinator or bridal assistant—that can step in with an assist.
When considering what to include in your kit, it’s important to think about the types of things that can go sideways on a normal day that isn’t your wedding day. The weather sometimes unexpectedly shifts, a zit pops up out of nowhere, your shoes cause those painful blisters on the back of your foot, wardrobe malfunctions happen—basically, you want to anticipate Murphy’s Law of “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”
We’re not talking about anything too serious here, just supplies to aid those minor cuts and scrapes, tension headaches, indigestion, and allergies. Head down to your favorite drugstore and purchase your go-to pain relieving tablets, some antacids, band aids, allergy medication (especially for outdoor weddings), blister ointment, and even a basic first-aid kit.
Even though you likely have a professional making you look absolutely stunning with glamorous hair and makeup, it can’t hurt to have some beauty supplies on hand for a touch up here and a retouch there—after all, it’s going to be a long day with lots of action! For strands of hair that won’t stay still, grab some hairspray or bobby pins, maybe a comb or brush a quick hair alteration. Of course, you probably have a good amount of makeup already, but grab some lipstick, eyeliner, and mascara, along with a mirror, for any necessary re-applications. Then there’s cover-up for your face, eye cream, moisturizer, and clear nail polish—which can also be used in a pinch for pantyhose tears.
You want to feel your absolute freshest at your wedding and anything less will leave you uncomfortable and unable to truly enjoy the day. As such, personal hygiene products are a crucial inclusion in your emergency kit. A mini bottle of mouthwash, along with a travel-size toothbrush and toothpaste can give you the peace of mind you’ll need when greeting your 100-plus guests. Add some floss and breath mints to the mix and you’re golden. Then there’s other items like razors, eye drops, tissues, tweezers, cotton balls, lip balm, tampons, oil-blotting sheets, baby powder, and lotion to round out the collection. And don’t forget the deodorant!
These odds and ends will make your wedding day emergency kit a well-rounded and well-stocked bag of life-saving items. Keeping you prepared for any surprise challenges, this include water bottles, light snacks, scissors, tape, lint roller, pens, super glue, umbrella, bug spray, nail clippers and file, a sewing kit, safety pins, and sunscreen. Also, why not a comfy pair of shoes or flip flops and a fresh pair of underwear, because you just never know!