Your Wedding Day Emergency Kit: Tips, Tricks & How Tos

No one wants to use the wedding day emergency kit; everyone needs to have it. Trust us when we say that it's vital to prepare for fashion fails, beauty blunders, and minor wardrobe malfunctions by preparing a bridal emergency kit. Yes, even if you're planning a last-minute wedding, you'll still want to have an emergency kit.

Luckily, we've come prepared (pun intended) to help you pack your wedding day emergency kit. We know you already have so much to do when prepping for your big day, so we made it easy. 

In this post, you'll find our expertly curated lists for your bridal emergency kit, plus the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about staying ready for wedding missteps. To make things even easier, we've included printable bride emergency kit lists divided by type (freshening up, beauty, fashion, men, and general crisis).

Here's everything you need to know about preparing your emergency kit for your special day:

What is a wedding day emergency kit?

First things first, what even is a wedding day emergency kit? Simply put, a wedding or bridal emergency kit is just a stash of small items that can help you navigate your wedding day.

We know that by the time you're researching emergency kits, you've probably already planned your wedding step-by-step. However, no amount of planning can prepare you for day-of mishaps with your wardrobe, makeup, or groom. Imagine it's the biggest day of your life, but you have a headache that won't go away or can't charge your phone for selfies.

Don't let that be you. A wedding emergency kit is what stands between you and a multitude of tiny but noticeable disasters.

What does a Bride need in an emergency kit?

Ok, so you're sold on the idea of preparing for everything on one of the biggest days of your life. But what does a bride actually need in an emergency kit? Don't worry, we've got all the answers, plus printable checklists.

Here's everything you need in your wedding emergency day checklist, broken down freshness, beauty, fashion, groom, and emergency fixes:

The freshening-up kit

Staying fresh on your wedding day is a must. Pack these items in your bridal emergency kit to keep it fresh:

BREATH FRESHENERS

Think about it: you will be kissing your sweetheart on the mouth in front of everyone you love. Keep a box of your favorite mints, a travel toothbrush, or floss sticks to give you that extra boost of confidence.

TRAVEL-SIZED DEODORANT

Even if you don't normally need to reapply your deodorant throughout the day, remember that wedding anxiety could change that. Bring a travel-sized deodorant to reapply between the ceremony and reception, just in case.

A sample or travel-sized fragrance

When you smell good, you feel good. Enough said.

The beauty kit

Keep it beautiful all day by dodging hair, makeup, and nail emergencies with your carefully prepared beauty kit. You'll need these essentials:

COMPACT MIRROR

Need to fix your lipstick or tame stray hairs quickly but can't get to the bathroom? A compact mirror solves this issue and usually has a magnified side.

MAKEUP REMOVER AND Q-TIPS

Blotting with toilet paper or cotton swabs can ruin your makeup or cause your face to turn red. Instead, correct minor makeup mishaps with Q-tips and a small or travel-sized bottle of liquid makeup remover.  

Tweezers

Do you have an eyebrow hair that won't stay in place? A wedding day splinter from those gorgeous antique wooden decor chairs? Tweezers are the answer.

BOBBY PINS AND HAIR TIES

Your elegant bridal updos may require more than a few bobby pin touch-ups. Likewise, your long, beautiful hairstyle may need a comb. Bobby pins, hair ties, hairspray, and a brush or comb are a bride's best friend.

NAIL POLISH 

Pack a color that matches your mani/pedi for touch-ups in case of chipping.

Eyelash glue

If you're wearing false lashes, don't even consider leaving the house without spare lash glue in your bridal emergency kit. 

Lotion

Always have lotion for when dry skin strikes. You don't want your skin to look flaky under your ceremony's or reception lighting's glow.

DISPOSABLE RAZOR

We've all experienced having just shaved, only to step outside (or in bright indoor lighting) to find a glittering array of missed hairs. Don't let that happen on your wedding day. You can also use a razor to gently remove garment pilling.

LIP BALM

Dry lips are one of those things we never notice until they're an issue. Keep your lips feeling refreshed after hours of talking with a tube of chapstick or lip balm.

OIL BLOTTING SHEETS

If your face is on the oily side, or at least your foundation base is, consider oil blotting sheets to keep the sheen away.

AN EXTRA PAIR OF CONTACTS OR GLASSES (IF NEEDED)

No one wants to squint their way through one of the biggest days of their life. If you or your sweetheart wear glasses or contacts, make sure to have backups in your emergency kit for the wedding.

Sunscreen

This is especially important for an outdoor ceremony, reception, or photo shoot! You don't want to arrive to your beach wedding looking like you've already been there for a week. Even if you don't plan to be outdoors, sunscreen is useful if you'll be next to a window with heavy light exposure.

THE FASHION KIT

Fashion fails happen every day. Don't be a (fashion) victim. Here's what to include in your fashion wedding emergency kit:

FABRIC STEAMER

You'll probably be getting your wedding dressed professionally steamed,  but having a travel version for your bridal party or last-minute touch-ups doesn't hurt.

STATIC GUARD

If you've never used static guard before, you're in for a treat. Static guard works by neutralizing the electrical charges on surfaces, which lowers the electrical charges that cause static cling on clothing. You can find a can at most major stores for less than $5.

LINT ROLLER

Pet owners know the importance of always having a lint roller on deck for special occasions, but even if your home is pet-free, you'll want to include one in your wedding emergency day checklist. The cleansing swipe of a lint roller adds an instant refresh for the groom or anyone in the wedding party wearing a dark-colored outfit.

Instant stain remover

Pack a bleach pen, wipes, or baby powder to remove or hide any day-of stains on your outfit.

SAFETY PINS

Safety pins have been an outfit-saving hero since your grandmother's wedding. When in a fashion emergency, always ask yourself, 'But does it safety pin?' before panicking.

FASHION TAPE

Also called fashion tape, if you've never used it before, be prepared for excitement. If a strap won't stay in place or a hem starts to slip, fashion tape is a discreet alternative to safety pins.

SEWING KIT 

If your first thought is, 'What could I possibly sew on my wedding day?' remember that lace splits, hems fray, and buttons pop. Wardrobe malfunctions can happen at any time. Be prepared by adding a simple sewing kit that you can find at a dollar store (like the kind with little scissors and some thread) to your bridal emergency kit.

EXTRA EARRING BACKS

Jewelry can sometimes have a mind of its own, seemingly disappearing into thin air. The most notorious thing to go missing are earring backs, so stash a couple in your bridal emergency kit.

SOLE INSERTS 

Sole inserts are a must, even if you wear heels regularly and consider yourself a pro. Your feet will thank you later!

COMFY SHOES FOR DANCING

The reception is one big party that, chances are, your ceremony shoes just won't be able to handle without causing discomfort. Pack comfortable shoes for dancing, both for yourself and the groom, if you know he'll need them.

Photo by @madisongracephoto

The groom kit

It's important to be prepared for any unexpected situation on your big day for both the bride and groom. Consider stashing these must-haves for the groom and his groomsmen:

BACKUP SOCKS

Imagine spending your wedding day wearing uncomfortably soggy wet socks. Always pack a few spare pairs for the groom and groomsmen, just in case. 

SHOE SHINE WIPES

Mark our words (yes, that was another pun), scuffed shoes are painfully obvious in wedding photos. Purchase a shoe shine that suits the color and style of your groom's footwear, or just opt for handy shoe shine wipes.

HANDKERCHIEF

Consider stockpiling a handkerchief or two in the groom's kit for wiping (sweetly) teary eyes and blotting sweat. If you don't have a handkerchief, a travel-sized pack of tissues works fine. 

CUFF LINKS

Cuff links are just plain classy and have the ability to elevate any formal look. Bring an extra pair of cuff links in case one falls out or in the event of a forgetful groomsman. 

DEODORANT, MEDICATION, PERSONAL SUPPLIES

Ensure the groom has travel-sized deodorant, cologne, medications, and personal care supplies to boost their confidence.

Snacks

Literally, no one likes to be hungry. Wedding day jitters can affect the groom just as much as the bride. Stay strapped with a healthy snack.

Phone charger

You'll already have packed yours in your bridal emergency kit, but pack one for your future hubby to avoid an "Are you done with the charger yet?" situation.

The emergency fixes kit

In the world of weddings, it's always better to be overprepared rather than underprepared. Take that extra step to preplan for minor emergencies like a headache or a cut finger. Even if these events seem unlikely, they do happen, and it'll be one less thing for you to stress over.

Make sure these items are on your wedding day emergency checklist:

PAIN RELIEVERS

Your wedding day won't make you immune to headaches. In fact, all the stress and excitement can certainly cause a tension headache. Add some pain relievers to your wedding day emergency kit.

EYE DROPS

If you don't wear contacts or glasses and aren't prone to redness, you may be able to skip this one. However, if your ceremony or reception is outdoors, beware that pollen can cause allergy eyes.

BAND-AIDS

It only takes one drop of blood from one paper cut to stain your attire. If bigger cuts happen, you'll be prepared. Band-aids look better than blood in wedding photos.

PERIOD SUPPLIES (TAMPONS, LINERS, ETC.)

Unless you're having an outdoor ceremony, nobody wants Mother Nature to show up at their wedding. But these things do happen, and the last thing you want to worry about is assigning your maid of honor a menstrual supply run at the last minute. Go ahead and pack anything you'll need, just in case.

SUPER GLUE

Everyone knows super glue is made at least in part from magic. Use it for a quick fix for shoes, jewelry, signage, and everything else. 

NECESSARY CHARGERS AND CABLES

Pack extra chargers, laptop or camera cords, or any type of tech accessory you know you'll need.

Extra tips to make your wedding day stress-free

Now that you've reviewed our wedding emergency day checklist, we hope you feel more confident about navigating emergencies on your big day. Here are a few extra tips to help make your wedding day as stress-free as possible:

Always have a plan B

With something as important as your wedding day, plan A is just not enough. In fact, have a plan C whenever possible. By having a backup plan, you're not thrown into rough water in the event of a wedding day disaster.

Delegate

You're not in this alone! Whether you hire professional help or you're planning your wedding at home, make sure there is someone you can lean on whenever possible. This can be your fiance, family, or someone at the wedding party.

Use faux florals

The Pros of going faux are seemingly endless. In the case of emergencies, faux flowers are much more weather-resistant and durable, with the ability to be reshaped and refreshed in the case of a disaster.

Frequently asked questions

When should you prepare a wedding day emergency kit?

Preparing your bridal emergency kit 1-2 weeks out is a good rule of thumb. This is close enough to the magic date that you will have all the details of your dress, venue, and the weather, but with enough time to go back and add things you may have forgotten. 

Of course, you can always pack your wedding day emergency kit(s) earlier for peace of mind. Remember, it's better to pack early than to pack late.

How do you make a bridal emergency kit?

If you have a Bride emergency kit list, making the bags is relatively easy. Here's how to make a bridal emergency kit in 4 easy steps:

• Create lists of what types of kits you'll need (we suggest kits for freshening up, beauty, fashion, the groom, and emergency fixes.
• Gather all supplies dictated by the list. Once you have everything in one spot, you can estimate the size of bags you'll need.
• Pack supplies into the bags by category (fashion, beauty, etc.). You may be tempted to dump everything in one bag, leading to confusion and making finding what you need more difficult. Imagine the frustration of digging through hair supplies when you just need a pain reliever!
• After the kits are created, it's important to designate someone to keep track of all your wedding day emergency kits. Keep reading for more on this step.

After you've completed step 4, pat yourself on the back- you've just completed your wedding day emergency kit.

Who should keep up with the wedding day emergency kit?

The last thing you want to worry about on such an important day is keeping up with your emergency kit for the wedding. As you begin to gather and prepare your supplies, designate someone to be in charge of them. If you're working with a wedding planner, they are the prime candidates for the job. Still, anyone in your wedding party who is responsible, organized, and dependable will work.

Save space for us in your kit

Feeling pleasantly prepared and a little extra confident that you'll have everything you need in your wedding emergency kit? We love this for you! Show off your bridal emergency kit or tag us in photos of your big day @lingsmoment on IG!