Wedding Day Emergency Kit Checklist

Wardrobe and dress emergencies

• Fashion tape and safety pins in three sizes — the two items used at almost every wedding.
• Sewing kit with thread matching every outfit colour, plus a spare needle already threaded.
• Stain remover pen and stain wipes; a small bottle of clear soda for red wine.
• Static spray and a lint roller.
• Steamer or wrinkle-release spray.
• Spare buttons, cufflinks, shirt stays, collar stays.
• Extra earring backs, spare hair elastics, bobby pins in matching shades.
• Bra strap converters, nipple covers, spare pair of tights or stockings.
• Blister plasters, moleskin, and clear deodorant for the whole party.
• Flat shoes for the bride and comfortable backups for anyone in heels.
• Small scissors and a seam ripper.
• Chalk or white pencil to hide a mark on a light dress.

Beauty and grooming kit

• Blotting papers, translucent powder, and a small mirror.
• Every lipstick worn that day, for touch-ups after eating.
• Cotton buds, makeup remover pads, and a spare mascara.
• Hairspray, dry shampoo, comb, and a travel brush.
• Nail file, clear polish, nail glue, and a spare set of lashes with glue.
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mints, and mouthwash.
• Deodorant, unscented wipes, and hand cream.
• Tweezers, small pair of nail scissors, and a razor.
• Eye drops and lip balm.
• Sunscreen for outdoor ceremonies — sunburn shows in every photograph.

Health and comfort

• Painkillers, antihistamines, antacids, and anti-diarrhoea tablets.
• Plasters, blister pads, antiseptic wipes, and a small first aid kit.
• Everyone's prescription medication, clearly labelled.
• Inhaler and EpiPen if anyone in the party needs one, plus someone who knows where they are.
• Insect repellent for outdoor and evening receptions.
• Tissues, hand sanitiser, and period supplies.
• Electrolyte sachets and two litres of water — dehydration causes more wedding faints than anything else.
• Protein bars or nuts. Most couples do not eat between 9am and 7pm otherwise.
• Flip flops or slippers for the dance floor.

Paperwork, tech, and logistics

• Marriage licence and any required identification.
• Printed vows and printed speeches, in duplicate.
• Printed day-of timeline and the vendor contact list.
• Tip envelopes, labelled, with the distribution list.
• Cash for anything unexpected.
• Phone chargers, power bank, and a multi-plug extension lead.
• Rings — assigned to a named person, checked in the morning.
• Umbrellas, in a colour that photographs well, one per two guests if rain is possible.
• Scissors, tape, superglue, and a small roll of gaffer tape.
• Bottle opener, corkscrew, and straws so lipstick survives.
• A basket or tote so the whole kit travels as one object, not five bags.
• Rubbish bag and a box for cards and gifts, with someone assigned to take them home.

Who carries the kit and when

Build two kits, not one: the full basket that stays in a fixed known location, and a small pouch — tape, pins, powder, lipstick, mints, plasters, painkillers — that physically follows the couple all day. The full kit is useless if it is in a locked room during the ceremony.

Who pays for what at a wedding

Very few couples now follow the traditional split. What matters is having the conversation explicitly: ask each contributing family for a fixed amount rather than a category, so a venue overrun does not become someone else's problem. Get the number in writing, in a message, and put it in your budget the day you hear it.

How to build the kit in one shopping trip

• Print this list and shop it in one pharmacy run four weeks out — not the week of.
• Pack it into a single lidded basket or tote with an internal pouch for the mini kit.
• Label the outside with a phone number in case it is misplaced at the venue.
• Photograph the contents so anyone can find an item without unpacking it.
• Delegate ownership by name in your day-of timeline, and tell that person twice.
• Restock the mini pouch at the ceremony-to-reception transition.
• Add a printed copy of the day's timeline and vendor phone list on top.