Your Emergency Wedding Kit

So I’m going to start off today’s post by being totally honest with you…

No matter what stage of the planning process you’re at, but especially the initial few months of engagement and wedding planning excitement (you know, the stage before the reality of wedmin hits!), the title and subject matter of the latest feature in our collaborative wedding planning series is probably going to register quite highly on your trés dull meter!  Probably as highly as this total, but essential, snooze-athon?!

BUT before you click on another jam packed inspirational feature then please STOP and take a moment to consider the ‘what ifs’, the potential consequences and the added layer of stress as a result of not reading on (or at least bookmarking this feature) and therefore not having a wedding day emergency kit…

WHAT IF there’s a mini heatwave like there was a couple of weeks ago and you/your wedding party/your guests are prone to a little burn?

WHAT IF a guest accidentally steps on your dress and tears the hem? The zip or buttons break? OR even worse, there’s a rogue wine spillage?

WHAT IF your flowers wilt due to the weather (stay tuned for even more pro-emergency floral tips as part of our three-part series with Jay Archer Floral Design)?

WHAT IF you’re prone to hayfever and your photographer finds the most idyllic patch of tall billowy grass for your couple shots?

… you get the drift!

So, let’s start off with the question you’re probably now asking yourself… do you really need an emergency kit?

Well, if you’re still reading on and those ‘what ifs’ made you sit up and take notice then I think you already know the answer is YES, right?!  Wedding day emergency kits are a must-have for many reasons.

To start with, no one knows your wedding plans quite like you, so you can absolutely tailor your kit to suit. If you’re prone to hay fever, stress headaches or blisters, make sure you have what you need to hand.

Then there’s the fact that however well you plan, the fates can often conspire to cause a few hiccups.  If you’ve thought ahead, that insect bite, garlic breath, late taxi or decorative disaster needn’t be a problem.

Lastly, just having your emergency kit to hand will make you feel so much more relaxed and in control – trust me on this one! Think of it as another form of insurance. You might not use anything from your kit (that’s a BIG win!) but even if you need just one item from it, you’ll be so glad that you took the time to prepare.

So, let’s look at what you might need broken down into three areas – personal, guests and practical.

Your personal kit is just that, everything that you need to make sure that you look and feel fabulous throughout the day.  This kit is small but perfectly formed; you should be able to pop all of these items into a bridal handbag or small clutch and here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Hair & Makeup – hair grips, a comb, hairspray, makeup touch-up kit (ask your makeup artist if they can assist with this), blotting sheets, mini perfume
• Personal Items – nail file, eye drops, any medication that you need, feminine hygiene products, breath mints (if you look in any of my kit boxes and bags you’ll always find a hefty supply of Tic Tac’s!)
• Practical Items – a straw (totally essential for smudge free drinking!), white chalk (to cover any marks on your dress), tissues (lots of them!), wet wipes, a copy of your speech if you’re making one.

A kit for your guests will include items that everyone might need. These can then be placed in the guests’ cloakrooms so that everyone can access them with a little bit of privacy. You can then use these items if you need to without having to carry everything around yourself:

• Painkillers, indigestion tablets, tummy settlers, hay fever/allergy tablets
• A comb, hairspray, hair grips
• Mouthwash, mints, dental floss, lip balm, hand lotion
• A small first aid kit with plasters and blister plasters
• Heel stoppers
• Insect repellant, bite soother, sunscreen
• Spare tights, sewing kit, hem tape, safety pins, stain remover wipes, lint roller
• Deodorant, feminine hygiene products, hand sanitiser
• A nail file, tweezers, scissors
• Once again… lots of tissues!
• Phone numbers for local taxi firms and the hotels that you’ve recommended to your guests (personally I’m a fan of sticking these to the backs of toilet doors!)

Your practical wedding day emergency kit contains all the bits and pieces that you (or rather a bridesmaid, groomsman or friend) might need to deal with any other issue on the day. This really is the kit that you need to think through because your plans will govern what needs to be in here.  If you’re looking for a solid start, this list will make sure you’re heading in the right direction:

• Scissors
• Blu tack / sticky tape / double sided tape
• Clear nail polish (handy for re-attaching sequins etc. back to dresses!)
• Floral tape (if you’re especially worried about your flowers then make sure you check out our floral series with Jay Archer!)
• Extra tealights / batteries / candles
• Long reach lighters (lots of them – I somehow manage to get through at least 3-5 of these at every wedding!)
• Spare stationery, favours etc.
• Contact details for all of your wedding suppliers and the wedding party
• Copies of your wedding day schedule
• Umbrellas
• A phone charger / extension lead
• Emergency cash

If you have a little look around online (any excuse for some Pinterest time I say!), you’ll find great ideas and printables that will allow you to make your own kits for bridesmaids and friends. Of course, you can also buy pre-made emergency kits but always check that they contain everything you need and nothing that you’re allergic to.

Of course, you can dress up your wedding day emergency kit in any way you like and add anything you want to – I’ve seen all sorts in an emergency kit! I would say however that your larger practical kit should be left with your wedding coordinator or in a place that is easily accessible throughout the whole day.  As long as you know where to go or who to ask in an emergency, you’ll be absolutely fine.

Finally, there’s one thing that you can’t put in an emergency kit that will help you through any wedding day mishap and that’s a big dose of perspective. Yes, you might need to trim a few lose threads on your wedding dress or dab some bite soother on an insect bite, you might even need to deal with a red wine stain on your dress but in the grand scheme of things, do those really count as wedding day catastrophes? Personally, they’re merely a hiccup – as long as you’ve got your friends and family around you and your partner by your side, nothing else really matters, does it?