DIY Wedding Day Emergency Kit
When I go to a wedding, I’m there to have a good time. I don’t want worries about something relatively fixable to keep me away from celebrating with a Sav Blanc or two.
Because of this, I’m one of those overpackers. My clutch is stuffed full of eyelash glue, a needle & thread, spare batteries and tampons.
The times that this over-packing have come in handy have been few – but boy they’ve been valuable. For example, here’s a wee “getting ready” pic you might not want for your wedding day! My sister-in-law Nikki’s wedding dress decided to malfunction (the plastic snap snapped). I was able to sew the embellished bits together so they stayed put.
Thank goodness for a simple needle & thread huh.
I also laugh at the bracelet I’m wearing in this photo. I tried to wear it for my own wedding day, but as soon as I got it on, the clasp broke. I wasted way too much time trying to fix it before eventually giving up. If I’d had some round nose pliers it would’ve been sorted within seconds, but running late for your wedding + acrylic nails + jump rings on bracelets just don’t add up.
These examples are why I highly recommend compiling a wedding day emergency kit – you can’t plan for everything. I tell you this not to scare you, but to illustrate that all the best planning in the world can’t help the little emergencies that will crop up. Creating an emergency kit doesn’t have to fall to the bride – this is a great idea for the bridesmaids or Mother of the Bride to compile, and is often gifted to the bride at her hen’s night.
DIY Instructions for a Wedding Day Emergency Kit
Below I’ve listed some things that you should could add to a wedding survival kit.
First you’ll need something to cart it round in. Decide whether you’ll have one large communal kit (i.e. one for the bridesmaids to cart round, and one for the groomsmen), or if you’ll do small and compact individual ones.
You can use baskets for a communal one, purchase individual toiletry bags or opt for clutches. You can even reuse and decorate boxes – this isn’t something that needs to be super pretty, just practical.
If you’ll put together mini-kits for your bridesmaids to tote around, how about doubling up and making it part of their bridesmaid gift? These absolutely beautiful bridesmaid clutches are handmade in a soft gold lace – but my favourite bit is that they’re personalised with a embroidered label for each bridesmaid. Love!
You can select from a heap of different colours for the satin lining too.
Next, what are you going to include?
Things to include in a wedding day emergency kit
- A needle and thread! Top of the list because it’s so important.
- Bobby pins
- Hairspray
- Comb
- Mirror
- Eyelash glue and ear buds for repairing fake lashes (from experience!)
- Small round nose pliers (another one from experience – fixes broken jump chains on bracelets and necklaces)
- Earring backs if wearing studs
- A tube of lipgloss or lipstick
- Sunscreen
- Deodorant
- Safety pins
- A phone number list – numbers for the bridal party, venue, photographer etc
- Panty hose (if anyone is wearing a set)
- Nail polish in the same shade as the bridesmaids to fix chips
- Nail file or manicure set (I love these kits as they can double as a bridesmaid gift)
- Panadol and Neurofen
- Tampons/Sanitary Napkins
- Antihistamines (even if you don’t get hayfever, good to have on hand if someone gets a bee sting… another one from experience)
- Sticking plasters/Band aids (skin or clear colours)
- Blister plasters if you want to splash out
- Jandals/flat shoes for getting round dodgy places during photographs and for tired and sore feet after a loooong day in heels
- Rescue Remedy
- Cell phone charger – or a fully charged portable power bank plus a cord for your cellphone.
The above shopping list is, of course, no means exhaustive, and a survival kit this extensive might be overkill for some weddings! However it is a good starting point for thinking about what bits and pieces you need to include.
If you want to go an extra step, how about setting up an emergency kit for the bathrooms? Megan at She Said Yes has a really detailed article on what you can include and what was used (and wasn’t!) at her wedding.
Are there any bits and pieces you’d add to this list? Have you had any issues in the weddings you’ve been in, and have something to add? Please let me know in the comments!
