Wedding Day Emergency Kit Checklist: What to Pack

By Altar & Agenda · Updated October 21, 2026

Something small always goes wrong on a wedding day: a popped button, a blister, a forgotten phone charger, a spill on a white shirt. A wedding day emergency kit turns those moments into a two-minute fix instead of a crisis.

This checklist covers everything worth packing, grouped so it's easy to shop for and find on the day. Pack it a few days before, put it in a labeled bag, and hand it to one calm person who isn't getting married.

Who should carry the kit

Give the kit to someone who'll be near you all day but isn't the center of attention: a maid of honor, best man, day-of coordinator or a trusted friend. Tell them what's in it, and give a smaller pocket kit (tissues, blotting papers, safety pins, mints, pain relief) to one person on each side of the wedding party.

Wardrobe fixes

• Safety pins in several sizes
• Double-sided fashion tape
• Mini sewing kit with thread in the colors of the dress, suits and bridesmaid outfits
• Spare buttons from your outfits
• Stain remover pen or wipes, plus white chalk for light-colored fabric
• Lint roller
• Clear nail polish (stops tights from running)
• Spare tights or socks
• Earring backs and a spare pair of studs
• Small scissors
• Comfortable flat shoes for the reception
• Shoe grips or a nail file to scuff slippery soles

Hair and beauty

• Bobby pins and hair ties
• Travel hairspray and a small brush or comb
• Blotting papers and pressed powder
• Your lipstick or lip gloss
• Makeup remover wipes and cotton buds for smudges
• Tissues
• Deodorant
• Mints or breath spray
• Nail file and clippers
• Travel mirror
• Eye drops

First aid and comfort

• Your usual pain reliever
• Blister plasters and adhesive bandages
• Antacid
• Allergy tablets
• Any personal prescription medication
• Sunscreen (for outdoor ceremonies and photos)
• Insect repellent (for evening or garden weddings)
• Period products
• Hand sanitizer
• A small fan or a wrap, depending on the season

Check any medicine you pack is in date and suitable for whoever might use it.

Food and drink

• Water bottles
• Snacks that won't stain: crackers, nuts, granola bars
• Straws, so you can drink without disturbing lipstick
• Plates of food set aside for the couple at the reception (tell the caterer in advance)

Day-of logistics

• Phone charger and a power bank
• A printed copy of your wedding day timeline
• Vendor names and phone numbers
• Your vows or readings, printed
• The marriage license and pen
• Envelopes with final payments and tips, labeled by vendor
• Tape, scissors and a few zip ties for décor fixes
• Spare batteries for candles or a microphone
• An umbrella or two
• A small bag for gifts and cards at the reception

When to pack it

• One to two weeks before: shop for anything missing and decant toiletries into travel sizes.
• Two or three days before: pack and label the kit, and hand it to its carrier.
• The night before: add your vows, the license, payments and chargers.

If you're working through the last month, our 12-month wedding planning checklist covers everything else in the final weeks, and our questions to ask wedding vendors helps you confirm every arrival time and contact number.

Frequently asked questions

What should be in a wedding day emergency kit?

Wardrobe fixes (safety pins, fashion tape, a sewing kit, stain remover), beauty touch-ups (bobby pins, blotting papers, lipstick), first aid (pain relief, blister plasters, allergy tablets), snacks and water, a phone charger, and a printed timeline with vendor contacts.

Who should hold the wedding emergency kit?

One calm, organized person who'll be near you all day but isn't getting married, such as the maid of honor, best man or a day-of coordinator.

When should I put together my wedding emergency kit?

Shop for it one to two weeks before and pack it two or three days before the wedding, adding the last-minute items (vows, license, payments) the night before.

Do I need a separate kit for the wedding party?

A small pocket kit for each side of the wedding party is helpful: tissues, safety pins, blotting papers, mints and pain relief.

Want it done for you?

Our printable Wedding Day Emergency Kit Checklist has tick boxes for every item above, pocket kits for the wedding party and space for your own additions. It's also in the Wedding Printables Pack, together with the Day-of Timeline and the Wedding Week Countdown. Still on the budget? Start with our free Wedding Budget Starter.

Disclosure: Altar & Agenda makes the printables linked above. This checklist is our own compilation; it contains no statistics.

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