Wedding day emergency kit list: what to pack
Updated October 23, 2026. 6 minute read.
Something small goes wrong at every wedding: a hem comes down, a strap snaps, new shoes raise a blister, someone spills coffee near a white dress. A wedding day emergency kit is the bag that fixes those things in two minutes instead of twenty. It costs little to pack and it's the thing people thank you for afterwards.
Below is the full list, grouped so you can pack it in one go, with who should carry it and when to put it together.
Who packs it and who carries it
Pack it yourselves, because you know what you'll need: the right shade of concealer, the medicine you take, the spare earring backs. Then hand it over. On the day, the kit belongs to someone who stays near the bride from getting ready to the reception, usually the maid of honor or the coordinator. Our guide to wedding party duties has the rest of the maid of honor's jobs.
Make a second, smaller kit for the groom's side and give it to the best man. The two groups get ready in different places and often spend the photos apart.
The wedding day emergency kit list
Clothes and repairs
- Sewing kit with white, ivory and black thread, and the color of the wedding party's outfits
- Safety pins in two sizes
- Fashion tape for straps, necklines and gaping buttons
- Stain remover pen or wipes, and white chalk to cover a mark on a white dress
- Lint roller
- Spare buttons from the dress and the suits (most come with one sewn inside)
- Clear nail polish to stop a run in tights
- Spare tights and earring backs
- Small scissors
Beauty and grooming
- Blotting papers and powder
- Lipstick or lip balm for touch-ups
- Bobby pins and hair ties
- Small hairspray
- Cotton swabs and makeup remover wipes, for fixing a smudge without starting again
- Deodorant
- Breath mints
- Tissues
- Comb and a small mirror
- Nail file and clippers
Health and first aid
- Pain relievers
- Antihistamines
- Antacids
- Bandages and blister pads
- Eye drops
- Any medicine either of you takes, in its labeled box
- Hand sanitizer
- Period products
Don't hand out medicine to guests: point them to the venue's first aid kit.
Food and drink
- Water bottles
- Snacks that don't crumble or stain: crackers, nuts, cereal bars
- Straws, so whoever is wearing lipstick can drink without redoing it
Most couples barely eat before the ceremony. A snack between photos keeps everyone upright through a long afternoon.
Phones and paperwork
- Phone chargers and a charged portable battery
- The day's timeline and the vendors' phone numbers on paper
- Vows and any reading, printed
- The marriage license, if it's yours to bring (check with your officiant)
- Envelopes for the vendors who are paid or tipped on the day, if nobody else is carrying them
- A pen
Weather and comfort
- Umbrella, and a clear one for photos
- Sunscreen
- Wrap or cardigan for after dark
- Flat shoes for the dancing
- Insect repellent for an outdoor ceremony
- A small fan for a summer day
When to pack it
Start the kit about a month before the wedding, when there's still time to order fashion tape or a second battery. That's where the free wedding checklist puts "Prepare emergency kit". Finish it the week of the wedding, then add the things you use every day, like medicine and chargers, the night before, with the rest of the day-of bags.
A small toiletry bag or a clear pouch with zipped pockets is enough. Label it, so nobody packs it into a car that leaves for the reception.
What you can leave out
You don't need to bring what your vendors and venue already carry. Most venues have a first aid kit, an iron and an extension cord; most florists bring extra pins for boutonnieres; most hair and makeup artists carry touch-up kits until they leave. Ask each of them, then drop those from your list. Leave out anything that can stain a dress in a hot bag, such as nail polish remover or self-tanner.
Keep your list in Linenfold
In Linenfold each of you has your own packing list, on every plan, including Free. The lists have categories ready to fill, and Emergency & Just-in-Case comes with suggestions to add in one click: a sewing kit, safety pins, stain remover, pain relievers, bandages, blister pads, snacks and a water bottle. Tick things off as you pack.
On the day, Day-of mode shows both packing lists on your phone beside the timeline, and keeps working when the venue has no signal. The Wedding Day Binder prints both lists with the rest of the day for whoever holds the kit. You can print it on any plan: Free adds a watermark, and Complete prints it clean.
Start with the free wedding checklist to see what's due each month, and when you're ready to keep your packing lists, create a free account.
Questions
- What should be in a wedding day emergency kit?
- A sewing kit, safety pins, fashion tape, a stain remover pen, blotting papers, bobby pins, pain relievers, bandages and blister pads, snacks, water, phone chargers, a printed timeline with the vendors' numbers, and an umbrella.
- Who carries the wedding emergency kit?
- Someone who stays near the bride all day, usually the maid of honor or the coordinator. Give a smaller kit to the best man for the groom's side.
- When should we pack the emergency kit?
- Start about a month before the wedding so there's time to order anything missing, finish it the week of, and add medicine and chargers the night before.
- Does the venue have an emergency kit?
- Most venues have a first aid kit, an iron and an extension cord, and hair and makeup artists carry touch-up kits. Ask each of them, and leave out what they already bring.