If you’ve been following me for a bit or have gotten to work with me, you’re probably familiar with my giant pink suitcase I call an Emergency Kit. As an NYC wedding planner, it is absolutely CRUCIAL to have one on wedding days. You never know what could happen! Over the years, this kit has grown from being a small handheld bag to being a large pink monster that I call “A CVS on wheels.” Today I thought I would give you the grand tour of everything I keep in my wedding day emergency kit- let’s dive in!

The Essentials

In the top section of my kit, I keep the MVP’s (AKA my most used items). Coming in number one on the list is scissors!! I don’t think there’s a single wedding I’ve worked where I haven’t used scissors. Next, I have things like boutonniere pins, safety pins, a sewing kit, jewelry repair kit, phone chargers, Shout wipes, Tide pens, a crochet hook, and a lint roller. These items are used almost every wedding and are essentials in any emergency kit. Another thing I keep up top is medicine. I have a pill holder that contains Tylenol, Midol, Excedrin, Tums, Lactaid, Benadryl, and more. I also keep lighters, a portable fan, blotting paper, and hand sanitizer, among other things. Underneath the top section of my kit I store some utility items. There I keep a steamer, trash bags, extension cords, zip ties, and disinfectant wipes. Lastly, you’ll also see just about every type of tape and glue imaginable. These are all the things I use most often, but we’ve still barely scratched the surface!

Wedding Specific

The next category I want to talk through is my wedding specific section. These are things that pertain directly to the wedding itself, but I like to have spares of just in case. Coming in at the top of this list is two cake cutting sets- one silver vintage and one gold modern. Sometimes this can end up being forgotten and if you have a wedding cake, it’s essential. Next I keep a few spare hair accessories such as pins, clips, and hairbands that have crystals and pearls on them. I also keep a pack of gold pens for guest books a set of plain table numbers with holders. There’s also an extra black tie and bowtie, as well as a couple of ring boxes and some pretty chiffon ribbons in neutral colors. Finally, I always keep a set of vintage cuff links I sourced just to be safe.

Making Sure You Look Good

Next up on the list, we have our clothing and shoe care section. In addition to the steamer, Tide pens, and Shout wipes from before, I have a number of things relating to apparel. Stocked in the kit is a large lint roller, spare black dress socks and no show socks, and some Downy Wrinkle Release spray. I also keep on hand body tape, fashion tape, and pasties for fashion emergencies. Heel stoppers are also a big hit for anyone who wears a stiletto and needs a little extra grip.

In the same vein, we have all kinds of things to help you staying fresh and looking your best. I collect a number of designer perfumes and colognes for touch ups throughout the day. You’ll also find a drawer in my kit dedicated to hair care. Dry shampoo, hair ties, hairspray, hair gel, hair brushes, bobby pins, and combs are all essential on wedding days. The drawer next to it contains everything makeup related. Fake lashes and glue, setting spray, Q tips, and makeup wipes are all must haves. And of course, we can’t forget about nails. I keep a number of neutral, fast dry nail polishes in my kit, along with nail files, nail polish removing wipes, and nail clippers.

Making Sure You FEEL Good

Now that you look great, it’s time to make sure you feel great too. To help everyone smell fresh, I keep tooth brushes, toothpaste, floss, Tic Tacs, mouthwash tabs, and spray deodorant. I also have a pack of compostable straws so no one’s lipstick gets messed up while staying hydrated. Of course, there’s pads and tampons for those who get periods. Along with the medicine box I keep in the top section, I have a number of medical/health related items. Eye drops, contact solution, nose spray, Vaseline, anti-itch cream, Band-Aids in all skin tones and sizes, and Liquid IV’s can make a world of difference in a tough situation. And for those outdoor weddings, you’ll find spray sunscreen and bug spray as well.

As exhaustive as this wedding day emergency kit is, I find myself adding to it constantly after every wedding! It’s certainly evolved over time, and will continue to grow as I work more and more weddings and find new things to improve the kit. Thanks for following along, and feel free to DM me on Instagram if you have any questions or suggestions!