Shooting weddings has taught me a lot about common mishaps and mistakes that are prevalent and almost communal in the fact that they’ve happened in almost EVERY SINGLE WEDDING. One of the last weddings I shot, the bride had craftily brought her own “Oh Shit” Kit. That’s when the proverbial lightbulb went *ding* in my head, and I thought — like every Californian needs an Earthquake Preparedness Kit, every bride should have an “Oh Shit” Kit.
Here are the things to include in your bridal “Oh Shit” Kit:
Needle and thread: In fact, pack an entire mini sewing kit with scissors, needle, threads, extra buttons, safety pins, etc.
Scissors: There’s always something that needs cutting, whether it be a loose thread or the price tag left on a dress or tie.
Super glue, or any other kind of adhesive: I once saw a bridesmaid break her heel right before the ceremony — super glue came in reeeeeally handy.
Sunscreen: VERY necessary if you’re having an outdoor wedding, not only for the bride but for the whole bridal party. Even if you’re not having an outdoor wedding, consider bringing some sunscreen if you plan on doing portrait sessions outdoors.
Bobby pins and hair stuff: Bring extra bobby pins, hair ties, and a brush or comb.
First aid kit: I love these Johnson & Johnson mini first aid kits so much that I supplied them in my welcome bags for all my out of town wedding guests. They came in really handy in a lot of unfortunate occasions — like when I got stung by a bee at the rehearsal dinner!
Stain remover: A Tide To Go pen or Shout Wipes have saved many a near wedding outfit stain disaster at one too many weddings, let me tell ya. Whether it’s a stains on your white dress from sitting on something funky, or an unbalanced bridesmaid with a glass of red wine, these babies come in SUPER handy.
Something for headaches: Advil, Aspirin, Tylenol — whatever works for you when that stress headache rears its ugly head. Also great for near the end of the evening when your feet are KILLING you from your fancy new wedding shoes.
Lighters: Trust me, even if you’re not a smoker, bring a lighter. There’s always a candle that goes out or even a bon fire pit at the venue that may be calling your name.
Something naughty: Speaking of lighters… sometimes an emergency stash of your guilty pleasure can be the ONLY thing that will bring you back from the brink of wedding day insanity. Keep a secret cigarette stash for a quiet moment to yourself. I’ve seen bridesmaids do a pre-wedding nip on a flask to calm nerves. (The one pictured above has room for both!) Hell, what about a Vicodin or a mini vibrator? Whatever calms ya down and makes ya’ happy in an emergency ‘sitch.
Bin bags: Useful for trash, for tossing gum into, for tossing soiled items, or, if nothing needs tossing, it never hurts to have an extra bag around. Just toss a few plastic bags into your tote and thank me later.
Extra undergarments: If you’re wearing ’em, pack an extra pair of underwear and nylons. I love Hanky Panky undies because, not only are they comfortable (I wore them on my wedding day) but they come wrapped up tight in these little bundles, perfect to stick in your “Oh shit” kit.
Flash drive: A flash drive with files of all your important documents — speeches, vows, schedules, etc. (Also, how much do you love that I found you a Transformers flash drive? You’re welcome.)
Snacks: Bring an apple, a bag of trail mix, or an energy bar in case you don’t have time to eat. It’ll calm your stomach and any residual crankiness. Also a bottle of water can be a life saver.
Tote bag: The great thing is that all these items are small, so you don’t need to bring a very large bag with you. A tote that’s the size of a lunch bag will do just fine. So find something fun and funky that will stand out and be easy to find like this child’s lunch bag.
Okay… I know I’m missing something here, right? What else did you forget, or remembered to bring that absolutely saved your “oh shit!” wedding moment?
Related Reading
Two OH SHIT KIT packing lists – be twice as prepared for all wedding day emergencies
What’s an OH SHIT KIT? It’s the bag filled with all the important items you might find yourself needing on your wedding day. Think of it as your emergency preparedness kit for your wedding day. What to put in your… Read more
132 responses to “OH SHIT KIT: The wedding emergency kit filled with stuff that could save your ass”
Tampons. I’ve never actually had a wedding I’ve planned where I’ve needed them, but it’s one of those “If this happens and we DON’T have them, whole day will be thrown into chaos” items.
And tissues for the mom crowd. They never remember them.
That is the first thing I thought would be on the list! It is certainly the first “emergency” item I pack when going anywhere else!
I will tell you this, I was in need of tampons on MY wedding day! dispite planning my bc pills around my wedding day, my “friend” still decided to show up that morning. Thankfully, my MOH had a ridiculous oh shit bag that included tampons!
Stress it causes all kinds of hell with hormones. I have tried to plan around it but I’m just going to accept that it’s just going to happen, just because it can.
I usually go with a couple tampons and a $1.00 package of panty liners (20 count). Reason? If you’re the least bit worried about sweating through your top, a regular pantyliner stuck inside the seam catches the sweat, so the shirt/gown doesn’t. (Old theatre costumer trick.) Works on the guys too.
I’d add a tube of superglue for ultra emergency hemming or heel mishaps. Love the Oh Shit bag, I want one in pink now! 🙂
Scotch Tape! I can’t think of a single event I’ve organized when scotch tape wasn’t both needed and missing at some point. Duct tape is equally useful:)
I’ll second the superglue – my son called while we were driving to the wedding and it was the one thing I didn’t have! his custom cuff-link had come apart.
we also used a lint brush, touch-up makeup, and the eyeglasses repair kit. oh! and pepto bismol tablets! those were a life-saver
Great post!
I always bring those wall hooks with the 3M Command Adhesive. Even just the backing can save a decor disaster! Especially if you are not allowed to nail or staple anything into the walls at your venue.
Great list. Some things I’d add on are extra bobby pins, hair ties, hair spray, scotch tape, hair brush, comb, hand-held mirror, extra corsage pins, extra earring backers, copy of all the important/vendor phone numbers, a to-list for the big day (This saved me a ton of headaches & worry. I prepared it when I was in a calm & relaxed mood), umbrella, Krazy Glue (It saved the day in quite a few spots!), spare change & ribbon/tulle (We had forgotten the flowers to give the mothers & were able to make something makeshift with spare flowers & tulle)
corsage pins! yes! my bother in law lost his backing of his magnetic corsage fastener and we had to find something else. i believe his first replacement fastener was a paper clip, then a 10c coin 🙂
This is great! i’ve already started a list for my ‘bride bag’, but i definitely missed tape! mine also includes mini mouthwash bottle, visine, safety pins, and a nail file.
I second the mini mouthwash! It was a last minute addition to my kit and I was so nervous the morning of the wedding I ended up puking mid lipgloss application. I don’t do well with stage fright! So having mouth wash was lovely….
Dental floss!
I attended a wedding, and a bridesmaid tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, “Are you Sarah? [The bride] says you probably have floss.” I always do, so I was happy to help.
I also included a disposable camera just in case no photog was around when one of those “priceless” moments happened, and all things listed above 😛
So true! I was in the bridal party at a wedding where the photographer was involved in the ceremony and couldn’t take any pictures until afterwards. One of the girls grabbed a little point and shoot to catch some of the candid moments while we were all getting ready, and the bride was so glad afterwards!
Tape. One wedding I was in we needed it to fix a hemline.
, another wedding we used it to make pasties for a too thin dress, you can pull fuzz off of suit jackets. It’s great stuff.
I also brought bobby pins, and my allergy medication… Flip flops for when my feet couldn’t take heels anymore, and believe it or not, a spare set of undies… I had a comfy set to wear all day… then a sexy pair to put on towards the end of the night for the hubby. I was NOT about to deal with chaffing all day. 😉
I always end up with multiple undergarments too!
THAT is such a good idea. Totally hadn’t occurred to me! Thanks for sharing. 😉
And a bottle of water..I remember getting in the car going to the church on my wedding day absolutly gasping for drink. Great post!
I’m currently wondering how I made it this far in life WITHOUT a cigarette flask. What’s up with that?
I would add safety pins to the list, though that might fall under sewing kit. And duct tape. You could, in theory, construct an entirely new dress from duct tape.
Right!? I don’t even smoke and I thought… GENIUS!
I immediately added the cig flask to my cart on amazon cause I was wondering the same thing!
Bobby pins, more than two safety pins, a sharpee and a regular pen, tape, a refillable water bottle, and tissue.
It was supposed to be hot on the day of my July wedding, so we bought one of those mini battery-powered fans for the groom and his guys to use to cool off during the outdoor portrait session (since they were all in black suits). Of course, when we went up the hill to the gardens for the photos, we forgot it back at the reception hall, so we didn’t have it when we needed it, but every single one of those guys was begging me asking me where it was – so it *would* have been awesome if we’d remembered. 🙂
My girls carried clutches down the aisle, and I doubled them as a gift and an emergency kit. Here’s what I put in them:
* hand sanitizer
* hand lotion
* bandaids
* advil
* lip gloss
* nail polish
* blotting papers
* tissues
Then in my kit/clutch I had:
* hand lotion
* lip glosses
* lip chap
* cuticle pen
* blotting papers
* cash
* tissues
* cell phone
* compact mirror
* sunglasses
Let me say the blotting papers were a GODSEND. They are tiny, really thin paper that absorbs any moisture you may have on your face (ie, sweat). Perfect when you need to look not so greasy in your pictures.
Doubled-sided tape is always a good one too. I remember having to borrow some from my mother-in-law at a wedding to hold my dress properly.
Yes! I don’t work an event without blotting papers. Stress and running around lead to greasy faces real fast. I’ll definitely have some rice paper with me at my wedding.
1 – a razor! Nothing worse that realizing you missed a huge patch on your knee or forgot to shave your armpits when you’re about to put on your dress! 2 – lotion! Dry skin is a no-go anytime, but especially when you’re in your wedding dress. And it can double as shave cream if you’re having to do last-minute shaving without time to hop in the shower!
Phone charger (standard micro-USB) – SOMEONE will need it 🙂
I second this! Be sure you have a working charger for all important phones. My now-husband’s phone charger suddenly stopped working the day of the wedding–of course!–and thankfully my Lady of Honor was able to bring hers for him to use.
The most useful items in my OSK were:
– Hand sanitizer wipes (not gel): helpful for cleaning off sticky, makeup hands and sanitizing too.
– Tissues. Obv!
– A cotton hankie for blotting yourself if you feel sweaty or feel a spell coming on–leaves no tissue lint behind.
– Clear nail polish. Looks pretty, fixes things. (stocking runs, also adheres slippery straps to shoulders)
– Lip balm. Sometimes all that lipstick dries you out!
– Safety pins.
– A Sharpie. Because you will ALWAYS need to label something last minute.
– Bobby pins. Can be used for hair or as paper/fabric clips.
– Antacids and Pepto pills. Rich food! Oy vey! Also anti-nausea tablets. NERVES!
– Eye drops. You really don’t want to have a dry eye in the house.
– Advil. HEADACHES! 🙂
– A nail file. Snags, yikes!
– Bandages. Painful shoes/paper cuts/slippery shoes!
– Mints. They freshen your breath and reduce nausea.
– Nail clippers. Not only can they fix nails and cuticles, they also act as simple scissors for threads and things.
– Emergency snack (granola bar). You really do forget to eat on your wedding day.
– A copy of your vows and a copy of your wedding day dossier/contact list/plan, as backup.
– My naughty item was a Vicodin wrapped in a baggie and hidden in my purse, which my Lady of Honor could ONLY dispense if I gave her the “Voldemort needs his horcrux” phrase. I was recovering from ankle surgery and wanted to be sure I had emergency OMG pain meds. However, to prevent me from popping it while intoxicated (opiates and booze don’t mix!), I instructed her to ONLY dispense it if I could remember my phrase-that-pays–which I could not have done if drunk. I didn’t end up needing it, but felt better having it.
Re-wetting drops if you wear contacts, lash glue if you’re wearing falsies.
Spare Nylons and those Clean and Clear Blotting Papers that suck all the grease off your face until they become weirdly translucent. (The papers, not your face.)
Soooo many good ideas in here! I’m actually going to add a few of them to the post right now. Good thinkin’ guys!
Megan – where did you find the teal “oh shit” bag? I’m DYING to get it for my friend for her wedding this fall.
I found the personalized lunch box on PersonalizationMall.com and just took a screen shot using their Preview Feature. I will warn you though, someone tried to have a different company make one of these “Oh Shit!” bags and the company wouldn’t do it for ’em. But give it a try and let us know if Personalization Mall will rock it!
Blister band-aids, (those things are amazing) odourless insect repellant, hay fever medication (non-drowsy!)… For outdoor springtime wedding by a river.
100% on insect repellent. I’ve made a little chest of drawers for the bathroom before (out of a set I already had) with emergency items in it for the guests to use. People love it. I painted the drawer fronts with blackboard paint and wrote what each drawer had it it on the drawer front. I also put a jar of mints on top with a bottle of perfume for a freshening up spray. People love that sort to thing it feels like a bit of extra luxury and guests feel thought of…. and it doesn’t cost that much to put together.
Altoids – or your favorite brand of breath mints. Definitely mints over gum. The last thing you want to see and/or hear is someone in the wedding party chomping away on gum while you’re saying your vows! I had all of these items in my basket as a church wedding planner. Love this post – so hilarious, and helpful! 🙂
Deodorant.
Binder clips (yes, office supply binder clips). I’ve used them for holding back curtains, keeping table cloths in place and emergency clothing “alterations.”
Insect repellent wipes (for particularly nature-ey outdoor events).
But the top three items consistently requested from my kit are scissors (carry more than one pair – they go missing), safety pins (Every. Single. Wedding.) and tape (double stick is great, but duct is awesomely versatile).
I made something like this up as a gift for my friend for her wedding. Another thing I included in there was a pair of fuzzy white plush slippers, in case the dress shoes got to be too uncomfy. She loved them so much that she ditched the heels and wore slippers down the aisle!
My sister did this too! She didn’t even buy wedding shoes, just a thin, comfy pair of satin slippers.
Something that works on headaches and bloating is Pamprin or the like.
A drinking straw (or a couple) for when the makeup is all applied but you need one last drink of water (or something stronger…) before heading down the aisle!
I am LOVING this post!! And although I don’t have anything to add, I have started my list & have a great idea for the bag itself 😀
I would love to add fashion tape (i’m sure someone’s mentioned it already, but JUST IN CASE), bobby pins, and chapstick. lipstick can be so drying!! and all that smooching you gotta do (friends, family, partner….) I also totally second pepto bismol, mints, and deodorant (i am always forgetting deodorant when i’m stressed…irony.)
Also, a note: I am super pro sun safety, but everyone should know: SPF reflects light, and will make you look PALE PALE PALE. so don’t be surprised if that happens. to avoid looking greasy, that dry touch sunscreen is great, but even better are powder sunscreens – keep the sweat back, too (and are also compact and adorable!)
I am totally freaking out about how awesome that flask is! Even if you don’t smoke, you can stash things like ids or credit cards in it and stick in your purse!!
I actually DO use a cigarette case as my wallet. It’s the perfect size! Also, if you click on the picture of the flask it’ll show you were you can get one. I kind of want one now that you mention the whole wallet concept (perfect for a night out)!
I was the boy-scout-bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding a few years ago…our dresses had little decorative folds on the bodice. Well, I stuck a few necessaries into the folds and lo and behold, the minister (the groom’s father) started crying in the middle of the ceremony–boom! Pass that tissue up the line of bridesmaids!
I had a kick ass Oh Shit Kit the one thing I ended up needing, and not having, was a norelco style mini trimmer for groomsman facial hair.
Most a appreciated was:
Midol, Wet wipes, String, Moleskin, corkscrew and garbage bag
Daiper pins – stronger and less likely to pop open.
Qtips and non-greasy hand lotion.
By the way, these emergency kits make great gifts for showers (wedding or baby) and thank you gifts.
I bet static spray would come in useful. And an extra pair of flats and Insoles.
Yes! I had a bit of an OSK, with bandages, scissors, spare pantyhose, painkillers etc, but no anti static spray. My sister had never tried on her BM dress wearing pantyhose, and was having massive static problems. Mum managed to get some before the ceremony, but if you look closely at the photos (pre-ceremony), there is some strange static thing going on with her skirt!
And I’ve heard horror stories of BM dresses made from silk with artificial lining (or something – one was a natural fibre, the other wasn’t) and they all had major static problems…
A handy hint people might like to know is that if you don’t have anti-static spray you can actually just use hand-creme. Just put some one your hands and rub them over the stockings while you are wearing them. =)
Hairspray works on static cling too!
As maid of honor at my friends wedding my “oh shit kit” list was extremely comprehensive. Her father caught a hold of my list when I was adding last minute things to it at the rehearsal dinner and he made so much fun of it! “Why do you need this? Why do you need that?” Anyway my kit included all of the above items plus an iron and mini ironing board. I almost talked myself out of brining the iron but was glad I didn’t when the groomsmen needed to iron their shirts! Called it! 🙂
Medical/first aid tape. I take a tip from ballet dancers and use it to cover any spots on my feet that are chafing from shoes. Very effective for blister and soreness prevention!
If you’re having a traditional Jewish ceremony:
-Print out a ketubah text. It doesn’t need to be pretty, you just need a text for people to sign.
-A lightbulb/glass for stepping on.
-Mini bottle of WHITE grape juice/wine.
I have been to two weddings where the people responsible for these things forgot them or were unable to get there in time due to bad weather. These things take up minimal space, just have them on hand.
If you go the lightbulb route, please use an incandescent; florescents have mercury dust in them.
Yes! Very important!!!! Even if they didn’t, CFLs wouldn’t have the same pop but yes, INCANDESCENT ONLY.
This is great! I’m usually the bridesmaid that brings all the emergency just-in-case stuff in her bag and I’ve added all these ideas to my list! I try to have a pencil or pen and notepaper or sticky notes, makeup remover and q-tips for touchups, and a felt-tipped marker for last-minute signs. It’s also good to have directions to all the venues in case someone needs them. And at several weddings, someone with a smartphone or someone offsite with access to a computer has been key for last-minute internet-accessing!
Having been to a few weddings as a bridesmaid/assistant photographer I can highly recommend DRINKING STRAWS. It means the dolled up ladies can have a drink of water without their lipstick coming off. They are brilliant.
Dry Shampoo spray for those of us who have fairly oily hair. That stuff is like ground up unicorn magic dust. I use the TIGI Rockaholic Dirty Secret and it’s a godsend.
One of my 2 year old students has tat backpack! So freakin cute in person! But very small…
Two or three travel size deodorants. Even if you don’t forget yours, someone else might. Having a couple on hand is great if more than one person forgets so they don’t have to use it after someone else (ick).
Packing tape. Works great for mending jobs and as a lint removed.
A manicure kit with nail file, nail clippers, tweezers, ect. Someone will need at least one of these.
A travel size pack of baby wipes. Perfect for any clean up job and is gentle on the skin.
Spray deodorant. Every single person at the wedding can use it without anyone getting each other’s cooties.
Dare I suggest panty liners or pads? I cannot even tell you how desperately I needed to go to the loo before our Aussie ceremony and the dress was a relatively fitted silver satin number. I spent most of the ceremony hoping upon hope that I wasn’t standing there with a large wet patch on the front or back of my gown. (Romantic huh?) To my significant relief no shameful wet patch and I was able to go sort myself out after the ceremony but by that point I was about to explode and it’s not easy hoisting up well fitted satin when you’re in a hurry. I made sure I was wearing a panty liner for the American nuptials and courtesy of the lovely ladies here on the Tribe it was a much less stressful venture because I had the “how to go to the loo in your foofy wedding gown technique” burned into my brain. (It WORKS by the way!) Wedding dress wrestling should be an Olympic event and to even find your undies in the crapfight of tulle and underskirts that are under some dresses, including my own, can be practically miraculous. Add to that the fact that brides and grooms aren’t just starved, they’re also deprived of opportunities to go to the loo and panty liners make a lot of sense.
Our wedding will be at home but I think I’m going to put one of these together anyways. It’ll save us (me) from having to run all over the house trying to find something that was potentially put away to make room for guests. Great idea!
I definitely need an “Oh Shit” bag!
But I would fill it with just cigarettes, alcohol, Valium and a mini vibrator. And chocolate. Lots of chocolate.
You know : the essentials. 🙂
Hey! You basically named all the contents in my bedside table! JK, I don’t smoke so… ALMOST all the contents of my bedside table. 😉
I’m very very surprised that no one has mentioned tampons or pads. Even if you *think* your cycle is like clockwork…sometimes nature has other ideas.
Oh, they’ve been mentioned fer shur! Check out the very first comment! ;P
Doh! Apparently I’m blind….sorry about that 😛
With all the fine suggestions here we have surely graduated from an “Oh Shit” bag to an “Oh Shit” dump truck. ( Tavi would approve.)
Next Halloween I’m going to dress up in one of my more hideous bridesmaid gown and drag a little red wagon filled with all the excellent ideas from this post. I will be the Boy Scout Bridesmaid. Maybe I’ll even stick a fake hatchet in my hair and be the Dead Boy Scout Bridesmaid.
Now if I can just get somebody to let me appear in their wedding like this….
🙂
Hey! KathyRo! Im getting married on Halloween this year! Wanna come?
A lot of people are mentioning blotting papers, and I felt I should mention that toilet seat covers are made of very similar paper and get the job done as well. (Just use a clean one! 😉 )
I actually just thought of something else for my list which i figured i would add here – extra AA batteries for all those digital cameras. We are having friends (there are 3 pro photographers on our guest list) take whatever pics they want at the reception and share with us instead of having our photographers stay all night. So i want to make sure no-one runs out of juice!
EMERGENCY MEDS! I know an assortment of standard meds have been mentioned (painkillers, antacids, etc.), but find out about if the bridal party has any emergency meds (inhalers, epi pens, etc.), and make sure you/they have them on hand and easily accessible in their kits.
Totally want to second the batteries, pocket knife, and pads/tampons suggestions (and everything else that was suggested, but especially those three.)
I think a good rule of thumb is that anything in your purse should probably also be in your Oh Shit Kit.
Yes! It would just be my luck to remember everything but my inhaler. Something tells me an unchecked nervousness- (or allergy-) induced asthma attack would not be a lovely addition to my day. Must add it to the list.
The one thing that saved us one time (I’ve been a bridesmaid or maid of honor over a dozen times) was Whiteout. I know that we pay a ton for our wedding dresses and couldn’t imagine putting white out on them, but my friend got a spot at the last minute. Make up or dirt I can’t remember anyways it was small but dark so her older sisters sent two of us totally made up into the grocery store for chalk and whiteout. The chalk lighten the lighter dust spot and the whiteout covered the dark spot. I’ve brought it ever since. It worked like a charm at relaxing the bride and that is all that matters.
good advice, and having worked at a number of weddings I suggest a product called Wine Away, available at wine shops. I removes red wine stains by just spraying it on. It works.
In addition to the sewing kit, I made sure to bring plenty of thread that was the same color as the bridesmaid’s dresses, and groomsmen’s suits. That way even if you’re terrible at sewing, nobody will be able to see the funky stitching!
We also had duct tape and a spare set of meaningful-to-us rings /just in case/ anything happened to the real set of rings.
I would like to add tweezers to the list, not only for last second plucking emergencies but just out of sheer blind luck i had mine and my makeup artist forgot hers, if i hadn’t had them, she wouldn’t have been able to apply our fake eyelashes!
Coincidentally, i still had them in my bag for my friends’ wedding 2 weeks later where i was a bridesmaid, and the EXACT same thing happened. Tweezers saved the day once again. I however, did not need/have any of the other things on this list!
I would also like to add a travel size toothbrush and toothpaste. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been out and my mouth just felt icky.
Travel size Febreeze! Great for anyone who smokes and wishes to not smell like a cigarette.
what about extra deodorant. getting nervous means sweating. so it doesn’t hurt to be safe.
* Mini screwdriver for eye glasses or electronics.
* Flash drive with Pdf’s of the important documents (last minute reprints of directions, hotel confirmations, place cards, etc.).
* Fabritac— <– Best fabric glue I've used in my decade of theater studies/work. Any yard goods or sewing section should have it.
* Spare Pen– The minister at the most recent wedding I was in had a special pen that "all his marriage licenses" were signed with. Unfortunately, he didn't have a refill for it. 🙁 My Pilot G2 to the Rescue!
OMG! Flash drive is a brilliant idea! Adding it.
AA & AAA batteries! Have been using “Oh Shit” kits for years! There is one very important “item” not listed here. A gofer, someone reliable not in the wedding party to run and do anything needed. And trust me, you will need that person for something.
Fun fact: ThirtyOne won’t embroider “Oh Shit Kit” on a bag.
That’s hilarious! And, yet, totally lame.
I couldn’t have got by without “rescue remedy” for me, but even more so for my girls – 4 1/2 and 31/2 so was a HUGE day for them especially as they were my flower girls. Also mints/tic tacs for fresh breath (and they proved to be great bribes for the girls after the first spray of rescue remedy and they knew what it tasted like)lol. The only other thing I would have been lost without was double sided sticky tape.
I’m so surprised this hasn’t been mentioned yet… napkins and/or a few paper towels.
I would probably just carry what I always do. Everyone makes fun of me because I don’t pack light. 😉
Excedrin
Midol
Anxiety medicine
Lactaid fast tablets
Goat’s milk lotion (GODSEND ladies, if you have Eczema or you want lotion that leaves zero shine but the same richness)
Concealer and mini brush
Blotting papers
Nude nail polish (great for everyone, including those with off-colored nails)
Mini sewing kit
Mints and gum (nervous chewing)
Feminine wipes (I HAVE to wash after using the restroom. *cringe* especially with good underwear on!)
Bandaids
Antibacterial gel mini bottle
Car sickness tablets
Pepto fast act tablets
Good quality lip balm
Mascara
Lip stain (in case color fades)
Tissues
Pads/tampons/liners
Mini comb
Compact mirror
Yeah…good thing I have a large purse.
I am all for being prepared. It’s why I hate to fly now. You can’t carry anything useful in your carry-on anymore and I always have the feeling of panic that I will need something and not have it!
Hairspray and clear nail polish for those last minute, I’ve already changed into my spare pantyhose, and now they have a run too moments.
I also recommend a hankie. My dad brought spares and gave one to me and one to my sister on her wedding day to help in case of random spouts of emotion or overactive glands creating a swamp under the arms. Fortunately, the former happened before the latter… maybe two hankies would be in order. It never hurts to have spares, and a hankie wonmt fall apart or cause unnecessary sweat if stuffed in the front of a dress
At my sister’s wedding this past weekend, I definitely brought and used the pocket knife multiple times. My sister’s friend even used it to whittle down a candle that didn’t have enough wick exposed to keep lit. As my sister said, “Only you would bring a knife to a wedding”. 🙂
My brother got married back in August, in Minnesota, while I live on the East Coast. It was nice to actually be able to carry a proper knife instead of a dinky blade (my state has carrying restrictions, which I follow, even though I hate them), and the week before, let alone at the event itself and the breakdown after, I used that knife dozens of times. A good sharp blade is a godsend.
Has anyone mentioned carrying/ packing a Leatherman tool? Heck, even a mini tool kit or one in the car is a good idea. Don’t forget car care kits- jumper cables and the like.
Crystal ginger candy is really good at beating back nausea.
A full array of tapes (electrical, duct, double, hem, masking, floral, etc.)
A length of twine, cord, rope, maybe tent stakes and a mallet if something needs to be anchored, like the wedding arch
And if you’re using Krazy Glue, don’t forget to carry nail polish remover in case anything gets stuck to your skin
Someone has already mentioned eyeglass repair kit, but what about a spare pair of contacts, or glasses, in a CASE not just tucked in a pocket
My leatherman goes where I go, unless it’s somewhere by plane, then not so much. You better believe it’s in my dainty little white clutch 😀
Spare contacts! Those’ll be in my kit for sure. At 950/20, I really am blind as a bat without them, and I *really* wouldn’t want to lose one and not have a replacement! And my glasses, too, just in case.
This sounds kind of like a no brainer, but DO buy your materials a few days before your wedding and DO save the receipts. I did just that and ended up being able to return about $30 worth of stuff that we didn’t end up needing. I was glad to have it just in case, but it felt even better that we didn’t actually need it. Getting the credit back after the wedding wasn’t so bad either.
Also, DO tell your bridesmaids that your kit is there. In all the confusion of the day and all the lugging stuff around, I forgot to specifically mention the kit to people. So I think that part of the reason almost none of it was used was that no one knew about it!
I would add allergy medicine to this. No matter if indoor or outdoor wedding anyone who has allergies will probably get them right there at the wedding.
Also, probably nose spray so you can keep breathing if your allergy meds aren’t doing the job. Some anti itch/rash cream might not be a bad idea either.
As a costumer, there are a few things I’ve found endlessly helpful for last minute fixes
-isopropyl alcohol and a rag. Gets almost ANYTHING out of fabric (up to and including sharpie) without harming dyes. Note- you’ll have to get your fabric pretty wet before you start seeing results. Wet the stain and rub with your rag. It should start fading. You can use hairspray for smaller stains, since it contains a lower concentration of alcohol.
-safety pins and duct/electrical tape. The pins hold things; the tape ensures that they won’t pop open. The tape is also good for hemlines and broken shoe straps.
-moleskin. Great for chafing shoes.
-if your dress features hooks and eyes or snaps or even beads, bring a couple extra in case they fall off somewhere down the line. Even if you can’t sew, someone else in your party/celebration may be able to.
I now have an insane list from going through the comments and adding. I bet you anything I will still be missing one important thing!
I have been a personal attendant in several weddings and I would definitely recommend on that flash drive or a separate piece of paper you include info for all vendors and the officiant, but also the phone numbers/hotel room info for all wedding party members…you just never know who is going to get a little crazy at the rehearsal dinner or screw up an unfamiliar alarm clock and be late or missing! I would also include baby wipes (useful for about a billion things), Tide pen (I had a bride take pictures in the forest pre-ceremony and we got the dirt out of her train with at Tide pen! Test a small area to see how it works on the fabric first) as well as either mini or full versions of all make up (if you go to Sephora, they can usually provide test sizes). I would also say chocolate, not only as a guilty pleasure before the wedding, but I actually was asked for one of my mini candy bars for a guest with low blood sugar. I would also make sure that at least a few people in the wedding party know some of the key policies of your venue…I had a bride that got married in a forest preserve and it would have cost $5k an incident if anyone smoked on the grounds…I had my eagle eyes out, no one wants to start their brand new marriage having to pay $5k for such a stupid thing!
Regular AND blister band-aids! Forgot those…
Best wedding list ever.
Don’t forget your birth control and lubricant of choice, as you don’t want to be without that on your (or someone else’s for that matter!) wedding night. Unless you’re trying to get pregnant, of course, in which case the lube is still a good idea!
A paper copy of your entire ceremony including readings and whatever your MC is going to say is also probably a good idea in case you have to get someone to fill in at the last minute.
I know someone said lintbrush but I just wanted to recommend bringing one of those sticky kinds of lint rollers as we definitely made use of one of those on my sister’s wedding dress.
Oh and someone might have mentioned this already, but don’t forget sunglasses!
Just saw these bags and thought they would work well for the “oh, Shit” contents: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=557525194270263&set=a.557525150936934.1073745828.108171815872272&type=1&theater
Alright everyone–I wanted to add some stuff onto this gargantuan work of genius, but instead, I took everyone’s comments and Megan’s original list and compiled it all here!
http://tribe.offbeatwed.com/journals/2013/05/the-mother-of-all-oh-shit-kit-stock-lists
OMG SMOKERS TOLERANCE. this is so rare, sorry I got excited xD
I recommend baby powder and anti-nausea pills. Every bride I’ve ever talked about has talked about the sweat between her legs, and I’ve known several who have thrown up because of nerves before the ceremony.
Baby powder, for chafing, and little packets of sugar. Seriously, I get the worst hiccups, and nerves make it all that more terrible and a teaspoon of sugar is the only home remedy that works. I usually have Emergen-C in my water bottle, because who KNOWS what bugs your guests brought. Eyeglass cleaning cloth, and Visene. A print out of Googlemap directions from the two or three nearest big roads to your venue, in case people get lost. And have the Bride, Groom, MOB, Best Man, MOH and MOG all have the local non-emergency numbers in their phones for police, fire department, and the nearest urgent care clinic just in case shit really hits the fan but it’s not a 911 emergency.
How about a pocket knife. I was to wear my pocket watch in my vest pocket but I had forgot that all the pockets were sewn closed. My pocket knife came in very handy here and throughout the night.
This post is amazing im doing mine up now but also as a parent to young children i suggest a mini pack of crayons and extra paper and mini treats (treats for flower girl, page boy) our rehersal called for them id say the wedding will do too.
I always give the groom a crochet hook. If the bride has many buttons that are troublesome to button…it will be the perfect wedding present.
Tape, wet wipes, tissues and safery pins are a must! Thanks for the others. Making my kit for my sister’s wedding next month,
Where the hell do you put all this stuff on your wedding day? Do you just make your bridesmaids/mum lug it around?!
If you’ve got your car around (nearby parking spot), I’d say keep it in the car. 😉
Else, yeah, someone has an extra bag to carry around.
For my brother’s wedding, it all fit into a college-student-sized backpack). I had some tools in my car that we used, like a hammer, but those were part of my usual car kit. I know it all seems like a lot, but really, nothing is terribly big. I will say, having a bag with lots of compartments is SUPER awesome. Being able to say “green backpack, front zipper pocket, third compartment from the front” or “green backpack, main pocket, halfway down” was pretty awesome. Also avoided the tendency of such kits to explode around the room when looking for something.
Does anyone know where I can order this bag?! So cute! 🙂
I’m a wedding photographer and I had to use my sewing kit twice yesterday! The first time was when we took the wedding gown out of the bag. I noticed that the center jewel on the beaded sash was loose, so I stitched it on nice and tight. The second time was at the reception, when the gown wouldn’t stay bustled. I got out my pins and we pinned it from underneath.
Can I add – no one has thought of this yet and as a bridesmaid I wish I had thought of it!!!
A sewn-in pocket inbetween your boobs, big enough to hold a lipstick for the bride!!!
The wedding was in 35 degrees Celsius heat – EXTREMELY hot day for a wedding! and I tried to store the lipstick inbetween my boobs, which is always doable because I have a size G cup! However, it was so hot the lipstick kept sliding straight through – underneath the centre gore. It was just too hot and several times it was a brand new bellybutton lol. Luckily I gave it to the photographer, who happened to be my brother but god I could’ve done with a boob pocket!
But only if the dress (and your boobs!) would allow it of course, luckily mine would have but who would have thought!
I’m surprised no one has mentioned a stiptic pencil! It is basically a little white stick made of this stuff that helps blood coagulate so if u get a little cut it stops the bleeding. It’s perfect for a groomsman who nicks himself shaving the morning of or a bridesmaid in a leg exposing dress who does the same!
Great post, I will pass this on!
White chalk for the stains that won’t come out of a wedding dress, run the chalk over it to hide it. mini deodorant. Moleskin for your shoes. white washers (hear me out) you can safety pin or quick stitch them to the ends of table clothes or a veil in an outdoor windy situation to add a little weight to tame the flapping
Canned air- shoot it up or down the dress,under the hairdo , face to stom melty makeup! Used it at every wedding I have worked !
Purple mascara, eraseable pens, white and black electrical tape, and pipe cleaners in a rainbow of colors and sparkles.
A ring. At a friend’s wedding, the minister asked for the bride’s ring and the bridal party quickly realized that no one had it. The groom’s mother had hidden it so no one would steal it. I pulled off my ring and handed it over. The bride was clueless, apparently she hadn’t seen hers yet. Problem came when I had to ask for my wedding ring back after she’d been married in it. Bring a ring. Even a cheapie quarter machine ring.
All I would add that I probably missed are some Femine hygiene products. There is always some one who’s time of the month comes early or gets a fowl odor from down under espically as summer heats up. Also extra deodorant and a white crayon in case a stain or spot won’t come out. Although not as discreet as total stain removal it csn go a long way towards covering the stain.
I’m a mobile DJ & MC, but many of my clients have said I was more active than their day of coordinator they hired. I have a small kit in my DJ laptop bag of odds and ends for emergencies, though most of them are more target to me. I have jumped in several times at weddings to lint roll grooms (dogs are awesome, and hairy), tape up so many things (and sharing tape with my fellow wedding professionals who forgot their tape) and provided some pain meds (just Advil).
That said, I’m a going to create my own MC Oh Shit Bag to bring with me to events with these things in consideration for this upcoming wedding season! A Master of Ceremonies who is ready for anything!
Ps… I adore Offbeat Bride, my favorite of wedding blogs and I suggest it to every couple I work with!