I LOVEEE photographing weddings and being there for my brides and grooms. On a wedding day, I get the privilege of following/stalking my couples, which means I get to see both the cute, romantic moments and also the stickier emergency situations.
Wedding days can be a bit cray cray and I’ve learnt that one of the best things you can have is a ‘Wedding Emergency Kit’ – essentially a box filled with items which might come in handy on the day.
Sooo here’s my bride’s guide (for both the organised and unorganised HEH) to some items you can include in your kit. These are ideas from my experience photographing weddings and advice from past brides.
You’ll never know what might happen and this kit might just save yo butt so you can party on and have that fun and relaxed wedding of yours!
1. First aid kit
A first aid kit is always good to have on hand, even if your venue already has one. You can’t go wrong with having an extra kit – weddings can be wild! Remember to put some paracetamol, any calming meds like Nelsons Bach rescue remedy pastilles to calm any nerves, and VocalZone (great for speeches) in there too.
2. White nail polish (or the colour nail polish you’re wearing)
They’ll be a lot of attention on your hands on a wedding day (especially in your wedding photos!) from exchanging your rings, to holding your bouquet, to big hugs and hand holds with your nearest and dearest. So it’s a good idea to have some nail polish on hand to fix unexpected chips!
3. Thick socks
This one is for the lads. Make sure you’ve broken into your new leather shoes before the big day. But if you haven’t, it’s a good idea to bring some thick socks if you don’t want to waddle around the whole day.
4. Earring backs
There’s no need to purchase these. Just pull them off from current earrings you already own (and that fit your wedding earrings obviously). Earring backs can be fiddly and I know I’ve lost some accidentally in the past!
5. Sewing kit and safety pins!!!
This is a big one to fix up any splits!
6. Chocolate, sweets, sugar, cereal bars, coca cola, mints
As much as I’d like you to have a relaxing wedding, often times you’ll find yourself rushing around or not having time to eat properly (this applies for your bridal party too). So bring sugary drinks and snacks as pick-me-ups – I don’t want you to be light headed or out of energy particularly for summer weddings when it’ll be hot as well!
7. Straws and cotton buds
A girl needs to hydrate without ruining her makeup! Cotton buds are also useful for fixing up smudges (I bet your bum you will happy cry).
8. Tape and scissors
For fixing up decor and any DIY stuff.
9. Bobby pins
My past brides have found that these are SO useful for doing up buttons on the back of wedding dresses as the loops are often quite dainty. And of course, bobby pins are fab for last minute hair fixes or securing that floral crown.
10. Pads and tampons
Yeah I like to keep it real here. No need for a quick pop to the shops on an already hectic day!
If you’re a bride reading this, GIRL I’M HERE FOR YOU!! This is just the tip of the iceberg on how I support you on your wedding day and the days leading up to it. You can most certainly catch me bringing at least half of the items on this list to your wedding (even extra pads and tampons)!!
Heather Sham x
Modern and relaxed Wedding Photographer in London | Wedding tips and advice for brides | Alternative London Wedding Photographer | Relaxed and natural wedding photographer in Surrey & Guildford
