It’s finally happening… the final preparations for your wedding day! Most couples spend months, if not years, planning their elaborate celebrations of love. But, to truly indulge and enjoy the moment on your big day, you must be prepared with some essentials that will help you through any possible wedding day scenario!
The AKE crew has helped hundreds of couples down the aisle stress-free, ensuring that they don’t leave their home without these items for a flawless wedding day. Take notes, friends!
1. The Marriage License
In order to make anything official, you have to have that pretty little piece of paper so you can sign on the dotted line. You’d be surprised how many couples forget their marriage license on the wedding day! Give this to someone who is trustworthy and won’t lose it.
Photographer: Lauren Larsen for The Day.
2. Emergency Kit
This DIY kit is all-encompassing for literally any situation that may pop up during the day. Put together a bag that you can hand off to your maid of honor and keep in your bridal suite that has all these tools in case you need them. Your kit should include:
A mini sewing kit
Double-sided tape
Fabric/ fashion tape
Tweezers
Nail file & clippers
Tide to Go Pens & stain removal products
Safety pins
Super glue
White chalk in case stain removers don’t work
Travel scissors
Mints
Razor
Travel steamer
Anti-blister balm and chaffing sticks
Lint roller
3. Touch-Up Kit
The photos of your big day are ones you will cherish the rest of your life, you want to make sure you look flawless, right? Keep a beauty bag filled with all the products you may to look and feel your best as you and your partner stand in the spotlight. Even if you get your makeup done, there will be inevitable touchups throughout the day, and you’re going to want some hairspray to tame flyaway hair after photos outdoors!
Touchup supplies
Travel brush
Travel mirror
Comb for him
Bobby pins and hair ties
Blotting paper
Makeup remover wipes
Hair spray
Gel for the groom
Chapstick
Lotion
Perfume
Nail polish – clear and the color of your mani/pedi – clear polish helps with runs in fabric
4. Outdoor Essentials
Whether you’re tying the knot on a beach in Mexico or a whimsical woodsy garden in upstate New York, you’re going to need to be prepared with outdoor essentials to protect yourself from those outdoor elements! These are a few of our trusted favorites:
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Sunglasses
Mini fan for hot summer days or chic bridal shawl for chilly months
Heel stoppers for those lush grassy spaces
Photographer: Brett Matthews Studio
Photographer: Brett Matthews Studio
5. Wellness Necessities
Feeling your best for your celebration is key! These wellness necessities will help you prepare for the ceremony tears, pain-free dancing all night long, and help you take the edge off the next morning after one too many cocktails at the after party.
Antiacids
Tylenol or other pain relievers
His & hers deodorant
Q-tips
Mini first-aid kit with blister bandages
Non-drowsy allergy medicine
Eye drops
Tissues
Hand sanitizer
Tampons
Extra contacts and your glasses
Toothbrush and floss – we love the on-the-go disposable toothbrushes!
6. All the Chargers
You’re going to want to be able to get in touch with your vendors, take all the selfies, and catch-up on all the photos you were tagged in at the end of the day—which you can’t do if your phone is dead! You’ll be on the go all day so consider having a couple power banks in your emergency kit for emergency charging in the limo or during pictures. Also have a backup charger for all your phones packed and ready for the bridal suite!
Photographer: Elana Goodridge Photography
7. Comfy Shoes
No one wants blisters on their honeymoon from wearing uncomfortable shoes on the wedding day, right? After the ceremony is over, kick off those heels and put on some cozy shoes so you can dance the night away in comfort. We love bridal Golden Goose, Converse, or Platform Sneakers—all the sparkly white options! Just because they’re comfy, doesn’t mean they can’t be cute.
If you have a summer or beach wedding, flip flops are also a super fun addition to your favors or to have by the dance floor for uncomfortable shoe emergencies.
Photographer: Joanna Toto for The Day.
8. Water & Snacks
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. We can’t say it enough! So many couples get wrapped up in the all the hustle and bustle of the day and forget to drink their water, ending up dehydrated and feeling not so great later in the day. When you get ready, make sure you’re adding H20 to your coffee and mimosa combo, and have protein-filled snacks prepared for throughout the morning before the ceremony begins. You want to be ready to party and enjoy this moment fully—no hangry bride allowed!
9. Vendor Gratuities
Your wedding dream team usually deserves a little something extra after going above and beyond to make your big day magical. Make sure you have individual envelopes with your pre-determined tip amounts inside in cash. Each envelope should be sealed and labeled, this way you can hand off to your wedding planner to distribute on your behalf. It’s extra sweet if you add a little note for each, too!
Not sure what to tip? Our AKE team will provide suggestions during the planning process!
Photographer: Danny Weiss Photography
10. Your Bride Tribe
Lean on your tribe! As a bride or groom, you want to be able to soak up every last minute of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. A lot of couples feel like they have to do it all, but delegate things to your bridal parties to ensure you have a perfect day basking in your newlywed bliss, not stressing about the details. All the items above can be tossed to one of your trusty bride tribe members or your wedding planner, so you know where to go if you need it, but not worry about managing anything yourself. This is why your tribe is your top essential item for the day!
Photographer: Fred Marcus Studio
It’s Time to Pop the Bubbly!
At the end of the day, the most important part of your wedding day is having each other, your friends and family celebrating in one place together. But with these essentials, you’ll have all your bases covered so you can pop some bubbly and celebrate without any stress. Being overprepared is always a good idea!
Need some help planning your big day and ensuring you have all the essentials planned for your celebration? The AKE team can help. Let’s chat, we can’t wait to hear your vision!
Photographer: Brett Matthews Studio