In my last post, I talked about destination weddings and why it’s important to have a travel emergency kit for guests. Today, I want to talk more about emergency kits, and why they’re just as important as the dress, the venue, and the meal.

Weddings get intense. When you’re in the thick of it, and everything is coming together, unexpected things come up all the time. As a wedding planner, I prepare for the unexpected more than the expected. Why? Because on the wedding day, I’m tending to the bride’s emotional needs as much as the logistical ones. I want my bride to be fully available to experience her marriage.

When little things crop up, like a blister for example, it can detour the day if not addressed immediately. Little incidences can take away from the big picture—so as a planner, I’m on the lookout for anything that can detract from the day or cause a bride anxiety. I stay prepared for mishaps … not just the big ones, like a cake getting knocked over, but the smaller ones: a tear in a dress, a stain, a mosquito bite.

I want my bride to be on a straight path, to emotionally and physically walking up there to get married. On such an emotionally charged day, a little stress can escalate into a bigger one. I take away as much as possible, and stop problems before they start. My emergency kit is one of the ways I do this. Here are just some of the items in mine:

• Aspirin
• Bandaids
• Benadryl
• Blue rhinestones/heart stickers
• Dental floss
• EpiPen
• Feminine products
• Granola bars
• Handheld fans
• Nail polish
• Hair pins
• Immodium
• Razors
• Saline
• Sewing kit
• Safety pins
• Shout wipes
• Sunscreen
• Tape
• Toothbrush
• Toothpicks
• Water
• White out

Here’s an example of my emergency kit in action:

Recently, one of my brides was walking through a screen door, and grease got on the front of dress. I reacted quickly, called on my arsenal of supplies, and with tiny toothbrushes, Shout wipes and handheld fans, got it all out. The bride was relieved, and something that could have been a disaster, was quickly fixed by an emergency kit.

I focus on making the day seamless for the bride. I don’t want her to worry about anything, or have her sidetracked by something that I can handle for her. Some say you can never be prepared for the unexpected, but our motto is, we certainly do our best!

Until next time…