Advice

The Ultimate Wedding Packing Checklist

Wedding Checklist

Let’s face it, a checklist might not sound like a whole lot of fun. But that’s exactly what can come between you and a wedding day panic of the forgetful nature. A wedding packing checklist can be a true life-saver for even the most organized of brides.

The wedding day is a momentous and joyous occasion for all newlyweds. It’s just that it’s also hectic and filled with details to worry about. That’s why we’re going to create an extensive wedding day packing list that every future bride can refer to when the happy day comes.

  • The Essentials
    • Your Go-To Snack & Water Bottle
    • A Copy of Your Wedding Vows
    • A Reminder to Stay in the Moment
  • Wedding Attire Checklist
    • Wedding and Dancing Shoes
    • Safety Pins and Some Stick Tape
    • Casual Clothing
  • Hair and Makeup Checklist
  • The Wedding Party Checklist
    • Bring Straws
    • Bluetooth Speaker
    • Your Favorite Drink
  • Tech Edition
    • Your Phone and Phone Charger
    • Camera
    • Extension Cord
  • Wedding Emergency Kit
    • Band-Aids
    • Painkillers
    • Tampons & Sanitary Pads
  • Groom Packing Checklist

The Essentials

Wedding Vows on Checklist

When we’re talking about the bride essential list, it’s not always simple to separate the absolute necessities from the “meh, I can live without it.”

Especially because you never know how the day is going to go and what will turn out to be crucial. But let’s try and highlight the absolutely essential things that you can’t afford to forget on your wedding day.

Your Go-To Snack & Water Bottle

The last thing your wedding needs is a hungry bride. And not to mention the possible exhaustion and dehydration.

It’s not uncommon for the wedding couple to forget to eat or drink. And if you’re too busy to sit down for a meal, make sure you always have some water around and a power bar if nothing else.

A Copy of Your Wedding Vows

If you don’t know your wedding vows by heart, make sure to put them at the top of your wedding packing checklist.

You might have written them on your phone, but it’s best to have it on a piece of paper too. Since wedding dresses rarely have pockets, you can give it to your Maid of Honor for safekeeping.

A Reminder to Stay in the Moment

No, this is not something you can put in an overnight bag, but one could argue that it’s requisite to all the other bride essential list entries.

Remember to take a moment to take in and feel everything in between greeting guests and worrying about spilling wine on your wedding dress.

Wedding Attire Checklist

Wedding Dress Packing

It’s an open secret that finding the perfect wedding dress completes the first half of the wedding planning. But there’s so much more that goes into everything fitting together. So, along with the wedding dress, here are several other wardrobe items to think about.

Wedding and Dancing Shoes

You might put on sneakers for the ride to the venue, but once you get there, it’s time for that carefully selected pair of shoes. But also, don’t forget the stylish and comfortable pair that you’re going to put on at the wedding reception.

Safety Pins and Some Stick Tape

In the event of wardrobe malfunction, you’re going to need things like safety pins or even stick tape to keep everything together. It’s one of those things that most people neglect to put on the wedding packing checklist, but you’ll never regret it if you do.

Casual Clothing

If you’re staying at a hotel overnight after the reception, or you just want to keep it casual at the end of the night, casual clothing like jeans and shirts should always find their place on your checklist. And yes, you should bring some clean underwear as well.

Hair and Makeup Checklist

PlaitWithFlowers

Nowadays, most brides have their hair and makeup done professionally. But for the ultimate wedding packing list, brides of all stripes should also have her own makeup bag. You never know when you’re going to need some touching up. Here are a few items to consider bringing:

  • Hair ties
  • Small bottle of hairspray
  • Makeup setting spray
  • Dry shampoo
  • Small bottle of perfume
  • Hairbrush
  • Travel-size mirror

Toiletries

You also don’t want to forget the toiletries, so it’s best to use a separate bag where you can put all the items on the wedding packing list. Here’s everything you’ll need:

  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Deodorant
  • Makeup remover
  • Tweezers
  • Cotton balls
  • Nail essentials

The Wedding Party Checklist

The wedding reception is where the newlyweds and the guests can just kick it and have fun. The music is just what you need it to be and the menu is designed to your liking.

But there are a few things you can think of to put on your wedding packing checklist that will make the party even better. Especially if you’re planning on having a pre-wedding party soiree with your bridesmaids.

Bring Straws

Are you sure that the catering company or the venue will have straws? If not, it’s probably best to put a few in your purse and have on hand when you need them. Drinking out of cups means that you’ll need to fix your lipstick more often than you’re planning on doing it.

Bluetooth Speaker

The Bluetooth speaker is a phenomenal idea for people who love to steal special moments during their wedding.

You can bring a tiny speaker and use it to play some tunes with your bridesmaids while you’re all dressing up and having a fantastic time. Or you can steal a few minutes with the groom when no one is looking and practice your first dance one more time.

Your Favorite Drink

Your special drink might not be on the booze list if it’s not something you think everyone will appreciate. For brides and grooms with a unique taste, a bottle of their favorite drink should find its place on the wedding packing list.

Tech Edition

Most wedding couples today are tech-savvy people. And any modern wedding would be challenging to organize without the help of technology. But for the wedding packing checklist, what are some of the most important tech items to remember?

Your Phone and Phone Charger

Admit it, the thought of forgetting to bring your phone or phone charger to the wedding scares you a little bit. Sure, you’re not going to make long phone calls, but it’s probably filled with important details regarding the wedding.

And also, you never know who you’ll need to call. A charger is a must, but preferably the portable version so you don’t have to be close to the phone while it charges.

Camera

Even if you’ve hired a professional photographer, and you even asked your cousin to take pictures too, if you have a camera, why not bring it with you? If you love photography, you’ll personally select the moments you want to capture, even if it’s just a snap or two.

Extension Cord

It doesn’t have to be a 10 feet long extension cord, but it won’t hurt to bring one. Here’s the thing – if you haven’t inspected the venue in every detail, there’s no way to know each and every outlet available.

Just in case the band or the hairstylist has a problem finding an outlet, you get to be the hero on your special day. A bride with an extension cord is a force to be reckoned with.

Wedding Emergency Kit

The emergency kit is something hopefully no bride will ever need. However, when you don’t have it with you on the wedding day, somehow it always turns out that you should’ve packed it.

But how do you know what to put in an emergency kit if you don’t know what type of emergency you’ll have? That’s not an easy question to answer, but here are a few things that are generally good to have.

Band-Aids

No one can plan a band-aid-related emergency. But you know how it is, it’s really frustrating when you need a band-aid and it’s nowhere to be found.

Painkillers

You’re not planning a headache, but if one creeps up, there’s no need to carry on like a trooper. An over-the-counter pain reliever is a good choice.

Tampons & Sanitary Pads

You might have checked the calendar and your menstrual cycle and feel confident that you won’t get your period on the wedding day.

But you should consider that weddings are stressful, and you can have a surprising change in schedule. So, always make sure to have sanitary pads or tampons with you in the emergency kit bag.

Groom Packing Checklist

For the most part, the groom will also need most of the same things from the checklist above. It might not contain as many details as there is for a bride, but there are still a lot of things to think about.

He should have his own toiletries, attire bag, and a snack to reach for. Oh yes, the copy of the wedding vows reminder applies to him too.

It can’t hurt for him to have a little cash, because you never know. And besides, he has pockets to store it.

Pro Tip

If you’re the type of person who loves making lists (we know you’re out there) you probably have a personal checklist system to abide to.

But are you struggling with remembering everything and you keep losing where you saved the previous versions of the wedding checklist?

In that case, you might want to consider installing one of the many productivity apps on your phone and use the tools available to make the ultimate wedding packing checklist. Just remember to back up all the data when the list is done.

At Long Last

When you wake up on the morning of your wedding day, the first feeling shouldn’t be a concern if you have everything you need and what if you forget something.

You should feel happiness and serenity. And then all the wedding rush can begin. A wedding packing checklist will give you the peace of mind and the stillness of heart.

Start making one a few weeks before the big day and the chances of you forgetting something important will be minuscule. In any case, just don’t forget to enjoy the moment.

Rebecca B. Lawrence

About Rebecca B. Lawrence

Rebbeca has been writing about weddings, jewelry, and fashion for years. Her favorite place to hang out, aside from this website, is Pinterest. She loves Art Deco Jewelry, beach-themed weddings, and anything related to the British Royal Family.