Your wedding day is going to be one of the most highly orchestrated days of your life. From your hair to your heels to your underwear, you’ll likely have a plan in place for every last little detail. That said, some of the littlest (but still important!) things are bound to fall through the cracks—unless, of course, you have a printout of this list handy to help you keep tabs on the easy-to-forget. Here are 23 things that often get forgotten until the moment you say, “Has anyone seen my ________?”
- wedding binder, if it has any contracts in it—or vendor contact info that’s not stored in your phone
- undergarments Yes, you can walk down the aisle without any of them (unless your dress is totally sheer) but you’ll be happier if you’re wearing your specially selected somethings instead of the random red cotton thong you threw on for your hair appointment.
- something old, something new, something borrowed something blue
- makeup bag, for touch-ups
- deodorant
- bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts, if you haven’t handed them out already
- bathroom baskets, if you’re responsible for assembling them
- lint brush, for right before you walk down the aisle
- ceremony accessories (unity candle (and matches or a lighter!), or, for a jewish wedding, ketubah and a glass to break)
- flower girl’s basket and ring bearer’s pillow
- wedding rings!
- custom signs you’ve had made
- vows!
- marriage license for your officiant to sign Don’t forget to get yours ahead of your wedding. (In most states you need to wait at least 24 hours between getting the license and the ceremony, so plan accordingly.)
- cable, if you’ll need to connect a phone or iPod to speakers for music at any point
- basket (or birdcage or whatever) for guests to leave their cards in
- cake-cutting knife and cake server Do you need fancy-pants utensils to cut your cake? Of course not. Your venue will have a generic set on hand in a pinch. But if someone gifted you with a special set, you’ll appreciate having them on-hand. (When else are you going to ceremoniously cut cake, after all?)
- gifts Not something to pack ahead, of course, but assuming some of your guests come with gift (or card) in hand, you’re going to need to get them out of there—preferably that night, to prevent loss or theft. If you’re planning to make a grand exit as husband and wife and don’t want gifts weighing you down, assign the job of gift-relocation to a parent.
- wedding “souvenirs” You don’t pack these ahead of time, either, but you’ll want to make sure to grab them as your big day unfolds: Part of your bouquet, whether it’s a ribbon or a rose that will dry perfectly; a program and table number; any other sweet, sentimental details that you can hold onto for memory’s sake.
- after-party outfit If your wedding dress is heavy, you might appreciate having a second set of clothes as the evening winds down.
- pajamas
- bag to put your wedding dress in the next day Especially if you get ready at home (or wherever) but plan to spend the night post-wedding in a hotel
- shoes for the next day If you’re having a morning-after brunch, you probably have a dress all picked out. Don’t forget shoes, or you’ll barefoot or {potential “ouch” factor } back in your wedding shoes.
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