The Ultimate Wedding Day Checklist: What You'll Need for Every Part of Your Event

These wedding must-haves, from safety pins to cake knives, will help you create a smooth and memorable experience from start to finish.

Nancy is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com.

Blythe Copeland is a contributing writer with more than a decade of experience as a freelance lifestyle writer.

Updated on May 30, 2023 In This Article In This Article

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Prepare for every part of your big day, from hem rips to lipstick stains and from a sudden downpour to your cake cutting, with this planner-approved checklist of wedding must-haves. Some of these items are absolute essentials (ahem: the rings), and others are wedding-emergency fixers that the pros rely on—but that you may be lucky enough to avoid needing.

To prevent last-minute panic and midnight runs to the drugstore, collect these items in the months before your wedding and keep them in labeled bins or boxes. "With every wedding, even the most well-planned and executed of events, a small hiccup is bound to arise. The more you can be prepared, the better!" says wedding planner Heather Balliet of Amorology.

Wedding Emergency Kit Checklist

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If you're working with a wedding planner, your day-of contact likely has an emergency kit. "At nearly every wedding, we find ourselves in need of a safety pin, sewing kit, band-aids, and [stain-remover] pens to help get us through the day, but our list is ever growing!" says Balliet.

Couples who need to prepare their own emergency kit should get this task out of the way as early as possible—about three months before the wedding, recommends Terrica Skaggs, chief event planner and designer at Cocktails and Details. (Assign a member of the wedding party to make sure the kit travels with you throughout the day.) "Emergency kits can help minor aches and pains and major wardrobe malfunctions," says Skaggs. "Having one on hand ensures that you are prepared for anything without the party having to stop."

The Bride's Wedding Checklist

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Don't leave your wedding-day packing until the last minute, cautions Balliet. "To create a morning full of rest and relaxation, you want to make sure you have all of your day's items ready to go prior to the weekend," she says. "While you may have a beauty team with you on your day to pamper and prep you, it is good to be pre-packed and prepared for any additional styling needs. This allows you and your best gals to feel most comfortable, clean, and camera-ready!"

The Groom's Wedding Checklist

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The man of the hour may not be checking off a list that's as extensive as a bride's, but double-checking his essentials is just as—well, essential.

Wedding Ceremony Checklist

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Items that help your ceremony run smoothly, from programs to seating markers, allow you to say "I do" without any last-minute stress. One important note for this part of the day, says Balliet: "Make sure your marriage license and rings are given to someone responsible for safekeeping. Often your photographer will want your rings prior to the ceremony for photos, but they will need to make their way back to the best man along with your vows to the officiant to allow for a smooth sailing ceremony!"

Cocktail Hour Checklist

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Relax after your ceremony knowing everything is in place for your cocktail hour. "As the bridge between 'I do' and 'we did,' the cocktail hour starts off the reception and can set the tone for the rest of the evening," says Skaggs.

Wedding Reception Checklist

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While your vendors will handle the large-scale items at your reception, like linens, tables and chairs, and place settings, the personal details you choose to add are the pieces that make the most impact. "Gathering all the items for your reception can take some time, so we always suggest getting started early!" says Balliet. "Organizing and labeling in clear tubs makes all the difference for your planning team as they begin to set the space for your celebration."

Outdoor Wedding Checklist

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Holding your ceremony or reception outside means preparing for all kinds of weather—hot, humid, cold, rainy, or windy (or any combination). "It can be very easy to fall in love with the vision of an outdoor wedding while forgetting that it lacks the amenities of being in an actual building to offer protection from outside elements or direct access to necessities," says Skaggs. Here's what you'll need to be prepared for just about anything, depending on your event's seasonality.