Wedding Day Emergency Kits

by Kim Choy, Certified Wedding Coordinator and Office Manager at WPIC Inc.

Mary Poppins was infamous for carrying around a large bag that had strange, over-sized items it in.  She often had to empty her entire bag out just to find the one small item she was looking for!  It was a bag that contained everything for every situation, except the kitchen sink!  To some, this may sound like your Wedding Emergency Kits.  Don’t be Mary Poppins any longer!  Invest in an organized Wedding Emergency Kit and find anything you need as soon as you open it up!

I cannot count how many times my Emergency Kit has saved the day and made my team and I look like absolute Rockstars!   People always say “So that’s what’s in the bag that hasn’t left your shoulder all day”, and “What else do you have in there, the kitchen sink?”

Your emergency kit has everything in it from baby powder to tampons, band aids to crayons, lollipops to socks – but how is it organized?  Do you know where your sewing needle is if you need to grab it in a hurry?  Do you need to pull everything out of your bag just to get to the dental floss hidden at the bottom of your bag?  If so, this post is for you!

I’ve seen every sort of bag used for an emergency kit; a paramedic bag, a small duffle bag, carry-on luggage and the best of the best – cosmetic bags with a zillion pockets and spaces for things!

After 2 years of searching and buying countless bags that I thought would work for emergency kit bags, I’ve finally found a few that I absolutely love!

The first thing to look for when shopping for an emergency kit bag is the style.  Is it something that is easy to carry? Does it match your personality and your business?  Does it have outside pockets for you to put “Quick Items” in such as a lighter or scissors?

Secondly, open the bag up.  Is it just one giant hole, or are there 500 pockets and spaces to put everything?  A really good emergency kit bag has clear pockets (zippered and opened), elastic bands to hold things in place, and a spot for everything!  How does the bag close?  Will everything fall out, or https:https://www.melissabeth.com/home.php/www.melissabeth.com/home.php it stay contained?

Here a few bags that I have come across and thought they would make great Emergency Kit bags.  Some of them I have used myself.

Melissa Beth has some great bags and organizers that would be perfect for emergency kits.  Bonus: They come in a variety of colours and patterns to match everyone’s personality!  The best thing about Melissa Beth? They are a Toronto-based company.

Here is a bag from her MakeUp Bag Collection – called “Kiss and Make Up”.  It comes in seven different colours and comes complete with 3 clear plastic holders and elastic band holders.  Retail Price $48

Another great bag from Melissa Beth is the “Belt is Out” Pouch.  It can be worn under your jacket and used to hold only the essentials.  This is a great pouch to wear the entire day to discreetly carry the items you use the most – pins, Band-Aids, tape, etc.

Pictures from: www.melissabeth.com

 

Another fantastic bag, which I use and love is the Heys InternationalTravelmate.  (http://shop.heys.ca/SearchResults.asp?Cat=29) 

 

There are 4 versions of this bag: The Original TravelMate at $24.97 (available in 14 colours), the EcoTex TravelMate at $29.97 (made from recycled plastic water bottles, available in 5 colours), the leather TravelMate  at $39.97 and the Leather TravelMate XL at $59.97 (available in 7 colours).  I absolutely love this bag!  

 

You would not believe what you can fit in this bag! It has so many pockets and expandable storage areas.  Not one inch on this bag is wasted space!  It is to be worn across your body so that you are hands free.  This bag is available online – and ships same day – or can be purchased at The Bay or Zellers!

Pictures from: http://shop.heys.ca/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=tm01

 

Another bag that I have come across recently is Baggallini’s (www.baggallini.com ) Complete Cosmetic Case.  Claudia Kent from Bridal Path Weddings introduced me to this handy bag at the last wedding I helped her with.  

 

This bag opens flat for easy viewing and access to everything.  There are several clear zippered compartments so nothing is hidden.  There are countless elastic bands to hold things such as lipstick, small air fresheners, Q-Tips, eye drops etc!  The bag is available from select stores across Canada, including Solutions – Your Organized Living Store (http://www.solutions-stores.ca/) 

Pictures from: www.baggallini.com

 

Lastly, this Travelon Mini Independence Bag is one of the best!  It has so many compartments, pockets, zippers and elastics to hold everything and then some!  This bag is available online at www.amazon.com through www.ebags.com for $35.99.

 

These bags are perfect for an emergency kit due to the fact that they are small and compact, but hold so many essential items that you may need on the wedding day.  These bags keep you organized with all of the different sections to put things.   The see through compartments allow for easy viewing, so you never have to opening zipper after zipper looking for the product you need!  

 

These bags are small enough to be hidden under a table or in the corner of a ballroom, but large enough to carry all the things you may need on the day of a wedding. 

 

Don’t be afraid to go bold with the pattern or colour of your Emergency Kit bag – let your personality come through and express your style through your emergency kit!  You just need to find the one that is perfect for you and your needs!