- Ring box – if my couple has rings that came in pretty boxes, I will absolutely do ring photos in those boxes. But sometimes the ring is beautiful but the box isn’t anything special. I always have a neutral-colored velvet ring box in my wedding day prop bag just in case.
- Dental Wax – this one is super weird on the surface, but when I’m trying to add a little dimension into a flatlay photo, or I’m trying to position a ring in a certain way and it won’t stay on its own, or I need a little help to keep a light wind from blowing things away, this is the perfect solution, and it doesn’t mess anything up.
- Tide Stick/Shout Wipe/etc. – spills and stains happen, even on wedding days. For photos, that’s an easy edit on my part. But sometimes people just don’t want to walk around with a stain all day. Here comes the lifesaver with a stain remover!
- Sewing Kit – there are tons of options with sewing kits to include different things, but here are my must-haves in a sewing kit: seam ripper, white and black thread and needle, buttons, and small scissors.
- Bobbi Pins/Safety Pins: there is no end to the ways these items can save a wedding day. HMU artists have left, and a chunk of hair came loose. A strap snapped on an attendants’ dress. We need to hide a bra strap. A button-up back didn’t come with a crochet hook. The possibilities are endless with this solution.
- “Marble” slab – when there’s a beautiful surface to use for flatlays at the venue, I will absolutely use it. But when there’s not, I like to have a small setup that I can use ti simulate a textured backdrop. I have multiple pieces of bi-fold poster board that have marble, wood, and fabric for me to use in various ways.
- Airstik – I resisted this one for a long time (meaning a few months) because I was skeptical that it would be easier than just finding ledges to set my phone on. But this is awesome because I can put it in a number of places to get some BTS content during sessions without having to ask someone to take video on my phone. This is exceptionally helpful if you’re a content creator in any way!
- Kindly Harness Crossbody – I was on crutches for more than 3 months, and the only way I was able to keep working was this bag. I could be hands-free while crutching around, then lean on the crutches while I brought my camera up, then drop my camera again when I lost my balance. Even though I’m walking without assistance again, I still love using this. It’s so comfortable and convenient.
- Lens Cleaner – this totally helps when I accidentally grab my camera and put a finger on my lens, but that’s not all I’ve used it for. When I see smudges on glasses, I offer my lens cleaner. When a window or mirror in a spot we use for a lot of photos has smudges, I use my lens cleaner. When the DJ has an equipment error, I give them my lens cleaner to fix it.
- Tylenol – listen, there are lots of reasons someone might need Tylenol at a wedding. I’ve offered Tylenol to the groomsman who drank too much at the rehearsal dinner. I’ve offered Tylenol for an attendant wearing heels that hurt their feet. I’ve offered Tylenol to brides who were having period camps. And I’ve taken Tylenol myself on long wedding days. If you need Tylenol, I’ve got you covered.
- Band-aids – similar to Tylenol, the bounds of this remedy are endless. Cut from shaving. Blister from shoes. Semi-transparent fabric in the wrong place. Ring security when it’s a little too big on a finger.
- Make-up Remover Wipes – most commonly, I use make-up remover wipes when make-up has mades its way to clothes. But I’ve had brides who don’t love the make-up they paid to get, so the wipes help them fix the spots they don’t love. My couples have gotten lipstick on each other’s cheeks accidentally, and the wipes take that off.
You can never have too many backup plans for the things that inevitably go awry.