Wedding Emergency Kit! Muprphy Loves Weddings!

You know MURPHY (the one with the "LAW)" HE loves weddings!

After many years in the wedding business I have seen just about every kind of emergency, big and small, that can pop up during the course of a wedding reception.  About 10 years ago I began carrying a Wedding Emergency Survival Kit with me to help out in case any of the typical scenarios (and some not so typical) happened at one of my weddings.  The kit was so useful that for a time we actually sold a modified version on the web.  I stopped producing the commercial version but I still carry all of the following with me JUST IN CASE!  In preparation for the upcoming wedding season I did an inventory.  Here's what's in the kit right now......

Small sewing kit
Aspirin/Tylenol
Tweezers
Assorted Safety pins
Small scissors
Small can of hair spray
Hair pins
Tissues
Lint Brush
Cotton swabs
Band aids
Small snacks
Breath mints
Packaged Hair Brush
Small portable mirror
Hand lotion
Spot remover
Sanitary Napkins
Handkerchief
Clear nail polish
Nail file
Nail clippers
Extra earring backs
Baby wipes
Shoe polish
Scotch tape
Crazy Glue
Black Socks
White/Nude Panty Hose
5 "mini"umbrellas
Packaged Cake Knife & Server set
White Garter
Corsage/Boutonniere  Pins
Pens / Paper
Multi-Tool (Screw driver, pliers, knife, etc)
Bulldog clips
Sharpie Marker
Small Fake Flower Bouquet
Mini Coloring books/crayons
Several simple small "toys"
Ass't Batteries (9v, AA, AAA)
Flashlight
Ball of String
Spool of fishing line

It's all there in one big duffel bag and ready at a moments notice! Many of these items are one time use and they are replaced after they serve their purpose. I get lot's of this stuff at dollar stores because in a pinch you don't need a top of the line solution you just need a solution...period!

Let em KNOW!  


The key to the whole thing is making sure my clients know that I have this gear with me.  I usually like to mention it to the Mother of the Bride, Maid of Honor and Best Man too so that very little time is spent "searching" for a solution to a problem so time isn't lost from the party.

I have used EVERY item on that list at least once at some event and many made their way onto the list when a situation arose that I was not prepared for at the time.  I expect that many more items will find their way into my Emergency Kit and that's just fine with me!

So am I missing something?  Got a recommendation for something I can add?   Let me know!







www.jhatchdj.com www.cnyphotobooth.com

5 Wedding "Emergency" Tips

Emergency Tip #1
Traffic Congestion
We've heard from numerous brides who have arrived late to their own weddings because of either poor planning or vehicle malfunctions. Be safe map out an alternative route from place to place and arrange for alternative transportation, just in case! Every Professional DJ should have a multi faceted back up plan for transportation and equipment. New York City, New Jersey, Washington D.C. and Baltimore wedding DJ's know how to navigate traffic headaches and leave extraordinarily early in anticipation of tie ups. DJ's in Connecticut, New Hampshire and rural Pennsylvania and Upstate and Central New York have experience with remote locations and rural routes which can be confusing to out of town guests and contractors. Make sure that everyone has a firm action plan to deal in advance with possible traffic congestion. Repeat this mantra, GPS, GPS, G-P-S!

Emergency Tip #2
Double-Booked Ministers, Photographers & DJ's
Sad but true. Ask your officiate to double-check his or her availability when you first make arrangements, and again the week of the wedding. The "Double booked DJ" is another true horror story told by far too many brides. Less than reputable disc jockey companies many with part time "weekend warriors" in their ranks will often make changes at the last minute resulting in a Disc Jockey who has no clue what you have in mind for your reception turning up unannounced. Even worse if your reception ends before 7pm your DJ may have booked a second event in the evening which negates any possibility of extending your event if the party is hopping. It's also a HUGE distraction as the DJ begins focusing on a fast tear down and quick drive to the next event when he should be focused on YOUR party. Dealing with a full time professional Wedding DJ who does only one event per day ensures that the DJ you plan with is the DJ who will perform at your reception.

Emergency Tip #3
Lost Limousines, DJ's & Caterers
Yes, this actually happens. Photographers, Disc Jockeys and even caterers get lost sometimes, too. Before your wedding, have all drivers confirm the directions to your destination to be sure they're exact. Most Full time wedding DJ's have embraced GPS and while systems can have quirks they are generally very accurate. Ask your wedding disc jockey if he uses a GPS system and if not just make sure you confirm his directions.

Emergency Tip #4
Cake Mistake and other Disappointments
Many brides have complained that their cake didn't taste or look as good as was expected. This often happens with less experienced bakers, such as those who don't specialize in wedding cakes. Definitely go in for a tasting before you sign a contract or pay any money, because the vendor just may not be able to provide the quality you're expecting. The same goes for ALL of your vendors. Quality not price should be your driving factor when it comes to the vendors who drive your event. Using a Wedding Professional who deals with the special intricacies and expectations that accompany a wedding day can save you a lot of headaches on the big day. A professional wedding DJ for example will be able to provide you with planning tools that can help you pace the days events and ensure a smooth effortless presentation that you can relax and enjoy with your guests.

Emergency Tip #5
Rain at an Outdoor Wedding
If you're having an outside ceremony and/or reception, insist on a rain contingency. This works as a backup plan in case it rains. If your ideal ceremony site does not have an ideal backup (an alternate indoor setting), you may need to choose another. Never forget your wedding DJ in your contingency plans. Water and electricity just don't mix. Consult with your professional Wedding DJ to make sure that contingencies for inclement weather are sufficient so the party can continue rain or shine!

Here in Syracuse and Central New York, not many folks plan weddings much before June 1st and there are only a handful who brave late October events. The reason? SNOW. Syracuse DJ's know how to prepare for snow emergencies. Just like New York City and New Jersey wedding DJ's know how to navigate traffic headaches and leave extraordinarily early in anticipation of tie ups. Professional wedding disc jockey s in Connecticut, New Hampshire and rural Pennsylvania have experience with remote locations and rural routes which can be confusing to out of town guests and contractors.

All wedding emergencies can be dealt with by remaining cool and by relying on the members of your bridal party and by involving your wedding professionals in every step of the planning. Your Wedding DJ can offer advice on a pretty broad range of wedding day topics. An experienced DJ has seen many of these emergencies and can offer advice to help get things back on track. That's the difference between a part time weekend DJ and a full time professional with the experience to assist in all facets of your reception.

Quick Stat:

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Wedding Traditions and Superstitions

Wedding day superstitions have been around since the beginning of time. Whether tying tin cans to the back of the ‘getaway car’ to ward off evil spirits or the bride wearing something old to assure a happy and fruitful marriage, many age-old traditions have budded from such superstitions.

In days gone by, it seems that weddings were viewed as an occasion during which people were particularly susceptible to bad luck and evil spirits. As a result, an almost endless number of customs and superstitions have accumulated. Some are widely known, such as the bride not being seen in her wedding dress by the groom before the ceremony, and others tend to be regional or culturally specific. Either way, it appears that the bride and groom should be very careful!

Proposing and Engagement

• A woman should only propose to a man during a leap year, otherwise it endangers the marriage.
• Engagement and wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger of the left hand because it was once thought that a vein in that finger led directly to the heart.
• It is bad luck for the bride to remove her engagement ring before the day of her wedding.
• Stag parties were first held by ancient Spartan soldiers, who kissed their bachelor days goodbye with a raucous party.
• It is unlucky for a woman to marry a man whose surname begins with the same letter as hers: To change the name and not the letter, Is to change for the worst and not the better.

The Bridal Shower

• The first gift the bride opens should be the first gift she uses.
• The person who gives the third gift to be opened will soon have a baby.

The Wedding Day

• It brings more luck if the groom arrives at the church before the bride.
• It's bad luck for the bride to start down the aisle on time but good luck to step into the church with her right food first.
• Saying your vows when the hour hand on the clock is going upwards, makes you work together in your married life. If you say your wedding vows when the hand is going down, it is bad luck.
• If the bride cries on her wedding day, those shall be the last tears she ever sheds over her marriage.
• If the groom drops the wedding band during the ceremony, the marriage is doomed.
• It is considered bad luck for the bride to see a pig, hare or lizard running across the road, an open grave or to meet a nun or monk on her wedding day.
• Flower girls drop petals as they walk down the aisle is to ensure the new couple will have many chances to have children.
• Carrying a horseshoe or a bouquet in the shape of one is considered lucky for the bride, but only if the horseshoe is carried with the open end up so the luck does not ‘fall out’.
• An old wives' tale is that if the younger of two sisters marries first, the older sister must dance barefoot at the wedding or risk never landing a husband.
• Certain days are better than others for a wedding. The Victorians believed that it was lucky to marry on a day during the week that the groom was born. The luckiest day to marry was on the groom’s actual birthday. And, oddly enough, Saturday was the unluckiest day of all for a wedding!

Wedding Attire

• The loan of a wedding dress means good luck to the borrower and bad luck for the lender.
• A veil disguises the bride from evil spirits.
• Dressing the bridesmaids is to fool the evil spirits, so they will not know who is the bride.
• If the bride helps to make her own wedding dress, it will bring her bad luck. If she rips her wedding dress on the day, it means that the marriage will end in death.
• It is considered good luck if the bride finds a spider in her wedding gown.
• Wearing a pearl on the wedding day will bring bad luck and tears throughout the marriage

The Wedding Cake

• The bride and groom cut the first slice of cake together to ensure that they will conceive.
• The chief bridesmaid should keep a piece of cake in her pocket for the duration of the couple's honeymoon, if she hopes to marry soon.
• Single female guests should take home a piece of wedding cake and place it under the pillow to dream of the man they will marry.

After the Wedding

• Throwing rice (or birdseed or confetti) as the couple leaves the church dates back to ancient times and is meant to bestow fertility on the couple.
• The new bride must enter her home by the main door, and must not trip or fall, as it is a bad omen if the bride should stumble. Hence the custom of the groom carrying the bride over the threshold.
• The spouse who goes to sleep first on the wedding day will be the first to die.

Times when you don't hyphenate your name

Here are some good examples of why hyphenating your last name is a really bad idea...