Advice with Cat: The Golden Rule of What to Bring to Your Wedding

There’s a lot of excitement in the air when your wedding day arrives—love, laughter, and lots of logistics. As a wedding planner who’s been in the thick of it for nearly a decade, I’m here to share a simple, heartfelt truth:

Don’t bring anything to your wedding that you aren’t okay with not getting back.

That might sound a little dramatic—but trust me, it's not. No matter how carefully your vendor team operates (and we’re talking clipboard-wielding, timeline-checking pros), the nature of wedding days is that they’re full of movement. Guests, family members, vendors, personal items, rentals—it’s a beautiful whirlwind. And sometimes, things get misplaced.

Why It Happens (Even When Everyone's On Top of It)

Let me paint you a picture:
You’ve got 120 guests mingling, multiple vendors setting up and breaking down, a bridal party hopping between locations, and keepsakes sprinkled across the venue—card boxes, signage, heirloom toasting flutes, your favorite getting-ready robe. Everyone’s doing their best, but in the shuffle of the night, things can end up left behind, taken home by a well-meaning relative, or mistakenly tossed by the venue’s cleanup crew.

Despite our best efforts (and we do try very hard to gather every single item you brought), once the party’s over and the venue starts turning over for the next event, some things can disappear into the chaos.

So What Should You Bring?

Here's my practical rule of thumb:
If it’s irreplaceable, sentimental, or has high monetary value—rethink bringing it at all.

Here are some examples of things to reconsider:

Family heirlooms (vintage cake knives, antique jewelry, passed-down champagne flutes)
Expensive accessories (designer sunglasses, high-end bags, specialty shoes)
One-of-a-kind décor pieces (custom signs, handmade guest books, framed photos)
Gifts or cards (have a designated person responsible for collecting these immediately)

Instead, opt for beautiful but replaceable items if you want that “something special” on your day without the worry.

Pro Tips From Your Planning Team

Label everything. Seriously. If it’s not obvious who it belongs to, it’s more likely to go missing.
Designate a friend or family member to collect personal items at the end of the night. Your coordinator will do their best, but it helps to have a trusted person overseeing things too.
Use a packing checklist for load-in and load-out. We love these and can help you create one!
Keep sentimental items at home unless they are part of a locked display or ceremony only.

Peace of Mind Over Possessions

At the end of the day, what matters most is the memory of the love you celebrated—not the physical objects. Your wedding day will fly by in the most beautiful blur, and the last thing you want is to be fretting over a missing item the next morning.

So bring what you love—but only if you’re okay with possibly letting it go.

Because the most important thing you’ll be taking home?
The start of your new life together.

— Cat