6 Things You’ll Probably Lose at Your Wedding

You’ll walk away from your wedding with so much to brag about—like a new spouse, some beautiful photographs, and a million once-in-a-lifetime memories. But through all the excitement of the day, you might lose sight of a thing or two, too! You’ll be so busy rushing from ceremony to reception venue, getting everything prepped and ready, and, duh, having the time of your life, it’ll be impossible to stay on top of every little thing—luckily, that’s what your wedding party is for!

Keep reading to find out all the things you’ll probably lose at your wedding, then ask your MOH to help keep tabs on each:

1. Your Garter

If you’re doing a garter toss at your wedding, chances are, you’ll never see it again! Which isn’t a big deal if you’re wearing a cheapie you bought only for the toss—but if you invested in something more luxurious as a surprise for your partner, or if you’re wearing a family heirloom (say, your something borrowed), it might be something you’ll want to hold onto! To make sure it stays in your sight after the toss, buy a cheapie online and toss that instead, or, hand the cheapie over to the lucky one who catches your garter and take your special one back from (it’s the thought, not the garter, that counts!).

2. Your Bouquet

Maybe you’ve always dreamed of holding a wedding bouquet and can’t imagine putting it down once you finally see it on your wedding morning. But after your ceremony, you’ll probably be dying to put it down—you’ll have so many people to hug, drinks to hold and photos to take, and holding a 10-pound flower arrangement (what… just me?) is super awkward after a while. Placing it down is no biggie, just don’t forget where you put it! It’s smart to plan a designated safe space for it somewhere before your wedding (maybe behind the bar or even in your mom’s car!) so that it’s tucked away and out of harm’s way as soon as you wish to stop carrying it. And if you’re planning a bouquet toss, please have an alternative bouquet for the actual tossing! One made of fabric, faux flowers, or simple, more affordable blooms (like all greens!) is safer to throw, and much less important to keep track of. You’ll want to keep your bouquet for pressing, drying, whatever, after your wedding, so keep it safe and in your sight at all times!

3. Your Drink

You spent weeks selecting and perfecting your signature cocktail for your reception, and all those long nights of planning leading up to your wedding have made you so excited to kick back with a drink once the party is finally underway. But IRL, when you’re actually at your reception and making your rounds with your new spouse, chances are, drinking will be the last thing on your mind! You’ll likely pick up and put down drinks all night long, and the chances that you’ll finish one entirely are slim—simply because you’ll be so distracted with saying hi to guests, dancing, taking photos and beyond! If you want to help yourself keep tabs on your drink all night (so you can spare your bar bill the cost of a six unfinished champagnes…), purchase a special glass for you and your spouse-to-be that stands out from the rentals you ordered for your guest. That way, you’ll always be able to find it from across the room—and you’ll have a lovely keepsake for after your wedding!

4. Your Shoes

Those satin stiletto slingbacks were the perfect pick for your big walk down the aisle, but no matter how much you promise yourself you won’t take them off halfway through the reception, the chances you will are pretty high. Dancing barefoot or in your favorite pair of Converse at your wedding is totally a rite of passage! But in all the excitement of the dance floor, it’s easy to lose track of those designer high heels once you cast them off—they can get tucked under a tablecloth or nudged behind a speaker and you might have a hard time finding them during cleanup! Unless your wedding shoes are super comfy and easy to dance in, you should bring a backup pair and have a backup plan for your wedding shoes when you’re ready to kick ‘em off and slip into something more comfortable—bring their original box and slip them under your chair at the dinner table for safekeeping.

5. Your Curls

Whether you’re getting married in a humid climate or a dry one, hot or cold, chances are strong your hair will slowly degrade over the course of your wedding. Your curls will definitely fall out, your bun might loosen, and those perfectly waved tendrils framing your face might lose their oomph. Your stylist will use every product imaginable to help keep your hair from undoing itself over the course of the night, but you should be prepared for at least a little bit of a hair evolution no matter what. Pack along a travel-sized bottle of whatever hairspray your stylist recommends, and don’t forget extra bobby pins (you’ll probably lose a few of these throughout the night, too!). If you’re scheduling end-of-night pics or just wanna look extra fierce for your after party, work with your stylist to create a wedding day hair look that easily transitions into an entire new look for the latter half of your party—like a boho braid that undoes into pretty, beachy waves when you’re ready to let your hair down.

6. A Gift or Two

Most guests will probably send gifts directly to you through your online registry, but there will inevitably be the guest or two who likes to do things the old fashioned way and will bring your wedding gift right to you at your wedding. With so much going on and so many things being given to you (Cards! Hugs! Presents! Drinks!), it’s likely that a box or a check or a gift card might fall to the wayside. Try really hard to not let this happen! Ask a bridesmaid or groomsman to be on gift duty all night, and anytime someone hands you something, hand it over to that person ASAP. Or, thank your gifting guest wholeheartedly but tell them you don’t want to open the present until you’re home so you don’t risk losing it. And make sure when planning your venue layout that you cordon off a special table for gifts and cards, far removed from the action of the dance floor.