10 wedding must-haves under $100, and what to skip
Ten things worth buying for your wedding, each under $100: wedding bands, an emergency kit, printed timelines, signs, a guest photo album, a cake knife, backup flats, a phone charger, a steamer, and water and snacks for the wedding party. Prices move often, so treat them as ranges.
The ten wedding must-haves at a glance
Each item is under $100 on its own. The list mixes what guests notice with the small things that solve problems nobody plans for. A marriage license is not on it, because the fee is set by your county and can pass $100.
1
Wedding bands, $28 to $46 each in tungsten. Rings are optional, but most couples exchange them. Plain tungsten bands list at about $28 to $46 each.
2
Emergency kit, $15 to $23 ready-made. A small pouch of safety pins, tape, stain remover and bandages solves the problems nobody plans for.
3
Printed day-of timelines, under $20 for ten sets. One page with times and phone numbers, handed to everyone who has a job on the day.
4
Signs, $4 to $16 per template, plus printing. Editable sign templates sell for about $4 to $16 and you print them yourself.
5
A guest photo album (Our Event Album), $39 one time. Guests scan a QR code and upload photos from their phones, with no app. Our Event Album is $39 one time.
6
Cake knife and server, $5 to $30. You need something to cut the cake with, and the cake cutting is a photo you will want.
7
Backup flats, $12 to $35. Foldable flats start at about $12 and gel insoles at about $19.
8
Portable phone charger, $25 to $30. A 10,000mAh power bank is about $25 to $30 and recharges a phone more than once.
9
Handheld steamer, $23 to $70. Handheld steamers run about $23 to $70, and they remove creases from a dress or suit in minutes.
10
Water and snacks for the wedding party, $10 to $30. A case of water and a few boxes of bars or sandwiches keep the people getting ready fed and steady.
Prices, what each one saves and the cheaper option
Prices vary by county, retailer and date.
| Must-have | Price range | What it saves | Cheaper or DIY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wedding bands | $28 to $46 each in tungsten | Budget bands take the pressure off the biggest single purchase on the list. | Skip engraving and matching sets if the price creeps up. Engrave the date on the inside later if you still want it. |
| Emergency kit | $15 to $23 ready-made | A torn hem, a stain or a blister costs minutes with a kit and an hour of someone running to a shop without one. | Build it from your bathroom cabinet and a travel pouch, then add safety pins, clear tape, stain wipes and bandages. |
| Printed day-of timelines | under $20 for ten sets | Vendors, the wedding party and family stop texting you for the next step. | Print at home. A free timeline from our generator costs the paper and ink. |
| Signs | $4 to $16 per template, plus printing | Guests find their seats, know where the bar is and know when to put the phone away. | Buy a bundle once, print at a copy shop and put the signs in frames you already own. |
| A guest photo album (Our Event Album) | $39 one time | The photos your guests took end up in one private place instead of forty camera rolls. | A free shared album can work across phone types, but guests may need to join or sign in. A QR code album costs $39 and needs no guest accounts. |
| Cake knife and server | $5 to $30 | It avoids hunting for a clean knife at the reception, or borrowing a catering knife mid-photo. | Ask the venue or caterer if they already have one, or use a kitchen knife and a ribbon. |
| Backup flats | $12 to $35 | You are on your feet for ten hours or more. Comfortable shoes are the difference between dancing and sitting out. | Wear a pair you have already broken in, and keep bandages in your kit. |
| Portable phone charger | $25 to $30 | Phones carry your timeline, your contacts, your music and the day's photos, and they run flat by the evening. | Borrow one from a friend for the day, and put the cable in the emergency kit. |
| Handheld steamer | $23 to $70 | A dress or suit that has sat in a bag creases, and a steamer smooths it in minutes. | Hang the dress in a steamy bathroom, or ask the dry cleaner or a bridal shop to steam it the day before. |
| Water and snacks for the wedding party | $10 to $30 | Nobody faints or goes grumpy at the ceremony after skipping lunch while the hair and makeup ran late. | Ask the caterer or venue for a plate to be sent to the getting-ready room, or have a family member bring a tray of sandwiches. |
1. Wedding bands: from about $28 to $46 in tungsten
Plain tungsten bands in 6mm and 8mm widths were listed at Walmart from about $27.99 to $45.99. Tungsten is hard and hard to resize, so order a size you have measured, not guessed, and buy a month ahead in case you need to swap. Gold, silver and lab-diamond bands cost more and many couples keep their budget for the engagement ring instead.
What it saves: Budget bands take the pressure off the biggest single purchase on the list. Cheaper or DIY: Skip engraving and matching sets if the price creeps up. Engrave the date on the inside later if you still want it.
2. A wedding day emergency kit: $15 to $23
Ready-made kits with 30 to 40 pieces were listed at about $14.99 at Walmart, and another kit was $22.98 on Amazon in April 2026. Whichever you buy, check it has what you will actually reach for: safety pins, double-sided tape, a sewing kit, stain remover, bandages, pain relief, deodorant and a few hair pins. Hand it to one person on the day, not the whole bridal party.
What it saves: A torn hem, a stain or a blister costs minutes with a kit and an hour of someone running to a shop without one. Cheaper or DIY: Build it from your bathroom cabinet and a travel pouch, then add safety pins, clear tape, stain wipes and bandages.
3. Printed day-of timelines: under $20 for ten sets
Make one page: the time of each moment from getting ready to the last dance, who is responsible, and a phone number for each person. Print ten copies for the planner or point person, the venue, the caterer, the DJ or band, the photographer, the wedding party and both sets of parents. Ten copies of two color pages at under a dollar a page in a copy shop is under $20, and it costs less at home. Our free wedding timeline generator builds the page for you to print.
What it saves: Vendors, the wedding party and family stop texting you for the next step. Cheaper or DIY: Print at home. A free timeline from our generator costs the paper and ink.
4. Welcome, seating and unplugged signs: $4 to $16 per template
Editable welcome and unplugged ceremony sign templates were listed on Etsy from about $4 to $16, and printed-and-shipped custom signs run about $65 to $125 each according to one signage maker, so printing the templates yourself is where the savings are. The three that earn their place are a welcome sign, a seating or table-finder sign and a bar or menu sign. Use only the signs you will actually see; a sign for every table is a cost, not a necessity. Our free wedding sign generator makes printable QR photo-sharing signs. For a sign that tells guests where to scan and share photos, see our ideas for displaying a wedding photo QR code.
What it saves: Guests find their seats, know where the bar is and know when to put the phone away. Cheaper or DIY: Buy a bundle once, print at a copy shop and put the signs in frames you already own.
5. A guest photo album: $39 one time
We make this one, so weigh it the same as the rest. Our Event Album is $39 one time in the US, with a unique QR code, printable sign templates (PDF), unlimited photo and video uploads and 6 months of hosting from your event date. Guests need no app and no account. Videos can be up to 60 seconds, and you download everything when you are done. The QR code, templates and setup instructions arrive within 24 to 48 hours of ordering, so order a few weeks ahead rather than the week before, and hosting beyond 6 months is a $15 add-on. A professional photographer covers the posed shots; this covers what they cannot, like the table you were not at. Details on the wedding photo sharing page and in our guide to a wedding QR code.
What it saves: The photos your guests took end up in one private place instead of forty camera rolls. Cheaper or DIY: A free shared album can work across phone types, but guests may need to join or sign in. A QR code album costs $39 and needs no guest accounts.
6. A cake knife and server: $5 to $30
Stainless steel sets listed at Walmart from about $4.99 to $17.99, and engraved or hammered-finish sets reach about $30. Check with your baker first: many bakeries and caterers cut and serve the cake themselves and lend a knife for the photo.
What it saves: It avoids hunting for a clean knife at the reception, or borrowing a catering knife mid-photo. Cheaper or DIY: Ask the venue or caterer if they already have one, or use a kitchen knife and a ribbon.
7. Backup flats and insoles: $12 to $35
Foldable ballet flats with a carry case were listed at about $11.99 to $14.99 at Walmart, and women's gel insoles at about $19 for a pair. Put the flats in the bag the point person carries, so you can swap after the ceremony and the photos. Break in any new shoes at home for a week first.
What it saves: You are on your feet for ten hours or more. Comfortable shoes are the difference between dancing and sitting out. Cheaper or DIY: Wear a pair you have already broken in, and keep bandages in your kit.
8. A portable phone charger: $25 to $30
Anker's standard 10,000mAh power bank was listed at about $26 to $30. Put one in the bag of the person guarding your phone, and one in the point person's bag, so a flat phone is a minor problem.
What it saves: Phones carry your timeline, your contacts, your music and the day's photos, and they run flat by the evening. Cheaper or DIY: Borrow one from a friend for the day, and put the cable in the emergency kit.
9. A handheld steamer: $23 to $70
Conair handheld steamers were listed at Target from about $23 for a compact model to $69.99 for the 2-in-1 steamer and iron. Steam the dress and suits the day before, then hang them somewhere clean, not on a door. Check the care label first; some fabrics need a professional.
What it saves: A dress or suit that has sat in a bag creases, and a steamer smooths it in minutes. Cheaper or DIY: Hang the dress in a steamy bathroom, or ask the dry cleaner or a bridal shop to steam it the day before.
10. Water and snacks for the wedding party: $10 to $30
A 24-pack of bottled water was listed at about $3.68 at Walmart and a 12-count box of granola bars at about $2.97, so two cases of water, a few boxes of bars and a fruit tray fit comfortably in $30. Put them where you get ready and tell your wedding party to eat before the photos, not after.
What it saves: Nobody faints or goes grumpy at the ceremony after skipping lunch while the hair and makeup ran late. Cheaper or DIY: Ask the caterer or venue for a plate to be sent to the getting-ready room, or have a family member bring a tray of sandwiches.
What to skip: things that look essential but are not
Favors nobody takes home. Guests often leave them on the table. Put the money into food and drink, or a donation card instead.
Printed programs for a short ceremony. If the ceremony is 20 minutes, a sign with the order of events, or a word from the officiant, does the same job.
Engraved everything. Engraved cake knives, flutes and ring boxes look nice in the photos and cost more. Pick one, usually the rings.
Custom napkins and matchboxes. Plain napkins photograph fine. Spend the money on something guests use for hours, like seating or shade.
A separate item for every table. One table-finder sign and clear table numbers serve a room better than a bespoke centerpiece at each table.
Wedding must-haves, answered
What are the must-haves for a wedding?
The legal requirements depend on your state and county, so ask your county clerk about the license, officiant and witnesses. Wedding bands are optional but common. Beyond those, the items couples most often wish they had are an emergency kit, printed timelines, a way to find seats, a portable phone charger and comfortable backup shoes. Each costs under $100.
What are the wedding day must-haves for a bride?
Bring the marriage license, rings, an emergency kit, backup flats, a phone charger, lip balm and any medication. Keep them in one bag held by a trusted person, not in the dressing room.
How much should I budget for the wedding day basics?
From the ranges on this page, two budget bands, an emergency kit, printed timelines, signs, a cake knife, backup flats, a phone charger, a steamer, snacks and a guest photo album come to roughly $190 to $420 in total. The low end assumes one sign template and home printing; the high end assumes three sign templates, before extra printing or shipping. The marriage license is extra: public license fees run from about $28 to $176 depending on the county, and a confidential license can cost more (LA County's is $220), so check your clerk.
What can I skip at a wedding?
Favors, printed programs for a short ceremony, engraved extras and custom napkins are the usual savings. Couples tend to remember the food, the music and the people, not the extras.
How can guests share their photos with us without an app?
Put a QR code on a sign or the invitation. Guests scan it with their phone camera, pick photos and upload them to one private album in the browser. With Our Event Album that is $39 one time, and you download everything afterwards.
Do I need a wedding planner to do all this?
No. A printed timeline and one trusted friend with the emergency bag cover most of what a day-of coordinator does on a small wedding. A coordinator costs far more than $100, so it is a separate decision.
Sources and price check
Retail listings and guides were checked on 12 October 2026, except where a source says otherwise. Prices change daily, so confirm before you buy.
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