How to Create the Perfect Wedding Bathroom Basket

Wedding bathroom baskets are a small but thoughtful touch that your guests and wedding party will certainly appreciate on the big day (and if you’ve ever been to a stunning wedding, you know that the magic is all in the details). Not only do these baskets help liven up your reception's restrooms, but they also serve as a great opportunity to further highlight your wedding color palette. Plus, on a practical level, they provide your guests with items they might need throughout the night.

“In the event that the wedding party, couple, or their guests have an emergency wardrobe malfunction, or want to freshen up a bit in the midst of partying, bathroom baskets are a wonderful solution,” says wedding planner and industry expert, Kylie Carlson of Wedding Academy. “These are usually stocked with items that no one will likely have on hand at a wedding." (After all, the last thing you’d want is for your guests to go home early due to an unsightly stain or popped button.)

To put it simply, bathroom baskets are a real life-saver and a crucial wedding detail that shouldn’t be overlooked. So to help you create the ultimate basket for your guests—one they will actually use—we put together this easy-to-follow guide. Read on for more.

What to Know When Creating a Wedding Bathroom Basket

When creating a wedding bathroom basket, it’s best to think of everything that could go wrong at the wedding (and we're talking about snafus, not major emergencies). Whether that’s a minor allergic reaction, ripped pantyhose, or a surprise visit from Aunt Flo, it's wise to just prepare for the worst so that you and your guests can enjoy a great night of celebrating. “Your guests don’t need you to go all out, but it’s nice to have some common household things in the event that an emergency pops up,” says Carlson.

As such, if you've decided to provide a wedding bathroom basket for your guests, here's what you'll need to know once you start putting one together.

The Assembly Process

While you and your partner should have the final say in what goes into your bathroom basket, consider delegating the assembly process to someone in your wedding party. You can also check in with your wedding planner or venue coordinator to see if they provide their own pre-made version as an add-on to your package. Additionally, be sure to "make each guest feel as welcomed and comfortable as possible," says Carlson, so add products that are inclusive and helpful for all individuals to use (for example, provide curly hair grooming products if you have guests with curly hair attending your celebration).

The Basket's Aesthetic

There are no rules when it comes to the aesthetic of your wedding bathroom basket, but you should try to match the décor and style of your event, like incorporating your color scheme or personalizing your basket with your and your partner’s last name. You can even make it part of your bathroom décor with fresh flowers or incorporate details from your reception tables.

Sanitation and hygiene are also important factors to consider when selecting a basket to display. “I would personally advise that you purchase a basket or organizer that can be easily disinfected—i.e. stainless steel or plastic,” advises Carlson. “It may not be the most decorative or appealing, but it’s better to have a clean basket that you know multiple people will be touching.”

What to Include in a Wedding Bathroom Basket

Remember that your wedding bathroom basket is meant to help guests during a time of need, so try to only stock it with items that are absolutely helpful. Carlson also adds: “While you may want to supply beauty items or things, such as [roll-on] deodorant, it’s not the wisest decision given the health scare in recent years. The last thing you want is for someone to contract an illness from your wedding due to sharing products, so it’s best to play it safe and stick to the absolute essentials!”

Below, here's a checklist to follow when buying items for this wedding day detail.

Essential Wedding Bathroom Basket Items

• Pain relievers (ibuprofen and Tylenol) 
• Band-Aids
• Face masks
• Bobby pins
• Hair ties
• Sanitary products
• Stain-removing sticks
• Individually packaged breath mints or gum
• Hand sanitizer
• Lint roller
• Sewing kit 
• Hair spray 
• Tissues
• Air freshener
• Dental floss

First-Aid Wedding Bathroom Basket Items

• Eye drops
• Bandages
• Antiseptic wipes
• Antibiotic ointment
• Antacids
• Pepto-Bismol
• Benadryl

Beauty Wedding Bathroom Basket Items

• Oil-blotting sheets
• Makeup or baby wipes
• Lotion 
• Nail file
• Cotton swabs
• Eyelash glue 
• Clear nail polish
• Fashion tape
• Earring backs 
• Tweezers
• Safety pins
• Pantyhose
• Mouthwash
• Spray-on deodorant

Miscellaneous Wedding Bathroom Basket Items

• Socks
• Sandals
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Superglue
• Granola bars

Additional Wedding Bathroom Basket Tips

Here are some additional tips to know if you plan to provide a wedding bathroom basket.

Put Someone in Charge of Restocking

Make sure to supply enough items for all your guests, and be sure to assign someone to keep an eye on the basket throughout the night and restock it as necessary. You might also want to add a sign on or near the basket advising your guests that the items are complimentary.

Consider Creating End-of-the-Evening Baskets

If you really want to go the extra mile, consider putting together an end-of-the-evening basket as a take-home gift for your guests, loaded up with everything they may need to get “un-ready” that night: makeup remover wipes, tissues, flip-flops, and/or sheet masks. It’s a fun way to send your guests home, and it’s a gesture they’ll surely appreciate.

That being said, don't feel the need to overstuff (and overspend) in this area. Avoid creating unnecessary waste, and make sure your wedding planner or coordinator gets all the leftovers back to you after the reception.