Should You have a Handbag for Your Wedding?

Guide to Handbags for Brides and Weddings

What is the purpose of a handbag at a wedding?

Are you a soon-to-be bride torn on taking a handbag with you on your special day? Maybe you’re the mother of the bride or the maid of honor, wondering if you should have a handbag at your loved ones wedding. Whatever the case, we have got you covered!

Let's start with the basics: what is the purpose of a handbag at a wedding? Whether you’re the soon-to-be bride or a part of the bridal party, your handbag will help elevate your look and keep you comfortable. A handbag will contain your basic necessities - lipstick, powder, shoes and anything else you might want on you! Not only that, but a unique handbag matching your shoes will make you stand out and look your best. The uses and benefits of having a handbag on your wedding day or a loved ones’ are endless! 

Is it common for brides to wear handbags?

It is common for brides to wear handbags on their wedding days! If you are planning on wearing a purse on your wedding day, however, consider leaving your handbag with your mother-in-law or maid of honor while you walk down the aisle for a more seamless journey. In fact, many brides do just that! 

What if you want to have your basic necessities near you but don’t want to have to carry them? Many brides opt to bring their own handbags and designate their mother or maid of honor to take care of it. That way, you will have everything you need near you, without having to stress about keeping track of your handbag! Between chatting it up with your sweetheart and highschool friends and then your great, great, great uncle, you might forget about your handbag entirely and lose it! Knowing that your handbag is in the trusted hands of a loved one will ease all your worries; You’ll know where to go for a makeup touch up or to change out of your heels when it’s time to dance, it’s just that easy! 

What should a bride have in a handbag?

There are so many things that you can have in a handbag to help keep you comfortable and feeling your best on your special day. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, we’ve put together some of our recommendations for the big day:

• Chapstick, lipstick, lip gloss: Wearing lip products all day is sure to dry out your lips. Drop one or two of your favorite chapsticks in your purse (definitely two if you’re prone to losing them like we are!) to prevent chapped and cracked lips. Drop in your day-time lippies in your handbag as well for easy re-application throughout the day. If you’re looking to change your daytime look for an evening look as the sun sets, you can also drop in a darker lippie to transition seamlessly!
• Power and/or blotting sheets: It’s so easy to break a sweat and wipe off your makeup while running around all day and (if you’re getting married at an outdoor venue) chatting away in the sun. To prevent your makeup from getting ruined from the adventures of the day, having a compact powder in your handbag and blotting sheets will allow you to retouch your makeup whenever necessary. Picture perfect bride incoming!
• Phone: While many opt out of carrying their own phones in lieu of living in the moment and not having to worry about incoming notifications, you might want to keep your phone in your handbag if you want to take some photos yourself. Just make sure it’s off or on silent during the ceremony! 
• Gum or Mints: No one wants to walk down the aisle worried about their breath. Easy your worries by having a pack of gum or mints in your handbag to pop in right before the ceremony or even throughout the evening if you ever find yourself in need!

• Disposable/Film camera: With film photography becoming increasingly popular in the wedding space, bring your own disposable or film camera in your handbag to capture candid and fun-loving moments between you and your new life partner! Leave the professional photos for the photographer while also grabbing some once in a lifetime memories from your own points of view. Split a roll of film together and shoot away - these are the photos you can show your kids in 10 years time. 

Does the mother of the bride wear a handbag?

The mother of the bride can wear a handbag or opt out of it, the choice is her own! However, some brides might ask their mothers to bring a bigger handbag to help them store some of the bulkier items they might need throughout the day. These items include safety pins in case of any (knock on wood) mishaps, tissues for the inevitable waterworks, the bride's phone if she doesn’t want to hold it herself and a pair of flats for maximum comfort on the dance floor. 

Other purposes of handbags for weddings, besides the bride

Bridesmaids

Whatever the dress code for the bridesmaids (or none at all!), a bridesmaid can express their own style through their choice of a handbag. Whether you choose to opt for a more muted handbag or a statement piece, making sure your handbag and shoes match as a bridesmaid will be paramount to bringing the whole look together! The bridesmaids can also offer to hold the brides’ trinkets for her, especially if she opts out of wearing one herself! 

As for what to keep in your handbag, the world is your oyster! Start off with many of our recommendations for the bride and add more things if you need. 

A memory of the big day

Whether you’re the bride, the mother of the bride or a bridesmaid, watching your loved one (or yourself!) embark on this new stage of their life is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The handbag you select for this special occasion will serve as a constant reminder – a memory of the big day! While it’s hard to be able to wear your bridal dress or bridesmaid dress a second time, your handbag and shoes can be worn endlessly. Each wear will not only take you back to the special day, but will add new memories as well. 

Our favorite handbags for weddings and beautiful brides

Here at Hammitt, we want to walk with you every step of the way and help you craft these beautiful memories with your own Hammitt handbag. If you’re a bride looking for a sleek clutch, we recommend the AJ Crossbody Clutch available in Calla Lily Crocco, a beautiful croc-embossed warm white Italian leather. This purse is exceptional – especially if you want your bridesmaids to match with you – with various other colorways that will match any bridal party look. 

If you’re a bridesmaid looking for the perfect simple and fashionable clutch, consider purchasing the Ryan or the Tony Small. For more of a statement piece handbag, we recommend the Dillon Small. 

As the mother of the bride, you might be asked to hold many of the brides’ trinkets and larger things like shoes. For that, we recommend a medium sized handbag such as the BRYANT MED or ADDIE MED. These handbags are incredibly stylish and have that luxurious feel, with the added benefit of being larger than a clutch or crossbody to fit everything you and the bride-to-be will need!

Recommendations: 

AJ CROSSBODY CLUTCH (White for bide; Plenty of other colors available for the mother of the bride and the bridal party)

RYAN (For bridal party)

DILLON SML (For bridal party, more statement)

TONY SML (Smaller, more compact)

BRYANT MED or ADDIE MED (For mother of the bride - bigger for more things!)

FAQs

Q: Should guests bring their own handbags?

A: Unless your outfit has convenient pockets to store everything you will need, it might be necessary to bring your own handbag, even if it is just a tiny clutch. As a guest, you will most importantly want to put your phone away (on silent!) during the ceremony and even the reception (besides for your photo moments) out of respect for the bride and groom. For this reason, you will want to bring a handbag to store your phone – out of sight, out of mind. You might also want to bring your own handbag to keep all your own bits and bobs (lipstick/chapstick, mints, power, etc). 

Q: Do I need to match my handbag with my dress?

A: You can match your handbag with your dress however the most put-together looks will be created by matching your handbag and your shoes.