Realised that I'd not written anything in my other comment about embark selection, which is quite important. For skills, I'd take:

• one appraiser / negotiator, based on whoever seems to have the best personality - they will usually become expedition leader
• two miners - you need to get digging quickly for safety's sake
• one planter/herbalist - farming is important, one expert will do
• one gem cutter / setter - takes ages to skill up, wastes loads of good resources doing so
• two sword user / shield user - but that's because I tend to set off in evil areas, probs don't do that if you're a new starter

For animals, I'd take:

• two male and two female cats, who will obliterate all vermin, which make your dorfs very unhappy.
• if not on an evil embark, two male and two female sheep, for milk (for cheese) and wool (for yarn, for making bags). Evil embark, we're going vegan for safety's sake

For items:

• refund the splints, crutches, stepladder and wheelbarrow, they're very easy to make and cost loads of points, for some reason
• if setting off evil, 2× iron shortswords, and copper 2× helms, breastplates, greaves and mail, 4× gauntlets and high boots. Dress your military immediately upon embark.
• if setting off in a swamp or other aquifer-heavy place, some of the cheap wood and stone, will help you get started on the digging
• keep the 2× picks and at least one metal battleaxe, to dig, and destroy trees
• loads of seeds, so you can kickstart your farms on embark. Plump helmets (food and drink) and pig tails (drink and thread, and also paper eventually) are the most valuable to me.