So your wedding is over (crying emojis all over the place!) and you’re just coming off of that honeymoon high. What now? What are the first few things you should do as newlyweds post-epic celebration? Here’s a checklist with some key “to dos” that will get your new marriage off to a wonderful start!
Preserve Wedding Momentos
Hopefully some of this will have been done by your besties right after the reception, but make sure you’re preserving the items from your wedding that you want to treasure for years to come. Maybe one of your parents or someone in your wedding party handled freezing the top of your cake for your anniversary, but now’s the time to pick it up and get it in your freezer so you’ll have it next year! You’ll also want to make sure you’ve had your bouquet preserved, and even your wedding dress can be specially cleaned and professionally stored away for maximum safety for years to come. Another idea Put your paper goods (like your save the date, invitation, wedding program, and any other supplemental items) into a shadow box for display in your home!
Change Your Last Name
If you’re choosing to change your last name, it’s a great idea to get started on it as soon as possible after your big day. It can be a long, time-consuming, semi-complicated process, so getting it over with ASAP will save you some sanity. Dragging it out will just increase its annoyance level and make you live in weird name limbo, which is no fun. The sooner you can visit the DMV, your bank, and every other place where your name change will be relevant, the better!
Write Reviews for Your Vendors
Before you get too far away from your amazing day, make sure to check in with your vendors and—if you loved them—offer to send testimonials their way! Most vendors get the majority of their business from positive word-of-mouth, so if they were great, be sure to not only let them know, but let others know as well! Many wedding websites, as well as business sites, have places where you can publicly review vendors’ services as well. Make sure to leave a completely honest review, the good and the bad, as it will help future couples make decisions on who to choose for their big day!
Move in Together / Make Your House a Home
Whether you’re moving in together for the first time after your wedding or you’ve lived together for years before the big day, what better time to give your place a new look than after your wedding? Really take some time to make your house into a home by melding your personal styles, doing a house or room refresh, and adding new decorating elements. Don’t forget your wedding photos; now’s a great time to put together a wedding album if your photographer doesn’t provide one for you, and it’s an even better time to order a giant canvas or create a gallery wall from your wedding day!
Change Pertinent Account Information
This step is a bit more boring than perhaps some of the others, but it may very well be one of the most important, as you want to make sure you have all of your logistical things in place for your new married life. If you or your spouse have relevant health or bank accounts, retirement funds, or insurance policies, now’s a great time to make sure you’ve adjusted any access or beneficiary needs. If you or your spouse have children from a previous relationship, it may be especially important to review important documents, including wills, in case there need to be adjustments made given your new family situation. As I said, this is a more boring and cumbersome step, but you’ll be glad to have it handled, and peace of mind is so important when starting your brand new marriage!
Write Thank You Cards
Now that the dust from your big day has settled, it’s time to take a moment and thank everyone who helped with your amazing day. Thank yous for gifts and cards are of course included in this, but it’s also a great time to thank everyone who participated in the day itself, like your officiant or your wedding party, as well as any vendors who were extra special. A handwritten card really means so much and is the least you can do for someone who made your day wonderful!
Start Some New Traditions as a Family
This might be the most fun item of all: decide on some new traditions to start as a family! Do you want to start a particular event or activity surrounding a holiday? Or do you want to plan a yearly vacation to a certain location? Now is the perfect time to start discussing and dreaming with your spouse about the traditions you want to establish as a new family unit! Have fun planning and scheming for ways to make every day—not just your wedding day—amazing!
The post Do These 7 Things as Newlyweds Right After the Wedding appeared first on Weddingbee.
