What to do after the wedding!
When your wedding is over there is a big sigh of relief – but there are still some things you’ll need to take care of.
While the list is much smaller than the pre-wedding checklist it’s still full of important tasks that do need to be taken care of. Using a checklist will help you make sure that you don’t forget any of these essential duties. Just as with the wedding, you’ll want to get a calendar and utilize it for planning the completion of these tasks.
Here is a checklist of items that must be done after the wedding.
• Send in your wedding announcement to your local newspaper. Include a photo (get permission from your photographer to use your best wedding photo).
• Pack and freeze the top of your wedding cake. Remove the cake topper, clean it, and put it back into its box for safe-keeping. You’ll want to properly package the cake and mark it for freezer storage. You can get it out and thaw it for your first wedding anniversary.
• Ensure that all the vendor and services bills have been paid. If a vendor provided exceptional service take the time to write a personal thank you note.
• Unpack and store your shower and wedding gifts. Take any duplicate items back to the store for credit. Before unboxing everything be sure that you have a complete list of who gave you which gift.
• Get your wedding invitation framed in an acid-free matte. Save extra invitations in special envelopes to keep for future review.
• Has your wedding gown cleaned and preserved? This can be done at any good dry cleaners in your area. If you prefer, the shop where you purchased your gown will often have a preservation service available.
• Change your name on your important and legal documents. This includes your driver’s license, bank account, passport, and any other vital papers.
• Write and send thank you notes. If you have quite a few to write you’ll want to schedule them so you write a few each day until they are complete. This makes the task less overwhelming.
• Review your wedding proofs and choose photos for your wedding album. You should receive the initial wedding photos from your photographer and you’ll have an allotted length of time to decide which ones to include in your final album.
• Apply for joint credit cards and bank accounts together. This helps you start to merge your finances. You’ll also need to combine your car insurance policies.
• Get a large plastic container to store any items from your wedding (wedding candles, cake topper, extra invitations, photos, cake server, glassware, etc.)