While the main focus of wedding planning is on the actual wedding day, there are a few loose ends to tie up once the party is over. We always want to make sure that our couples feel supported and in the know, so we make sure to provide an "After The Wedding" checklist. For those of you thinking "Wait, there is more to plan for?", don't fret-- it's just a few housekeeping things that will be no surprise, if you plan ahead!
1. Thank You Notes
If you're hiring a stationer, calligrapher, or graphic designer for your invitation suite and/or day-of paper goods, we highly recommend ordering Thank You Cards from the same company at the same time you create your wedding paper goods. This is one easy way to check something off the list, keep the style and vibe consistent, and show appreciation to your guests that traveled near and far to celebrate your love! Bonus, you can usually pay a little extra for the envelopes to be pre-addressed, that way all you have to do is fill out the thank you card, add postage, and pop those babies in the mail!
2. Name Change
If you plan on changing your name, odds are that we've advised you to order an additional copy of of your Marriage Certificate and make sure you fill out the portion to change your last name when you apply for a Marriage License (this makes things soooooo much easier). Some federal agencies may require the original Marriage Certificate (not a copy), which is why we recommend ordering 2 (USPS doesn't have the best track record for keeping track of things)!
Note, a marriage certificate is not the same as a marriage license. A marriage license shows that you are legally eligible to marry. A marriage certificate functions as a record-keeping document, proving that you have completed and registered your marriage.
Once your Marriage Certificate is issued by your county and mailed to you, you will start with changing your name on you Social Security Card. Once the new one is issued, you can update your Driver's License, Passport, DMV registration, USPS, bank documents, etc. Don't forget that you will want to change your name on all your utilities, credit cards, and other personal accounts.
If this feels like a lot (the government truly makes you jump through some hoops), there are some really amazing companies that walk you through the entire process. Newly Named, Miss Now Mrs, and Hitch Switch are a few companies that offer tiered services based on how much you'd like to do on your own. They provide you with checklists, forms, and specific instructions on what to submit and where to mail it. Some of the tiers even included pre-addressed envelopes of where to send your documents!
3. Dress Cleaning + Preservation
Oh, how your beautiful white (ish) wedding dress gets dirty on your wedding day! From the makeup, sweat, dirt, drops of spilled drinks-- your stunning (and likely expensive) dress has seen better days after the wedding!
Schedule a thorough wedding gown dry cleaning right after the wedding day. Prompt and detailed cleaning is the first step in wedding dress preservation. If you choose to preserve your wedding dress (a special cleaning and packaging process that is done to ensure the garment will retain its quality for years to come), you can find local wedding gown preservation company or use a preservation company that provides a mail-in service. Wedding dress preservation typically takes about 4-10 weeks and can ensure that your dress lasts for decades (some claim it prolongs your dress's life for 100 years!).
Make sure you store your wedding dress (preserved or not) in a cool, dark place with air flow (no air tight boxes, ladies!).
4. Bouquet Preservation
I've seen so many of my brides preserve their wedding bouquets into the most special keepsakes. There are a ton of services where you send in your bouquet and artists will transform your flowers into beautiful frames, side tables, pieces of jewelry, serving trays, and so much more!
If you're feeling crafty, you can DIY it with your wedding portraits like my uber-talented bride, Michelle! She printed a few of her favorite wedding day portraits and followed a DIY guide on how to properly dry and press flowers. It turned out stunning!
5. Final Payments + Gratuities
While we like to ensure all payments and gratuities are finalized and taken care of before the wedding day (no one wants that financial to-do on your wedding day!), there are some items that are billed after the wedding has concluded. Things like consumption based bars, additional hours for photo/video teams, and any rental damages/losses that may have incurred will be invoiced to you within a week of your wedding. We will follow up with you to ensure that all pricing looks accurate and to minimize any unexpected charges. We will also hand out any gratuities on the wedding day, but if you had a stellar experience with a vendor day-of and want to thank them after the wedding day, it is always appreciated!
Please feel free to check out our Gratuity Guide blog post that helps detail some guidelines we suggest!
6. Vendor Reviews
An enthusiastic, honest review is truly the best gift you can give your vendors! Future clients rely on the reviews of past clients when making their decision and having a diverse set of reviews to add to their website, business page, or store fronts on marketing website is a vendor's dream! If you enjoyed your time with the vendor, loved the product or service they provided, or felt that they went above and beyond to make your day special, let them know in a 5 star review. If you felt that there was something lacking or were disappointed, I always advise reaching out to the vendor directly before writing a negative review. Many vendors will try to resolve whatever issue may exist and will try to correct the experience you had.
7. Find a Hobby, Set a Goal, Plan Something
This one is kind of a joke, but also not! For many couples, wedding planning takes up such a large part of their brain space for so long, it is hard to know what to do when that space is suddenly empty. While the lack of checklists, payments, decisions, and endless conversations over color palettes and a bold stripe vs. a subtle stripe is often welcomed, we know that it can be a quick come down!
The post wedding blues can set in-- everyday tasks, chores, responsibilities and to-do lists are just not as exciting as they were pre-wedding planning! Not having something to look forward to can feel disappointing, so turn that around and find ways to fill the empty space in your brain that wedding planning once occupied! Take up DIY hobby, research family genealogy, train for a half marathon, start exploring new recipes, plan a girls trip, a spa day-- whatever piques your interest, pursue it! And of course, if you are thankful to have some extra hours in the day and more mental and emotional space available-- enjoy it!
Planning and thinking ahead to after the wedding can help keep you on track, especially after you feel completely tapped out after your wedding weekend. The wedding comedown is real, so having a good idea of what tasks lie ahead and chipping away at them as much as you can before the arise, will be so helpful! If you feel like you are almost to your wedding and have no idea what to expect after the knot is tied, download our wedding checklist or reach out if you'd like more support after your wedding. We're here to help!
Feel free to download this image as you move through this checklist on your own! Also, if you want to share with your current couples, as a vendor, or a friend about to get married.
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