If you’re unsure of what to do after a wedding, we recommend going through these six essential things. They will cover the necessary legalities, gratitude after the wedding, and even some preparations for the marriage.
You want to relax with your spouse after the wedding, but it’s always better to know what you must do after. You can enjoy your rest days more, knowing you’ve accomplished all the post-wedding duties.
Do you also know what are wedding announcements? Read about them as you may need to do them immediately after the wedding, depending on the type of union you had.
Here Are What To Do After A Wedding
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Accomplish marriage certificate and name change
The most important thing to do after the wedding ceremony is to ensure that your officiant has filed your marriage certificate. Before the wedding, you will obtain a marriage license, but it’s crucial to file the marriage certificate to validate your union after the wedding.
Your officiant will be responsible for the post-wedding paperwork, so if it’s someone you requested to officiate the wedding, make sure that they know their responsibilities. After a few weeks, you will receive the marriage license, which means that you are officially and legally married.
At this point, you can also consider changing your last name. After receiving the license, you need to work on your IDs and cards, which will need updating if you decide to have your spouse’s last name.
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Complete thank you cards
Before you go on your honeymoon, talk with your spouse and make the thank you cards. You shouldn’t be overwhelmed with the cards to do since you’ve probably started them each time you receive a wedding gift before the wedding day.
Divide the tasks between the two of you to ensure that you’ve thanked everyone who came to the wedding, including those who didn’t but sent a gift anyway. This way, you can mail the thank you notes as soon as possible, and you can focus on other things.
Read when to send wedding thank you cards to know about the etiquette. Here is also the wedding thank you card wording for someone who didn’t attend your wedding.
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Close your wedding registry
One of the things you might forget to complete after the wedding is closing out your wedding registry. You want to accomplish all the gift-related duties as soon as possible.
It’s ideal to do these tasks as soon as you return from your honeymoon, especially since wedding registry completion discounts often have limits. Then, you can purchase the gifts you didn’t receive from the list.
However, please note to reconsider if you plan on returning some wedding gifts. It might seem insensitive, especially if the guest found out.
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Clean and preserve wedding attire
Before planning and navigating your newly-married lives, don’t forget to clean your wedding attire. If you rented the bridal gown or groom’s suit, return them in time to avoid extra expenses.
You might’ve also tasked someone to return the wedding attire for you, so give them a quick call if they’ve returned it on time. But if you purchased or got custom outfits, get them clean the day after the wedding.
This will prevent stains and will help with their preservation. For brides, read how to frame a wedding dress if you want to ensure that this memento stays in its best condition.
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Do a follow-up for the wedding photos
It’s natural to be excited about the wedding photos. Feel free to check with your photographer to know how it’s going with the results.
Often, the photographer will send you teasers to keep you excited. Just be realistic with the waiting period as the photographer will have to go through hundreds of pictures and edit them.
Know what to expect regarding how long it takes to get wedding photos back. This way, you don’t need to check with your photographer constantly.
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Discuss finances
After the wedding, the final thing to do is to discuss your finances with your husband or wife. Of course, now that you’re married, the finances will be shared.
You can talk about your savings, loans that need to be paid, house, car, mortgage, and other money matters one can expect in a married household. If you received monetary gifts from the wedding, please be wise in spending them.
Consider saving a portion from them for future needs. But of course, feel free to get the honeymoon of your dreams as long as you’re financially responsible.
Here is who pays for a wedding honeymoon if you think someone should sponsor it.
Where Do Newlyweds Go After The Wedding?
The newlyweds usually retire to their hotel room if it’s a destination wedding. If it’s a simple or intimate wedding, they will go home.
There is not much activity you can do after the wedding and expect to feel tired even to be intimate with each other. If you don’t believe it, read about what to do on your wedding night.
Conclusion
Was this list helpful? To recap what to do after a wedding, they are the legalities, thank you cards, closing the registry, wedding attire return or preservation, wedding photo follow-ups, and discussing finances.
By doing them after the wedding, you can avoid any hassle in the long run., Then, you can enjoy your married life without worrying about unfinished tasks.