Given that planning a wedding is often a 12-month ordeal, you’ll be surprised how quickly the actual day itself will flash by. While it may seem like it should be an unforgettable event, many happy couples admit that their special day went by in a blur and they don’t remember very many details at all. Between the last-minute emergencies, the ceremony, and the reception, weddings are busy, stressful days for everyone involved. If you’d like to recall every little thing about your special day, follow these seven tips to remember your wedding day after the fact.

Hire a professional.

If you’re on a budget, it can be tempting to hire a friend at a low price in lieu of a professional photographer or videographer. However, photography is one area of your wedding where it’s worth it to spend a little more cash. A professional is much less likely to flake on you at the last minute for something more interesting because you’re paying them and they’ve (hopefully) signed a contract. There’s also a much lower risk of your professional photographer getting drunk at the wedding or missing an important moment because they were chatting with a friend. In the end, you’ll want photos and videos to remember your special day, so treat your future self and hire a pro.

Incorporate scent into your wedding.

We mostly associate memories with visual cues such as photos, but your other senses can also be great triggers for recall — and scent is one of the strongest. In fact, multiple studies have demonstrated that smells trigger more vivid memories than images. There are many different ways to incorporate scent into your wedding, including wearing a unique smelling perfume and placing love candles in your table centerpiece. Be sure to choose a distinct, strong scent that isn’t too common, so your brain will associate it with your wedding instead of something else more mundane.

Make a custom playlist.

You know how a bad breakup can totally ruin your enjoyment of a song you once loved because you associate it so closely with your ex? Think of this wedding idea as the happy reverse of this phenomenon. Like scent, sound can also be a powerful memory trigger, so create a custom playlist that you can play whenever you want to relive your memories of your wedding. You’ll want to select songs that play at important moments, like when the bride walks down the aisle, when the couple has their first married kiss, and when the father of the bride dances with his daughter. By anchoring these specific points to a particular song, you’ll be able to recall them in the future.

Give the guests disposable cameras.

Just because you hired some professionals doesn’t mean that you can’t harness the power of the budding Instagram mavens on your guest lists. Hand out disposable cameras to guests and ask them to take candid photos throughout the night: silly, serious, whatever they want! They can drop the cameras in a bin on their way out so you can develop the film after the fact. If you want something a little more technologically advanced, you can create a collaborative folder in the cloud, using a service such as Google Drive or Dropbox, and have guests upload photos straight from their smartphones. And if your guests post a lot to social media, a dedicated wedding hashtag is a natural way to collect pictures after the fact.

Designate a wedding “historian.”

If you have a friend who’s a great writer and observationalist (perhaps a former high school journalist) you can designate them ‘historian for the day.’ If they’re willing to participate, have them jot some notes on standout moments from the wedding and make a fun little write-up of all the highlights. You can even format it as a fake newspaper clipping. Pro tip: this write-up makes an excellent addition to a wedding photo album or scrapbook and can be a great source for photo captions.

Create a collaborative wedding diary.

If you can’t find a single person to document the day, you can ask your entire company of wedding guests to help you keep track. Get a blank guest book and ask people to write down their favorite details from the day as the reception goes on. If you want someone a little more interactive, you can designate someone to ask guests to record themselves on a microphone or video camera. Have a few questions prepared, such as their favorite memory of the wedding or their favorite story of the happy couple. This way, you’ll have a collection of heartfelt memories captured from multiple perspectives, giving you a unique and diverse keepsake of your special day. You can also upload these moments to your wedding website to share with those who couldn’t attend, keeping the celebration alive long after the day itself. For more personalization, consider incorporating some wedding website design tips to ensure your online platform reflects the love and joy of your wedding while showcasing these precious memories beautifully. You can even tailor this approach to match the theme of your celebration. For example, if you’re looking for 1960s themed wedding ideas, you could provide vintage-style microphones or retro cameras for guests to record their messages, adding a touch of nostalgia to your memory collection. These thoughtful, era-inspired details will not only tie your theme together but also make the experience more engaging and fun for your guests to participate in.

Repurpose your photos after the fact.

You paid for all those professional photos, so you might as well put them to use! There are many (many, many) companies that will turn your photos into all kinds of commemorative items. You can go with a classic option such as a nice photo book, a wall calendar, or a wall hanging. Or you can get a little more creative with unusual options such as magnets, pillows, mugs, planners, phone cases, totes, and more. Every time you sip your morning coffee, you’ll recall one of the happiest days of your life.

Weddings go by fast, especially for the bride and groom — but you can make sure you remember your special day with some planning ahead and attention to detail. Try one or all of these seven tips to help you remember your wedding, from lighting romantic candle scents to giving the guests cameras. It can be hard to think about post-wedding life when you’re in the thick of planning one, but trust us, your future self will thank you for thinking ahead.