Even though the wedding and honeymoon are chaotic, they are still magical. Once you experience these two big life events, it is understandable to want to relax. However, there are some important items you must tackle after your wedding. Once the wedding is over, many couples forget to cross off several important tasks on their to-do lists. Some of the important tasks they forget include; finding creative ways for utilizing favors or florals and thanking their vendors and guests. 

It is easy to miss a step, so continue reading to know everything you must cross off once you say “I do.” Here is the ultimate after-the-wedding checklist.

Send Thank You Cards

Once the wedding task is complete, write thank you cards. This is the most obvious and important thing to do. And it is much better to send thank you cards as soon as possible. Audrey Craig, president, and CEO, and Brenda Cascio, founder, and creative director, of GB Design House and Gracious Bridal, which is its subsidiary, recommend you finish sending thank you cards within 90 days once your wedding is complete. Regarding the 90-day window, Cascio says, “your mother-in-law and mother will thank you”. 

Craig recommends you write them on the plane to and from your honeymoon. To help you focus, use the Wi-Fe-Free zone. 

Print Your Wedding Photo Albums and Gift Them

People still treasure printed photo albums, even though we live in the digital age. Once you get your professional wedding photos, give custom photo albums to your bridesmaids, family, and in-laws. You can design custom photo albums using sites like Shutterfly. You can also use these albums as beautiful coffee table books and mementos. Craig says, “A wedding photo album helps them remember the wedding. Customize it so that the book of your in-laws does not look exactly like the one for your bridesmaids.” Remember to make one for yourself too! 

You and your spouse will treasure the memento for several years. 

Make Sure Your Vendors are Paid and Do Not Forget to Tip Them

It is important to ensure your hardworking vendors have been paid and tipped. To avoid forgetting anyone, review the contracts. If there are vendors you still owe them, send the payment immediately. How much do you tip? That is up to you. When it comes to tipping your vendors, the choice is yours, but there are some etiquette considerations you should keep in mind. 

Write Vendor Reviews

You can let the world know about the vendors you were happy with. How do you accomplish this? Post online reviews or write a personal review and send it to your vendor. Many couples appreciate real feedback, and writing vendor reviews will help your vendors grow their business.

John Tobey, who owns John Tobey Event Design in Denver, says, “Testimonies from happy couples go a long way. You are free to tag your best vendors on social media too because they will love the love.” Tobey also recommends you write thank you cards to your vendors, especially the ones that went over the top. They have earned that praise.

Freeze Your Wedding Cake

You can toast to your first anniversary with a slice of your wedding cake. However, this requires pre-planning. Your caterer can wrap up the top tier or a piece of your wedding cake. You can then ask someone to carry the cake back to your home. Cascio recommends you use saran wrap to cover the slice and then use a tin foil before putting in your freezer. And make sure you put it in a protected place because anything can crush your cake inside the freezer.

Clean Your Wedding Dress and Preserve It

Once you take off your gorgeous gown, do not throw it away because it deserves love. Going on with professional wedding dress preservation is a great option. Have it cleaned as soon as possible. If you wait, stains might set in. Preserving your wedding dress or veil can help you remember how fabulous you looked, so preserve it even if you are not planning to pass it down.

Some companies clean and preserve gowns, so call your bridal dress shop for recommendations. Cascio says that some shops offer discounts on the service, which you can buy when getting your wedding dress. To make sure the company removes all the stains, point out the stains when mailing in your dress. Martinizing Dry Cleaners the Wedding Gown Restoration and Preservation experts. They can have your gown shipped right after your ceremony and shipped back to your home in museum storage quality. 

Recycle Your Flowers

Do not throw away your flowers. You can recycle them instead. Encourage your local guests to take home excess wedding flowers. Also, you can arrange some beautiful flowers to be dropped at nursing homes or hospitals, and your florist can help you deliver these flowers. “If there are so many leftover flowers after your wedding, bring them to a hospital or a nursing home because it can brighten up their day,” says Craig. 

Reuse Leftover Wedding Favors

Put extra wedding favors to good use, so ask your wedding planner to pick them up. You can give them as gifts, use them as extra cups in your kitchen, or use them as monogrammed towels in your guest. Cascio says you can prevent dating each item by leaving the wedding date off from the beginning. This is the key to reusing leftover wedding favors.

Give Your Parents and In-Laws a Personalized Gift

Your parents and in-laws may have helped you out with your nuptials, paying for the wedding, or hosting the rehearsal dinner. Giving them a personal gift can help you show them that you appreciate their effort and contribution.

What are the favorite gifts of Casio and Craig? A wooden cheese board and a serving tray, which is engraved with your wedding invitation. This is the most personal, practical, and beautiful way of saying thank you to everyone for supporting you along the way.

Complete Your Registry

If there is something left on your wedding registry, remember to snatch it up. Some retailers offer discounts on the remaining items. Do this task as soon as possible because the offer is usually good for around 30 days once the wedding is complete. 30 days may fly by, so now is the time to complete sets by purchasing more expensive items. 

Review Relevant Social Media Platforms

If you worked hard to create a creative wedding hashtag, it is now time to get good use out of it. “If the groom and bride came up with a clever wedding hashtag, then the best time to check their relevant social platforms is the following day,” says John Creamer, who is the Phoenix-based Ponte Hilton Squaw Peak Resort’s event manager and wedding specialist. “Facebook and Instagram Stories rule the whole world, so the newlyweds should check all the posted fun wedding footage before they expire in 24 hours.” If they find something they love, they can ask the guest to send it to them, so that they can save it for their own highlight reel.

Store Your Silver and China Properly

You may have received silver or china as gifts, so store them properly. Cascia suggests you pack your china in fabric boxes, which zip up. “They are invaluable because they can keep such investments safe,” she says. Cascio encourages newlyweds not to stack their plates too high because the weight can crack the plates on the bottom and they should place a piece of felt between each plate. To prevent tarnishing, store silver in silver bags. (Unless you want to spend the whole night polishing everything before your next dinner.)

Update All Your Accounts

Changing the name on all your account is the most boring task, but it is the most important task. This does not mean either of you should change their last name. However, if you are planning to change your name, make sure you change your names across the board. “Change your name immediately because life happens, so you might forget,” says Craig. 

Although the list is long, the best place to start is to update or tackle the most important things first, such as social security card, bank accounts, credit cards, passport, and your driver’s license. Remember to let HR know you have changed your name. This helps your company to change your insurance and tax information.