3 To-Dos After the Wedding is Over

You feel the warm sand once more, drink the last of your frozen drink, and say farewell-for-now to the bright Caribbean sun. The honeymoon was pure bliss, and now it's back to "real" life! Real, MARRIED life - so exciting! It's officially time to catch up on responsibilities and after-wedding details!

You probably spent the last couple weeks or months wrapped up in final wedding planning, so now it's time to pay attention to the stuff and people you may have overlooked or under-appreciated during that crazy time!

Here are 3 post-celebration reminders to help you wrap things up after the wedding:

1. Thank your parents,

... Or whomever helped you plan, pay, or stay sane during the wedding planning process. A lot of time and money (understatement!) and effort went into helping you plan your beautiful day. Taking the time to write a nice note and even surprise them with a photo book of your favorite wedding pictures is a sincere, thoughtful way to show your thanks!

Wedding Paper Divas

2. Keep in touch with your wedding party.

It's easy to take advantage of all the support and love thrown your way during the wedding, especially from your bridesmaids and groomsmen. It's important to make them feel like they were more than just compliments to your wedding pictures, and that your friendship extends past the wedding commitments. Remember to call them up and let them know how much you appreciate them, and then continue to stay in touch as your start your married life with your new spouse.

Photo: My Life Photo, Flowers: Bloomin' Bouquets

3. Write thank you notes as soon as you can!

Create an organized list of all the presents you've received, and then plan to tackle them with your spouse after work, a couple notes a day. Don't forget to include anyone who did special things for you, like let you borrow your "something old", or your vendors who went the extra mile to make your wedding magnificent. Letting your spouse help will alleviate a lot of stress of checking off the thank you note list. He's got bad handwriting? No problem - let him help seal envelopes, put stamps on, and read addresses aloud to help you out.

United With Love

Stay tuned for our next blog including a to-do list of technical things you'll need to do after the wedding, with plenty of tips and advice, like changing your name and ordering photos!

Something Old, Something New

Before your wedding day, you're likely to be given something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Maybe from your mom or sister, or maybe you'll gift them to yourself! It's a popular wedding tradition that stems from an Old English rhyme indicating items that the bride will carry with her on her wedding day simply for good luck:

"Something old, something new

Something borrowed, something blue

And a silver sixpence in her shoe."

If you're a family member looking to fulfill this long standing tradition for a special bride you know, or if you're a bride looking to complete the list yourself, we're giving you creative ideas in order to do so!

1. Something Old

Your "something old" symbolizes continuity of family and the prosperity of the past. Try one of these for your something old:

• Vintage jewelry 
• A old picture of your grandparents or parents in a locket, or pinned to the handle of your bouquet
• Your favorite pair of high heels (incentive: they're already worn in!)
• Antique hair accessories
• A swatch of fabric sewn into your dress from your favorite piece of childhood clothing

photo: www.weddingbells.ca

2. Something New

Your "something new" represents optimism for a bright future for the bride. Use one of these to symbolize the joyous journey ahead:

• New shoes - choose shoes that make you feel special! 
• New lingerie or undies
• Embroider the underside of your dress with the date of your wedding 
• Wear a new perfume scent on your wedding day
• A fun temporary tattoo - don't worry - it'll come off!
• A new shade of lipstick for the wedding day

photo: www.jewelrygalblog.com

3. Something Borrowed

Your "something borrowed" is an item that is lent to the bride by someone who is happily married. The success of that marriage is good luck for the bride's married life ahead. Keep one of these borrowed items close on your wedding day:

• A piece of jewelry from a sibling, mother, or grandmother
• A coin from someone else to slip into your shoe or tape to the bottom (the "sixpence" from the Old English poem)
• Think out of the box by 'borrowing' a family member's first dance song
• Borrow a favorite scripture from a family member and embroider it on the underside of your dress
• A pocket square from your father or grandfather to wrap around your bouquet handle

photo: www.blog.thebrideandgroom.com

4. Something Blue

When you walk down the aisle with a "something blue", it is meant to represent purity, faithfulness, and loyalty. Did you know that wedding dresses before the 19th Century were frequently blue? Try one of these options:

• Blue shoes - they make for fun pictures!
• Blue ribbon on your bouquet
• Blue "I Do" rhinestones on the bottom of your shoes
• Blue nail polish
• Blue/sapphire jewelry

photo: www.editorialite.com

Have fun with these good luck charms! It's a fun idea for you on your wedding day - and a little secret from the guests as to what you'll choose for each of the old, new, borrowed, and blue!