After-Wedding Technical To-Dos

In the last blog post, we talked about a couple things to do right after the wedding, like write thank you notes and keep in touch with your bridal party to show your appreciation. But there is plenty more to do, and many of them may seem daunting. Standing in line at the Social Security office? No thank you! But they must be done. So keep in mind the following as you get settled into the life of Mr. and Mrs.:

1. Get Your Wedding Photos Printed as Soon as You Can! Once you've aw-ed and ooh-ed over your photos, go ahead and choose some you want to print. The more time that passes, the less likely you are to actually get it done. Put them in a wedding album, pick out a few to place in frames, or make one into an ornament as a present for the first Christmas you spend with your spouse! Whatever you choose to do, don't put it off. Time flies - it's easy to realize while celebrating your fifth wedding anniversary that you never really did anything with those gorgeous photos you spent all that money on!

You may even be able to finish out one of your registries and get a discount on some fun wedding frames like these Macy's picture frames below.

2. Preserve Your Dress. The general consensus is that you're safe to wait a maximum of 6 months after your wedding before getting it dry cleaned and preserved. You don't want that dirt sitting at the bottom of your dress too long or it will permanently stain it. And if you're not thinking that a little mini-you would want to wear it the future, get it dry cleaned anyway. Wedding dresses can be turned into all sorts of both fun and sentimental things. (See: Huffington Post's 10 Creative Things to Do with Your Bridal Gown Post Wedding)

Wedding Window

3. Preserve Your Bouquet. Time is of the essence. If you're trying to preserve the actual flower bouquet, you'll need to get it in to the artist within 1-4 days after the wedding.  If you're looking for someone to paint the bouquet, that is far less time sensitive. Visit one of our older blog posts to find 2 amazing options for preserving your bouquet: Turning Your Bouquet into Timeless Art.

Forever Flower Bouquets

4. Get Your Name Changed. And your SS card, license, passport, and bank or loan information. It may seem like a massive headache envisioning all the lines, phone calls, and forms you'll have to complete, but just take it one task at a time. Or, hire someone to make it a little easier. There are plenty of services out there who do these things. Find the right one for you by Googling around.

5. Get the Nitty Gritty Details All Ironed Out. Some of you may have done much of this before the wedding. If not, now is the time. Figure out what expenses each of you has each month, and write them down. Iron out what debts or loans are in each of your names, and then create a budget together for your new life. Get the money figured out in the beginning, and it'll help with all the major life events on your adventure of marriage.

Once your settled into your new life, make the effort to get these things done. Always remember to take it one step at a time, and don't get stressed over these details. The wedding is over - it's time to enjoy life with your new spouse!

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!