Image by By Siv-Elin
Your vows have been exchanged, the cake has been cut, and the last dance is behind you. So—what comes next? After the celebration winds down, there are still just a few meaningful tasks to finish. From practical to-do’s like finalizing paperwork and payments to more thoughtful gestures like preserving your dress or donating your flowers, this post-wedding checklist will assist you tie up every last detail. You’ve spent months planning a day stuffed with love and meaning—now’s the time to shut it out with that very same care and intention.
Your Post-Wedding Checklist
1. Set Aside Items for a Keepsake Box
While you possibly can’t keep every part, you can keep a bit of. We love the concept of making a small keepsake box full of details out of your day—like a dried boutonnière, a duplicate of your invitation, a cocktail napkin, or a handful of toss petals. These tiny tokens can spark vivid memories for years to come back. It’s perfectly high-quality to recycle most of your paper goods and resell any decor you now not need, but don’t hesitate to tuck away the items that feel especially sentimental. Knowing just a few special pieces will stick with you possibly can make it easier to let go of the remaining.
2. Donate Leftover Food and Flowers
Some of the neglected post-wedding tasks? Deciding what to do with all of the leftover food and flowers. Start by asking your caterer to package up any surplus that’s secure to donate. You possibly can then coordinate with a neighborhood food rescue or nonprofit organization to rearrange a drop-off the next morning. Some venues or caterers may even have donation partners already in place—just ask!
As in your flowers, don’t toss those gorgeous blooms. Donate them to hospitals, senior care facilities, or local charities that may repurpose them. You may additionally keep a bouquet or a single arrangement for yourself. For ideas on find out how to preserve your bouquet, try this guide.
Image by Teri B Photography
3. Return Rentals
Perhaps a no brainer in your post-wedding checklist, but make certain all of your rentals—linens, glassware, suits, signage, and more—are returned on time. In case you’re heading off in your honeymoon straight away, assign this task to a trusted friend or member of the family to avoid late fees or alternative charges.
4. Finalize Wedding Payments
With the large day behind you, now’s the time to square up any remaining balances along with your vendor team. Many vendors require final payment shortly after the event, so review your contracts, track down outstanding invoices, and make certain everyone seems to be paid in full.
Image by Katherine Elyse Media
5. Leave Vendor Reviews
Top-of-the-line ways to thank your wedding team is by leaving thoughtful reviews. Your kind words go a good distance—especially for small businesses that depend on client testimonials to grow.
We recommend writing your reviews while the experience remains to be fresh. Unsure where to begin? Select three words to explain the skilled (like “creative,” “organized,” “real”), explain how they made you are feeling through the planning and on the large day, and share how well they brought your vision to life. You possibly can leave reviews on Junebug’s vendor portfolios, Google, or the seller’s preferred website.
6. Preserve Your Wedding Attire
Whether you hope to pass your outfit down in the future or just need to preserve it as a meaningful keepsake, consider having your wedding attire professionally cleaned and preserved. Skip the usual dry cleaner—specialty preservation services will clean your gown or suit with expert attention to detail, then use archival techniques like acid-free materials and UV-protected packaging to maintain it in pristine condition for years to come back.
Image by Ana Hinojosa
7. Handle the Legal Details
There are a handful of legal tasks to maintain after your wedding. While not probably the most exciting a part of newlywed life, they’re necessary—and completely manageable.
Here’s what to contemplate:
- Certify your marriage license or certificate
- Update identification documents should you’re changing your name (Social Security card, driver’s license, passport, etc.)
- Review and update insurance policies (health, auto, life)
- Update beneficiary designations on financial accounts
- Create or update your will
- Consider making a postnuptial agreement
8. Start Planning in your Wedding Photos
We strongly consider your wedding photos deserve greater than a folder in your desktop. Start researching wedding photo albums and print services so that when your gallery is prepared, you’re prepared to create something tangible and lasting.
9. Send Thank You Notes
Now’s the time to precise your gratitude to everyone who celebrated with you. Whether you’re sending handwritten notes that match your wedding stationery or selecting a digital option for sustainability and speed, a heartfelt thanks goes a good distance.
Love an excellent checklist? We’ve got more to assist you stay organized. Take a look at our wedding planning checklist, decor checklist, and honeymoon checklist to maintain every part on target from start to complete.
Image by EFEGE
