The Ultimate What to Do After Getting Married Checklist
You've made it through a busy wedding planning season and said "I do." Congratulations! It's time to relax, take a deep breath, and escape from it all on your honeymoon. But don't pause for too long. Now it's time to shift to what to do after getting married.
That's right. The planning doesn't stop after you walk down the aisle. From thank you notes to deciding whether to change your name to making sure you give glowing reviews of each of your wedding vendors, there's a list of tasks you should prioritize in the weeks following the big day.
To keep it all straight, it's helpful to have a postwedding checklist that lays it all out, from the legal requirements to the nice-to-dos. Here's the ultimate list of what to do after your wedding.
1. Get Your Marriage Certificate
As soon as you've walked down the aisle, the first thing on your after-wedding checklist should be making sure you have your marriage certificate in hand. This legal document is necessary for everything from changing your last name to filing taxes jointly to combining health insurance, and it is obtained from the local officials in the county, town or city where you are getting married. Your marriage certificate may be mailed to you automatically or you may need to request it from the city hall, the town or city clerk's office or the marriage license bureau.
Want to make sure you've crossed all your t's and dotted all your i's? The marriage license and certificate guide explains how to fill out your marriage license application correctly and get your marriage certificate in six easy steps.
2. Freeze Your Cake
Freezing your wedding cake is an old tradition that dates back to the 19th century. Typically, the top layer of the cake is frozen, and the couple digs it out of the freezer on their first anniversary to enjoy. If you want to freeze your cake, whether it's the top layer or just a slice, give your caterer or wedding coordinator a heads-up to save it. You'll want to bring this home to stick in the freezer right after the wedding.
3. Wrap Up Any Final Vendor Invoices
Weddings can be expensive, and all of those invoices are going to come due in the days following your wedding. Keep track of which invoices have a balance so you can get those cleared as soon as possible. You don't want to head into married life with 50% of a wedding cake still hanging over your head!
4. Send Thank You Notes
While some etiquette experts say you have up to six months to send thank you notes and others believe your timeline goes up to one year following the big day, it's best to get them signed, sealed and delivered soon after the wedding. As part of your postmarriage checklist, set aside a weekend day to sit together and knock out the thank you notes while reflecting on the gift of your guests' and vendors' time and generosity.
"Sending thank you notes is not only a way to show appreciation for their support but also helps tie up loose ends before starting your new life together as a married couple," says Carissa Kruse, founder of Carissa Kruse Weddings.
Need help with thank you note wording or looking for thank you notes that reflect the style and vibe of your wedding? You can find ideas for copy, as well as affordable thank you notes in a range of styles on The Knot.
5. Take Advantage of the Registry Completion Discount
Did you know you can use a registry completion discount to save on the lingering items on your registry? If you didn't get the KitchenAid mixer you desperately wanted, you could save up to 25% depending on the store, as long as you buy it within a set timeline postwedding. Kruse explains, "Most couples also take advantage of the registry completion discount and buy anything that wasn't gifted at their wedding. It's a great opportunity to complete your home essentials without breaking the bank."
While you're at it, make any necessary returns in a timely manner. You don't want to get stuck with the mini crock pot that somehow got lost in translation when you registered for the 6-quart size. If you still need to register, start a registry on The Knot Registry Store, which has both products and cash funds, as well as a range of registry store partners, like Crate & Barrel and Target.
6. Clean and Preserve Attire (Especially the Wedding Dress)
Not sure what to do with your dress? Don't just stash it in a closet still covered in mud from your rainy day wedding or dotted with splatters of champagne from overly enthusiastic guests. "Many couples forget it, but it's also important to clean and preserve your wedding attire," Kruse says. "It saves you the stress of trying to clean it later and ensures its longevity as a special keepsake."
7. Leave Vendor Reviews
After finding your wedding vendors on The Knot Vendor Marketplace, it's no surprise you probably have all the warm, fuzzy feelings about how fabulous they were. Don't just thank them in person or via a thank you note (though both of those are must-dos on your after-marriage checklist, too!). Make sure you leave them a review publicly—this is often the best way to help them grow their business. "Since you are done with your wedding, help others by leaving vendor reviews. Your feedback can make a big difference for future couples," Kruse says.
Need help figuring out exactly what to say? Check out these wedding vendor review examples for guidance on what matters most in a genuine review.
8. Change Your Name
Whether or not you decide to change your name is a personal decision (check out the pros and cons of changing your name here). But, if you do decide to change it, you might consider doing it soon after the wedding while momentum is on your side—and you know exactly where all the necessary documents are.
While it varies by location, you'll likely need at least your marriage certificate, Social Security card and birth certificate. You'll bring all of these to the Social Security office and DMV, though there may be other requirements depending on your city and state. Once you've changed your name, make sure you also update other offices and documents, including your passport and any employer or tax information.
9. Account for Any Health Insurance Updates
Do you plan on going on the same health insurance as your spouse after the wedding? If so, another legal thing to do after getting married is to look into any stipulations around when you can make changes to your policy or whether you can add a spouse due to a special enrollment period or a qualifying life event, like marriage. To make other changes, you may need to wait until the next open enrollment period.
10. Plan a Postwedding Photoshoot
Dreaming of a postwedding photoshoot as part of your list of things to do after getting married? Whether you plan on a wreck-the-dress shoot where you dive into a lake or go to town with spray paint, or you want to grab a few more portraits without the FOMO of cocktail hour happening in the background, the time to plan a postwedding photoshoot is in the weeks or months following the wedding. If you wait longer, your attire could fit differently or you could risk damaging your dress while it's sitting unpreserved.
11. Discuss Financial Logistics
What do you want your financial life to look like after marriage? You've hopefully had some of these discussions in the months before walking down the aisle, but, often, the big changes don't happen until after you say "I do." Consider what accounts you want to combine, how you want to file taxes and other financial logistics that might evolve and change once you're legally bound. Most of the decisions don't need to be made at once, and you can gradually combine (or not combine!) finances over time, but it's something to have on your radar as you join your lives.
12. Start Thinking About Your Wedding Photo Album
There's no deadline for putting together your wedding photo album, but it's a fun exercise in the months after the big day. It's also no small feat, so begin looking through your photos in small chunks, reliving the memories and envisioning how you want the album to come together. Every time you open up the photos, get ready to bring back a rush of fun, sentimental feelings and, eventually, you'll have the album ready to send to print.