11 Tasks To Do After Your Wedding (The Ultimate Post-Wedding Checklist)

After a long and exciting day filled with friends, family, dancing, and food, it is expected that you will feel absolutely exhausted the day after the wedding. To that point, you have endured through sleepless nights, hundreds of hours of planning, bridal shower after bridal shower, hours on the phone talking to mom and organizers, and lots of different emotions. Now that everything’s all behind, you and your newlywed spouse deserve to take some time off to rest and relax. If you are not planning on flying to your honeymoon destination immediately after the big day and have a day or two to spare, here are a couple of suggestions on what the two of you could do on the day after your wedding.

Relax and Make it Official

While this is one of the most obvious things to do, I think many brides and grooms find it hard to do so since they have spent the previous month in a constant ‘go’ mode. As a result, many newlyweds sometimes forget to unwind, relax, and enjoy their new status as husband and wife. The day after your wedding is a great day to sleep in, enjoy breakfast while in bed, stay in your PJs all day long, and take time to reflect on how awesome your wedding day was!

Nothing is truly official until it is Facebook official. Right? Well, not really. I’m just kidding! However, if you and your husband/wife had already marked yourselves as “engaged” or “in a relationship” on Facebook, then make sure you switch your relationship status to “Married” and let the world (Facebook) know that you’re off the market.

Eat your Leftover Cake and open your Presents

Many newlyweds do not get the chance to enjoy their cake on the night of the wedding – well, except for the small pieces they feed each other during the photo shoot. So, since you have some time all to yourselves, indulge yourselves by eating as much cake as you can.

Opening cards and presents is a fun thing to do on the day after your wedding. Whether you had a wedding registry or not, there is no doubt that opening wedding presents is an exciting part of the experience. When you are tired of sleeping, you can spend the rest of your afternoon opening presents and cards. Remember to take note of all the people who sent you presents so you can send them “thank you” messages later.

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.

Pack for the Honeymoon

If your honeymoon is a couple of weeks out, then there is no need to do it right away. However, if the trip of a lifetime is only a few days out, then consider spending an hour or two to pack everything you will need for the trip.

Clean Up your Wedding’s Reception Venue

While this is one of the least relaxing ways of spending the day after a wedding, there are instances where it’s necessary, especially if the venue requires it. In such an instance, you or a hired cleaning crew will have to spend some time cleaning up and putting away tables and chairs the next morning. If you are on a tight budget, I suggest asking some of your friends, cousins, aunts, or uncles to help you out.

Host a Casual Brunch

Informal brunches are quickly becoming a tradition amongst newlyweds. And who does not love brunch? Invite close family, friends, and anyone you were not able to mingle with during the reception. Remember to keep it simple – it does not have to be a grand event.

Spend Some Time with Out-of-Town Friends and Family

If you had some out-of-town family members or friends attending your wedding, consider inviting them for coffee or for a light lunch. Considering that some of these people traveled a long distance to come to celebrate your day, making time for them will go a long way to show you appreciate them. Another great way of spending time with them is going out on a fun day outing. Take up activities that will not take up too much of your energy like spending time at the beach, going on boat rides, picnicking, or any other activity the two of you love doing.

Enjoy a Day at the Spa

I personally wouldn’t mind going for a massage on any given day, so I can imagine how nice it’d be to spend the day after your wedding at a spa. Make plans for the two of you to spend a whole day at the spa getting facials, massages, mud baths, and everything in between. You might even be treated to some delicious chocolates and champagne. You never know!

Plan to Have a Few Post-Wedding Gatherings

Yeah, yeah, I know I just dropped the ‘P’ word. Though you are probably sick of planning things, it’s vital that you still make time for your family and friends, considering you were probably too tied up to keep up with wedding planning meetings during the last couple of months. Furthermore, considering how hectic wedding nights often are, chances are you never got the time to catch up with some of the people you wanted to meet! Maintaining equilibrium between the relationships you valued before getting married and your new union is vital. Balancing time with friends and with your spouse can help build a healthy marriage and stronger relationships. Whether it is a Sunday brunch or a book club, your friends will certainly appreciate you making time for them through post-wedding gatherings.

Order Takeout

While I do not generally encourage crash dieting before the wedding (hello cravings and fatigue), there is no doubt that the two of you have been a good boy and girl when it comes to your set pre-wedding fitness regimen and meal plan. But now that the wedding is over, it is time for the two of you to treat yourselves! Order some takeout from your favorite pizza joint or Chinese restaurant, but do not let yourselves slip into unhealthy eating habits. Instead, declare that one day after your wedding, a “treat yourself” day. And besides, who even has the energy to prepare a healthy meal the day following their wedding?

Use those Mr. and Mrs. Mugs

The day after the wedding is your chance to be a bit cheesy. After all, you are in the honeymoon stage. Break out some of those couple gifts, take some goofy photos and send them to whoever gifted them to you – they will definitely have a good cackle out of it!

Go Through Your Wedding Photos

While you’ll probably have to wait a few weeks before the professional photos of your wedding get in, your guests most likely have photos on their cameras or phones. Consider creating a Facebook group and ask your guests to post the photos they took at your wedding or kindly request them to send them to you. Sometimes, these photos can be quite meaningful even if a professional wedding photographer did not take them.

List Every Wedding Rental that Needs to be Returned

If you rent some items for the wedding, keep in mind that the event company or venue you rented them from might require that you return them sooner than you think. While tackling another logistical task can be a bit annoying, especially after the wedding, it is advisable that you get on top of it to avoid paying late fees or getting into bad terms with a vendor. Whether it’s the tux you rented or a necklace you borrowed, just make sure you return it on time.

List Down Some of the Most Memorable Things About Your Wedding

You don’t have to write a novel, just list down your favorite memories and moments of the day. The two of you will have tons of fun reminiscing on some of the funniest or tear-invoking highlights of your wedding day in the future. This could serve as an entertaining wedding anniversary tradition!

Once you are done planning for such a huge event, the two of you deserve to take the next day, and even more if possible, to relax and enjoy married life. Whether you choose to spend the day with your families and friends or to stay in bed stuffing yourselves with leftover cake, the important thing is that you do something that allows you to relax, unwind, and enjoy the new chapter of your lives.