After the wedding: a checklist for the first month
Everything to do once the wedding is over: settling vendors, returning rentals, thank-you notes, the paperwork, the photos, and the money and admin of being married.
The short version
- First week: return rentals, settle final balances, collect gifts and cards, and write down who gave what.
- First month: start the thank-you notes, register the marriage if that is a separate step where you live, and order certified copies of the certificate.
- Collect every photo guests took, and back everything up twice.
- Then the admin of married life: name changes, beneficiaries, insurance and joint finances.
After the wedding, there is a short list of things to do in the first week (rentals, final payments, gifts), a longer one for the first month (thank-you notes, the marriage certificate, photos), and the admin of married life that can follow at its own pace. Splitting it like this keeps the honeymoon free of it.
The first week
- Return rented items (suits, decor, linens) by their due dates to avoid late fees
- Settle any final vendor balances, and send thanks to the vendors who were wonderful
- Collect gifts and cards from the venue or whoever took them home
- Write down who gave what, while you still remember
- Get the dress or suit cleaned before stains set
The first month
- Start the thank-you notes, five a day rather than all in one weekend
- Make sure the marriage is registered where that is a separate step, and order several certified copies of the certificate
- Download every photo your guests shared, and back up the professional gallery when it arrives
- Leave honest reviews for the vendors you would recommend; small businesses live on them
- Close or archive anything you no longer need: the wedding email address, accounts, subscriptions
The admin of being married
- Changing your name, if you are, in the right order
- Updating beneficiaries on pensions, retirement accounts and life insurance
- Health insurance and tax: check whether your status changes anything where you live
- Joint finances: decide what is shared and how, and write it down
- Wills: marriage can change or revoke an existing will in some countries, so check yours
The rules on wills, tax and insurance differ by country and state. A short conversation with an accountant or a lawyer in your first year of marriage is worth far more than it costs.
Keeping the memories
Put the invitation, the menu, a few cards and the order of service in one box. Print a small album of the photos you love most, including the ones guests took. And keep the guest list: it will be the start of every anniversary party and every christening list for years.
The wedding ends at midnight. The thank-yous, the paperwork and the photos take about a month, and then it is just your life, together.
Common questions
What should you do after your wedding?
In the first week, return rentals, settle final vendor payments and collect gifts and cards. In the first month, start thank-you notes, make sure the marriage is registered and order certified copies of the certificate, and collect and back up the photos. Then update your name, beneficiaries, insurance and finances.
How many copies of the marriage certificate do you need?
Order several certified copies, often three or four, because many organizations ask for one when you change your name or update records, and some keep it for weeks.
Do you need to update your will after getting married?
Check it. In some countries marriage changes or revokes an existing will. The rules differ, so ask a lawyer where you live.
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