After the Big Day: What Now?
The countdown is over, the last song has played at your reception, and you are on the flight home from your honeymoon. What now? Even though you should be totally excited to start a life with your new husband, being a little bit down in the dumps after your wedding is completely normal. Here’s a few ideas to make the most of your newlywed bliss:
Save Your Bridal Shower Gifts
These days, many couples already live together prior to getting married anyway, so the gifts you receive at your shower – like dishware and wine glasses – are just an upgrade from your current kitchenware. That’s why we recommend waiting to open all of your bridal shower gifts until after the big day. Getting to makeover your home with all the wonderful gifts you received is just one more way to spread out the wedding excitement and it gives you one more thing to look forward to after the bouquet has been tossed.
Don’t Wait to Send Thank You Notes
While it’s customary to send thank you notes within the first year after your wedding, waiting to send your gratitude ten or eleven months later seems a bit rude, in our opinion. Once the hustle and bustle of your wedding day and honeymoon is over, set a plan to write five thank you notes each evening during the week until you have them all done. This will make it way more manageable, and give you the opportunity to really write a heartfelt message to each of your guests. Pro-tip: Order the thank you notes ahead of time, so you don’t have to waste any time waiting for them to come in. Exclusively Weddings has a huge collection of custom thank you notes, so you can really add a personal touch to your kind words.
Next Level Guestbooks
Think about it – literally every important person in your life was celebrating with you on your wedding night: Family members from near and far, friends that you’ve known since you were a kid and those that you spent your college years with. One of the best ways to remember this special day is reading all of the kind words your loved ones left in the guest book for you – but most traditional guest books end up forgotten about on a bookshelf covered in dust. Instead, try something a bit more eye-catching, like this personalized guest book puzzle! This creative piece can be hung on a wall after the big day to always help you feel the love.
Plan Your First Anniversary Trip
Okay, okay, maybe we are getting a little ahead of ourselves with this one. But your First Anniversary is a big milestone, and should be celebrated in a special way. Plan a mini-vacation ahead of time so that you can jump on any great deals that might be out there. A weekend away wine tasting? A private condo at a remote beach? Sign us up! This might even help calm any first-year-of-marriage arguments or struggles as it will give something for you and your husband to be excited about and look forward to.
