What to Do the Week After Your Wedding | Post-Wedding Checklist
What to Do the Week After Your Wedding (Post-Wedding Checklist)
After photographing 400+ weddings in Nashville since 2017, I've watched couples ride the high of their wedding day... and then crash into the reality of the week after.
Your wedding is over. You're married! But now there's a pile of tasks staring at you:
Thank you notes to write
Vendors to pay and review
Dress to preserve
Gifts to organize
Photos to share (once you get them)
Name change logistics to start
And you're probably exhausted
Nobody talks about the week after the wedding. Everyone focuses on planning the wedding itself, then just assumes you'll figure out post-wedding on your own.
I'm going to walk you through exactly what to do the week after your wedding so nothing falls through the cracks and you can actually enjoy being newlyweds.
Day 1: The Day After Your Wedding
What Usually Happens:
You wake up married (!), probably tired, maybe hosting day-after brunch, and dealing with out-of-town family leaving.
Your main job today: REST.
Essential Tasks for Day 1:
☐ Return any rentals with specific deadlines
Tuxedos (usually due next day)
Specialty rental items
Check rental agreements for return timing
☐ Secure your wedding dress
Hang it up properly (not crumpled)
Don't leave it at venue or hotel
Even if you're not preserving it yet, take care of it
☐ Check venue for forgotten items
Send someone to check for:
Gifts left behind
Décor items you own
Personal belongings
Guest book
Card box/gift table items
☐ Charge your phone and check messages
Lots of people will be texting congratulations
Family checking in
Vendors may have questions
☐ Eat actual food
You probably didn't eat much yesterday
Feed yourself real meals today
Optional Day 1 Tasks:
☐ Host day-after brunch (if planned) ☐ Say goodbye to out-of-town guests ☐ Look through vendor preview photos (if they sent any) ☐ Post one wedding photo to social media (if desired)
Don't worry about:
Thank you notes (not urgent today)
Reviews (can wait)
Major logistics (you just got married yesterday!)
Days 2-3: Settling Back In
Essential Tasks:
☐ Open and organize gifts
Unwrap wedding gifts
Make detailed list of who gave what (CRITICAL for thank you notes!)
Keep gift tags/cards with gifts
Create spreadsheet: Guest name | Gift | Thank you sent (date)
☐ Return rentals (if not done Day 1)
Check all rental return deadlines
Return items on time to avoid late fees
☐ Get wedding dress to cleaners/preservers
If preserving: Take to preservation company ASAP
If just cleaning: Take to dry cleaner
Stains set the longer you wait!
☐ Gather all receipts and vendor contracts
Organize in one place
Check what final payments are due
Verify what's been paid vs. what's still owed
☐ Respond to well-wishes
Text back friends and family
Quick thank you for messages (not formal thank you notes yet)
If You Have Energy:
☐ Start thank you note list
Don't write them yet, just organize who needs one
List gifts received
Note any specific things to mention
☐ Download wedding photos to phone (if guests shared any)
☐ Create shared album for family to upload their photos
Days 4-7: Getting Organized
Essential Tasks:
☐ Pay any outstanding vendor balances
Check contracts for when final payment is due
Gratuities for vendors (if not already given)
Pay promptly—don't let this drag out
Typical gratuities if not already included:
Photographer: Not expected but appreciated ($100-500)
DJ/Band: $50-200 per person
Hair/Makeup: 15-20% if not included
Catering staff: Often included, check contract
Coordinator: $100-300
Transportation: 15-20%
☐ Leave vendor reviews
Google reviews
Wedding website reviews (The Knot, WeddingWire)
Social media tags/reviews
Do this while experience is fresh!
☐ Start addressing thank you notes
Address envelopes while waiting for photos
Don't need to write full notes yet
Just get organized
☐ Return anything borrowed
Décor borrowed from friends/family
Return with thank you
Don't let this drag out weeks
☐ Organize and put away gifts
Unbox and organize
Register items if they have warranties
Return duplicates or unwanted items (keep receipts!)
Administrative Tasks to Start:
☐ Name change process (if changing name):
Order of operations:
Social Security card (do this first!)
Driver's license (after SS card)
Passport (after license)
Credit cards
Bank accounts
Work HR/benefits
Insurance
Utilities
Everything else
Get certified marriage license copies:
You'll need multiple certified copies for name changes
Order 3-5 copies
County clerk's office
☐ Update emergency contacts everywhere
Work paperwork
Medical forms
Beneficiaries on accounts
Insurance policies
☐ Combine or update finances (if desired)
Joint bank accounts
Update beneficiaries
Add spouse to insurance
Update will/estate planning
Week 2-4: Follow Through
Thank You Notes Timeline:
Start writing: Week 2
Goal: Finish within 2-3 months of wedding
Who needs thank you notes:
Everyone who gave a gift
People who traveled far
Anyone who went above and beyond
Vendors (optional but nice)
What to include:
Specific mention of gift
How you'll use it or what it means to you
Personal note about them being at wedding
Handwritten (yes, actually handwritten)
Template:
"Dear [Name],
Thank you so much for the [specific gift]. We're so excited to use it for [specific way]. Having you at our wedding meant the world to us, and we're so grateful you were there to celebrate with us.
With love,
[Your names]"
Pro tip: Write 5-10 per day. It's less overwhelming than trying to do all 100 at once.
Photos and Memories:
☐ When you receive professional photos (4-8 weeks usually):
Download full gallery
Back up photos (multiple locations!)
Share with family
Order prints for parents/grandparents
Create albums if desired
Share vendor preview photos for reviews
☐ Organize guest photos:
Collect photos from guests
Create shared album
Save memorable shots
☐ Decide on album/prints:
Do you want wedding album?
Prints to frame?
Parent albums?
Order while excited, before you procrastinate
More on photos: How many wedding photos should you get
Preserving Memories:
☐ Preserve bouquet (if not already done)
Professional preservation
DIY preservation
Or let it go with photos
More: What to do with wedding flowers
☐ Preserve wedding dress
Professional preservation box
Or just clean and store properly
Don't wait too long—stains set!
☐ Organize keepsakes:
Invitations
Programs
Guest book
Vows (if written)
Any special items
Create keepsake box
Name Change Detailed Process
If Changing Name - Full Process:
Step 1: Get certified marriage license (Week 1-2)
Order 3-5 certified copies
County clerk's office
Costs ~$15-25 per copy
Step 2: Social Security Card (Week 2-3)
Go to Social Security office with marriage license
Fill out SS-5 form
Get new card with new name
Free, takes 1-2 weeks
Step 3: Driver's License (After receiving new SS card)
Go to DMV with new SS card and marriage license
Get new license with new name
Costs vary by state (~$20-30)
Step 4: Passport (After license, if needed)
Apply by mail with marriage license
Costs ~$130
Takes 4-8 weeks
Step 5: Everything Else (Ongoing, weeks 4-8)
Credit cards
Bank accounts
Work/HR
Insurance (car, health, life)
Utilities
Subscriptions
Voter registration
Professional licenses
Pro tip: Make list of every account/subscription and check them off as you update.
Financial/Legal Updates
First Month After Wedding:
☐ Update beneficiaries:
Life insurance
Retirement accounts (401k, IRA)
Bank accounts
Investment accounts
☐ Health insurance:
Add spouse to plan (if applicable)
Qualify for special enrollment period
Update within 30 days of marriage
☐ Car insurance:
Add spouse to policy
May get discount for married couple
☐ Update will/estate planning:
Create will if you don't have one
Update existing will
Power of attorney
Healthcare directives
☐ Tax planning:
Update W-4 at work
File taxes jointly next year
Consult accountant if needed
What NOT to Stress About
Things That Can Wait:
✗ Honeymoon planning (if you didn't go immediately)
You have time to plan this
Take a breath first
✗ Thank you notes for people you haven't received gifts from yet
Some gifts arrive weeks later
Wait to receive before writing note
✗ Deep cleaning your house
It can wait
Rest first
✗ Getting back to normal routine immediately
Give yourself adjustment time
You just planned a major event for months
✗ Posting every single wedding photo
Wait for professional photos
Share thoughtfully, not frantically
Common Post-Wedding Feelings
It's Normal to Feel:
Post-wedding blues: You planned this for months/years. Now it's over. Feeling let down is NORMAL.
Exhausted: You just hosted a major event. Physical and emotional exhaustion is expected.
Overwhelmed by tasks: The list above is long. You don't have to do everything this week.
Relieved: Planning is over! This is good thing.
Anticlimactic: Build-up was intense, now it's just... regular life. That's okay.
Missing people: Out-of-town family left. Wedding party dispersed. This is normal.
Give Yourself Grace:
You don't have to:
Write all thank you notes in one week
Immediately change your name
Return to normal instantly
Be perfectly organized
Do everything on this list immediately
Pace yourself. You just got married. Enjoy being newlyweds.
Week After Wedding Checklist (Printable)
Day 1 (Day After Wedding):
☐ Return time-sensitive rentals
☐ Secure wedding dress
☐ Check venue for forgotten items
☐ Rest and recover
Days 2-3:
☐ Open and catalog gifts
☐ Return all rentals
☐ Get dress to cleaners/preservers
☐ Gather receipts and contracts
☐ Organize vendor payments
Days 4-7:
☐ Pay outstanding vendor balances
☐ Leave vendor reviews
☐ Start addressing thank you notes
☐ Return borrowed items
☐ Organize gifts
☐ Order certified marriage licenses
☐ Start name change process
Weeks 2-4:
☐ Write thank you notes (ongoing)
☐ Complete name change steps
☐ Update beneficiaries
☐ Update insurance
☐ Organize when professional photos arrive
☐ Preserve bouquet/dress
☐ Update legal/financial documents
Timeline Expectations
Realistic Timeline:
Thank you notes: 2-3 months to complete all
Name change: 2-3 months for full process
Professional photos: 4-8 weeks to receive
Settling all vendor payments: 1-2 weeks
Reviews written: 1-2 weeks
Gifts organized: 1-2 weeks
Back to normal life: 2-4 weeks
What I've Seen at 400+ Weddings
Couples Who Handled Post-Wedding Well:
They made a plan BEFORE the wedding:
Knew who was returning rentals
Had name change checklist ready
Set aside time for thank you notes
Organized from the start
They delegated:
Mom returned rentals
Friend organized gifts
Family member collected forgotten items from venue
They paced themselves:
Didn't try to do everything Day 1
Spread tasks over weeks
Gave themselves rest time
Couples Who Struggled:
They didn't plan ahead:
Scrambled to figure out what needed to be done
Missed rental return deadlines (late fees!)
Lost track of who gave what gift
Stressed unnecessarily
They tried to do too much too fast:
Burned out writing thank you notes
Exhausted themselves
Post-wedding blues hit harder
Vendor-Specific Follow-Up
Photographer:
You'll get sneak peek photos: 3-7 days
Full gallery: 4-8 weeks typically
When you receive, leave review!
Share photos for portfolio use
Videographer:
Highlight reel: 2-4 weeks
Full film: 8-12 weeks typically
Florist:
Preserve bouquet within 24-48 hours
Leave review
Share photos of flowers
Venue:
Check for forgotten items within 1-2 days
Final payment if not already paid
Leave review
Caterer:
Final invoice review
Gratuities if not included
Leave review
Post-Wedding Budget Surprises
Costs That Might Come Up:
Rental late fees (if you forget to return)
Dress preservation: $150-500
Bouquet preservation: $200-800
Additional certified marriage licenses: $15-25 each
Name change fees: $20-150 total
Passport update: $130
Thank you note postage: $50-100 for 100 guests
Wedding album: $300-2,000 if you order one
Prints/frames for parents: $100-500
Plan for $500-1,000 in post-wedding costs you might not have budgeted for.
Final Thoughts: It's Not a Race
After photographing 400+ weddings:
The couples who enjoy the post-wedding period most are the ones who:
Don't rush
Give themselves grace
Pace the tasks
Remember to actually BE newlyweds
You just planned a wedding. That was exhausting. The week after is not the time to immediately tackle 100 more tasks.
Do the essentials:
Pay vendors
Return rentals
Secure important items
Start organizing
Everything else can happen gradually.
Thank you notes don't have to be done in a week. Name changes don't have to happen overnight. You have time.
Take care of yourself. Rest. Enjoy being married.
The administrative tasks will get done. There's no prize for finishing them fastest.
More Post-Wedding Resources:
About Heck Designs and Photography
We're Nashville wedding photographers who have documented 400+ weddings since 2017. We know the week after the wedding can feel overwhelming with tasks, which is why we deliver sneak peek photos within days and full galleries within 4-6 weeks so you can check "receive photos" off your list.
If you're planning a Nashville wedding and want a photographer who understands the full wedding experience—including what happens after—who delivers photos promptly and professionally, let's talk about your day.
You'll have enough to do after the wedding. Let us handle delivering your photos beautifully and on time.