Things you need to do after your wedding

So, you’ve just got married to the man of your dreams.
You come home from honeymoon filled with one too many cocktails and aeroplane snacks.

You unpack your bags, have a long hot shower and plop yourself on the couch,
ready for one long Netflix and chill session with your hubby (eek, you are still getting used to calling him that!)

But then it dawns on you… what now?
Everyone prepares you for what you need to do before your wedding day, you have a step by step guide broken down into monthly, weekly and daily agendas…
What are you going to do with your life now that the all consuming wedding plans are done and dusted? No more dress fittings, shoe shopping, arguments over canapés.
What is going to occupy your time?

This can be daunting for most brides, especially those of you that have already “set up house” and have been living together before the big day.

Well, we know, we have been in your ‘post-wedding-blues-shoes’ and
have a few tricks to share.
So get ready, we are about to help you with what to do AFTER you have said your I-Do’s.

1. Thank you notes
   We know this might be an outdated trend but as the saying goes “some things just never go out of fashion” and this is something that you HAVE to do. People have come from far and wide to celebrate with you. They have bought a new wedding outfit, purchased an amazing gift, spent money on booze and other extras – the least you can do is take the time to write them a note to thank them for being with you on your big day
   Hooray Recommends:
   Remember to add this to your stationery budget. When you are getting everything printed and ready, make sure your stationer also designs your thank you notes so you are able to get started and it doesn’t seem like such a daunting task.
   ALSO! Don’t forget to send out “Thank You’s” to your vendors – also, in this digital age, a review on their Facebook page will be much appreciated!
2. Get to the gym
   For most brides, their health and fitness is a priority before their big day. They want their skin cleared, arms toned and mind balanced. Unfortunately, when our wedding is all said and done, we are ready to eat ALL the junk food. One way that you could avoid this would be to make sure you have a PT session set up for when you get back from honeymoon. Time to sweat out all that alcohol and those extra fries, keep a focus on keeping yourself in an overall healthy state.
   Hooray Recommends:
   Our fitness guru, Nats from GetFit Umhlanga will be more than happy to welcome you into one of her 12 week challenges after your wedding and ensure you keep yourself in a healthy state, get in touch with her here.
3. Name Changes
   Okay, we know this one is not fun, but you just have to get it done. If you are taking your hubbies’ surname, then you will need to get yourself over to Home Affairs. We suggest getting everything in one go, I.D, passport, unabridged marriage certificate – the whole shabam. Before you hurry over to Home Affairs, make sure you are registered as married on the system : sms the letter M followed by your ID number (example: M 5001010050080) to 32551. A reply sms will be sent back to your cellphone to confirm your marital status and the date of your marriage – easy peasy.
   Once all the legalities are done then you will need to ensure your name is changed elsewhere – medical aid, at the bank, any accounts you might have. We know this sounds daunting, but just take it one step at a time and before you know it, it will all be done.
   Hooray Recommends:
   Make yourself a list of all the places you need to change your name and slowly work through it. This way you will be able to check that you have changed your name wherever necessary. Also, a killer playlist while at home affairs will make this process a whole lot easier!
   
4. Date Nights
   Before your wedding, you are in a bubble. This lovely bubble filled with love and support from not only your fiancé but also your friends and family. After the wedding, you might start feeling like your “spotlight” has been taken away from you. Try keep that honeymoon fever alive by setting up monthly date nights with your hubby – we know the couch is comfy and better after a long day at work, but you gotta work to keep the love alive!
   Hooray Recommends:
   Sit down together and think of “out of the box” dates, things that you won’t normally do. That way, you won’t fall into a rut of the same dinner and movie date that everyone seems to do. Go to that restaurant you have been eyeing out, or even a just a walk on the beach (for those cash strapped months!), take a hike together or plan your next vacation – whatever you need to do to keep your communication and love lines open!
5. Start a new hobby
   So we know this sounds a little weird but you will now have all this time on your hands that you won’t know what to do with yourself. Start up yoga, dancing or knitting, or even colouring in. Find something that will still allow your creative juices to flow and keep you occupied. Maybe you and hubby can build a few things for your house together – there is that Pinterest project you have been putting off for ages, now is the time to do it!
   Hooray Recommends:
   If hubby isn’t too keen to get involved in a hobby, find a friend that also wants to try something new – don’t forget to keep your friendships going too! Especially the bridesmaids that have stood by you for many a month, helping you choose between light pink and ballet pink – those girls need a gold star!
6. Finalise your wedding album
   Often, your photographs are the last thing you will receive after your wedding day.
   This is a bitter sweet moment, as you are so excited to relive your memories, but its also the final nail in saying goodbye to your wedding plans. It took me almost a whole year to finalise my album with my photographer. I couldn’t bear the thought that once my album arrived, everything would be over.
   But the joy of sharing my album with family and friends far outweighed the sadness that it had all come to an end. Tears shared over the special moments and laughter over the crazy ones helps keep the memory of our special day alive.
   Hooray Recommends:
   Set an evening aside with hubby (and vino) to go through and finalise your album design as soon as your photographer sends you the templates. Often, photographers are so busy that taking too long to get this done will result in you moving to the bottom of their to-do list – strike while the iron is hot!

So there you have it. A few of our tips and tricks to help keep you occupied and in check after the wedding.
Post Wedding Blues are a REAL thing, so get busy and be kind to yourself. Allow yourself to be immersed in the memories of your big day, but don’t get so caught up in the memories that you forget about living in the present!

Enjoy being a wife, and the extra time on your hands. Make new memories, find new things to enjoy, but most importantly, remember to be kind to yourself.

Jen xx

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