What do you do after your wedding day? Learn about how to change your name, your documents and planning your dream honeymoon. Scroll down to read the articles.
Wedding planning tips for couples
4 Essential Things You Need to Do After You say I do
Getting married is a huge step, that most couples spend planning for around 18 months. There’s so much to do and to think about that very often what you need to do AFTER you tie the knot, gets forgotten about. As you take your first steps into your new journey, there are a few things you need to put on your checklist that will help you set off on the right foot! When the honeymoon phase ends and normal life resumes, you are going to want to have these 5 essential things ticked off your list.
Change your name (If you want to)
Write a list of all your accounts & important documents, starting with the most important. Then do a little research on how you go about the name change. From experience, we know that name changes on driving licenses and passports carry a fee, whereas things like bank accounts and insurance policies will be free. For all name changes you will need to see your marriage certificate, so keep it in a safe place after your big day. This is something that can be a bit of a nightmare if you don’t get completed in a timely fashion as we all know paperwork likes to hide in forgotten places. If you find it too difficult to complete on your own, there are companies out there to help you.
Top tip: Be sure to inform your employer and GP surgery of your marriage. This is so they can update your next-of-kin information.
Get organized with wedding day items:
On your big day, you will be given gifts, cards and all sorts of lovely things. What you need to remember is, when your wedding day is over you will need to bring it all home with you.
You will also have the remainder of your beautiful wedding cake and any other decor bits you may be providing yourself. So, it’s a REALLY good idea to plan where it’s going to go in your home. Pop to your local shops and grab a couple of large storage boxes that can come to the venue with you. Ask your best man or MOH to fill the boxes with all your wedding bits and bobs so it’s all-in-one place. Get them to pop it in your car (or theirs) if they are feeling extra nice. When you get home it can live in the pre-planned space, instead of being spread all over your home.
Take time to relax:
For the last 12 months at least, you have been planning your wedding. Whether that was in your mind or dealing with all the wedmin, suppliers, dress/suit fittings, food tasting, wedding venue hunting and the million other things planning a wedding involves. It’s important that you take the time to look after yourself and your new spouse. You want to start married life happy and healthy, not feeling grumpy and ill. If you aren’t going on a honeymoon, be sure to book a day where you can just be present and in the moment with your new husband/wife.
Write your thank-you notes:
Make sure you and your new spouse do this one together. You will probably receive gifts not only on your wedding day but afterward too, so get cracking with those pesky thank-you notes! Writing a few thank-you notes per day isn’t too much of a burden, but this will ensure that you don’t get behind and end up with a too-overwhelming pile of unwritten notes. A great tip is to write a few templates and pick the one that fits that guest the best. Sometimes it’s the getting going that’s the hardest so why not plan a takeaway evening and get them done that way.
I hope these tips help and inspire you.
Victoria Fenix.
Wedding gifts- Keeping organized
This little wedding hack could save you from A LOT of embarrassment after your wedding ...... is there anything worse than having to awkwardly try and remember which person sent which gift when it comes to sending thank yous and showing your appreciation? Surely not!
Whether you use Post-it notes or decide to make a list (digital or on some paper!) you'll be glad you did later when it comes to sending out any thank you cards.
Keeping your wedding gifts safe
Who will you choose? The best man, maid of honor, or your mum? Appoint someone to collect your wedding gifts at the end of the night, so you don’t forget them, or have the extra stress of collecting them at the end of the night.
I hope these tips help and inspire you.
Victoria Fenix.
Tips for planning the perfect Honeymoon
Your honeymoon is a well-deserved rest after the busyness of planning a wedding for the past year and a chance for the two of you to enjoy an uninterrupted week or two of married life – with no daily interruptions such as work or household chores to distract you. This trip is the opportunity for you to focus on each other as a couple and enjoy your new level of relationship – marriage! So yes – it’s fair to say planning your honeymoon may come with a bit more pressure than planning any old holiday and for this reason it pays to be prepared.
Start Early
It’s best to start planning your honeymoon earlier rather than later. Yes, it may be tempting to hold out for any last-minute deals, however, you may have to request holiday leave from work, may visit a country where you need vaccinations or a special visa, you may not get to go on your dream holiday destination and flights and hotels can become more expensive the closer it gets to you going. It’s not just about the holiday, but also the activities you’ll want to get up to on your honeymoon. If you’ve ever fancied a boat cruise, wine tasting, heading into the desert on dune buggies, or going on an organized trip; these are becoming more and more popular too. Booking your honeymoon early will give you chance to research what your chosen area has to offer and book onto all of the things you want to do. Trust me, plan early… and it’ll give you a lot more time to get excited about all the great things you’ll be getting up to.
Consider when to take your Honeymoon
It’s no longer mandatory to whisk off on your honeymoon the night or day after your wedding. If you are planning on going away in a few weeks or months after you say your ‘I dos’ you could always plan a mini-moon in a posh hotel.
Tip: Let your hotel know you are newlyweds – they’ll probably give you an upgrade or leave a gift in your room if you are polite about asking!
When considering where and when going away you’ll want to consider the seasons at your chosen destination. I can’t give you the perfect travel times for every destination but here are some examples that will give you an idea:
Try Thailand or the Caribbean in the months of November to May as typical summer brings monsoon season, which is best to avoid.
The Seychelles, Dubai, and the Maldives are great year-round destinations.
In Summer I’d recommend the Canaries, Greece, Santorini, Italy and the Mediterranean.
Think about your budget
With all the wedding planning you’ve been doing budgeting should be second nature to you by now! Your expectations for your Honeymoon are going to be largely determined by your budget. The sky is quite literally the limit on what you can spend on travel but you are able to get some great holidays and experiences on a budget too. It’s of course going to depend on the season you want to go away, how far you want to travel and how long you want to go away for – amongst other factors too.
Ask yourself the question: How much is our honeymoon worth to us? Is it part of our must-have-big-parts of your wedding? Is it going to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip you’ll never forget? Is it your last opportunity to have a blow-out-no-expense-spared trip away before you start a family? Or is it simply a relaxing end to your wedding? Consider this when determining your honeymoon destination.
Tip: Travel just out of season and you’re likely to take advantage of some great savings without having to compromise on the weather.
If you want to have fixed costs for your honeymoon – book an all-inclusive deal. With an all-inclusive deal your flights, hotel, transfers, meals, and drinks are all taken care of before you arrive meaning you’re less likely to feel tempted to make a splurge on upgrades when you arrive.
Tip: Need a bigger budget? Consider asking for some cash in place of gifts for your wedding. You are also able to purchases honeymoon experiences nowadays so friends and family who find cash a bit impersonal can still contribute to the honeymoon.
Think about using a travel agent
If you want extra guidance planning your honeymoon, travel agents can come in handy. They have inside knowledge of all the best areas to visit, discounts, and extras you can book at your chosen destination. They’ll also save you time on research hunting out the best deals and flight times and have first-hand knowledge of what to do and where to stay that will tick all of your boxes.
Schedule surprises
While it’s great to work with your other half when planning the honeymoon, try and sneak in a few little surprises that they aren’t aware of. More expensive or full-day activities are best to plan together but planning a special dinner or couples massage is the perfect way to add a bit of excitement and romance to your trip.
I hope this blog post gives you useful advice and inspiration. Please follow me for more content and get in contact if you haven’t found your wedding photographer yet.
I hope these tips help and inspire you.
Victoria Fenix.
Getting organized for your honeymoon
Honeymoon tip!
-Don't leave your packing for the honeymoon as an afterthought, especially if you are traveling soon after your wedding day or are getting married abroad.
-Have a separate list of all of the items you'll need to get and pack on the build-up to your honeymoon and keep it with your wedding planning to-do's.
That way you won't forget anything!
UK honeymoon destinations!
Looking a some honeymoon inspiration? Well, here are my top three honeymoon destination ideas, all places that I have been to and recommend!
Portmeirion feels like you are in another country!
(PS, I went to Belfast, I don’t have a passport! As a UK citizen you can fly over to Belfast with an image ID)
I hope these tips help and inspire you.
Victoria Fenix.