Seven Things To Remember After Getting Married
September 07, 2011
Lately, we’ve noticed an increasing percentage of couples buying LifeShield Home Security after they’ve gotten married. With a home full of new wedding gifts we can certainly understand why. In today’s world, home security has become a must-have for homes and apartments. We started thinking – if they forgot home security, what else did they forget after getting married?
Last week one of our writers had the pleasure of interviewing blogger Anne Chertoff of From “I Will” To “I Do”. As someone who has worked at Modern Bride, Martha Stewart Weddings, and was the Editor in Chief of aisledash.com, she certainly is an expert on all things wedding. Anne had some fantastic advice for brides about those little (and sometimes big) things that can be forgotten about after getting married.
“It’s easy to focus on the fun stuff like getting your dress and picking a cake, but you have to remember you’re getting married,” Anne explained. Sometimes couples can get caught up in all of the details of planning a wedding and forget that they are doing something much bigger than that. “There’s more to married life than a wedding,” she continued.
Wedding plans shouldn’t end after the reception. For those couples wondering what else they should plan for, here are seven reminders:
- If you’re planning to change your last name, do it pretty soon – Make sure you remember to change your name on all documents (federal, state, banking, healthcare and insurance). That means your credit cards, passport, driver’s license, social security card, etc. For those who want to simplify the process, there are kits that can help.
- Send those “Thank You” notes – After you’ve had time to unwind and enjoy your honeymoon the next step should be to start writing those “Thank You” notes. Whether you tackle them together or divide and conquer, you should aim to “have them in the mail within two months of the wedding,” Anne said.
- Give it time – Adjusting to married life doesn’t happen overnight. It’s important to decide who’s in charge of what, especially if you haven’t lived together before. Your husband may be better at remembering to pay the bills, while you’re better at folding the laundry (or vice versa). Eventually you’ll both fall into a routine.
- Call your mother-in-law – Stay in touch and plan family get-togethers. You don’t always have to wait to be invited to a holiday party or special occasion. Sometimes it can be fun to throw your own. Remember that inviting your family over isn’t a white-glove inspection; it’s a time to relax and have fun with everyone.
- Keep the romance alive – “Sometimes newlyweds can get sad now that all of the attention is over. It’s important to keep the romance alive and celebrate during your first year of marriage,” Anne explained. “Plan fun things like monthly anniversary dinners or a couple’s massage.”
- Don’t forget about your wedding album – if it’s not included in your photography package, or if you skipped a professional photographer altogether, don’t forget to collect those pictures and put an album together. Some day you’ll want to look back at those pictures and remember how special your wedding day was.
- Take a deep breath; it’s okay – It’s a fact of married life; couples fight sometimes. Remember to “be open with each other and know that sometimes it is okay to go to bed mad,” Anne says. Allow important discussions about children, budgets, holidays, etc. to be open-ended. Nothing ever has to be set in stone. “Things will ebb and flow,” so it’s important to be flexible.
Be sure to check out LifeShield Home Security on Facebook and Twitter. You’ll also want to visit Anne’s Twitter page to get the answers to all of your wedding questions!
