When you are getting married to your partner, you can look forward to the thrill of starting a new life together. The thrill of the big day and an exciting honeymoon can often leave you reeling in a whirlwind of excitement. However, it is essential that you also take the practicalities of getting married into consideration to ensure everything runs smoothly both before and after your wedding.
Couples have all sorts of concerns and questions before the wedding that they often don’t feel comfortable about discussing. Big decision for instance, you may be wondering ‘should I change my name to my partner’s name?’ or ‘should we pool our finances and have a joint account after getting married?’ Or Wedding related ones like where to buy wedding ties for the groom’s men. Well, these are important things that you should discuss before you get married. In addition, you have to remember that there will also be a lot to sort out after you are married. In this article, we will look at some crucial things to think about both before and after your wedding.
Before Your Marriage
Before you get married, there are certain things you need to sort out depending on your situation. Some of the key ones include:
Living Arrangements
If you don’t already have your own joint home to move to after the wedding, you need to think about where you will live. You may have previously been living in separate properties, either your own or with parents. So, once you are married you will need to consider where you will move to, even if it is just on a short-term basis while you save for a place. This is something to discuss before your big day.
Finances
Once you are married, you may want to consider pooling your finances and opening a joint account. Not all couples do this, but it is definitely something you should talk to one another about before the wedding so that you are both clear about the financial situation.
Name Changes
You also need to discuss name changes and what you wish to do after the wedding. Some women are fine taking their new partner’s surname, some modern men are happy to take their new wife’s surname, and some couples decide to opt for a double-barrelled name. You may even be thinking I don’t want to change my name at all. So, another thing to discuss before your wedding is name changes.
After the Marriage
Once you are married, you will have plenty to keep you busy, as there are lots of things you will need to add to your to-do list! Some of these include:
Thank Your Wedding Guests
Once the wedding is over, make sure you write thank you notes or cards for your guests. In addition, you should also write notes or cards for vendors such as your photographer, florist, and caterers among others, just to show your appreciation.
Sort Out Your Wedding Photos
You should make sure you arrange a time to go through all the wedding photos so you can choose the ones you prefer for your wedding album. Also, ask close friends and family to send any photos they took in case you want to add these.
Inform Your Employer
Make sure you let your employer know about any change of name or address following your wedding. This will ensure they have updated details for their records and for your salary payments and tax information.
Change Your Driving Licence and Passport
If you have changed your name after getting married, make sure you get the changes made on your passport. However, if you are heading on your honeymoon right after the wedding, you should wait until your return so that you do not have different details on the passport. You will also need to update your name and address details on your driver’s license if they have changed, so get in touch with the DVLA.
Notify the Local Authority
Another thing you need to do is contact the local authority to advise you are now married and to provide any new details. This is important to ensure their records are up to date and it could have an impact on services such as your council tax among others.
Informing Service Providers
You need to go through all service providers you use to let them know about your name and address change if applicable. This includes utility companies, your mobile phone provider, any lenders you have dealings with, your broadband provider, and any other providers you use.
Look Forward to a New Chapter in Your Life
While there may seem a lot to do after you get married, it doesn’t take long if you keep things organised. You can then start looking forward to a whole new chapter in your life with your partner.
