Tips for Dealing with the Post-Wedding Blues

I spent more than two years planning our destination wedding -- I lived it, breathed it, dreamt about it and pretty much spent every waking moment thinking about it. So when our Big Day was done and in the books and we came home from two blissful weeks of the most perfect wedding experience, I fell into a bit of a funk.

The baby -- aka my wedding -- I had created and cared for, was over. And I was depressed. I found myself still visiting my wedding photographer's blog even weeks and months after she had already blogged our wedding and my husband often had to remind me, "babe, you know we're not going to magically appear on her blog again right?" I soon realized, I was obsessed with looking a beautiful wedding photos, even if they weren't my own LOL.

So six months after we said "I Do," I bought my first DSLR and over the course of the next half a year, I took a self-taught crash course in photography -- my new obsession became photography. My camera became my new post-wedding baby and I was addicted to learning everything I could about the craft. Before I knew it, I was being asked to shoot a ton of portrait sessions and eventually even taught my husband how to shoot. And those sessions ultimately led to shooting events, and that ultimately led to booking our first wedding -- which happened to be a destination wedding in the Dominican Republic. I know, right? And now here I am five years later, having shot close to 100 weddings. Needless to say, the way I got out of my post-wedding funk was to cultivate my love for weddings through a career -- which initially started out as a hobby -- that still allowed me to exist within the wedding world.

So if you're feeling a bit depressed now that the wedding has come and gone, here are a few tips that can help get you out of the post-wedding blues:

1) Sell all your leftover wedding stuff: If you plan to sell your dress -- do it right away. All those extra wedding items you never got around to using? Sell it immediately. Get those things out of sight and don't leave any unwanted remnants behind. Cleaning house will give you a sense of a fresh new start beyond the wedding world.

2) Start on those thank you cards right away: Don't let this task go by the wayside. Get started on those thank you notes ASAP. You'll not only feel good about getting this task done, you're guests will appreciate the quick and thoughtful turnaround from what I'm sure was the best wedding they've ever gone to!

3) If you didn't order an album from your photographer, create one: This one is my biggest regret. I decided to NOT order an album from my photographer filled with all my beautiful wedding photos because I planned on making an album myself. Well guess what? It's now been 6.5 years since I've been married and I still haven't gotten around to making an wedding album -- and I'm a freaking wedding photographer so it's not like I don't have the software and ability to make an album. I just haven't done it. *sigh* So number one, I'd suggest ordering an album from your photographer -- it will be worth the money and time you save. Plus the quality of album a professional can provide you with will far outweigh what you have access to as a regular consumer. BUT if you're determined to save money and DIY, then do it right away. As soon as you get your photos, start designing that album and get that sucker ordered ASAP. Or else you'll find yourself 5+ years later regretting that your photos still only exist in a Facebook album or on a disk your photographer gave you

4) Start a new hobby: This was the magic that helped me. I discovered a love for photography and never looked back. A new hobby will allow you to put your post-wedding boredom into a new obsession, and who knows what that could lead to! I speak from experience

5) Let the gym become your new "wedding": I wish I would have stuck to my pre-wedding workout regimen because ughhhhh I was in such great shape for my wedding! Don't let the post-wedding blues let you forget how good it feels to be in shape, keep that routine up. It will not only help you turn your focus away from any post-wedding depression, you'll feel and look better because of it!

6) Become a volunteer: Whenever I have felt like I was down in the dumps, volunteering for a good cause or an event has always been a good wake up call for me. Giving your time and efforts to others in need is not only good for the spirit and soul, it helps keep things in perspective of what's truly important in life.

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About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.