Any bride-to-be knows that her wedding day is an occasion she’ll want to remember forever. Of course, the memories of such a wonderful day are bound to be vivid and long-lasting. Nevertheless, most brides also like to keep tangible mementos which can be treasured alongside their personal memories.

We’ve written before about some of the most popular wedding keepsakes, such as photographs and guest books. However, what about the smaller things? There are some less obvious tokens which can make beautiful reminders of your special day. Here are five items you shouldn’t forget to keep from your wedding.

Your Cake Topper

Most wedding cakes feature a small decorative model seated on top. Traditionally, this model is a representation of a bride and groom in wedding attire. Today, there are many variations available. As the final slices of your wedding cake start to disappear, you may wish to remove the topper and put it in a safe place. Be advised, though, that some cake toppers are edible, and these may not be ideal for keeping long-term!

Your Ring Bearer’s Cushion or Flower Girl’s Basket

If your wedding ceremony will feature a ring bearer or coin bearer, he will almost always carry a cushion featuring decorative rings. In some cases, another type of vessel may be used, such as a plate or a bowl. In any case, these items make ideal souvenirs of your wedding day. Just remember that, as the cushion is in the care of a young child during the ceremony, it may be wise to take special care that it doesn’t become lost.

If your ceremony also features a flower girl, she will most likely carry a decorative basket. As with the ring bearer’s cushion, this item makes an ideal souvenir. Again, make sure the kid doesn’t lose it!

Your Wedding Planning Scrapbook or Notebook

You’ve spent months planning your wedding. You may very well have started a scrapbook to keep track of your ideas and the things you like. If this is the case, don’t just bin it after the wedding is over. Your scrapbook is a unique record, not just of your wedding itself, but of the weeks and months leading up to the big day. You never know how much fun it might be to leaf through its pages a few years from now.

Handwritten Notes of Speeches

If the groom, best man, or father of the bride made particularly moving or entertaining speeches, the chances are that they had written their speeches down beforehand. Ask them if they would mind giving you their notes, so that you can always remember just what they said. This is an especially good idea if there was no videographer present to record the speeches.

Your Wedding Cutlery

The meal at your reception will hopefully be a delicious and memorable one, to be savoured with your partner. Perhaps you’d like to keep just a few items of the cutlery you both used. Personalised wedding cutlery is available, if you’d like to supply your own on the day. If the cutlery you use belongs to the reception venue, try politely asking if it would be possible for you to keep a couple of items used by the bride and groom.

Whether you choose to keep any of these items, and what you do with them, is entirely up to you. You may wish to keep them in a safe place, to be taken out at times when you feel like reminiscing. Alternatively, you may wish to use some of them to decorate the home you share with your loved one. Remember that several of the items we’ve mentioned are available in personalised versions, and these may be especially suitable as keepsakes.