These days, you should be getting your wedding proofs from back from your photographer in a fairly quickly. Many photographers have online proofing available within days of the wedding, and if you are receiving the images on a DVD, those pictures are often delivered within several weeks of the wedding.

It can be a lot of fun to arrange a party around the receiving of the pictures. Invite your groomsmen and bridesmaids and other friends and family members for a viewing. If the images are presented on a DVD slideshow (and most photographers have this available as an option), all the better. Pop in the DVD and everyone can watch. Or gather around the computer and look at the online galleries.

But the professional pictures don't have to be the only ones. If you had disposable cameras on the tables at the reception (a relatively inexpensive and common practice), develop those pictures and pass them around, too. Invite your picture-taking friends to bring their pictures from the wedding and reception as well. Maybe you have a video recording of the ceremony or reception.

Many couples, at the wedding ceremony, are disappointed that they didn't get to spend more time with their friends. With all the different guests to visit, the dancing, cake cutting and all that, there is often little socializing going on. The Picture Party can be a time for that. You can make it a fun, relaxed occasion, with the snack foods of your choice (Wine and cheese? Beer and chips? Maybe a barbeque?).

This is also a good time to present gifts to your attendants and family members.

And if you are moving into a new house, you can make this something of a house-warming, too (you might make it clear to your guests not to bring gifts, since most of them have just given you nice wedding presents).

Invitations can easily be emailed or text-ed to your family and friends with free online services.

So consider a Picture Party--sort of a post-wedding celebration. It's a great opportunity to relive the wedding, tell stories about the day, and hang out with the people that made the wedding special to you.