Your wedding day was likely one of the most memorable days of your life. You probably saw many people you hadn't seen in a long time, and of course you vowed to spend the rest of your life with the person you love most in this world. As the time from the wedding and honeymoon starts to wind down, you have thank-you notes to think about. You probably received many gifts and cards at your wedding, and it is of course customary to write notes thanking people for said gifts and cards. There are some dos and don'ts when it comes to writing your thank-you notes. Whether you know the person incredibly well or he or she is someone on your spouse's side whom you have only met once, here are some tips for writing your wedding thank-you notes.
Make It Personal
No matter who the person was, you need to make the note personal. Include the person's name and thank him or her for the gift specifically. If you received money from the person, then you might include a little info on what you are planning on applying the money toward (such as a down payment on your first home). Making the note personal will help the person feel appreciated, and it will mean much more, whether it was your best friend or your great aunt whom you haven't seen in years.
Be Timely
The good news about thank-you notes for your wedding is that you don't have to write them right away. The bad news is you should still get them sent out within three or so months. This may seem like a lot of time, but consider how many notes you have to write. Not only do you have to think about the gifts you received from the people who attended your wedding, you need to include those who shipped gifts or who couldn't attend but gave you a gift anyway.
- If the gift was shipped, let the person know it arrived to you safely. This can be a text, email, or phone call, but make sure it does not take the place of the thank-you card.
- If your gift arrives before the wedding, go ahead and write the card and get it out of the way. It will save you a lot of work later, and it is courteous to do it that way.
Write Them No Matter What
Despite the three-month rule, writing the notes late is much better than not writing them at all. Most people will be understanding about the late arrival of a thank-you note, but they will probably want their gift and presence at your wedding acknowledged. This is especially true for older people who tend to be more traditional about these kinds of things. Even if the two of you have celebrated your first wedding anniversary, keep writing the notes and sending them out.
Make a List
As you open gifts, make a list of what you received and whom it was from. Also include the address of the person so you have all of the information you need in one place. This makes it a lot easier and also gives you something to refer to. As you write your thank-you notes, you can check each person off the list. This helps ensure no one is forgotten.
Writing your thank-you notes might seem like a stressful thing, but it really shouldn't be. Keeping them personal will help make your guests feel appreciated. Being timely is a good idea to prevent anyone from having hurt feelings, but send them out even if they're late. Finally, making a list can help make the letter writing easier and also ensures you get letters out to everyone who was a part of your special day.
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