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The "I do's" have been said, the toasts made, and you are back from your amazing honeymoon. Upon your arrival home, you are snapped back to reality by the overwhelming task of writing thank you cards. Where do you start? Below there are answers to several common questions, and simple methods to make the task a little bit easier.
WHO:
When writing thank you notes, it is customary to thank those whoave gifts and those who contributed their time and effort into the wedding. Even if you thank the individual in person, it is still necessary to slip a handwritten note in the mail for them.
This includes anyone who:
* Gave gifts: shower gifts, wedding presents, or money
* Hosted a shower or party: Engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party, bachelore party, etc.
* Entertained out of town guests in their home: Sometimes couples will give small gifts to those who hosted their out of town guests. A thank you is necessary, but a gift is not required.
* Volunteered to assist you at any point: Your aunt who made her famous pies for the reception, your college roommate that put together all of the programs, and any others that should receive special thanks for the kindness they showed.
* Your attendants: bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers, flower girl, ring bearer, or specialty speakers
* Your vendors and suppliers: This group of individuals are often over looked. Do not forget to thank those who really helped make your day magical!
WHAT:
The thank you note should personally express your gratitude to the person. It is frowned upon to have a generic message typed onto the card with your signature. You can personalize the note by making a reference to both the person and the gift that they contributed. Do not let this stress you out! Simply write the note as if you were talking to the person face to face. The card does not have to be formal, but purely written from your heart. Often times a method that helps is to look at the gift while writing the thank you note.
Helpful tip: Feel free to sign the cards from both you and your spouse. Before the wedding, the bride should sign her name with her maiden name and after with her married name. The same rule should be applied when using any type of monogrammed stationary.
WHEN:
Although many dispute the proper timing of a thank you card, it is custom to have them written within three months of the wedding. In order to keep you on track with this deadline, do not wait until after the wedding to write all of the cards! In fact, all the notes for the gifts received during the showers and parties should be written and sent before you walk down the aisle. If you still have not finished writing all of your notes before the three months, do not give up! Even if the thank you cards are late, they're still important.
HOW TO:
You can hand write and personalize your entourage stack of thank you cards within three months by following these simple methods.
Create a master list: Although the number of thank you cards can seem overwhelming, it's easy if you stay organized. You can do this by creating a running list with the name of the person, the date, and a description of their gift or efforts. This will assist you in not forgetting anyone that describes your gratitude. When you have written and sent the card make sure to cross them off the list.
Write as many thank you cards as you can before the wedding: All gifts received during the pre-wedding parties and showers should be written before the wedding. Also, when you receive a shipped gift, write the thank you card right after you open it.
Divide and Conquer- Today, both brides and grooms are sharing the responsibility of writing all of the thank you cards. This will make the task a lot easier and enable each person to tailor the notes to the specific individual.
Create Goals: As a couple, set daily or weekly goals of how many thank you notes each of you will write. When all of the thank you are done and processed, take time to celebrate with a date night!
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Source by Dana Dunphy
