It is proper etiquette to write a short note to each person to acknowledge and thank them for the gift.
One of the most difficult things for a new bride to handle is taking care of thank you notes. The last thing you feel like doing when you get home from your honeymoon is to sit down and write out thank you notes. Yet, thank you notes are important and cannot be overlooked. Your friends, guests, and well-wishers spent time and money choosing a gift for you and it is important that you acknowledge this effort. It is proper etiquette to write a short note to each person who gave you a gift to acknowledge and thank them for the gift. It is also proper to thank the person for attending the wedding or, if they were unable to attend, to tell them you missed them on your special day.
Get Organized
Getting organized is a difficult thing to do, especially if you have received a large number of gifts. It is necessary to create a list that is kept up-to-date with the gift, the name of the person who gave it to you, their address, and whether you have sent a thank you note yet. It is amazing how confusing even a small wedding can be. You’ll be getting gifts sent to you prior to the wedding and you’ll also be getting plenty of gifts on your wedding day. Make a notebook where you will list each of the gifts. You’ll also need to reference your wedding invitation list, where the addresses of all the guests will be found. One good option is to utilize a small plastic file storage container. Here you can keep all the information about the gifts, along with the thank you notes, in one convenient location.
Be Prepared
A good way to be prepared for writing your thank you notes is to purchase thank you cards at the same time that you purchase your wedding invitations. You can often get a good price on them when you place them in the same order and they will match your other stationary. Wherever you purchase them, be sure to get them well ahead of your wedding. As you begin receiving wedding gifts you can start to write the thank you notes for them. Keep the thank you notes in an organized box or file system so you can access them easily. Don’t actually send the thank-you notes until after the wedding. It is customary to send them after returning from your honeymoon.
Ask for Help
It’s a good idea to seek some assistance when it comes to organizing, preparing, and sending thank you notes. Your mother, sister, or close friend is a good option for getting some help in this department. While you should be writing the thank you notes yourself, you can get help in addressing envelopes and in organizing gifts. This is essential in staying ahead of the thank you note situation. Many a bride has caused herself a few sleepless nights and countless stress by procrastinating writing the thank you notes. Getting some help will give you the push you need in getting the thank you notes written and sent. It is essential to have your thank-you notes mailed out within several weeks after your wedding.