The cake has been frozen, the dress has been preserved, and the gifts have been unwrapped and organized. But your wedding duties aren’t over just yet.
When guests generously give gifts, after potentially having to travel to your wedding, it’s important to show your gratitude. Here are some tips to remember.
Do: Make each note personal. Does it take a lot of time? Yes. But throwing in at least one personalized line about the gift they gave you will take your thank you card from run-of-the-mill-obligation to an actual demonstration of gratitude.
Think: Thank you so much for celebrating our new chapter with us. It was an honor to have you there. We can’t wait to put that waffle maker to good use some Saturday morning soon!
Another option is to include a line about a particularly endearing wedding memory. For instance: Thank you for helping us celebrate our big day. It was a joy to have you there. The photos of you leading the Conga line are priceless!
Don’t: Wait too long! The absolute latest your cards should go out is 12 weeks after your wedding. If you plan to use a photo from your wedding, this might mean ordering thank you cards only a day or two after receiving your pictures.
Do: Include your new partner. Divide and conquer the list — it’ll keep your brain from frying and help friends and family members see you as a unit.
Don’t: Overthink it. Thank you cards don’t need to be short novels. Keep it to around four sentences— you don’t need to write a lengthy letter expressing how much everyone means to you. They already know they’re important to you; you invited them to your wedding!
Do: Use your best handwriting. Yes, your hand might cramp after writing that many notes, but try and treat each note as if it’s the only one you’re writing that day. Some brides even write one thank you note a day. By the end of the allotted 12 weeks, you’ve probably got most of your notes taken care of.
Don’t: Forget to send cards to those who simply gave you cash. Sometimes receiving money can be the best gift of all–you can spend it however you wish! Let the giver know how you’ll be spending it, whether it’s on a couples massage during your honeymoon or a brand new coffee maker.
Style Me Pretty Contributor – Claire Swinarski is a writer and podcaster based in Wisconsin. When she isn’t writing, she can be found obsessing over football, eating a burrito bowl, or hanging out with her husband and son.