Top Etiquette Tips for Writing Thank You Notes
Let's chat for just a minute about all the wonderful family and friends who are playing a role in your wedding celebration and marriage. You know who I'm talking about. All those wonderful people who threw an engagement party or bridal shower for you. And the lovely friends who were more than willing to come over on a whim with ice cream and wine when you were freaking out and needed a crew to help tie ribbon on favors. And then all the beautiful guests who will show up at your wedding, gifts in hand, to celebrate and love on you for an entire evening. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing, and you are so very lucky to have these folks in your life, right? Now let's chat about how to properly thank them. I know writing thank you notes is the last thing you want to do when you still have wedding planning to do or a honeymoon to pack for, or (and most importantly!) a sweet, kind spouse to share dinner and a bottle of bubbly with. But it is so important to properly thank those family and friends in your life who so lovingly are celebrating you as you begin this new chapter in your life!
Want to make sure your thanking them properly? Here are a few top etiquette tips for writing thank you notes to keep in mind:
Timing is key
Traditionally, you have a timeframe of one year to write thank you I notes for gifts. Thank about that, though. One year. That's a long time! You really should tend to thank you notes as soon as you possibly can. Not only does it show your loved ones how much you truly care about them, but it is also a task that is so easy to get off your plate with just a block of time one Sunday evening! Pop open a bottle of wine, order takeout, and spend the evening with your spouse reminiscing and writing those thank you notes!
Get personal
I know it's so easy to write a generic thank you note letting your sweet Aunt Gertrude you so appreciate the gift she gave you. But it's so much better to thank Aunt Gertrude very specifically by mentioning the exact turquoise stand mixer she got you and that you plan to use it right away to make your husband's very favorite lemon pound cake. For each thank you note, make sure to include the exact gift they gave you and, if possible, how you plan to use that gift.
Make a good impression
You didn't haphazardly pick out and address your wedding invitations, did you? So maybe that's a good sign that you shouldn't do that with your thank you cards! Choose or order your thank you cards with as much love and attention as you did your wedding invitations. They don't necessarily have to coordinate with the overall style of your actual wedding day, but they should be a reflection of you, and not the first thing you grabbed from the clearance bin at Target.
Include your spouse
Even if you write the thank you notes yourself, it would be so wonderful to have your spouse include his/her handwritten name at the end of the note with yours. This is such an easy task that makes a big impact! A quick note from both of you shows how truly grateful you are for your loved ones.
Now that you're armed with thank you note etiquette, it's time to get out those note cards, pens, and postage and get to writing!