Photo Credit: Flickr; sandy/ian
Though justified for being the center of attention at your wedding, you still can’t forget to express gratitude to everyone who has given you so much on your special day. Some brides enter in a “bridezilla” mentality and find themselves consumed by expectations of being showered with gifts while giving nothing in return. However, I can’t express enough the importance of showing those closest to you your appreciation for their generosity. A great way of giving your thanks would be to send out thank you cards to every gift giver, acknowledging their thoughtfulness. It is also advised to not limit the thank you cards to the people who gave you gifts, but also to every guest to attended to helped in your wedding.
What to Write
Traditionally, thank you cards should be hand-written. A fun DYI activity would be to learn calligraphy or fancy cursive writing and write the cards by hand yourself. This adds a personal and sentimental feel to the thank you card, which should be what you are attempting to achieve anyway. If you simply do not have the time or patience to write the cards out by hand, order pre-printed cards. The card should include a line or two referring to the gift given, then thanking them for it and for attending the wedding. If they were unable to attend, simply state that you are sorry they could not attend and thank them for the gift anyway.
Who Should Receive Them?
It is important to remember that you must send thank you notes for all gifts received, big or small, and even if you didn’t like the gift very much. Keep in mind that it’s the thought that counts.
In the case that you received monetary gifts, proper etiquette would be to send a thank you card but not mentioning the amount given. Instead, write on the card your thanks and how happy you are to use that money towards an item or purchase. For example, you could write how happy you are to use that money for your down payment on your new house.
Often times, a gift can be given by a group of people. If the group of people is less than 10, then the proper etiquette would be to send a thank you card to each person.
Don’t forget to thank the people who helped plan your wedding. This includes the your MOH, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and all parents or grandparents. It even includes a wedding planner, instrumental group, or anyone else who was involved.
When Should You Send Them?
Thank you cards should be sent out as soon as you receive the gift. This will help notify the sender that you indeed did receive the gift, and that it was not lost or stolen. Your timely manners on this issue will also show the giver your appreciate. For gifts brought to the wedding and not delivered to your home, send out thank you cards no later than 2 months after the wedding.
Thanking for Multiple Gifts
If you received more than one gift from someone such as one for your bridal shower and another for your wedding, then the right thing to do would be to send a thank you card for each gift. This will show how grateful you are for each gift given. At the end of the day, you want all of your guests to feel important and acknowledged for their thoughts.
