In the excitement of tearing the paper off your wedding presents, it is easy to forget that you will need to write wedding thank you cards for each of the gifts, and that you really have to keep track of who gave you what. A two week relaxing honeymoon is sure to make you forget which gift your great Aunt Enid gave you, so you need to get organised before the presents come flooding in.
Here are the answers to some common questions about sending wedding thank you cards:
Should we send wedding thank you cards for gifts received before the wedding?
This can be a trickier issue than you think, especially if you have had thank you cards printed with your married name on, or a monogram of your two initials. Traditionally you should send thank you cards for gifts received before the wedding within two weeks of receipt. If you do this you will need to have cards printed with your maiden name, or just use blank thank you notes and hand write them.
Some couples only send wedding thank you notes before the wedding if guests can’t make the big day. If the guests are going to be at the wedding, it might be better to send the card after the event so you can thank them for being there as well as for the gift.
How do we remember which gift is from which guest?
If you have a registry, the store you register with should keep a list of your gifts and the people that purchased them for you, which will make your task much easier. If you haven’t registered try to print off a list of your guests with their addresses shortly after you send out the wedding invitations. You can then use this list to write down gifts as you receive them. If you really don’t know what a particular guest bought you, you can just send a card thanking them for their lovely gift, but that could be awkward if they didn’t actually get you anything.
When should we send out our wedding thank you cards?
General etiquette dictates that you should send out your post wedding thank you cards within a month of returning from honeymoon. Most guests will understand if you leave it a little longer, however, especially if you are moving home or have a busy work schedule. Try to get the cards written within two months while you are still on a post wedding high, otherwise it will be a really difficult task.
Should we say what we’re doing with gifts of money?
It’s always good to write something specific about your gift. For example if a guest has bought you a picture frame you can say that it will be perfect for displaying your favourite wedding photo. The same applies to monetary gifts, but you should only mention if you are spending it on something positive such as home improvements, a holiday, or some gardening projects. Don’t tell guests if you are using their contributions to pay off your credit card bill for example.
Should we send wedding thank you cards to guests that didn’t bring a gift?
Your thank you cards aren’t just related to your presents, but are also intended to thank your guests for making the effort to attend your wedding. As well as giving their time to share your day, they may have spent money on an outfit, travel, or accommodation. Also their gift may have got lost in the post, or may be that one item you lost the gift tag for. Always send wedding thank you cards to guests that attended your wedding, and say how happy you both were that they could be there.
