Thank You Notes - So Important!

Thank You notes.  I can hear a collective groan from all the brides out there.  Yep, they are a pain.  But they are definitely necessary!

If it's important to mail an invitation to a guest, then it is twice as important to send them a hand-written, sincere thank you note by mail.  When you don't send thank you notes in a timely manner, folks get upset.  And with good reason.

Let's look at a wedding from a guest's perspective:
First, as your wedding guest, I take valuable time out of a weekend day to attend your wedding.  I've taken the time to dress nicely, shop for a gift and a card.  I've taken the time to wrap the gift.  I show up to the wedding early.  I go to the reception, and wait for you to arrive.  I have a great time at the reception, enjoy the food, music and company.  I get home too late to really get any chores or errands finished.  And I live in your city - it's much more than that for out-of-town guests.

The cost of attending a wedding is mostly the cost of a gift.  This does not include clothing or fuel.  Of course, the cost goes way up if a guest travels from out of town - then you can add in lodging, food and other travel expenses.  Destination weddings require most (if not all) of the guests to incur travel expenses.

In light of all that, it's easy to see why guests get upset if they haven't recieved a thank you note from the bride and groom!  Often, out-of-towners send gifts through the mail, and they don't know if the bride received them if they don't get a note.  Most of the time, the bride and groom often open the gifts after the wedding, and the guests wonder if their gift made it that far.  When a guest gives cash as a gift, they also wonder if that card got lost or misplaced.

So, brides out there, here are a few guidlines for thank you notes:
1.  They MUST be handwritten and sent in the mail by the postal service.  Do NOT send an e-mail, or worse yet, a text.  Spend the money for stamps - it's important.
2.  They MUST include a mention of the actual gift and how you intend to use it.  For example, "Thank you so much for the blanket.  I love the color and it will sure keep us warm on those cold winter nights!"
3.  They MUST be mailed within TWO months of the wedding. 
4.  Send thank-you notes as soon as you recieve a gift before your wedding.  Once you send invitations, gifts often start arriving in the mail.  Getting those notes out promptly saves you from forgetting someone later, and also lets the folks who sent them know that you received the gift and appreciate it.
5.  Order your thank you notes when you order your invitations.  That way, you'll have them when you need them.
6.  Be grateful for every single gift, even if you hate it or don't know what it is!  Someone important enough to be invited to your wedding took their time to choose it because they care about you and your groom.  Who cares if you find it horrible?  You don't have to display every gift. 

So remember:  a bride with class and grace who is a wise woman will make sure her thank you notes are a fabulous as her wedding and her gown!