How long do I have to send out thank-you notes?

Remember that in a modern wedding, the groom is equally responsible for writing thank-yous. Perhaps each person can write thanks for presents received from their personal friends and family. Also, you don’t have to write an essay to each person. Just write a simple thank-you with a sentence or two about when you plan to use the gift.

The proper etiquette is to send notes within two weeks for gifts received before the wedding, and within one month for gifts received after the wedding. But a late thank-you note is still better than no note at all.

The task of sending out thank-you notes can feel overwhelming.  A great tip for this task begins when you create your guest list.  With Bowl of Cherries Cash Gift Registry you can enter all your guests into your guest management.  This handy tool keeps track of all your guests, their address and the gift they contributed to.  You can use this tool for all your gifts, not just cash contributions.

There’s not need to reinvent the wheel!  Your friends won’t be comparing what you send them, so you can make the task go faster by writing similar notes.  Look at the sample thank you card wording by Nina Callaway for examples. You can feel free to copy!

A thank you card to a close friend or relative:

Dear Aunt Diane and Uncle John,
Thank you so much for the gorgeous lace tablecloth! It is beautiful and
we were both incredibly touched that you gave us this family heirloom. It was wonderful, as always, to see you at the wedding – I especially loved jitterbugging with Uncle John. I can’t wait to catch up on your news and tell you all about the honeymoon and newly married life.

With love,

Teresa Aguayo

A thank you card to someone you don’t know very well

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Wing,

Thank you for the beautiful vase that you sent Teresa and me as a wedding present. I know we will enjoy it for many years to come. It was wonderful to finally get to meet you at the wedding. We really appreciate that you were able to witness such a happy day for us and our families.

Sincerely yours,

Tim Aguayo

A thank you card when you’ve received cash or a gift certificate

Use the thank you card to tell the givers how you used it. For example:

Dear Tommy and Victoria,

Todd and I wanted to thank you greatly for the check you sent for a wedding gift. We are saving to buy a new car, and your gift will help us reach our goal. We can’t wait to take you for a spin around the neighborhood.

Best wishes,

Teresa Aguayo

A thank you card for an item off of your registry

Dear Jack,

I am writing to thank you for the place setting of china that you so kindly sent for a wedding gift. Tim and I now have a service for eight. I’m sure we’ll use it for years to come. Wedding china is such a thoughtful gift and an instant family heirloom.

Thanks again,

Teresa Aguayo

A thank you card for a donation to a charity

Dear Anna,

Thank you for your thoughtful wedding gift to the ASPCA in our names. As you know, this charity is very dear to both Todd and I; they do such wonderful work for all of the animals in our area, as well as across the country. We can’t imagine a more wonderful present than a donation to such a cause.

With best wishes,

Teresa Aguayo

A thank you card when you don’t like the gift

Dear Mrs. Goreham,

Thank you for the wedding present of the velvet painting of dogs playing poker. It is certainly a unique gift; you are always so thoughtful and generous. It was so nice of you to join us at our wedding, and Christine and I hope to see you soon.

With love,

Tim Aguayo

A thank you card for someone who sent a gift but wasn’t at the wedding

Dear Mr. Johnson,

Thank you so much for the gold-plated doodad you sent Teresa and me as a wedding gift. It was so thoughtful of you! I’m so sorry that you couldn’t attend the wedding – it was romantic and went just as planned. I’d love to get together soon so you can see the pictures!

Best,

Tim Aguayo

And, if you used a cash gift registry that allowed guests to chip in on a dream vacation, why not send the contributors a photo or two from your trip with a hand-written message of gratitude on the back? You can also post links to all of the photos and videos you’ve put together on the custom website you created for your wedding registry at Bowl of Cherries.

 

Read more wedding planning articles written by Nina Callaway at:

http://weddings.about.com/bio/Nina-Callaway-9601.htm