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AFTER THE WEDDING

The cake has been eaten, the rice has been thrown, and you’re basking in newlywed bliss. However, just because the wedding is over does not mean all your duties are complete. You’ll have a new home to set up, gifts to unwrap, a new life to get settled into; make it easier on yourself by sending thank-you notes as you receive gifts, especially those that come before or after the wedding day itself. Waiting to write all your thank-you notes at one time can overwhelm even the most organized bride! 

WHEN SHOULD THANK YOU NOTES GO OUT?

Thank-you notes should be sent as soon as possible. If you wait too long, guests may assume a thank-you card will not be forthcoming, and may be offended. You should try to get all thank-you notes into the mail within three months of your wedding. 

 

If a guest brings a gift to a bridal shower or bachelor/bachelorette party, the thank-you card should go out before the wedding day arrives, provided the party doesn’t happen the week of the wedding. Not only is it polite to thank a guest before they potentially bring you another gift, but it will prevent stress by knocking out a lot of the writing before the big task of writing wedding-gift thank-yous. 

 

What should I include in my thank-you note?

A good thank-you note should consist of several sentences. You’ll want to thank the giver for their gift, and for sharing in your special day. If the guest played a special part in your wedding day, you’ll want to thank them for that as well.

 

Every person who sends a gift or card should receive a thank-you, as well as those who made efforts to make the day special for you.

 

To start your card, address the giver by name, and thank them for the gift.

Dear Aunt Charlene,

Thank you very much for the lovely gravy boat.

 

Next, if the item is a physical gift, you may indicate your pleasure at receiving the item, or some way in which you plan to use it:

I can’t wait to use it at our first Thanksgiving next month!

- or -

It is beautiful, and we will cherish it for years to come!

 

Monetary gifts or gift cards may require a slightly different approach:

Thank you for the gift card! We look forward to using it to buy curtains for our new apartment.

- or -

Thank you very much for the generous check. We plan to put it toward new towels for our master bath!

 

If the recipient participated in the wedding somehow, indicate so:

Thank you so much for doing the reading during the ceremony.
It was lovely and we appreciate you contributing to our wonderful day.

 

Next, thank them for their presence at your wedding, if they were able to make it:

We were thrilled to be able to celebrate with you at our wedding,
and we look forward to seeing you next month at Thanksgiving!

 

If the recipient was not able to make the wedding, but sent a gift, your last sentence will be slightly different:

We’re sorry we missed you at the wedding, but we look
forward to seeing you next month at Thanksgiving!

Sign off, and sign your name. Have your partner sign the card as well.

Sincerely,

Amy and Mark

 

When you and your new spouse are opening your gifts after the wedding, keep a little notepad next to you and jot down what each gift is and who the giver is. This way you know exactly who gave you what, and you can go ahead and begin using the gifts without getting confused about who gave it.  Keep the list until all of your thank-you cards have been sent. 

 

There was no gift, do I have to write a thank-you?

While you don’t have to write a thank-you card if a gift is not given, you may choose to write a personal note to every guest that attended your wedding, to thank them for choosing to join you for your wedding and to tell them how much their presence meant to you. At the very least, guests who had an active role in participating in your wedding.

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