Yes, we all love to receive gifts, and weddings are a perfect
occasion for gift-giving, as friends and loved ones customarily honor the commitment of the newly betrothed by showering them
with wedding gifts. Of course, being on receiving end brings forth some etiquette questions for the bride and groom.
As the happy couple, just remember to always feel privileged - not entitled. Approach thank-yous with as much thought and
organization as the rest of your wedding planning.
Here
are some tips to make sending your wedding thank yous a breeze:
- Send thank you notes to acknowledge everything from place settings to gifts of
time or talent. Remember - a separate, handwritten note must be sent for each wedding present or act of kindness.
- Start sending wedding thank yous as gifts arrive, even if it is before your wedding
(but make sure to use your maiden name).
- Thank you notes
for gifts received before the wedding should go out within two weeks of their arrival. Besides the fact that it's
good manners to respond promptly, there's practical reason for this wedding etiquette rule: Finishing them now reduces
the number you'll have to write after the honeymoon.
- Gifts
that you receive on or after the wedding day should be followed up with a thank you note no later than one month after you
return from your honeymoon (now you can use your new last name). Now, aren't you glad that you handled the early arrivals!
- To ease the process, keep track of wedding gifts and thank-you
cards on the same list of names and addresses used for your invitations.
- Personalize the thank-you cards by ordering them with your monogram or with a picture from your big day on the front.
This complete guide
to wedding etiquette and thank you notes has even more tips and advice on wedding thank yous.
