Post-Wedding Etiquette: The Thank-You Notes Dos and Don’ts

Like any big party, a wedding requires some clean-up and the tying up of loose-ends. Sending out thank-you notes is one such loose end! While the task of writing personal notes to 100+ guests can appear daunting, which consequently may tempt you to put it off, these helpful etiquette tips should help make the process a little less painful!

DOs

• Get organized! Buy your thank-you cards early (have you seen the huge assortment of designs on Minted?) and set up a log based off of your invitations to help keep track of names, mailing addresses, and phone numbers.
• Personalize! Make specific references to the person who attended your wedding as well as the gift they sent you. After all, it’s quite difficult to appreciate a generic note. In this age of digital texting, emailing, and instant messaging, personal handwritten notes remain the golden standard and helps demonstrate the sincerity of the sender.
• Be heartfelt! You don’t need to write a lot, but you can squeeze in why you appreciate their attendance at your wedding (and their gift), why the gift holds personal meaning for you, and how you plan on using the gift. For cash gifts, you don’t need to mention the dollar amount, but it’s a nice touch to say how you plan on spending it.
• Send out your thank-you notes in a timely fashion! The general rule of thumb is to send out all of your thank-you notes no later than three months after your wedding.

DON’Ts

• Be too formal! Maintain your sincerity by sticking to a language that’s authentically you.
• Spell names wrong! Double-check the spelling of each guest’s name and address. It may be helpful to split the task with your significant other so you can get a fresh set of eyes to proofread.
• Indicate dissatisfaction! It doesn’t matter how much thought your guests put into your gift – each gift should be received with courtesy and appreciation, so no need to mention if you plan to return or exchange a gift.
• Send a digital thank you! Show your gratitude the old-fashioned way. It’s also best to avoid sending pre-printed messages with just your signature.
• Don’t use being late as an excuse not to write! The general rule of thumb is to send everything out by the third month post-wedding, but even if you’re still sending thank-you notes after your first anniversary, keep going! Better late than never, right?