While many believe that the stresses of wedding planning end after the wedding itself is over, that is far from the truth. The reality is that once your big day has passed, and you’ve said “I do”, there are still a lot of things to think about.
For example, you need to start thinking about when to send out wedding ‘thank you’ notes. This can be a tricky one because it depends on what type of wedding you had.
If you had a relatively small wedding, then sending out individual thank you cards may not be too bad, but if you had a big celebration with over 200 guests, then the thought of individual thank you cards may be overwhelming.
This article will be going over some tips on how and when you should send your wedding thank you cards.
Be Timely
The first thing to consider when sending wedding ‘thank you’ cards is timing. You want to make sure that you don’t forget to send them out at all.
Not sending any kind of thank you can come off as insensitive to some of the guests who took a lot of time and effort to celebrate with you.
The general rule of thumb is that ‘thank you’ cards should be sent out within three months of the wedding. When sorting this out, it is important for the couple to share the responsibility, and split the work between them.
Below are a few ways you can ensure you are sending them out in time.
Be Organized
While the thought of handwritten personal ‘thank you’ cards to each individual who attended your wedding sounds daunting, being organized can really help in this situation.
There are a few ways to stay organized with this. If you are sending out written ‘thank you’ cards, the first thing you need to do is make sure you have ordered them with plenty of time.
This is because some family members or friends may give you their wedding gifts before the big day, which is a bonus for you! This means, as you receive these gifts, you can write their ‘thank you’ note, and they are crossed off the list!
This also enables you to keep track of what gifts individuals are giving you, so you can make your notes personal.
Another method that can save you a lot of time is grouping cards together. For example, if there were couples in attendance at your wedding, you can write one ‘thank you’ note that is addressed to both of them.
The same goes for families. If a family of four attended your wedding, then you can send one addressing the whole family, rather than addressing one to each person.
If you have a few days between the wedding and the honeymoon, then this is the perfect time to have all of these ‘thank you’ notes sorted. This means you can jet off on your glorious honeymoon without this still lingering on your to-do list.
Alternative To Hand-Written Thank You Cards
While the above tips are all well and good, if you have decided to have a big white wedding, this could mean there were hundreds of people in attendance. For weddings of over 150 guests, you might consider sending them an online thank-you note.
In this case, you would still want to include a personalized card for each guest, but you wouldn’t need to handwrite them. Instead, you can use a template that you can find online.
If you decide to go down this route, remember to double-check that you haven’t missed anyone out. It is very easy to miss someone out by accident, especially if you are sending out numerous cards.
Another alternative to this is to send out one general thank you note that gets sent to every guest that was in attendance.
However, this is only advised if there were many people in attendance. If you choose to use this method, then you are advised to spend quite a bit of time on this note.
While you won’t be mentioning every individual, you should mention those who assisted you, such as your bridesmaids, groomsmen, organizers, parents, etc.
You should also add a general message to everyone thanking them for their gifts, and for celebrating your special day with you.
Don’t Forget The Kids
While it is easy to only think of the adults who attended your wedding, it is important to remember the children who were also there, if any.
Unless you have specifically stated otherwise, children usually get invited to weddings through their parents, so you can expect to see them at yours too. Including them in your “thank you” note is polite and kind, and will resonate with their parents who took them there.
So, while you are writing your “thank you” notes, take into account that not everyone attending your wedding was an adult. Make sure you address your thank-yous appropriately.
Be Personal
While this is harder to do with one generic online ‘thank you’ note, it is crucial that you are personal in your individual notes.
If that person gave you a gift, be sure to mention that gift and tell that person how much you and your partner love it. If they helped you with any of the organizing, it is important that you highlight this, and explain how thankful and appreciative you are.
If they were just a regular guest, then take the time to thank them for attending, and for celebrating this day with you and your partner.
It is always nice to include some photos from the wedding too. This shows that you really did enjoy yourself and appreciate what they did for you, and acts as a lovely reminder of the day.
This is extremely important when giving thanks to older relatives or friends. These people often put a lot of effort into planning these events, and it is important to show them that you value their help.
Final Thoughts
The way in which you send out your ‘thank you’ wedding notes will depend on the kind of celebration you had. If you had a very large wedding, then a general “Thank You” note will be acceptable as long as you still take the time to express your thanks and appreciation.
However, although individual notes are time-consuming, the appreciation felt by those receiving them is worth it.
While it is rare for guests to complain about not receiving a thank you note, the traditional rule of thumb is you should send them out within three months of the big day.
