The purpose of a thank you card is to show someone that you appreciate what they did or gave you. If you are wondering whether you should send a thank you card, then you probably should. Ideally, thank you notes should be handwritten. Even though you can send an email, sending something on paper will show that you took the time to appreciate the recipient for their gift or service.
Thank You Card Guidelines
There are several things to consider when it comes to thank you card etiquette. Each thank you note message should have a meaning for the recipient. For organized people, having thank you cards on hand will come in useful since you do not have to keep running to the store anytime you want one.
- If you have several thank you notes to write; you need to ensure that everyone gets the right message. You can do this by having a record of what the person did or gave you so you can write the correct message.
It helps if you are specific about the reason you are thanking the person. It has more meaning to the recipient if you remember what the person gave you.
- You can send email thank you notes then follow up with a written one.
- Thank you notes are supposed to be short and direct. However, you can write a longer one if you have more to tell the recipient.
- Even if you did not like the gift, send a thank you note for the effort they took to bring them.
- You can tell the person what you will use their gift for.
After considering all these guidelines, you can finish the note with a personalized message and send it as soon as possible. As much as you dread sending thank you cards, you only have three months to send the cards. If you are sending wedding thank you cards, it is better to do them sooner when you still have fresh wedding memories. You can get away with sending a short thank you card within the first two weeks than if you delay for months.
If you received presents before the wedding day, you need to thank your guests who sent their gifts in advance. You can either send your thank you card before or after the wedding. However, it would be better to send them right away and reduce your writing load. The problem with this is that you will not be able to include a wedding picture with the card.
When To Order Wedding Thank You Cards
The best time to order your thank you cards is when you are getting your wedding invitations. For most wedding stationery providers, they often have an offer with a discount if you also order thank you cards.
When ordering thank you cards, use the number of couples and add 25% of the total for any errors.
If you are sending your guests pre-wedding thank you cards, you need to use your maiden name. If it is after the event, use your new name. If you are keeping your maiden name, use your first names since you do not want to look awkward having two full names.
Remember that wedding thank you cards are not only reserved for guests. They also apply for those who provided numerous services to make your big day a success. That includes your family too.
How To Write Thank You Cards
Writing thank you cards might seem like a laborious task. However, there is a guideline on how the cards should be written. No matter how much you want to say, ensure that the words ’thank you’ are in the card. It will be better for you if you mean it as it will make the task less of a chore.
You should make your cards personalized to each guest. If possible, tell them how you plan on using their gift, even if you did not like it. It will show the recipient that you appreciated the gift.
In the digital world, you might be thinking of emailing your thank you cards. This is not ideal. For most people, it is easy not to read an email, delete it or even send it to your spam folder. It is better just to send a written card.
Using a pen and paper makes the note carry more meaning compared to having printed cards. There are several types of cards you can get together with your wedding stationery.
It is not advisable to combine several types of thank you cards in one wedding thank you card. It is better to send thank you cards for every occasion and not mix them up. If your wedding was during the holidays, you could send a thank you card and holiday card in the same envelope.
How To Keep Everything Organized
It might seem like a lot of work, but sending thank you cards is easier than you think. To keep everything organized, you need to have all the addresses of the recipients. You can make your work easier by using the free address capturing service offered by wedding stationery companies. That way, you can keep track of those you want to send the cards to. Having a list will also help you keep track of those you have already sent thank you cards.
If you have a large number of people, you can enlist the help of your spouse or a family member so you can write the cards faster. The personalized note should come from you and your spouse.
If you have several messages to write, you can get envelopes with labels written in pretty fonts. The envelopes can also be in different colors. Stationery companies provide them with different fonts. You can also get peel and seal envelopes to avoid the hassle of licking all your envelopes.
After a successful wedding, your guests and even those who were unable to attend but sent their gifts early will expect to receive a thank you note. It is common courtesy to send thank you cards as an appreciation to those who helped make your day memorable.
