Always Say Thank You

So Monday is here again and I find the best way to feel good about the week ahead of me is to start the week off with a high level of productivity. In your case, that would mean squeezing some serious wedding planning in.  But if the showers and engagement parties are already starting, today would be a great day to start writing those Thank You notes.

                Fretting over the type of stationary to use is a waste of valuable energy and time. Find a simple and classy style that suits your budget and get to writing. What to write?  It is simple, follow these guidelines and it will make writing those notes a snap:

1. Greeting - e.g. ‘Dear Aunt Bev,’

2. Gift and Use – e.g. ‘Thank you for the blender.  I cannot wait to make smoothies with it!’

3. Mention the past, allude to the future – ‘I have told my fiancé all the stories about summers at the lake house with you and Uncle Jack, and he cannot wait to visit too!’

 4. Grace – e.g. ‘Yours Affectionately’ or ‘Your Niece’ or just a simple ‘Love’

5. regards – e.g. ‘Casey and Dan’

So make it short and sweet, but emphasize the sweet. Remember, these people care about you and are excited for your marriage, and they have shown that by giving you a gift. So say a little more than just ‘thank you for the toaster’. It can be simple and short, but it should key in on your relationship to the person. Trust me, they will remember and appreciate the gesture. 

But however and whatever you write, the key for a busy bride-to-be is to write them NOW.  Do not wait until after the wedding. Etiquette says you have a year, but the further you get into a year, the harder it is to write them. This is something I know firsthand……sorry, Cousin Beth. It is in the mail, I promise!....But seriously, if you write them immediately after an event, that allows you to break them down into groups. So by the time you are leaving for your Honeymoon, you will only have a small stack waiting for you when you get back. And that is something to be thankful for.