After the cake has been eaten, the champagne has been toasted and the guests have gone home, there’s still one significant task left to do and it’s arguably the most difficult.  I’m talking about sending the ‘Thank You’ cards.  It’s non-optional and it’s not a sexy job – just ask any bride or hostess who has endured it.  Hopefully the following tips (and a bottle of wine) will help simplify the process a little.

• BLANK IS BEST.  Customized messages are the best messages.  Make the most of a ‘beautifully monogrammed on the outside but blank on the inside’ card to create a meaningful and heartfelt message of thanks.
• SHORT AND SWEET. Remember, this task involves writing, and addressing, dozens upon dozens of personalized messages.  If ever there was a word of advice I could give, it would be to “K.I.S.S”  – Keep It Simple Sweetheart.  You don’t have to write a book to get your point across so keep your thank you cards sweet and to the point. If you’re writing a short novel for each one you’ll have carpal tunnel syndrome before you finish the first fifteen.
• SIGN WITH THE TIMES.  There’s a good chance that you’ll receive gifts from the moment you announce your engagement until well after you’ve said your “I Do’s” – a note of ‘thanks’ should be sent for every single one.  Wedding gifts that arrive before your wedding date should be acknowledged immediately while thank you’s for any gifts received during or after the wedding should be sent within two weeks after returning from the honeymoon.  When signing off on your cards keep in mind that notes sent prior to the wedding date should be worded to include both the first and last names of the couple (ex. Mr. Christopher Michael Jones and Ms. Anne Davis). Thank you cards sent after the wedding can use the couple’s married (ex. Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Michael Jones).

If you’re finding yourself with a case of writer’s block, try to apply this method to the process:

• Mention your spouse’s name
• Mention the gift
• Tell them what you enjoy about their gift or briefly say how you will use the gift

We want to hear from our readers:  Do you have more tips and tricks for sending thank you cards or getting over writer’s block? Leave a comment below.

Check out these related SocialBFly posts:

• A Guide to Your Wedding Stationery