Weddings are largely run on rules of etiquette and tradition. One of the oldest and most widely followed traditions is the sending of thank you cards. If someone gives you a gift it is expected that you will acknowledge them with a thank you card expressing your sincere gratitude for their kindness. Whether you actually like the present or not doesn’t really matter, you still have to send the card because it’s a matter of etiquette and of being polite. These are some other things you should realize about the thank you card process so you don’t end up offending anyone by mistake.

Timing is key

Thank you cards should be sent out as soon as possible. Traditional etiquette says you have up to one year to send them out but most people expect a thank you card within two months of the wedding. If you wait longer some people may think you’re ungrateful. Yes, they can be a pain to write at times but it must be done and the sooner the better. Guests will appreciate your prompt response and know that you really do feel grateful for the gifts.

Use nice note cards

Don’t go cheap on your thank you cards. Use actual thank you cards for starters. Some people try to get away with one sheet notes, blank cardstock or even lined paper. Make sure you use actual thank you cards to show your guests you care about what they think and want to show them some sort of class in your gift receipt etiquette.

State the specific gift

In your note make sure you state exactly what the gift was that you received versus just saying “thank you for the present.” This is where proper management of your gift opening list comes into play.

Acknowledge their presence or absence

If they attended your wedding acknowledge that and state that it was nice to see them and you hope they enjoyed themselves. If they didn’t attend the wedding then tell them you missed the fact they weren’t there but appreciate the gift.

How to accept money

If you are given money or a gift card then tell the person how you intend to use it. Whether it’s saving up for a large item or purchasing some linens, if you have an idea of how it will be used then let them know, it’s nice to know where their money is going.

Include a special item

Put some photos from the wedding in the thank you card. If you have photos with them in it then include these. Or if they couldn’t make it to the wedding insert the program or other special materials so they still feel included.

Save the dates invitations are great ideas to send out if you’re planning a destination wedding or a wedding during a popular time of year such as summer or the holidays. This way people can plan their vacations and events around your wedding or save to make the trip to your destination. While you can send out an ordinary card saying “save the date” and the date of your wedded bliss there are a lot of more creative, festive and fun ways to get the same point across, here’s some ideas.

Magnets
Magnets are perfect because people can stick them to their fridge and have a constant reminder of the date whereas other items may simply be put in a drawer and forgotten about thus largely defeating the purpose of the save the date in the first place. These magnets can have a photo of the happy couple or just the information printed on it. Lots of online printers make these relatively inexpensively. You can even make them yourselves if you’re crafty and have a few spare hours.

Message in a bottle
An inventive and fun idea if you’re having a beach wedding or exotic destination wedding. Send out a “message in a bottle.” Guests will love receiving a long lost message from you. Print out your save the date message on a small piece of paper or write them out by hand in Old English style writing with an ink calligraphy pen then roll the paper like a scroll and place in an empty bottle. You’ll have to check with your postal service about how to send these out. Some companies online take care of this complete service for you if you’d rather leave it up to someone else.

Postcards
Make a postcard inviting everyone to save the date for your big day. If you’re planning a destination wedding send postcards out from the city of the wedding giving guests a look at the scenery and a moment to daydream about taking a vacation getaway to see you say “I do.” Postcards are simple and inexpensive.

Photo booth pictures
Have some real fun and take a strip of photo booth pictures with each one having you hold a different sign that reads “save the date” and the date of your wedding.