It’s all over. But is it? After the last toast has been drunk and the last dance danced, after the last guest has departed, after the honeymoon is finally over and life is returning to normal, it’s time to sit down with the – hopefully – complete list of gifts and send out thank you notes.
This can be a daunting task but you can make it easier on yourself. Here are some ideas for creative ways to handle this necessary task.
Create a little workbox with thank you cards, a good pen and the invitation address list. That way everything is to hand in one place and you can write a few cards whenever you have a few minutes free.
Many couples use a spreadsheet program on the computer to organize their invitations. Why not add an extra column for the gift and fill it in as each gift arrives? Or use a small notebook that’s kept in one place all the time (near the gifts) to jot each one down as it’s opened.
Many gifts arrive well before the wedding. Write notes for those as soon as they arrive and keep them in your thank you box. Send them along with the rest after the wedding, but breaking the job into small bites will make it easier.
Depending on how many guests you have to thank, plan to write at least 10 cards a day and start as soon as you return from your honeymoon. Thank you notes MUST be handwritten and should contain personal phrases which impart their importance to the celebration: “It was so lovely to dance with you at the wedding,” or “We were delighted that you made the effort to come so many miles to share our special day.”
If they weren’t at the wedding, but sent a gift, thanks for this should also provide a personal link. Look at the following two phrases: “Thank you for the beautiful vase you gave us; we love it.” Or “The beautiful vase you gave us will be used to hold many bouquets of flowers in the years to come. Thank you for your thoughtful gift.” Which would you rather receive?
For those who couldn’t be there, add a line telling them their presence was missed, a little about the celebration and why it was special.
Find ways to personalize the gift. Even a multiple gift like a place setting can be special: “You have made it possible for us to complete our dream dinner service; your kindness will be appreciated for many years.”
Why not add a special touch to your thank you? Assign someone to snap pictures of guests as they arrive at the reception. After the wedding, print off and sign each photo, and add your wedding date. Add these to your thank you cards as an extra special memento.
Here’s the most unusual idea of all. Did you know that Canada Post will make real, negotiable stamps from your wedding photograph? What a great – and really unique – way to stamp all your thank you notes. Check at their website at  HYPERLINK "http://www.canadapost.ca" www.canadapost.ca and click on the link for picture postage.