Thank You Notes - 6 Tips to Make Sending Thank Yous a Breeze

Yes, we all love to receive gifts, and weddings are a perfect occasion for gift-giving, as friends and loved ones customarily honor the commitment of the newly betrothed by showering them with wedding gifts. Of course, being on receiving end brings forth some etiquette questions for the bride and groom. As the happy couple, just remember to always feel privileged - not entitled. Approach thank-yous with as much thought and organization as the rest of your wedding planning.

Six tips to make sending your wedding thank yous a breeze:

• Send thank you notes to acknowledge everything from place settings to gifts of time or talent. Remember - a separate, handwritten note must be sent for each wedding present or act of kindness.
• Start sending wedding thank yous as gifts arrive, even if it is before your wedding (but make sure to use your maiden name).
• Thank you notes for gifts received before the wedding should go out within two weeks of their arrival. Besides the fact that it's good manners to respond promptly, there's practical reason for this wedding etiquette rule: Finishing them now reduces the number you'll have to write after the honeymoon.
• Gifts that you receive on or after the wedding day should be followed up with a thank you note no later than one month after you return from your honeymoon (now you can use your new last name). Now, aren't you glad that you handled the early arrivals!
• To ease the process, keep track of wedding gifts and thank-you cards on the same list of names and addresses used for your invitations.
• Personalize the thank-you cards by ordering them with your monogram or with a picture from your big day on the front.

This article offers even more tips on etiquette and thank you notes, and this complete guide to thank yous has even more advice and examples of thank you notes.