No, no, thank you!
By Never teh BrideI was happy to receive an absolutely gorgeous thank you note in the mail yesterday from an old friend of mine who also happens to be a future bride. The note included a few very specific words about how often the future bride and groom plan to use my gift – some sort of waffle thing – in the future and how they were sorry I couldn’t make the engagement party. There were also a few personal words from my friend to me.
The traditional thank you note, it seems, is almost a lost art. But the nearly extinct hand-written, personal wedding thank you note serves two distinct purposes. In writing it, the couple acknowledges their receipt of the gift. In receiving it, the giver feels they have not wasted their $49.95 and also has confirmation that said waffle…thing did not get lost in the post.
Mannersmith Monthly tells us that when writing such a note, sincerity is key.
If someone has gone to enough effort to give you a gift, you should properly thank him or her with a personal note…Unless your handwriting is horrific, I recommend handwritten notes for both personal and business thank you notes. There are many advantages to handwritten notes…The old adage is that if someone took the time to give you a gift, you should take the time to write the person a note.
So true. And now, in case you found this lecture on etiquette tedious, here is a photo of a wedding gown that apparently doubles as an accordion:
October 25th, 2005 at 2:04 pm
Hear, hear! I recently participated in a wedding as a maid of honor. Part of my duties included hosting a bridal shower for the bride, giving a bridal shower gift to the bride, and giving a wedding gift to the bride from my husband and I. My mom, being a life-long friend of the bride, assisted in hosting the bridal shower, went in with me on the bridal shower gift, gave her own gift to the bride at the wedding, and assisted in making sandwiches to feed the hungry attendants while pictures were being snapped. My husband also stepped forward at the last minute (literally, a day before the wedding) and because a groomsmen because the best man couldn’t make it. Aside from footing the bill for my dress, alterations, hair, and the bridal shower, and the gifts, we also had to foot the bill for my husband’s last minute tux rental.
The wedding was in June. We have not received a thank you note for anything. I know that technically the bride has up to a year to send out the notes, but she has not uttered one word about doing so. Boo, hiss.
October 30th, 2005 at 6:25 am
Agree wholeheartedly on the thank you notes. On the dress, I like the waist, it’s the sleeves that must go!