Wedding Gift Etiquette for the New Millennium
April 27, 2007
If you’ve just become engaged, you may be feeling not only overjoyed, but overwhelmed as well. While weddings are a cause for celebration, they can also be a reason for consternation. After all, there are a myriad of details to attend to: your dress, the bridesmaids’ dresses, the minister, the flowers, the reception hall, the wedding menu—the list can be virtually endless.
With all those wedding planning concerns swirling in your head, there may be the temptation to forget about the proper way to deal with wedding gifts. After all, don’t you have enough to contend with, without worrying about the proper method of receiving and acknowledging gifts?
What you may not realize is that there is a proper etiquette routine for handling the gifts you will receive for your wedding. And, even if you consider yourself a non-traditional bride, it’s important that you employ good etiquette when dealing with all the trappings of matrimony—including the wedding gifts. After all, etiquette is just common courtesy. By following the appropriate etiquette rules, you are extending kindness to your guests. You are making them feel as if they are special, and that their contribution to your wedding matters a great deal to you.
At the outset, you should be aware of the fact that you are likely to receive gifts before your wedding…on your wedding day…and even after your wedding. As a result, you may be wondering when would be the appropriate time to send out thank you notes. It would appear that you have two options before you: to send the note of acknowledgment when you receive the gift or to wait until you believe the last of the gifts have arrived and send the thank you notes out in bulk. But which option is preferable? Or does it really make a difference?
According to wedding manners experts, the appropriate time to send out wedding thank you notes is as soon as your gifts arrive. Unlike Christmas, when you have to wait until December 25 to open your presents, you are permitted—even encouraged—to open your wedding gifts right away—even if your future spouse isn’t present for the occasion. And, once you open a gift, the only polite thing to do is send a letter or card thanking the gift-giver.
There are numerous reasons why it is in your best interest to send out thank you notes for your presents right away. First and foremost, a thank you note tells the giver that your present has arrived safely. Wedding gifts are frequently sent straight from the store, so it’s important to let the giver know that you have actually received the present. In addition, when you make a commitment to send out thank you notes right away, there’s less of a chance that you’ll end up overlooking a particular gift. In addition, it’s a good idea to write the note when the memory of the gift is fresh in your mind. Chances are you’ll be more articulate after opening up a single gift than if you’ve opened up 50 at once.
Remember, sending a thank you note is the least you can do for someone who has just sent you a wedding gift. It lets them know that you are thinking about them and you appreciate their thoughtfulness.
Keywords: Wedding Gifts, Weddingblog, Wedding
Comments