When it comes to thank you cards, you should be prepared to send them within three months of your ceremony. If you can get them done sooner, that’s even better because the guests and gifts will still be fresh in your mind as you prepare the Thank You cards.

The best way to make sure that you don’t get Thank You cards mixed up is to have a friend or family member to greet your guests as they arrive at the reception. This individual will be able to keep an eye out for loose cards or even those few packages without any cards at all. The only way that you will know who to send Thank You cards to is by knowing which gift they presented. To that end, your greeter should have some tape nearby so that they can secure any loose cards and/or tags on each package.

Another effective way of keeping up with the proper information needed to prepare Thank You cards is to ask one individual to take notes as each gift is opened. It is best to request that they write the name of the gift and who gave it, which will help greatly when you begin preparing your Thank You cards later on. You will want to make a copy of this list immediately or enter it into your computer for easy storage.

Once all of the gifts are opened and the honeymoon is over, it’s time to prepare the Thank You cards. Always make sure that each card features a handwritten, personal response. The cards can be written by either the bride or groom, but must express thanks from both. Don’t forget to send Thank You cards to all of those who helped in the preparation of your wedding, including those who helped to arrange the bridal shower, engagement parties, etc. Additionally, always be sure to include your new mailing address on the outside of the envelope as this will allow each recipient to have an up-to-date address. Thank You cards should not be reserved for those who provided gifts, but for those who contributed their time, effort and ideas into making your day a memorable one.

For those long distance gifts that arrive by mail or other delivery, be sure to send Thank You cards right away. Even if it is prior to the actual wedding, sending these cards early will confirm to the sender that you have received their gift.