Thank you note timing

Knottie1455833346

I'm getting married in February, and we recently sent out our save the dates and posted the beginnings of our registry on our website. We have already received one gift, and anticipate that many of our guests will send us gifts prior to the wedding rather than very close to the date.
How does this work in terms of timing for thank you notes? We were thinking of getting cards with our engagement photos printed and using those since we obviously don't have wedding photos yet. Should we be sending thank you notes prior to the wedding for those gifts we get way in advance, or wait months after receiving the gifts to send anything?
Thanks!

SP29

Send a thank you note as soon as you receive the gift.

Open the gift and make sure it is intact. But you should not use the gift until after you wedding, as should you have to cancel your wedding for any reason, you should return the gift.

The TY note does not require a photo of any sort. Let those who sent you a gift know you received it- don't make them wait months so that you can get a photo TY note printed (I'm not against a TY with a wedding photo, I actually like them, but the priority really should be thanking the sender promptly and personally).

ei34

Write thank you notes as soon as you receive gifts.  H and I received lots of gifts during our engagement, from people who went on to give us cash gifts at our wedding.  The gift-giver may have given you the gift as an engagement thing, so definitely don't wait until your wedding to write a thank you. 

OurWildKingdom

Send thank you notes as soon as you receive gifts. Thank-you notes should be handwritten, not pre-printed.

Knottie1455833346

Thanks. Do people typically send thank yous after the wedding too for attending? Most of the weddings I've gone to recently, have gotten my thank you cards post-wedding with wedding photos on them.

justsie

Knottie1455833346 said:

Thanks. Do people typically send thank yous after the wedding too for attending? Most of the weddings I've gone to recently, have gotten my thank you cards post-wedding with wedding photos on them.

Not typically, the reception is the "thank you" for attending the ceremony. If you would like to send everyone a card with a picture of you and your hew spouse though I think that would be nice. 

AddieCake

You do not need to send thank yous to people just for attending your wedding, much like you wouldn't send them thank yous for attending any other party you throw.

ILoveBeachMusic

Totally agree with PPs. Write thank you notes ASAP and don't wait until after the wedding. If you want to send cards after the wedding with a picture, why don't you do a holiday card? 

DrillSergeantCat

ILoveBeachMusic said:

Totally agree with PPs. Write thank you notes ASAP and don't wait until after the wedding. If you want to send cards after the wedding with a picture, why don't you do a holiday card? 

Or wedding announcement? Is that a thing?

southernbelle0915

DrillSergeantCat said:

ILoveBeachMusic said:

Totally agree with PPs. Write thank you notes ASAP and don't wait until after the wedding. If you want to send cards after the wedding with a picture, why don't you do a holiday card? 

Or wedding announcement? Is that a thing?

Yes, a wedding announcement is a thing. Usually people send them out for elopements or DWs with super small guest lists though. It's not typical to send one if you had a big wedding since the people you'd want to "announce" to were likely already on your guest list.

ILoveBeachMusic

southernbelle0915 said:

DrillSergeantCat said:

ILoveBeachMusic said:

Totally agree with PPs. Write thank you notes ASAP and don't wait until after the wedding. If you want to send cards after the wedding with a picture, why don't you do a holiday card? 

Or wedding announcement? Is that a thing?

Yes, a wedding announcement is a thing. Usually people send them out for elopements or DWs with super small guest lists though. It's not typical to send one if you had a big wedding since the people you'd want to "announce" to were likely already on your guest list.

You wouldn't send a wedding announcement to people who attended the wedding. You could send announcements to people who weren't invited, but it seems gift grabby to me if you had a decent sized (not immediate family/close friends) wedding. Announcements are usually sent in the case of eloping or a very small wedding.

DrillSergeantCat

@southernbelle0915 & @ILoveBeachMusic that makes sense. I guess, really, nobody other than a select few want wedding pictures of you anyway.