An Important Rule About Wedding Thank You Notes

Wedding etiquette can be tricky. With so many engaged couples foregoing old school wedding traditions and showcasing modern elements, classic wedding rules seem like a thing of the past. But there are some aspects of your wedding that still require a specific timeline — like those thank you cards for wedding gifts. How long do you have to write wedding thank you notes, you ask? If you do nothing else according to tradition, make sure at least your thank you cards go out in a timely fashion.

There are many different timelines you can follow for sending out thank you cards, but the most widely accepted period of time is three months after the honeymoon. And that's if you go on your honeymoon right after the wedding, rather than waiting and going on a honeymoon months later. Even though some say that you have a year to send thank you cards out, it's not always true. I mean, of course you could wait that long, but it's really too much time to merely thank someone for sending a gift. Also, for your own sanity, just get them signed and sent within the first three months to cut down on any extra clutter, because with all those shiny new gifts, your home will be overflowing as it is.

It's also worth noting that any gifts you receive before the wedding should have thank you cards sent out within two weeks of their arrival, according to The Knot. This is, of course, ambitious planning, because you'll have plenty to do before the wedding and most likely will not have time to add anything extra to your plate, but it'll also leave less for you to take care of after the honeymoon. By that time, your wedding brain will be 100 percent spent, so the less you have to get done, the better.

Just like any other wedding "rule," you are more than welcome to follow your own timeline. Things pop up, life happens, and you can't always hit your deadlines for certain tasks. But remember that your guests will be extremely pleased to receive those hand-written thank-yous for the gifts they gave you, and knowing that they feel appreciated will make you feel better too. And it'll allow you and your new spouse to enjoy those gifts even more. That's all that matters, right? Oh, and everlasting love, duh.

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