4 Tips for Being a Thankful Bride-to-Be

The one thing my fiancé and I would both agree on is how generous our family and friends are. We certainly knew this before our engagement but are ever so aware of it now. Any bride will tell you that getting engaged sets off a flurry of calls, snail-mail cards, parties and drinks, and of course, very generous gifts. Having been on the other side of the gift-giving, I knew just how important properly thanking everyone really is—with a hand-written note that is! Read on for several tips for sending thank you cards that will make the task as easy as saying "I do."

Find Stationery You Love An old co-worker told me the second thing to do when I got engaged was buy a ton of thank you cards. She couldn't have been more right—we used up the whole pack in only a few short weeks. However, this beautiful stationery from May Designs can be completely customized with your soon-to-be initials, upcoming wedding date, or a nod to your bride-to-be status. Having something gorgeous to write on makes the process of sitting down and sending the notes even more enjoyable.

Keep Everything Organized Each time my fiancé and I have received a gift, we've logged it in a spreadsheet noting if the thank you card was sent. It's easy to forget whether or not we've written them out and this system has kept us on track. We've also made it our personal mission to get every thank you card out within one week of receiving the gift—because no one appreciates a late thank you card. Did you forget? That's ok! Better late than never...

Write from the Heart Ever gotten a very generically written thank you card and wondered if it was copy and pasted? Me too. With that in mind, I always try to write from the heart and let the reader know just how much their gift meant. If it was champagne flutes, I let them know how excited we are to celebrate with them. If it's something as simple as a bottle of wine, I compliment the gifter on their choice of selecting one of our favorite bottles. Thinking for an extra second or two about what you're going to say will really make all of the difference to the reader.

Stamps in Advance There's nothing worse than having a pile of thank you cards on your desk and no stamps to get them out the door. I make a trip to our post office every few weeks and stock up on booklets of stamps—better safe than sorry. Knowing the stamps are always in the drawer makes sending notes out a breeze. And literally, no excuses. Style Me Pretty Contributor - Briana Charlotte is a freelance writer residing in Brooklyn, New York. When she isn't writing about all things bridal, she can be found on the dance floor at a wedding or bachelorette party or finally learning how to dance for her own upcoming nuptials.