It is a given that your wedding will be a magical day for you and your new spouse. However, many couples are unprepared for the overwhelming feelings of love and happiness they experience not just from each other, but from being surrounded by so many of their closest friends and family on this day. While it is not always easy to put your feelings in writing, writing thank-you notes after your wedding is a wonderful opportunity not only to express gratitude for material gifts received, but to thank people for making your wedding a priority and for being an important part of your life. At Twisted Limb Paperworks, we've created invitations and thank-you notes for over 3,000 different events, most of them weddings. Here are some tips that we've compiled to make writing your wedding thank-you notes an enjoyable and meaningful experience for you:

• Purchase the same number of thank-you notes as invitations. Often people who cannot attend your wedding are still interested in honoring your day with a gift and you may receive more gifts than expected. It is also a nice gesture to send thank you notes to any vendors who went out of their way to make your wedding day special. Some guests may give you more than one gift if they attend both a shower and the wedding, so in these cases you will need double the notes. Having a different set of note cards for the shower and wedding is a nice touch, to differentiate the events for guests giving you two gifts. Even if you thanked guests in person, you should still send them a formal note.

• Consider the environment! Write your thank-you notes on cards made from 100% PCW recycled paper. Choosing paper that is also chlorine-free is even better.

• Create an area in your home that can act as a thank you note writing station. Place any gifts you receive by mail or in person before the big day in this designated area. Leave each gift packaged and in this area until the thank you note has been written as an added incentive to get it done. If your cards, pens, stamps, and invitation list are all in one place, it will be easier to do, and you will be more likely to do it!

• Make it an event. Put on your favorite music, pour a special cup of tea or wine, use beautiful handcrafted cards and pens, and enjoy the sensory and tactile experience.

• Use your invitation list to help you get organized. Your invitation list can double as a checklist to record each gift as it arrives and then as an address book when it's time to address your thank you notes!

• Give special attention to certain thank-you notes for your parents, siblings, closest friends, bridal party members, and anyone whose extra personal or financial support really made a difference. Write these more personal cards first before you run out of energy.

• Simplify your messages while still making them meaningful. By thinking of the note in terms of

one-sentence sections, you can avoid the tendency to ramble or run out of room.

o First greet the recipient by writing "Dear" and listing the names of all people in the family or group involved.

o Then express your thanks in a single sentence. There's no need to lie if you dislike a gift. If something is not to your taste, you should still show appreciation for the thought that went into selecting it for you by saying "Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

o Add a creative touch in the following sentence by describing how you will use the gift. Or refer to any special effort the person went to for you, such as traveling a long distance or giving a special toast.

o A concluding sentence can mention a past or future event where you last saw the recipient or where you hope to visit with them again. Consider using this line to tell guests who were unable to attend how sorry you were that they couldn't be there.

o Finally, say thank you one more time, and send your regards followed by both your name and your significant other's or family's depending on the situation.

• Share the joy! Remember that your partner is equally responsible for writing thank you notes, so divide your list up accordingly! Each of you can write the thank you notes to your own family members and friends, or each can write part of every note, one of you greeting and thanking for the gift, and the other expressing gratitude for the guest's presence on your special day.

• A late thank you note is better than no note at all, but be sure to finish them as soon as possible!

The proper etiquette is to send notes within two weeks for gifts received for a shower or before a wedding, and within one to two months for gifts received at or after the wedding. After a wonderful celebration or relaxing honeymoon, sitting down to a pile of thank you notes may seem a monumental task. This is one more reason to involve your partner in the process and to have your supplies ready before your event.

• Get your supplies together before your event. This will make time go quickly. Buy collectors' stamps with love themes or unique designs at the post office to add some flair. Stickers or seals are an easy way to avoid licking envelopes. If you are including a photograph with each note, try to have them printed before the event so they are ready to go as soon as you are. If you or a vendor is posting photographs online after the event, it is nice to share this information with your guests on a small printed paper insert or as a written line on the back of the thank you note.