Baby and Bridal Shower Thank You Cards Etiquette

Writing thank you cards after a wedding shower or baby shower might seem tedious and overwhelming, but it's essential for proper etiquette. Guests want to know their gift is appreciated and a handwritten thank you card accomplishes that. Even if you already thanked the gift giver at the shower for the present, it's still necessary to send a thank you card.

When do you send the shower thank you cards?
Send thank you cards no later than two weeks after a shower. This might seem overwhelming, especially if you had a large amount of people at your shower. Divide up the thank you cards in groups of three or five, writing one group of cards every few hours. Before you know it, you'll be finished.

What cards to use?
Chose thank you cards with a bridal or baby theme, depending on your event, making sure that the inside is blank. Most mass merchandisers, greeting card shops or even grocery stores sell thank you note cards for bridal or baby showers in multi-packs. Or, if you're feeling creative, create homemade cards. Never substitute a thank you email for a handwritten note. Even in this digital age, an email is not acceptable.

Who gets a thank you card?
Mail shower thank you cards to everyone who attended your shower, regardless if they gave you a gift. Send the hostess a special thank you card and gift as a token of your appreciation for hosting the shower. If your shower was held at a home other than your own or the hostess's, send a thank you gift and card to the home owner as well.

What do you write in the card?
Inside the card, write a personal note for each recipient, addressing the recipient by name and specifically mentioning the gift and how you plan to use it. Finally, thank the person for coming to your shower. For example, "Dear Gina, thank you for the recipe book. Mark and I look forward to trying out new recipes, especially the strawberry cheesecake. It looks delicious. Thanks again for coming to my bridal shower."

If you received a monetary gift, thank the giver for the money and state how it will be used. For example, "Dear Nancy, thank you for the gift of money. Having a newborn baby means there's always something to buy. It will be used for purchasing diapers and formula for Brianna. Thank you again for coming to my baby shower and sharing this special day with me."

Finally, a few warnings...
Before sealing each envelope, double-check that the gift you wrote about is indeed what the recipient gave. Nothing's more embarrassing than sending out a shower thank you card mentioning the wrong gift.

If you received duplicate items at your shower or you simply don't like the item, never mention that you're returning the gift. State that you appreciate the gift and say thank you.

If two weeks or more pass and you still haven't written your shower thank you cards, still plan on writing and sending them. It's better late than never.