Thank You Notes

I'm happy to report that all of our 100+ thank you notes are finished! Mr. Bliss and I spent several Sunday afternoons working through our list and writing them.

While choosing the design of our thank you notes, I found inspiration in an unlikely place - our toasting flutes.


Belle Boulevard toasting flutes by kate spade.

The flutes were a gift from a bridesmaid and I just loved the design. As I was going through Crane's new wedding collections I discovered that kate spade had just introduced a new Belle Boulevard wedding suite. The correspondence cards in yellow were just right for our thank you notes.


kate spade for Crane & Co. Belle Boulevard correspondence cards.

Now what exactly were we to write in those pretty cards? According to Crane's Wedding Blue Book, there's a simple formula for a thank you note:

- Greet the giver.
- Express your thanks.
- Say something nice about the gift and how you will use it.
- Mention the past, allude to the future.
- Repeat your thanks.

Here's an example:

Dear Aunt Kay and Uncle Joe,

Thank you so much for lovely crystal cake plate. I'm looking forward to baking now that we have such a beautiful piece to display the goodies!

It was wonderful, as always, to see you both at the wedding. I especially enjoyed dancing to the oldies with Uncle Joe. We are looking forward to seeing you at Thanksgiving and telling you all about our adventures in Hawaii!

Thanks again for your generosity.

With love,

Mr. and Mrs. Bliss

Lessons in Calligraphy: Part III

So here is my last post on calligraphy, then we can get on to the invitations!

If you are working with a calligrapher, you'll be sending her your invitation list as well as your box of envelopes (be sure to include extras!). Do not underestimate the time it will take to get this list together! You'll think, "I already have my guest list, it's been made for months." However, in addition to names and addresses, you will need formal titles as well direction for the inner envelopes (if you are having them) for the calligrapher. It is best to be as specific as possible.

I consulted the Blue Book for most of my questions. There is also great information to be found here.

Here are the rules that I used the most when making my list...

Married Couple
Outside Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Cruise
Inside Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. Cruise
With Children Under the Age of 18 (if you are inviting children)

Mr. and Mrs. Cruise
Suri

Unmarried Couple Living Together
Outside Envelope

Ms. Angelina Jolie
Mr. Brad Pitt
Inside Envelope

Ms. Jolie
Mr. Pitt

Single Person Invited with a Guest
Outside Envelope

Ms. Cameron Diaz
Inside Envelope

Ms. Diaz and Guest

You will run into all sorts of situations when you making your list, whether it be addressing a doctor, a judge or a married woman who has kept her maiden name. I recommend having a reference book on hand and a lot of patience!

Please Save the Date (and tell your significant other to save it too)

I am in the process of working on my save-the-dates, which I absolutely cannot wait to blog about. They are whimsical and fun and will hopefully set the tone for a wonderful weekend. As soon as I receive the final file, I promise that you’ll see them!

In the meantime, Mr. Bliss and I are trying to figure out Save the Date etiquette. Our immediate guest list of family and friends is settled and we know which friends will be receiving the “plus one” invitation. For our friends currently dating someone seriously, we have made an effort to include the significant other’s full name on “the list.” I can tell you, when you’ve been in a relationship for years, it is really annoying to receive an invitation to the wedding of someone you’ve spent time with and be referred to as “guest!”

The issue for us is how to address our friends who are simply dating. In most cases, we would like to extend the option for them to invite a guest – we just don’t know who exactly it may be. Typically, the ”bring a guest” option is on the inner envelope of the invitation. However, I’m a planner by nature – and if I were planning to attend a wedding on a holiday weekend in the summer, and my destination was far from home, I would like to know if I’d be travelling alone or with a companion. Should we address our save-the-dates to Mr. Nice Guy and Guest? Or just spread the word by phone that a guest is welcome? What are you doing?