*This is a work of nonfiction based on actual events I experienced firsthand; drafted in part with AI and used with permission.
I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to get married. My husband-to-be and I were barely adults. We were both in our late teens. We had lousy jobs. We had no money. We couldn't afford fancy wedding invitations.
In lieu of expensive wedding invitations, I bought packages of cheap invitations from the local discount department store. You know the kind with a generic message and spaces for you to fill in the time, date, and nature of your event. It was like something you'd send out to invite people to a family barbecue; it was also my wedding invitation.
After handwriting all those invitations, laboriously printing the names and addresses of our invited guests, licking the envelopes, and applying the stamps, I never wanted to see another piece of stationary again.
That's why I was horrified when my mother-in-law reminded me to send out thank-you notes after the wedding.
Writing out thank you notes after my wedding would have demonstrated my appreciation for the presence and generosity of our guests. By taking the time and effort to handwrite these notes, it would have shown them that their attendance and contributions were truly valued.
Thank you notes would have also allowed me to express gratitude for any specific gifts we received, highlighting our appreciation for their thoughtfulness and personal touch. This personalized approach would have made our guests feel even more special and acknowledged.
Furthermore, writing out thank you notes would have provided an opportunity to reflect on our wedding day and the happy memories shared with each guest. The act of putting thoughts and emotions into words would have allowed us to relive those special moments and reinforce the bond we have with our loved ones.
Writing out thank you notes after my wedding would have been a meaningful gesture to convey gratitude, recognize individual contributions, and cherish the memories from the day. It would have shown our guests that their presence truly mattered and that we were thankful for their support and love, but I didn't do it.
Instead of writing and sending thank you notes, I worried about not sending them for the entire duration of our marriage. I kept wondering whether I should still get around to them. Was it too late? What would people think? Was it better to send thank you notes four years later or not at all?
In the end, I decided on "not at all." We got divorced anyhow, not that that's any excuse. The gifts were still received, used, and appreciated before the marriage ended. What would you have done? Comments are welcome.
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