Etiquette - When to cash a check and send thank you card

Cash the check now. People want the checks cashed ASAP so they can balance their checkbooks. Put the money gift aside in a savings account if needed. As with any gift, in a worse case scenario, if the wedding is called off, you just need to make sure that you can return the gift (here, that means return the money).

Send the thank you card now too. It's the most polite thing to do. Think about it this way. Acknowledging the gift giver right away is more important than having fancy matching cards.

Since this is your aunt- cash the check now, and give her a very appreciative call. Tell her that your Thank You cards are still on order, but hers will be the first one you send when they arrive. However, you didn't want to wait until then to thank her for her generous gift!

Thank you! I was leaning towards cashing it - only because of the checkbook balancing. I don't want her wondering why I haven't cashed it, especially if she moved money into her checking account for it or something like that.

I appreciate your advice.

I agree--- give her a call and tell her thank you cards haven't arrived yet. Send one when they come.

I agree with Unique - cash check now and send a thank you now. It is rude to wait to send a thank you note simply for the sake of having nice stationary.

What Meghan said is exactly what I was going to say

Thank you, ladies! You are all so helpful.

Cash the check, people sometimes prefer that so they can balance their account, give her a call and thank her explaining too that you dont have your thank you notes just yet.

I totally agree with Meghan - cash the check, give her a call and let her know how much you appreciate it, she needs a Thank-you but you shouldn't have to wait for to cash it either!

Etiquette assumes you already own stationery on your maiden name for all your ordinary social correspondence; but etiquette acknowledges that ordinary unengraved good-quality notepaper is equally proper. Whichever you have (and if you don't have any, get some right now) use that to send a nice thank-you note right away. Then cash the cheque. The last thing you would want is for the debit to show up on her bank statement before the thank-you note is in the mail.

Mass printed thank-you cards are actually less proper than good note paper, and we Aunts actually care about such things.

As with any gifts received before the wedding, they can and should be opened (or cashed in this case) before the wedding. A hand written thank you note on nice stationery should follow immediately. (Hurray for auntie who foolowed proper etiquette!)

A note to all ladies, my local paper just had a story about a couple's gift cards and checks being stolen from their wedding/reception. It ahppens all too often. It is NOT proper etiquette to bring gifts to either location. They should be sent to the bride's home or the couple's new home. This is not only easier on the day of the event (to not have to schlep gifts around,) it also more secure. I know you can't control your guests, but if anyone asks or you are attending a wedding soon, do everyone a favor & don't bring the gifts to the wedding!

Def cash it now. as for the TY card, send that out now also... you can always send her something small with your wedding initials, maybe a notepad? after the wedding.

Cash the check now and since she is your aunt get her a "special" Thank you card, like no other, and note how much you appreciate her thought and that you are sad that she will not be able to make the actual ceremony...

You could also include the program, menu, favors and other items you will be using at your event, so she can have as keepsakes. Then in September follow up with the "designed" Thank you card...she'll still feel like she was there...!

(If the "program" menu, etc won't arrive until September, send the "Keepsake" package then.)