You know your wedding guests are going to take a ton of photos throughout your big day, and now there’s a super easy way to share their best shots.

Create a Flickr account for your wedding where guests can upload all their photos. What could be easier?

 http://brides.prestonbailey.com/2012/03/26/an-easy-way-to-share-guests-wedding-photos/

Expert advice from Colin Cowie…

A Million Thanks

Sending Personalized Thank You Letters

Letting your guests know you appreciate them is one of your most important responsibilities as a new couple.

A simple, heartfelt and sincere thank you note only takes minutes to write and costs almost nothing, yet means so much.

Unfortunately, thank you notes cause many brides (and non-brides too!) unnecessary anxiety. They put off writing because they don’t know what to say or because they’re picturing having to write 150 thank yous all at once.

Thank yous are actually a much easier part of the wedding process than choosing your dress or flowers. And once you get used to writing thank yous, you’ll be amazed at how simple it is to write a gracious and heartfelt note for absolutely every occasion.

When to Write Them

No one expects you to spend your honeymoon churning out ten-page novellas to every single wedding guest, or putting a cloud over your first week home as husband and wife by insisting that you both write several dozen thank you notes daily. But, shortly after you return home from your honeymoon, it is important to tackle the task of the thank you notes.

There’s no need to be formal or agonize over what to write. No one will go over your note with a fine-tooth comb to find misspellings or correct your grammar; they’ll simply be touched and happy that you remembered them. If you express yourself naturally, the note will almost write itself.

As a general rule of thumb, you should plan to respond to a gift within six weeks of receiving it–and of course, sooner whenever possible. So, if you receive something from a long-distance friend two months before your wedding, don’t wait to thank her until after the wedding; do it right away.

One of the simplest ways to stay organized is to keep a running list of all the gifts sent. Sometimes mistakes happen, but most can be avoided by being organized from the outset. Another helpful idea is to take a picture of each gift as you open it. Jot down the name of the person who sent the gift and the date you received it on the back of the photo.

There’s no need to tackle all of your notes in one interminable writing marathon. Make things easy by finding a comfortable space to write and concentrating on only five or six thank yous a day. Perhaps complete one or two at lunch every day and a few in the evening before bed.

Before you know it, you’ll have them all written, and you will have been able to focus on making each one fresh and personal. Remember, even if you’ve thanked someone in person or on the phone, you should still send a hand-written note.

What to Say

A proper thank you note takes almost no time at all. In composing your notes, try to think of something special to say to each person. First, focus on the person, then on the gift. Mention the item specifically and what you plan to use it for. (“Thank you so much for the beautiful Haute Couture champagne glasses from Lenox. We can’t wait to have you over for cocktails so we can enjoy them together!”)

You might also mention how the gift will fit into your home and your lifestyle. (“The crystal clock you sent looks beautiful on the mantel. It matches our decor exquisitely and really helped to complete the look of our living room.”)

If the gift wasn’t something you requested or particularly like, focus instead on how nice it was to see the person at your wedding. (“Thank you so much for the lovely dish towels. We were so happy that you two could make the trip from Seattle to share in our special day. It meant so much to us to have you be a part of our wedding.”).

If you got to spend a few special moments together during the wedding, you might mention that. (“It was so much fun to see all of our old college roommates together again. Laughing and talking with you at the cocktail party brought back so many fun memories and made the day so special. Let’s plan to get everyone together again this summer.”)

For gifts of cash or a check, describe what you plan to spend the money on. (“Thank you so much for your very generous check. Jim and I plan to put it toward a painting we’ve had our eye on for quite a while.”)

There’s no need to be formal or agonize over what to write. No one will go over your note with a fine-tooth comb to find misspellings or correct your grammar; they’ll simply be touched and happy that you remembered them.

If you express yourself naturally, the note will almost write itself. A thank you note doesn’t have to be pages long, but it should be specific, gracious and sincere. The point is to make them warm and personal.

Check this link for more info and great ideas:

  http://www.colincowieweddings.com/inspire-me/invitations-printed-materials/a-million-thanks/all

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