A company called Handwrytten recently popped on our radar. Handwrytten claims to have “robots that are trained to hold pens and learn people’s handwriting and signatures.” Their “flex” is having the ability to send out your handwritten notes, like thank you notes, without the user having to sit for hours writing out a note, stuffing envelopes and mailing everything.
It’s not that we have an issue with taking a step to make any part of the wedding process a little easier for the couple, but as Southerners, it’s hard to get behind a tradition or piece of the puzzle that can mean a great deal to some friends and family.
According to Caspari, a printed paper product publisher that has been around since the ‘40s, as well as greeting card mega giant Hallmark, the first version of thank you notes can be traced back to the 1400s in Europe and even sooner in China and ancient Egypt. In Europe, it became a new form of social expression and was typically done to thank someone for inviting them to their house. The idea of the thank you note was brought to the United States in the 1850s and gained popularity with the invention of the postage stamp in 1840. With the postage stamp, people were able to send cards and notes of thank you to those outside of their general area or on the other side of the country.
As a Southerner, the thank you note has been a part of every birthday party, Christmas or holiday event, as well as the weddings of friends and family. There is something special about receiving a hand-written note expressing gratitude for attending an event or giving a gift to someone. And for many, (Kelly here: including myself) it’s just the right thing to do. The proper etiquette, if you will. It’s how we were taught to show appreciation or gratitude. With the way technology continues to evolve, companies like Handwrytten are going to become more prevalent in how we accomplish day-to-day tasks and that might be something – especially us Southerners – must deal with.
Whether you’re using technology or writing a note yourself, Emily Post – the go-to for all etiquette questions and guidance – makes sure to stress that a wedding couple doesn’t have a year’s grace period to complete their wedding thank you notes like it has been widely believed. A couple actually has three months to complete and send out all of the thank you notes. Additionally, the etiquette giant provides a list of thank you card recipients to send notes to following a wedding. Those to include are: anyone who gives a gift for an engagement or bridal shower or wedding, including those who gift money; bridal attendants; anyone who hosted a party or shower for the couple; anyone who houses or entertains out-of-town guests; anyone doing an act of kindness around the wedding time or after when you’re on your honeymoon; suppliers and vendors; and finally, your parents or whomever is hosting the wedding.
Whether you believe in hand-written thank you notes or think using a company like Handwrytten is an OK way to cut a few corners, making sure to thank and appreciate anyone involved in your wedding is an important aspect of the celebrations and ceremonies.
For those interested, all cards at Handwrytten are available without a subscription, but subscriptions – for those wanting to eliminate thank you note woes – for larger amounts of notes are available. All pricing and additional details can be found at handwrytten.com.
