Just as important as pearls, monograms, and a sharp edge on your cocktail napkins, a gracious thank you note is one of the hallmarks of a Dogwood Hill lady. Here, we’ve collected a few tips and pointers for crafting the best notes.

• Start with the right stationery! We may be biased, but we love the classic blue and white of these notecards by designer Gina Langford.
• Using a nice pen makes the writing of your thank you note somehow more special–sort of like the way you have traditions around writing Christmas cards. We love the hand-crafted beauties at Bourbon and Boots for writing notes of all kinds.
• Write in a timely fashion. This goes without saying, but don’t wait too long to write your note. A few days, in the case of a regular thank you note is always acceptable, but that brings us to a special case:
• Wedding thank yous: Etiquette states that newlyweds have one year to pen their thank yous. But don’t let that drag you down–make a calendar and complete them within a few months. Definitely add “Get new stationery!” in your wedding to-do list–before the wedding a bride should use her maiden name monogram, but after, she can either use a monogram with the bride and groom’s first initials, or her new, married monogram.
• Keep it simple: If you don’t have a lot to say, don’t belabor the note. A simple, succinct, “Thank you so much for your time and consideration,” can be better than an overblown–and potentially insincere-sounding–novel of a note.
• On the other hand: You do want to make the note personal, if possible. Reference the gift or act, and your relationship to the person to whom the note is addressed.
• Make it special: We know, we know, we’re always telling you to take your stationery up a notch. But simple things like customized stickers or pretty wax seals for your cards can really take your thank yous to the next level.
• Finally: Having a list of thank yous to write can seem daunting, but crossing them off as you finish them is so satisfying, and will ensure that no one gets left behind.
• Questions? We Dogwood Hill gals know to just who to consult: Emily Post, of course!