Ready to send email in Amazon SES? Let’s Go!

First, consult with AWS and get your credentials:

http://docs.aws.amazon.com/ses/latest/DeveloperGuide/using-credentials.html
and
http://docs.aws.amazon.com/ses/latest/DeveloperGuide/send-using-smtp-net.html

Secondly, let’s make a more easily updatable emailSettings section (encrypt it later, see here if you need help):

  <appSettings>
    <add key="MailFrom" value="donotreply@youremaildomain.com"/>
    <add key="MailTo" value="whoareyousendingto@theiremaildomain.com"/>
    <add key="MailHost" value="	email-smtp.youramazonseshost.com"/>
    <add key="MailPort" value="587"/>
    <add key="MailServerUserName" value="awsSESusername"/>
    <add key="MailServerPassword" value="awsSESpassword"/>
  </appSettings>

Then, include the reference:

	using System.Net.Mail;		

Finally, write your method:

	public static void sendEmail(string to, string from, string subject, string body)
	{
		try
		{
			// Initialize client and message
			using (SmtpClient mailclient = new SmtpClient(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["MailHost"].ToString(), Convert.ToInt32(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["MailPort"])))
			{
				// Create message
				mailclient.UseDefaultCredentials = false;
				mailclient.EnableSsl = true;
				mailclient.Credentials = new System.Net.NetworkCredential(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["MailServerUserName"].ToString(), ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["MailServerPassword"].ToString());
				MailMessage message = new MailMessage(from, to);
				message.Subject = subject;
				message.Body = body;
				message.IsBodyHtml = true;
				mailclient.Send(message);
			}
		}
		catch (SmtpException ex)
		{                
			// Service was not available to send message keep trying
			if (ex.StatusCode.Equals(SmtpStatusCode.ServiceNotAvailable))
			{
				sendEmail(to, from, subject, body);
			}
		}
	}

Great! Now you can call it and send an email

string htmlBody = "<b>Hi! It's my message</b>";
sendEmail(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["MailTo"].ToString(), ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["MailFrom"].ToString(), "Your Email Subject", htmlBody); 

You can always put whoever and whatever when you call the method using To, From, Subject and Body.

Enjoy! Questions are welcome.