Thanking those who contributed to the success of your wedding with a card is a touching way to express your gratitude. Unfortunately, writing one is often overlooked by couples, despite its importance.
After the wedding is finished, writing more thank-you notes is probably the last thing on your mind. Luckily, we have everything you need to send out your cards with ease. Everything from what to write in a thank-you note to proper etiquette for sending one is discussed in this piece.
When it comes to sending out wedding thank-you notes, do you know what to do? It's a popular question, but unfortunately many people get it incorrect. So, without further ado, let's dive into this topic and find out everything you need to know about wedding thank you cards!
Those that helped you in whatever way should be thanked with heartfelt greeting cards. This article will provide all the information you need to compose and deliver a heartfelt, individual expression of appreciation.
The first step is to select a card layout that both suits the event and represents your personal taste. The interior should be left vacant so that special remarks can be written by the couple and by those who were unable to attend the wedding.
The next step is to compose a brief note of gratitude to all who have contributed, detailing the exact ways in which they have contributed.
Any parents or grandparents on either side of the family should receive a card, and so should anyone who contributed to the cost of your honeymoon. These suggestions should make it simpler to compose heartfelt thank-you notes.
FAQs About Weddings
Contrary to popular myth, the happy couple does not have a year's grace period in which to write their notes. All thank-you notes should be written within three months of the receipt of the gift. Ideally, a response should be written on the day you receive a wedding gift. If that's not possible, set a daily goal.
Thank you cards should be sent within 3 months after getting home from your honeymoon for gifts received on your wedding day. Any that were sent to you before your wedding, you only have a two-week window to send out those out. You want to make sure they know you received your gift. Plus, it's just good manners.
Then, for all gifts received after, aim to send thank-yous within three months of your wedding date. Sending late thank-you cards isn't the end of the world, but it's recommended to send them within this given time frame to express your gratitude in a respectful, timely manner.
Thank you for the gift of money
Thank you so much for attending our wedding! We had a lovely day and were so happy that you were there. We are so grateful for your generous gift, that we will be adding to our honeymoon fund. We will be sure to send you a postcard.
And, in the event that the guest really didn't give a gift, your thank you note will still be a gracious and polite gesture. Never ask a guest why they didn't give a gift. Even though it's impolite of the guest to not give a gift, it would also be impolite to question why they didn't give one.
Guidelines
Do you ever second-guess yourself about sending a thank-you note? If this describes you, then you should take action. Because, after all, it's preferable to write one when it isn't required than to not write one when it is. A gesture of thanks and appreciation will be much received.
The best thank-you notes are personalised and unique to the person receiving them. Keep a supply of thank-you notes on hand so you don't have to go out of your way every time you want to express your appreciation for someone.
- After an event when many people have contributed, such as a birthday bash or a baby shower, it's important to give each guest of honour a personalised thank-you note. Having a reliable acquaintance make a note of the donor's name and the item(s) donated, as well as returning the gift's accompanying card to its original packaging, will help with this.
- Show your thankfulness, but don't go overboard or it will come out as insincere.
- A quick note acknowledging delivery of a gift can go a long way towards showing thoughtfulness. Then, send a follow-up letter.
- If your guests travelled a long distance or made special arrangements to be there, please let them know how much you appreciate their presence.
- People who couldn't make it but still wanted to be recognised should have their gifts and well wishes recognised.
- A thank-you note does not need to be long and winded most of the time. A lengthy note of gratitude is not inappropriate, though, if you feel you have a lot to say.
- Make sure the person knows exactly what they're being thanked for. If someone gives you a present, you shouldn't just say "Thank you" That could create the appearance that you didn't pay attention to the information that was provided to you.
- In your thank-you note, be sure to mention the gift(s) and share your own unique thoughts on it. Describe how you plan to put it to use, why you like it already, what you'll think of them when you do, etc. Those who sent you a present will appreciate hearing that you got it without any problems (especially if it was sent via mail) and that you recognise it as a token of their generosity (and, preferably, that you liked the gift, even if it was purchased from your registry).
- It's polite to say "thank you" even if you didn't particularly enjoy the present.
- Talk on the thoughtfulness of the present and how you might put the money to use, but leave out the exact amount.
- Describe your plans for, and actual experience with, using the present or service.
- Send a word of thanks to those who came to celebrate your big day, even if you weren't given a present.
- Finish with something unique.
- Gratitude is always appreciated, so don't delay in sending that word of appreciation.
Etiquette for Addressing and Sending Wedding Thank You Notes
- Mention everyone who was there or who signed the card on the present.
- Even if the recipients are close friends or relatives, it is polite to address the envelopes officially using titles such as Mr. and Mrs., Dr., etc.
- If you and the people you are writing to are close, you can use first names in the note itself.
- Make sure to use a different stamp on each envelope. Keep away from postage metres and prepaid stamps.
- Sign your complete names; don't use any abbreviations. Including the signatures of both the husband and the wife is a great touch. It demonstrates that you put effort into expressing gratitude together.
What Every Bride Should Know About Thank-You Notes
One should write a note of gratitude to the giver of a gift or the provider of a service in order to express one's gratitude for the gesture. Written expressions of gratitude are a touching way to show appreciation for a favour done.
It's wonderful to recognise and express gratitude to those who go above and beyond the line of duty with a handwritten note. The fact that someone took notice will come as a nice surprise to those who go undetected so often.
Your Thank You Notes Need to Be Handwritten
A thank-you card or letter written by hand is the most sincere gesture. Of course, you can just send an email, but it never hurts to follow up with a letter that calls for paper, ink, and postage.
Writing by hand is harder than typing. As an added convenience, preprinted cards are available. However, both are criticised for their lack of warmth and humanity. Sending out handwritten notes of gratitude shows appreciation and only takes a few minutes of your time. Also, be sure to write neatly and exclusively using black or blue ink. Please don't mail a card if it's been scribbled on or has had words erased.
Be Timely
The notion that sending wedding thank you notes after a year is acceptable runs counter to the spirit of the custom.
It's more appropriate to give the couple between one and three months to get them ordered, written, addressed, signed, and sent without having to rush.
Don't try to finish them all by yourself or in a single sitting if you have a lot of work to do. Instead, chunk the work down into manageable chunks and aim to do a specific amount each day. Make sure you and your partner are both contributing equally to the "job."
Send Thank You Cards to Those Who Attended Your Wedding but Didn’t Give You a Gift
We understand that this is a significant ask, especially since your visitors didn't bother to bring you so much as a set of hand towels or a shaker of salt and pepper.
However, you should thank them for coming to your wedding, which may not have been easy for them to do, especially if they have children.
Be Personal
Traditional etiquette stresses the need of being detailed and particular in your thank you cards, which can be intimidating if you have never done so before.
Since your guests spent effort and, in many cases, money to be a part of your big day, it's polite to mention them by name and thank them for their specific gift, attendance, etc. in your thank-you letters. Do not forget to document the names and amounts of all gifts you receive.
Since this might take a lot of effort, many modern couples who have weddings with 150 or more guests prefer to send generic, preprinted thank you notes instead.
In contrast, smaller events like wedding showers and bachelorette parties make it much simpler to jot down a heartfelt greeting. Guests will appreciate a thank-you note in the mail either way, but a touch of personalised will go a far way.
Tone
Your message's tone should reflect the closeness of your relationship with the recipient. For instance, if you're writing a letter to a longtime friend instead of a potential employer, you can be more personal.
Thank-you letters sent after a job interview will be more businesslike than those sent after other types of meetings. However, thank-you notes to friends and family after a baby shower may be lighthearted, hilarious, and entertaining.
If you aren't sure how a hilarious message will be received when thanking a customer for a gift, it's probably best to stick to the basics. Don't force humour if you aren't sure how to be amusing.
Put it away for an hour or two, then read it out loud to see if you still have doubts.
Send Thank You Cards to Those Who Attended Your Wedding but Didn’t Give You a Gift
We understand that this is a significant ask, especially since your visitors didn't bother to bring you so much as a set of hand towels or a shaker of salt and pepper.
However, you should thank them for coming to your wedding, which may not have been easy for them to do, especially if they have children.
You Have to Write Separate Notes for Each Gift Received From the Same Person
While it may be tempting to wait until after the wedding to send thank you notes to your aunts, uncles, cousins, mom's friends, girlfriends, etc. for the gifts they gave you during your bridal shower, wedding shower, and wedding, you should send a distinct card to each person. It's the morally correct action to take.
Clarity
You should proofread your thank-you note to make sure the meaning comes across. After you are done writing, proofread it to ensure proper spelling and grammar. It's a good idea to jot down a draught before you copy it onto the final stationery or card.
Be Thorough
Make sure everyone on your list of people to send a thank-you note to is on it twice before sending it out. No one wants a special guest to feel disrespected because of a minor mistake like forgetting to send a thank-you note in the mail, even if mistakes like that may and do happen.
In order to make sure that everyone who needs one receives one, it's important to stay organised and take every precaution.
If you want to write the most personal and authentic notes to the people who deserve it the most, you should get the ones for your parents and bridal party out of the way first.
What other people need to be included? Anyone who attended your wedding, anyone who could not attend but still donated a gift, your wedding planner and all vendors, and anyone who attended but did not receive an invitation should all receive thank you cards.
Sign the Card From Both of You
Put both of your names on the note, regardless of who writes it. Now that you're husband and wife, the presents you receive should be shared.
Don’t Be Generic!
No one enjoys reading impersonal, generic expressions of gratitude. Yours will be more meaningful if you use the giver's name and mention anything specific for which you're grateful.
Taking detailed notes while you unwrap presents will help you remember the finer details later on.
When It Is Not Necessary
Even a short, handwritten note of gratitude is appropriate for most acts of kindness and generosity. If you're not sure whether to send one, send one. You might be labelled as "too courteous," but that's not always a bad thing in this context.
If someone sends you flowers as a token of gratitude for something you did for them, rather than writing a thank-you message, just give them a call and express your gratitude directly.
If you don't, you can end up exchanging thank-you notes for an inordinate amount of time.
When's, What's, and How's
When to Send
Fast responses are essential. Sending a belated thank-you note can make the words inside seem insincere. In light of this, the happy couple is expected to send out their wedding thank-you notes no later than eight weeks after the reception.
Sending out thank-you letters as soon as presents are received is one method to stay on top of the task, even if it is a long time before the wedding.
Make sure you have a foolproof system in place for keeping track of your gift giving and thank you notes. It's not only enough to express your appreciation within the allotted time frame of two months; you also need to be sure you're thanking the right individual for each present.
With a wedding and honeymoon only six weeks behind you, you may find yourself with a hundred or more thank-you notes to write. Calculate how many notes you need to write daily and keep to that number.
As long as you have a plan for getting the notes out, it shouldn't be too difficult, and you might even enjoy the opportunity to think on how each guest's presence impacted your big day.
Thank-you notes should be ordered alongside wedding invitations for maximum efficiency. You may coordinate your stationery and have peace of mind that your thank-you notes are ready and waiting for you when the presents start piling up.
What to Say
The standard format for a wedding thank you note includes a greeting, an expression of gratitude for the present, a reference to the gift given, and a thank you for either attending the wedding or sending well wishes if they were unable to attend.
This is a decent method for writing a thank-you note, but we believe that the ideal way to write one is to utilise the template as a starting point for your own creativity.
In this way, those who know you well will be able to detect your voice in the words you chose, and the recipient will know that your gratitude is genuine.
When receiving a monetary gift, you should ignore the rule of thumb to "be specific" about the amount being given. It's impolite to be seen counting your money.
Instead, compliment them on their generosity and explain how you and your spouse/future spouse will utilise it to make a difference in the world.
What to Show
Thank everyone who attended your wedding, even if they didn't bring you anything. It is also important to thank anyone who sent you gifts even if they weren't invited to the wedding.
To give guests who were unable to attend the wedding a sense of what it was like, it's nice to include a photo or a collage of photos in the thank-you note they receive.
Think about using a more formal wedding portrait on the front of your thank you card, while using more natural shots on the inside or back.
How to Send
When addressing the envelope for your thank-you cards, it is customary to be just as formal as when addressing the envelopes for your wedding invites. Keep your thank-you notes feeling personal by handwriting each recipient's name and address.
Select a humorous stamp that has some significance to the two of you. Those who are close to you will value the personal attention. And everyone will take note, albeit subliminally, when their thank-you card doesn't appear like it was mailed together with a hundred others.
Keep in mind that the sincerity of your message is more important than its length. It's best to keep wedding thank you notes brief, pleasant, and uniquely you.
Conclusion
A heartfelt wedding thank you note is a lovely gesture towards those who helped make your big day go smoothly. Writing a thank-you note is an often-overlooked yet highly-appreciated gesture that couples should not neglect. We have everything you need to write a sincere thank-you note. It is customary to present each honoree with a handwritten note of gratitude after an event to which many people have contributed. If you want to indicate how appreciative you are, have a trustworthy friend write down your name and what you donated.
Writing a note of appreciation to someone who has gone above and beyond the call of duty is a great way to show appreciation. One of the best ways to show appreciation is with a handwritten note of thanks. In order to express your gratitude, take a few minutes out of your day to write and mail a few handwritten notes. It is crucial to be particular and detailed in your thank you cards to guests who attended your wedding but did not offer you a present. For smaller gatherings like baby showers and bridesmaids' showers, many modern couples opt to send preprinted thank you cards instead of handwriting personalised notes.
In the event that you received many gifts from the same person, you must send individual thank-you notes for each one. Before sending out your thank-you notes, double-check the addresses to ensure that everyone who should receive one is included. Unpersonalized and generic statements of thanks are boring to read. The conventional wedding thank you note format consists of a greeting, an expression of gratitude for the gift, and a thank you for either attending the wedding or sending well wishes to the couple if they were unable to attend. Thank-you notes for guests at a wedding should be sent no later than eight weeks following the ceremony.
Content Summary
- Thanking those who contributed to the success of your wedding with a card is a touching way to express your gratitude.
- After the wedding is finished, writing more thank-you notes is probably the last thing on your mind.
- When it comes to sending out wedding thank-you notes, do you know what to do?
- These suggestions should make it simpler to compose heartfelt thank-you notes.
- After an event when many people have contributed, such as a birthday bash or a baby shower, it's important to give each guest of honour a personalised thank-you note.
- In your thank-you note, be sure to mention the gift(s) and share your own unique thoughts on it.
- It's polite to say "thank you" even if you didn't particularly enjoy the present.
- Send a word of thanks to those who came to celebrate your big day, even if you weren't given a present.
- Mention everyone who was there or who signed the card on the present.
- A thank-you card or letter written by hand is the most sincere gesture.
- Sending out handwritten notes of gratitude shows appreciation and only takes a few minutes of your time.
- The notion that sending wedding thank you notes after a year is acceptable runs counter to the spirit of the custom.
- It's more appropriate to give the couple between one and three months to get them ordered, written, addressed, signed, and sent without having to rush.
- Don't try to finish them all by yourself or in a single sitting if you have a lot of work to do.
- in your thank-you letters.
- Do not forget to document the names and amounts of all gifts you receive.
- We understand that this is a significant ask, especially since your visitors didn't bother to bring you so much as a set of hand towels or a shaker of salt and pepper.
- While it may be tempting to wait until after the wedding to send thank you notes to your aunts, uncles, cousins, mom's friends, girlfriends, etc.
- for the gifts they gave you during your bridal shower, wedding shower, and wedding, you should send a distinct card to each person.
- Make sure everyone on your list of people to send a thank-you note to is on it twice before sending it out.
- Taking detailed notes while you unwrap presents will help you remember the finer details later on.
- Even a short, handwritten note of gratitude is appropriate for most acts of kindness and generosity.
- In light of this, the happy couple is expected to send out their wedding thank-you notes no later than eight weeks after the reception.
- Sending thank-you letters as soon as presents are received is one method to stay on top of the task, even if it is a long time before the wedding.
- Make sure you have a foolproof system in place for keeping track of your gift giving and thank you notes.
- With a wedding and honeymoon only six weeks behind you, you may find yourself with a hundred or more thank-you notes to write.
- Calculate how many notes you need to write daily and keep to that number.
- You may coordinate your stationery and have peace of mind that your thank-you notes are ready and waiting for you when the presents start piling up.
- The standard format for a wedding thank you note includes a greeting, an expression of gratitude for the present, a reference to the gift given, and a thank you for either attending the wedding or sending well wishes if they were unable to attend.
- When addressing the envelope for your thank-you cards, it is customary to be just as formal as when addressing the envelopes for your wedding invites.
- Keep your thank-you notes feeling personal by handwriting each recipient's name and address.