How to Write Wedding Thank You Cards

Many newlyweds have yet to start sending out thank-you cards to their guests. Well done if you're one of the fortunate few who won't have to go through all the trouble and expense of doing this.

But if you're not in a long-distance relationship or engaged to be married soon (congratulations! ), you might want to read this post.

Have you ever finished planning your wedding only to remember that you forgot to send out thank you notes? Though it's tempting to ignore them, keep in mind how integral they were to your day. They played a crucial role in making it happen. To top it all off, they should be acknowledged for their efforts.

You and your new spouse have returned home after your wedding and honeymoon. In light of this abundance of congratulations and financial support, the first order of business is to send out heartfelt thank-you notes. To send out greeting cards, however, requires time and effort to track down addresses.

Rarely do newlyweds get the opportunity to publicly express their gratitude for their loved ones' contributions to their big day. Sending out wedding thank-you notes is a lovely gesture. They are also a great way to remind your guests of the good time they had at your wedding, which they may have forgotten after returning home.

This article will serve as a resource while you craft your thank-you notes. It provides helpful ideas and examples for writing wedding thank you notes. The first piece of advice is for the card itself: when addressing someone formally, you can start with "Mr." or "Mrs." and then their last name.

Be consistent with the formality you chose throughout all of your cards. Next, we'll discuss what to write on the inside of the card, which should include an introductory paragraph explaining the occasion of the card's delivery and a few lines expressing your appreciation for the recipient's presence in your life (or words with similar meaning).

If you want to know how to write the best thank-you note possible, then you should read our guide.

First, we'll go over some dos and don'ts regarding the sentiment of your card. We'll then discuss proper etiquette, including who should sign the document and when it should be sent.

The following advice should prove useful, we promise.

How to Write a Wedding Thank-You Card

Learn the proper format for a wedding thank you note before breaking out the fancy paper and ink. An acknowledgement of a wedding present can be written in the same way as any other expression of gratitude. If, however, you need guidance on what to include in your wedding thank you notes, read on!

1. Handwrite Your Notes

Wedding thank-you cards should always be handwritten since they indicate you took the time to write a thoughtful letter individually. In addition, sending a thank-you note by email or typing it out can come out as impersonal, if not unpleasant.

Writing lengthy thank-you notes for each wedding guest is unnecessary because doing so would take too much time. In truth, there are no precise regulations about the length of your wedding present thank-you card.

However long it takes you to convey your gratitude is sufficient, but don't feel like you have to fill up pages upon pages to communicate your appreciation. A quick and simple message can go a long way.

2. Invest in a Great Pen

Making wedding thank-you cards can be enjoyable if you invest in supplies that inspire you to express your gratitude in writing. But, first, invest in stationery that symbolises you as a couple. (You can browse plenty of designs—including styles that match your wedding invitation suite.)

Then go out and buy a fancy pen for yourself. Even if you think you have terrible handwriting, investing in a quality rollerball or fountain pen will help immensely. Stick with blue or black ink and ensure it won't smudge or bleed through your note cards.

Finally, don't forget to stock up on lots of stamps, so you're not hunting find postage every time you lick an envelope.

3. Use Discretion When Addressing Cash Gifts

You may be wondering how to best express your gratitude for a monetary wedding gift in a card. It used to be considered rude to include the amount of money in a thank you card for a financial gift, but times have changed.

Writing the figure down is said to be a sign of proper etiquette that indicates you have received the whole amount. When composing your thank-you note, use your best judgement to decide what's appropriate given your relationship with the guest.

However, if you get money as a wedding gift, it's polite to specify how it will be used in your card of gratitude. Guests want to know that their money is going towards something worthwhile, so make sure to let them know if they are contributing to a wedding registry, a college fund, a dog's vet bill, or a couple's night out on the town.

Describe the kinds of things you intend to do (or did do) using the money you received from a honeymoon registry.

4. Work in Batches

Expressing gratitude early is ideal, but doing it at any time is appreciated. It's customary to thank guests for their contributions no later than two weeks before the wedding. You should also try to get your thank-you notes out for gifts received after the wedding within three months.

Don't try to knock out the entire stack of wedding thank-you notes in one session; it'll only end up frustrating you. Rather, commit to spending about 30 minutes each night working through your wedding thank-you card list.

Division and conquer will get this job done quickly and easily. Some couples like to send separate thank-you notes to each side of the family, while others choose to include extended family members who may not be as familiar with their new spouse on the list. (However you decide to divide up the work, be sure to get both names signed at the conclusion of the card.)

If you and your spouse want to minimise the amount of work you'll have to do after the wedding, one option is to send out thank-you notes as you get wedding gifts.

5. Address Them Properly

Expressing gratitude early is ideal, but doing it at any time is appreciated. It's customary to thank guests for their contributions no later than two weeks before the wedding. You should also try to get your thank-you notes out for gifts received after the wedding within three months.

Are you stumped for a thank-you note address? The tone of the card's inside is more relaxed.

Don't just write "wedding guests" if you're sending a card to a family or a couple; use the names of everyone who came and helped celebrate the happy occasion. Use the visitors' first names if you feel comfortable doing so, taking into account the nature of your relationship with them.

Address guests in the same manner as you did on the envelopes of the wedding invitations when sending out thank-you notes. While handwritten addresses are prefered, pre-printed return address labels on the envelope flap might help speed things up when you're ready to send the cards off.

Etiquette Tips For Writing Easy (And Thoughtful!) Thank-You Notes.

1. Why Do I Even Need To Send Out Wedding Thank-You Cards?

Your attendees are likely to lavish a large sum of money on you, as the average cost of a wedding present is over $100.

One of the best ways to show your appreciation to guests for celebrating your wedding with you is by sending them a heartfelt thank-you note. A long-standing tradition, this one is still very meaningful today.

2. How Soon Should I Send Thank-You Notes After Getting a Gift?

The sooner a word of gratitude is written, the greater. The standard gift-giving timeline allows two to three weeks before the wedding for the delivery of presents. Gifts can be given as long as three months after the wedding, so please don't feel rushed. Gathering the guest's mailing addresses ahead of time will help things flow more smoothly.

3. Do I Need to Write Thank-You Notes by Hand? Can I Use Email?

Now that we've established why thank-you notes are so crucial, we can get into the nitty-gritty of writing wedding ones. Naturally, thank-you notes written by hand are the best.

Email is great for rapid communications, but it should be avoided for more formal events like wedding thank you cards. Become some excellent stationery as quickly as you become engaged so that you can start sending out thank-you notes on fancy paper. Being behind schedule is one consequence of forgetting to bring note cards.

4. I’ll Get Gifts at Engagement Parties, Showers, and the Wedding. Do I Need to Thank Each Gift Separately?

Even if you don't like the actual gift, you should still send a thank-you note for it. Thus, you must compose two thank-you notes if someone gives you a present for both your bridal shower and your wedding.

To avoid becoming overwhelmed, it is crucial to stick to a regular schedule of sending thank-you notes for everyone of your generous donors.

5. Is It Possible to Make Writing Thank-You Notes Less Excruciating?

It can be difficult to fit thank-you notes into a hectic schedule, but if you commit to writing even a couple per day, you'll soon find that it becomes second nature. You can also carry some notecards in your bag and jot down ideas whenever you have a spare moment.

And don't forget: you and your new spouse should work together on the wedding thank-you notes. Postable and similar programmes can assist you "handwrite" cards online if you're having problems keeping up.

6. Thank-You Note Writer’s Block. Any Words of Wisdom?

Writing wedding thank-you cards could be challenging, but if you follow this strategy, you'll have no issue at all.

Thank the donor and explain how you'll put the present to use in a letter. It's important to let people know how much you appreciate their presence at your wedding (or event, in the instance of a shower or engagement party gift) and how much you regret that you couldn't be there yourself. Try utilising a thank-you note fill-in-the-blank template to see if you can save some time.

Writing Advice for Wedding Thank-You Cards

1. Keep Track Of Your Gifts

It's easy to get caught up in the joy of getting your first wedding gifts that you can forget to do something as simple as writing down who gave you each one.

Though some virtual gift registries may handle this for you, it's helpful to keep track of who's invited with a programme like our Guest List.

2. Gather Your Guests’ Addresses

If you want to make sure you have everyone's most up-to-date address, you should contact them as soon as you finish making your guest list. The Person List app eliminates the need for you to manually contact each guest to get their contact details. Don't stress yourself when it comes time to write your thank-you notes if you've already collected all of your guests' addresses.

3. Handwrite Them

We regret to inform you that sending thank-you notes via email is not appropriate. It does not matter how illegible your handwriting is; it is always proper to send a thank-you note that you have written by hand.

Your guests spent time and money picking out a present for you; show them how much you appreciate their efforts by making the effort to write notes a note of thanks rather than sending pre-printed or computerised thank-you notes.

4. Buy New Stationery And a New Pen

We should make thank-you note-writing supplies one of your first post-engagement purchases.

If you plan to use a more formal style of stationery after getting married, you may find that you need two pieces of stationery: one with your maiden name, and one with your married name or monogram.

We may easily prevent this situation by using only first names on all of your stationery. Writing thank-you cards with an old, hard-to-use pen is no fun at all, so treat yourself to some brand new, easy-to-use pens.

5. Include a Personal Note

As can be seen from the sample thank-you notes for wedding gifts, individualisation of every note is strongly encouraged.

It is very recommended that each thank-you note be personalised in its own special way, either by addressing a specific facet of the present or your connection with the person who will be receiving it.

6. Split The Task With Your Partner

As a couple, you should both take part in the responsibility of writing thank-you notes. You and your future husband should discuss how you would divide the job before you begin; for example, one of you could take care of the thank-you notes for your family, while the other takes care of theirs.

Perhaps one of you will take care of the thank-you notes to friends and family, while the other takes care of the family. Again, though, you bear some of the blame; it's important to keep both parties' expectations in check. Further, no, members of the bridal party should not be responsible for writing thank-you notes.

7. Pace Yourself

Although it's tempted to compose all of your appreciation cards at once, doing so will simply lead to weariness.

Instead, take it slow and focus on only a few gratitude notes at a time, and just do your utmost to get them written as soon as possible after getting the gifts. Writing thank-you notes while engrossed in a Netflix marathon is perfectly acceptable.

8. Don’t Forget The Stamps

You can't stress this enough: always keep a healthy stock of stamps on hand. Don't let yourself get stuck with finished thank-you cards but no postage before you've bought some!

Wedding Thank-You Card Wording Templates

Here are some examples of thank-you messages that might be appropriate to include in wedding thank-you notes. Below, you'll find examples of wedding thank you cards for various presentations and attendees.

Feel free to use any or all of the following text for your wedding thank you cards; just be sure to modify it to reflect your own personality.

1. Wedding Thank-You Card Template For a Gift From Your Registry Received Before The Wedding

This is a great example of a traditional wedding thank you note, and it's likely the one you'll end up writing the most. The point of the wedding thank-you card is to show your friend or relative that the gift they gave you was put to good use, so try to include a specific anecdote about each present.

If you have to cancel or reschedule your wedding because of the pandemic, you can use this as a model for the wording of your covid wedding thank you cards.

To Whom It May Concern:

I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of the [insert gift here]. Tell me how you've used it, or how you plan to use it. For instance, "We used the slow cooker last night to prepare beef stew—yum!" The wedding will be a great time, and we hope to see you there.

For your consideration, we appreciate it.

Best,

Please insert your names here.

2. Thank-You Card Wording for a Honeymoon Fund Donation

If you asked guests to contribute to a honeymoon fund, you can mention the specific ways in which their money was put to use on your post-wedding trip in the thank-you card you send them.

The [names of guests],

Thank you very much for the wonderful honeymoon gift you gave us. While we're zipping through the trees in Aruba, we'll be thinking of you. We hope you'll be able to join us in celebrating this joyous occasion and we look forwards to seeing you at the ceremony and reception.

Wishing you the best,

Please insert your names here.

3. Wedding Thank-You Card Template For a Gift Off Your Registry From a Guest Who Couldn’t Attend The Wedding

As many guests are unable to attend owing to the pandemic, this can also serve as a suitable template for covid wedding thank you card writing.

Again, you can use your wedding thank-you card wording to express your gratitude to the guest for their gift by responding to the question, "What are you going to do with this present?"

Then, tell them how sorry you are that you couldn't make it to the wedding and how you want to see them again soon (even if they live across the country and you have no idea when that could be).

To Whom It May Concern:

I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of the [insert gift here]. [Discuss the implications of your intended use. For the upcoming Thanksgiving dinner, we can't wait to use the beautiful platter. We were sad not to have you with us at the wedding but hope to see you again soon.

For your consideration, we appreciate it.

Best,

Please insert your names here.

4. Thank-You Card Wording for a Charity Donation

There are a few ways to give back through your register if you'd like your wedding day to have an impact. Here's how to show your appreciation to guests who contributed to a separate charity registry you may have set up.

To Whom It May Concern:

The [organisation name] much appreciates your very kind donation. We're thrilled that our wedding day can contribute in such a significant way to a cause near and dear to our hearts. We want to share in your upcoming festivities very soon.

With all my heart,

Please insert your names here.

5. Wedding Thank-You Card Wording For Cash Gift From a Guest Who Attended The Wedding

Writing wedding thank-you letters for cash gifts might be challenging, but you can still make the present feel special by sharing a few specifics about how you'll be using the funds.

You shouldn't go into detail about your financial situation, but you may mention a big ticket item you're saving for, such as a new couch, a car, a dog, etc. Your visitors will feel great knowing that their gifts are helping a worthy cause.

To Whom It May Concern:

Your thoughtfulness is much appreciated. We've been saving up for [insert big ticket item here], and we can't tell you how much it means to us to have your help and encouragement as we make this important decision. In addition, it was great to see you at the wedding; we appreciate your coming from afar to share in our joy. Can't wait to meet you at [this meeting location].

Best,

Please insert your names here.

6. Thank-You Card Wording for a Group Gift

A few well-wishers may decide to pool their resources and present the happy couple with a pricey item they saw on the register. Send a personal note of thanks to each donor if you receive one.

To Whom It May Concern:

The fire pit in the backyard is fantastic. Before, we were ticking off the days until the wedding; now we can do the same for the arrival of summer. To have pals like that is a blessing. When can we have some s'mores? Again, we appreciate you remembering us and joining in the joy of this special occasion.

Infinite gratitude,

Please insert your names here.

7. Wedding Thank-You Card Template For a Bridal Shower Gift You Didn’t Register For and Don’t Like

Yes, this is a challenging question. Of course, you still need to send wedding thank-you notes if you receive unusual gifts that you really don't like (a weird set of figurines, a strange piece of artwork, etc.), but you can be less explicit with this one.

Just inform the hosts that you appreciate their hospitality and hope to see them again soon. Don't bring up the fact that you gave back the present they gave you (or perhaps are planning on re-gifting it to your unsuspecting cousin).

To Whom It May Concern:

To whomever sent me the [insert gift here]: thank you so much. This is such a thoughtful and original present; thank you very much! Attending the wedding is something we're looking forwards to.

For your consideration, we appreciate it.

Best,

Please insert your names here.

8. Thank-You Card Wording for Vendors

Your wedding professionals are people too! If your vendors went above and beyond for your big day, you may want to consider thanking them with a vendor gift. However, a simple thank-you card is always appreciated.

These can be made ahead of time and brought to the wedding, or they can be sent out after the ceremony (that way, you can reference specific moments from the wedding in your note). How to express gratitude to those who helped make your wedding day so special.

To the Vendor Named Above,

I can't tell you how much we appreciate your help on our wedding day. Everybody has been raving about our flower arrangements, and rightfully so. Thanks again for everything you did to make our wedding day perfect.

Wishing you the best,

Please insert your names here.