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wedding thank you notes

Wedding Thank You Card Wording, Etiquette, and Examples

Your wedding celebration has been a wonderful success, and you’ll have the happy memories to last a lifetime. Each detail was perfect, and all your family members and close friends were there to support you and share this special moment with you. So what can you do to express your gratitude to everyone who was at your wedding and who made it possible?

Writing thank you cards isn’t only proper etiquette. It’s a way to recognize everyone who has taken part in your wedding day, no matter how big or small their role. Once you get back from your honeymoon, your final wedding task is to write your thank you cards. Even though it may seem like a daunting task, we’ve broken it down for you and even have some sample thank you notes. Sharing this task with your partner will make it one of the first things you do as a married couple!

How to Write Wedding Thank You Cards

When it comes to writing thank you cards, planning in advance is a great help. Once you’ve finalized your guest list, use a spreadsheet or a wedding planning book to keep track of your guests’ addresses.

In addition to addresses, it’s also a good idea to keep track of what gifts each guest brought you. It can be difficult to remember what each individual, couple, or family got you for your wedding day, especially if you have a long guest list. By recording what each guest gifted you, it’s easy to reference the present in your thank you note. 

Start writing your thank you notes ahead of time. It’s unlikely that you can sit down and finish them all at once, so set aside a little time each day to write them. You and your partner can split the guest list in half, or you can write notes to your side of the family. Just make sure you both remember to sign your names! 

Wedding Thank You Card Wording

Your wedding thank you card wording can be stressful at first – you want to convey your gratitude, but you may have anywhere from dozens to hundreds of notes to write. When you’re writing your thank you cards, the key is to be sincere. These thank you cards aren’t just about gifts; make sure to let your family and friends know that their presence on your wedding day was meaningful and meant the world to you.

Come up with a generic template for your wedding thank you cards so that you can efficiently get them all written. Starting with a basic template of what you’re going to say makes it easier to get in the flow of writing them. Your notes don’t have to be long – just a few sentences should do the trick.

That being said, you should also be specific when thanking friends and family for their wedding presents. With cash gifts, you don’t need to mention the exact amount of money, but you can go into a bit of detail about how you plan to spend the money. Take your template and personalize it based on each person’s gift.

Even if you don’t love the gift, find something genuine to say about the present. You can focus more on the happy memories you’ve shared together and how their presence made your wedding day all the more brighter!

To close your thank you card, make sure to say thanks just one more time. You can also let the recipient know you and your spouse would love to see them again soon. When it comes to signing off your wedding card, use closings like “love,” “much love,” “always,” or “best wishes” for close friends and family members. “Sincerely,” “best,” and “warmest thanks” are also appropriate closings.

Wedding Thank You Card Templates  

The wording of a thank you note is especially important. If you don’t know where to start, take a look at some of these wedding thank you note examples. 

Thank You Note for Gift off the Registry

Dear Alex and Emily,

Thank you so much for the waffle iron! Elizabeth loves waking up to the smell of waffles every Saturday morning. We’re so happy you could come to the wedding and share such an important moment of our lives with us. You both should come over to our new house soon. Let’s get together for brunch sometime!

Much love,

Elizabeth and Jacob

 

Thank You Note for Cash Gift

Dear Josh and Michelle,

Thank you so much for your generous wedding present! We really appreciate the support you’ve always given us, and we’re so grateful that you were able to share our wedding day with us. With your thoughtful gift, we were able to relax and take a spa day during our honeymoon. Thanks again for thinking of us, and we can’t wait to catch up with you soon!

Best wishes,

Elizabeth and Jacob 

 

Thank You Note for Someone Who Sent a Gift but Couldn’t Make It

Dear Chris,

Thank you so much for the set of dishes. We always put them to good use, and they complete our kitchen set so nicely! We missed you at our wedding and it just wasn’t the same without you there, but we’re so happy that you were thinking of us. Let’s get together before the summer ends!

Always,

Elizabeth and Jacob

 

Thank You Note for Member of Wedding Party

Dear Gabrielle,

Thank you for being one of my maid of honor! You’ve been such a great help through the whole wedding planning process, and I couldn’t have done it without you. Your toast was so heartwarming, and I loved reminiscing about old times together. Your friendship means so much to me, and I can’t imagine what it would have been like without you with me every step of the way. Thanks for always being there for me! 

Love,

Elizabeth

 

Thank You Note for Wedding Vendor

Dear Anna,

Thank you so much for all you’ve done for our wedding day. The photos are absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. We’ll treasure these photos forever, and we can’t tell you how much they mean to us. Our favorites are the ones outside in the garden! Thanks again for being part of our wedding day!

Warmest thanks,

Elizabeth and Jacob

 

Remember to tip your wedding vendors! You can give them a thank you card along with a tip, or you can send a card to them in a couple weeks. For vendors who go above and beyond, a thank you note shows your appreciation for their time and effort in making your wedding day an unforgettable experience.

Wedding Thank You Note Etiquette

When to Send Out Your Thank You Cards

It’s best to send out your wedding thank you cards as soon as you can! While you might not be able to write and mail out all your cards immediately, strive to have them sent within three months of your wedding date. Even before the wedding day, you can start sending out thank you cards. This applies to gifts you’ve received before the wedding, like wedding shower gifts. In this case, you should send a thank you card within two weeks of receiving the gift. 

If you’ve missed the three month or two week mark, you should still send a thank you card! As always, better late than never. To ensure that your thank you cards are sent out in a timely fashion, start writing them once you and your spouse get back from your honeymoon

Who Receives a Thank You Card

Naturally, everyone who gives you a present should receive a thank you note in return. However, there are plenty of people who are involved in your wedding day. You should send them thank you cards as well. It’s a kind and thoughtful gesture that lets the person know you appreciate everything they’ve done for you during the wedding planning process.

This includes members of the wedding party like bridesmaids and groomsmen, your wedding planner, wedding vendors, officiant, and the hosts of the wedding. Your parents may have hosted the wedding, but if they didn’t, sending them a thank you card is a wonderful gesture. 

Remember to send a thank you card to all the guests who attended your wedding. If a friend or family member wasn’t able to come to the ceremony or reception but gave you and your spouse a gift, then you should send them a card. Use this opportunity to let them know you missed them at your wedding but hope you can see them soon! 

Besides the wedding ceremony and reception, remember to send thank you cards to guests who attended other celebrations. Thank you notes are also necessary for guests who came to a bridal shower and gave you a wedding shower gift. There’s a long list of people who you need to send out thank you cards to, but you’ll be glad you showed your appreciation for everyone who pitched in to make your wedding day so special. 

Where to Buy Thank You Cards

For all these wedding thank you notes, you’ll need plenty of stationary. It can be tempting to email your guests a thank you note, but this is something you should still use pen and paper for! Emails are easy to miss, and it’s more thoughtful to receive a handwritten note. 

You can purchase bulk thank you cards from Amazon or local stores. You can also order a package of cards from a wedding-specific website. Websites like Shutterfly, Minted, and Simply to Impress are great places to start looking at personalized thank you cards. Wedding thank you cards are a necessity, so make sure to save some room for them as you’re planning your wedding budget

If you prefer putting your own spin on the cards, you can also order custom cards. Wedding thank you cards can include a picture or two from your wedding day, monogrammed initials, or another motif that was part of your celebration. Plus, you can stick with your ceremony’s color theme by incorporating it on your thank you cards. 

Make sure to order cards in advance so you have time to write all your notes and send them out! Although the majority of thank you card writing comes after the wedding day, you can order the cards before the big day, unless you plan to include wedding day photos.

Ask your photographer when your wedding photos will be sent to you. If it takes a few weeks, you may want to request a few options to be sent as soon as possible to include on your cards. Besides the thank you cards, remember to buy envelopes and stamps. 

Conclusion

Be thoughtful and heartfelt in your thank you cards. Your wedding guests will appreciate the time you’re taking to write and send these cards. With these tips and thank you note templates, you’re well on your way. Once you’ve finished these thank you notes, everything on your wedding checklist should be complete. Success!

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Sophia Lo

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