Writing your wedding thank you cards can seem like a big task, but we promise, it’s not quite as daunting as it seems. There are three key elements to wedding thank you cards:
- Say ‘Thank You’
- Name the gift
- Say something about the gift
It’s really that simple!
If you’re still feeling a little overwhelmed by the task of writing wedding thank you cards, we’ve gathered some helpful tips, to-dos and some wording examples too.
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Writing tips
Make a spreadsheet: No, really, you’ll thank us later! Create a spreadsheet when you make your guest list. Have a column for each guest’s name, their address, the gift you received, when you received it, the date you sent your card, and a final column for notes.
Start soon: Pretty much as soon as you start receiving gifts, just write the note and send it. You’ll be grateful not to have an avalanche of thank you cards to send after the Big Day.
Create a system: Before you tear into your gifts, think of how you’re going to keep track of which gift comes from which guest. Get your spreadsheet out and try to be methodical in how you open gifts and jot down details. This way you won’t mix up gifts and cards.
Batch batch batch: Set aside an hour or two after work each day and just write out your wedding thank you cards. Batching will make it go quicker!
Split up the task: Writing wedding thank you cards should really not be one person’s responsibility. Divvy up the list based on who knows which guests better.
Be specific: When thanking your guests, tell them something specific you like about the gift or how you plan to use it. This helps keep the notes feeling sincere and personal.
Wedding thank you card etiquette
Write them by hand: This adds to the feeling of sincerity! Even if your gift was sent digitally, try whatever you can to avoid thanking guests digitally.
Thank everyone: Match your thank you cards with the names written on the wedding gift or card, even if you don’t know all parties equally. While we’re at it, you should thank guests even if they haven’t given you a gift.
Be prompt: Etiquette suggests sending thank you cards within three months after the wedding date.
Wording examples
Thank you for the gift:
Dear [Guest],
Thank you for being there on our wedding day. Having our friends and family there made the day truly unforgettable. We were so happy to receive the lovely crockery set that you so kindly gave to us. We look forward to using it for years to come.
Many thanks,
[Your names]
To the guest who couldn’t attend but sent a gift:
Dear [Guest],
We are so sorry that you weren’t able to make it to our wedding. We had a lovely day and were thinking about you. We would like to make sure that you know how much you were missed and that we are so appreciative for the gift that you sent us.
Best wishes,
[Your names]
A monetary gift:
Dear [Guest],
Thank you so much for celebrating our wedding day with us! We were thrilled with your generous and thoughtful gift of €100. Thanks to you, we were able to book the cooking class we’d had our eye on for our honeymoon. Looking forward to seeing you over the holidays!
Love,
[Your Names]
Thank you for attending:
Dear [Guest],
We are so grateful you could make it to our wedding. Your presence made our day extra special. We especially loved seeing you dance to the Spice Girls! We hope you enjoyed our day as much as we did!
Sincerely,
[Your Names]
