Thank Cards for Wedding

However much you might wish it, the wedding planning process doesn't end the minute you return from your honeymoon. You'll most likely come home from the wedding to a mountain of gifts, and as tempting as it is to unpack your new treasures and delve into married life, all those wedding gifts need acknowledging. It's of the utmost importance to thank your friends and family for their time, their generosity, and their thoughtfulness. They all helped celebrate your special day and are helping to build your life as a newly married couple, after all. Also, chances are you'll receive gifts and well-wishes from folks outside the scope of your wedding ceremony. Particularly if those gifts are received by mail, the thank you note acts as a confirmation you received the gift. Don't leave your loved ones hanging! If you're at a loss on how to plan, assemble, and write your wedding thank you cards, look no further than our step-by-step guide below.

Step 1: Preparation

• Your wedding thank you card prep begins all the way back when you order your wedding invitations. Record those names and addresses for later use!
• Keep a list of your wedding guests and record what everyone gives as gifts arrive. You'll thank yourself later!

Step 2: Draft Your Notes

• Make sure you have your matching thank you cards and your address/gifts list ready to go when it's time begin writing. Nothing's worse than wasting time tracking everything down when you're on a roll!
• Write your notes in smaller batches. No one can write 100+ wedding thank you's in one sitting! Better yet, write your notes as the gifts come in, instead of saving all your correspondence for after the wedding.
• Address the giver by name and reference the gift they gave. Avoid generic notes at all costs!
• Speaking of generic, the rumor is true; wedding thank you notes should always be hand-written.

Step 3: Keep to the Timeline

• General etiquette dictates that notes should go out within two weeks when received before the wedding and within two months after the fact.
• Don't forget postage! Pre-order your postage and make sure your notes aren't delayed by this final detail.

Step 4: Mind your Manners: Wedding Thank You Cards Tips, Tricks and Advice

• Always write your notes using black or blue ink.
• Don't send stationery using your married name before the wedding. You may want to order two sets or stick with your first names or initials to avoid this thank you card faux-pas.
• Do send a thank you note to wedding guests who attended the event but didn't send or bring a gift. It's not always easy to attend weddings, and their presence should be acknowledged!
• Speaking of acknowledgement, be sure to send a note for every gift received, no matter how small.
• Use formal greetings wherever appropriate. If you're not very familiar with a guest or gift-giver, it's probably safer to address them as ‘Mrs. Davies' instead of ‘Margo, ' for example.
• You do have to write separate notes for each engagement/bridal shower/wedding gift received, even if they're from the same person.
• Do include something special in the note if the person traveled a long way or contributed in some other meaningful way (gave other guests rides home, gave a nice speech at the reception).

Thank You Note for Cash Gift

Dear Aunt Laura,

Thank you so much for your very generous wedding gift. As you know we’re saving for a down payment, and we so appreciate your support. It was such a blast to see you at the wedding, and I can’t wait to catch up around the holidays!

Lots of love,
Barry and Elise

Thank You Note for Gift from Registry

Dear Aaron,

Thank you very much for our lovely set of nonstick pans, and for your company on our wedding day. Your pans are already in use in our new house, and are much appreciated! Thank you again for your thoughtful gift.

See you soon,
Sarah and Terrance

Thank You Note for Gift not on Registry

Dear Mr. Atkins,

Thank you so very much for the lovely painting for our wedding – we absolutely love it! What a unique and thoughtful gift. We can’t thank you enough for your kindness.

Best wishes,
Tyler and Monroe

Thank You Note for Attending the Wedding

Dear Claire,

It was so lovely to see you at our wedding a few weeks ago. It’s been too long! Thank you so much for making the trip; it really meant so much to have you there. Looking forward to seeing you again soon.

All our love,
Don and Angie

Thank You Note for a Charitable Donation

Dear Uncle Carlos,

Thank you so very much for your very thoughtful donation to the Valley Human Society. We both feel so strongly about the organization, and we’re so touched you remembered our wishes on our special day. Thank you again for everything!

With love,
Alex and Jessica

Thank You Note for a Gift for someone who didn’t attend

Dear Grandma Bennett,

Thank you so much for the very lovely candlesticks you sent in honor of our wedding. They look gorgeous on our table, and I can’t wait for you to see them soon! We’re so sorry you can’t join us for our wedding in a few weeks - we’ll be thinking of you on the day.

Love,
Tiffany and George

Thank You Note for someone you don’t know

Dear Ms. Adler,

Thank you so much for attending the celebration on our special day, and for the very thoughtful massage certificate. It was so lovely to meet you on the day, and we’re making plans to use your kind gift very soon!

Thank you again,
Amy and Mark

Thank You Note for a Group Gift

Dear Anna,

Thank you kindly for your very thoughtful contribution towards our new dining set – we absolutely love it! We’re so lucky to have such kind and generous friends.

Looking forward to having you over soon,