As a newlywed couple, planning a wedding brought on a slew of challenges to face together as you dealt with deadlines, lists, and endless decisions on top of everyday life. At the end of it all, you tied the knot and had the most beautiful wedding! Congrats!
Now that all is said and done, you find that not everything wedding-related is done. There are still wedding thank you cards to send, and there are a lot of folks you wish to share your happiness and gratitude with. In fact, you may feel overwhelmed by the idea of etiquette and wording. What do you write? When do you send the cards? Not to worry, your complete wedding thank you cards guide is here!
Wedding Thank You Cards Etiquette
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Just as there are table manners, there is wedding thank you note etiquette. Sending out hundreds of thank you notes feels daunting, but it is both doable and rewarding. In fact, you can even complete the job in under a month with a bit of planning.
Remember your wedding gift wish list and your guest list? Both are excellent tools when it comes to planning. For gifts received prior to the wedding, you should plan to send thank you notes within two weeks after their delivery. For gifts received on the day of your wedding, or following it, you can send thank you cards up to three months of their delivery. Each time frame correlates with the time of arrival for the gifts, making the arrival of the thank you notes also timely. With a little planning, you don’t have to worry about when to send your wedding thank you cards. |
What To Write In A Wedding Thank You Card
When it comes to thank you notes, timing is simply logistics. When it comes to writing, the muse does not always deliver inspiration on the ideal time frame. Are you not great at the whole words thing?
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Well, neither are famous authors. Remember, J.K. Rowling was rejected by 12 publishers before she accepted an advance of £1,500 and went on to sell hundreds of millions of books. You got it easy. You and your amazing partner picked each other and you’re celebrating with a few stand-alone slips of gratitude; preferably with a foil stamp. You got this.
You’re going to pen this writing wedding card thank you messages thing, easily! A good rule of thumb is to write an average of 50 words or three to five sentences per card. When writing, consider how the gifts made you feel, what use you have for them, or how they will improve your married life. To get you started, here are a few wording examples for the different sets of lovely folks you wish to share your gratitude with via wedding thank you notes. |
For Bridal Showers
First, if you have not already, send thank you cards for the bridal shower. This one is easy to forget in the glow of the wedding experience and following the recovery process from all that planning! So, what should you write as a thank you? Here are two examples for inspiration:
Dear Alexis,
Thank you so much for the “Meal Planning For Busy Families” book that you gave me for my bridal shower. There are so many great tips in the book, and I know that it will keep us healthy while on the go! You’re helping us preserve a lot of JUST US time with this. It was so lovely to see you and celebrate with you.
Love,
Jill
Dear Auntie Thelma Louise,
The pair of champagne flutes you gave us from your Princess House collection are such wonderful heirlooms to inherit. We are excited to use them to ring in the New Year! You always know how to make the best memories even better. We love you!
Gratefully,
Jill
Always acknowledge the specific gift and the value you will derive from it. A general “good to see you” is kind for when you are at a loss for words, but it is even better to add a personal touch to build on your connection with that person.
For Wedding Gifts
Beginning with the bridal shower thank you cards will help you get into the flow of things when the time comes to write the thank you cards for wedding gifts. Chances are that your list of people to thank is longer than a wedding gown train. To save time, consider using flat note cards that require less fuss.
Much like how a literal train makes several stops at different stations, it is best to tackle long thank you lists in spurts of ten. Here is a better metaphor. Think of it like weightlifting. Do your first set of ten. Rest. Then, go again, but do not overwork yourself. Cap off your thank you note writing at two hours at a time, maximum. Here is another example when it comes to making note of gifts and wording for wedding thank you cards in general:
Dear Yolanda,
Your personality really shined through in your gift to us, and it meant a lot.
We imagine we will be smiling for many years to come because of it. Thank you for coming!
Joyfully,
Jack
Did someone give you an unfamiliar item that you have no idea what it is or how you will use it? (It may or may not resemble the “Bop It!” game from the ‘90s, but if you bop, twist, or pull it, there is the questionable risk of potentially losing a finger. Yes, that sort of gift.) If you have a mystery gift, write about a fond memory you shared with that person at the wedding.
Similarly, if you do not know the person well, focus again on the gift and the memories you hope to make around it, and you can also speak of a person you both know, as seen above.
For Bridesmaids
What about writing a bridesmaid thank you card, especially to your maid of honor? For specific people who mean the world to you, personalize, personalize, personalize…
Dear Becky,
It meant the world to me that you were my maid of honor. You made my dream wedding come true and were my ROCK! You have always been like a sister to me, and it was so touching to also relive some of our memories on my special day.
Much love,
Jill
For Parents
How do you write a thank you note to parents following a wedding day, when they have been so giving and loving for your whole lifetime? How do you put that into words, especially to the father of the bride? You just share your heart, and you keep sharing it.
Dear Dad,
I know they call it “giving away the bride” at the wedding, but you know I will always be your little girl. Jack and I were elated to have you there at the wedding, especially with your jokes. You were the one holding me up as I walked down the aisle, as you always have. I love you! Your marriage to Mom inspires us.
Always your little girl,
Jill
Dad’s not crying. You’re crying. No, you’re both crying. For love.
DIY Wedding Thank You Cards
While there are digital services that allow you to use a “handwriting” script on an automatically mailed card, it is nothing compared to handwriting your own cards. Perhaps one of the easiest and most personal approaches to wedding thank you cards is by purchasing blank thank you cards and writing a thoughtful and original message in each one.
For the wedding party, including bridesmaids, groomsmen, and parents, you can go for a more homemade touch by making handmade cards. Think DIY. It does not have to be complicated, and you do not have to be “crafty.” Purchasing nice paper and folding it over also works, such as a handpainted cardstock paper lined with a beautiful pastel colored paper.
With a little planning, you will ace both the etiquette and wording when it comes to sending out wedding thank you cards. A swell of gratitude is certainly a wonderful way to celebrate the next stage of your life as a married couple!
Check out our collection of beautiful and elegant thank you cards.
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| Beyond Grateful Thank You Cards | Thank You Card — Simple Border | Beyond Grateful Thank You Cards |