Wedding Thank-You Notes
Beautifully designed cards make it a breeze to express your gratitude. Send a heartfelt thank you sent in this watercolor fiesta design.
Since we live in a predominantly digital world, there’s something extra-appreciative about expressing gratitude through the written word. While you might skip over passed hors d’oeuvres or personalized favors, wedding thank-you notes are something that should never be left off of your list!
Wedding thank-you card prep starts months before you unwrap that first gift. Remember that handy guest list? Do yourself a favor and make a copy of it. Add a column for gifts and wedding thank-you notes. This allows you to keep a record of which registry gifts you've received (and from whom) and log your thank-you card progress as you go. (It's easy to think you've already sent a thank-you note for a gift when you have so many to remember.) Best of all, your guest list manager can store all your guests' contact information, so you won't have to hunt for everyone's mailing address.
The basic rules of Wedding Thank-You Notes:
Gifts received before the wedding should also get a thank you note before the wedding. The standard timeline for sending a note is is 2-3 weeks after receiving the gift.
Wedding thank-you notes should be sent within three months of your nuptials. There’s a sneaky “rule” floating around out there that you have a year, but for best decorum, send your thank-you notes no later than three months after the wedding.
Use stationery. Invest in some stationery that represents you as a couple! While the card design is entirely up to you, avoid pre printed notes where you and your new hubby simply sign your name. Thank-you notes should have a personal touch, so use stationery fit for writing a message. A great time to order thank you cards is at the same time as placing an order for your wedding invitations. Often times you will receive a discount for ordering both items at the same time.
It’s never too late. Yes, you should send them within three months, but if that time comes and goes without a thank-you note in sight, that doesn’t mean you should shrug and move on. If you have to pass the three-month mark, later is always better than never.
Wedding thank-you notes don’t stop at gift-givers. Showing some love to the people who helped make your entire wedding experience possible is just as important. While there may more people you need to thank, be sure to include all of these individuals:
Anyone who attended your engagement party
The engagement party host
Anyone who attended a bridal shower
The bridal shower hosts
Anyone who gave you a gift
Your bridesmaids and groomsmen
Your officiants
Your wedding vendors
Your parents
Anyone who ran errands or did favors for you the week of the wedding
Anyone who contributed financially to the wedding day
If you're having trouble deciding how to write your wedding thank you notes, you'll find that writing from the heart is best. You don't need to write a novel, but do personalize each thank-you note to reflect your individual relationship with the addressee and their gift. Use specifics. If you've been gifted money for your wedding, explain how you plan to use it, like "we're saving for our first house" or "we can't wait to indulge at the spa on our honeymoon." And don't forget, their presence was a present too—thank your guest for attending the wedding, helping celebrate your love and thinking of you at this special time.
Still not sure what to write? Use these examples to give you some ideas on how to start!