Wedding Thank You Notes: What are Wedding Etiquettes?

The honeymoon is over, and you’ve unpacked your suitcases. You’re sun-kissed, rested, and ready to start your new life together. But your wedding responsibilities are not over yet.

According to Wedding Wire’s Newlywed Report for 2019, the average number of wedding guests is 126 people. Your guests joined your celebration and most likely brought a generous gift. And now you would like to say thank you with a custom thank you card. But that’s over a hundred cards you need to think about, write, and mail!

We’re here to help our newlywed couples get started with a comprehensive guide of proper wedding etiquette when writing wedding thank you cards. We’ve also included helpful templates to make this task a lot easier.

When to Send Your Wedding Thank You Notes

If you’ve received gifts before the wedding, aim to send those wedding thank you cards within two weeks of receiving the gift. In general, etiquette dictates that at the very latest, you should send a note of gratitude before your wedding day. Plus, you’ll have that done and out of the way before you tackle the more substantial portion of thank you notes after the wedding.

For all other gifts and presents you receive, your goal should be to send out your wedding thank you notes as soon as two weeks after your wedding day but no later than three months after.

What You Need Before Writing Your Wedding Thank You Notes

While you are planning for your wedding day, be sure to keep all the names and addresses of your guests organized in a chart or spreadsheet. You’ll need to reference this when writing your invitations as well as thank you cards.

For those that are extremely organized, add a column to your guest spreadsheet for a small description of their gift. As you open your wedding presents, you’ll be able to fill in this column with information. It’ll make your life easier when it comes time to write each personalized wedding thank you note.

Now, for the things that you need to stock up on before you start.

Stationery

Your wedding thank you notes should never be preprinted with a generic message. Instead, each one should be handwritten and personal. You can opt for plain thank you notes or choose a design that’s more fun that matches your personality or your wedding color scheme. For example, you can opt for custom printed flat thank you cards on shimmering pearl paper with a picture of you on your wedding day.

Another option is to get folded thank you cards with your design on the front and matching envelopes. Be sure to get enough cards and envelopes for everyone on your guest list and a few extra, just in case.

Pens

It likely goes without saying that you’ll need pens to write your wedding thank you notes. With the amount of writing that you’ll be doing, you’ll want a pen that glides smoothly without a lot of tugs. A good ballpoint pen is a great option.

Try to avoid colorful ink. Stick with blue or black ink that doesn’t smudge or bleed through your stationery.

Stamps

Before you start writing, head over to the post office, and buy enough Forever stamps. One per wedding thank you note is likely more than enough.

Get Down to Business – How to Write Wedding Thank You Cards

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When it comes time to write, you’ll want a designated clean space to get down to business. Also, avoid trying to tackle all of your wedding thank you notes at one time. Your hand will tire out quickly, and your handwriting is probably going to suffer too.

Instead, set aside some time every day immediately after your wedding to write a few cards. You’ll knock them out in no time.

Wedding Thank You Note Templates

Your thank you cards don’t need to be wordy or extremely long. However, it’s best to be personal and specific. Here are some wording samples of what you can write.

Wedding Thank You Note for a Gift Off Your Registry

Always mention what you got and how you plan or have used it. Feel free to thank the recipient if they have attended the wedding.

Dear John and Sally,

Thank you so much for the stacking laundry baskets. They’re a perfect size and are so easy to store. We are so grateful to have friends like you. Thanks again for thinking of us on our special day!

All the best,

Laura and Peter

Wedding Thank You Note for a Cash Wedding Gift

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A cash gift is always welcome and extremely useful for a newlywed couple. However, the proper etiquette is to avoid mentioning how much money you’ve received. But be sure to include how you plan to spend it.

Dear Aunt Betty and Uncle Steve,

Thank you for being a part of our special day. We are also so grateful for your generous gift. It has been so helpful while we furnish our first home together. We can’t wait to have you over to see the new house. Thank you again!

Much love,

Laura and Peter

Wedding Thank You Note for a Gift from Someone You Don’t Know Well

It is okay to acknowledge the relationship. To help alleviate some awkwardness, mention the person that you know in common.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith,

Thank you for the knife set. The knives cut beautifully and complement our table setting well. My parents have spoken very highly of you both. Peter and I were so happy to be able to meet you in person finally!

All the best,

Laura and Peter

Wedding Thank You Note for a Group Gift

Even if you’ve received a gift from a group of people, send thank you card to each person.

Dear Claire,

Thank you so much for the coffeemaker. You know that we have been eyeing this machine for such a long time. We’ll use it every day. We are so happy to have friends who know us so well!

All the best,

Laura and Peter

Wedding Thank You Note for a Gift You Don’t Like

If you’ve received a gift that you don’t like, have exchanged it, have multiple ones, or can’t return it, always find something positive to say in your card. Also, if you’ve returned or exchanged it, there’s no need to mention that in your wedding thank you note.

Dear Charles,

Thank you so much for the red crystal vase. It is so colorful and unique! Every time we look at it, we will think of you and this important time in our lives. Thank you for thinking of us!

Much love,

Laura and Peter

Wedding Thank You Note for Someone Who Helped Make Your Wedding Extra Special

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This is a chance to thank someone who has gone above and beyond to help during the wedding planning and actual day. You probably won’t have too much difficulty writing this card, but it’s important not to forget the people who made your wedding extra special.

For example, some of these people may be your family, bridesmaids, groomsmen, or even the photographer or caterer. Always mention what they did that stood out the most.

Dear Mr. Dickens,

Thank you for all your hard work to document our special day. You were really outstanding with your clear instructions for the best photos and your artistic eye to give us the coolest shots. We are thrilled that you were able to be a part of our big day. We can’t wait to see all the photos and the finished album!

Sincerely,

Laura and Peter

Wedding Thank You Note When You Don’t Know What the Gift Is

While this situation is less than ideal, it happens sometimes. Even if a gift mistakenly falls through the cracks, it’s more important to focus on the givers.

Dear Richard and Anna,

Thank you for being a part of our big day. We are so grateful for your generous wedding gift. It means the world to us that you were able to celebrate with us. Thank you for making the trip!

Fondly,

Laura and Peter

Wedding Thank You Note for Someone Who Sent a Gift but Couldn’t Come to the Wedding

Its good wedding thank you card etiquette to also mention how much you wish the recipient could have been there.

Dear Karen,

Thank you so much for the baking set. It was very considerate of you to think of us. We missed your presence at our wedding. It truly wasn’t the same without you. We hope there will be more opportunities to celebrate and spend time together in the future.

Love,

Laura and Peter

Personalize and Print Your Wedding Thank You Notes with 4over4.com

4OVER4.COM is the reliable and professional platform for printing wedding thank you notes. We offer multiple beautiful paper options with matching envelopes. We maintain high-quality, full-color printing standards. Plus, most thank you cards can be ready in just a few days.

Contact us to work with our excellent customer service team to design and execute your vision for a fully personalized wedding thank you card.