Wedding Thank You Wording: How to Write a Thank You Note

You’re basking in the afterglow of your wedding and honeymoon. All those months of planning every intricate detail have passed, and you can enjoy knowing all your hard work resulted in priceless memories. There’s just one task left ahead of you, and that’s writing thank you notes to the many people who attended your wedding, brought gifts and helped make your day magical.

Even if you expressed your gratitude over social media, it’s important to write and send physical thank you cards. As you planned your wedding, you probably followed proper etiquette to make guests feel comfortable and welcomed. Mailing a card with thoughtfully crafted wedding thank you wording is a big part of wedding etiquette. Spending the time to write and send them shows gratitude for the time and money guests spent on you.

While it may feel overwhelming to write thank you notes to 50 or 100 guests, the process can be simple and even enjoyable, especially if you plan ahead. Thank you notes should be sent to all guests who attended your wedding, regardless of whether they gave you a gift, and to anyone who helped make your wedding extra special.

If you receive registry gifts before the wedding, it’s expected that you will mail a thank you card within two weeks. That may seem daunting given the other tasks on your to-do list, but it’ll be one less thank you card to write after the wedding. The rest of your thank you cards should be sent no later than three months after your wedding.

Tips for Writing Your Thank You Notes

• Start early: The best time to think about wedding thank you notes is when you’re purchasing your wedding invitations. That way, your thank you cards match the rest of your wedding stationary for a cohesive theme.
• Make it easy: To save time and prevent your hand from cramping up, have your return address pre-printed on the envelope. That way, all you need to do is write your guests’ addresses. Once you have addressed your wedding invitations, set aside your invitation address list along with your thank you cards so that everything is ready beforehand.
• It’s never too late: If you didn’t order thank you cards in advance, pick out some fun stationary that represents you as a newly married couple or go with a simple white.
• Be detailed: As you open your gifts, keep your guest list handy and record which gifts you’ve received and from whom. It can be helpful to write a note about each gift right then and there, as “salad bowl” might not jog any memories when you finally sit down to write.

Designate an area in your home as a thank you writing station, with all of the necessary supplies at your fingertips. Maybe put on your wedding playlist for inspiration and enjoy a glass of wine in one of your new wine glasses.

Creating Your Thank You Message

Feel free to craft a basic template that you use for each card, and customize with personal details and notes about the gift or memories of the day. The following steps can help you cover all the aspects of a thoughtful thank you card:

1. Salutations – Consider your relationship with the guest as you address the card, perhaps “Mr. & Mrs. Jones” for one of your mother’s friends or “Olivia” for your maid of honor.
2. Use specifics – “Thank you for the 8-bottle wine cooler from our registry.”
3. Tell what the gift means to you – “We can’t wait to use it for entertaining our friends on game night.”
4. Thank for their presence – “We were overjoyed to have you share in our special day!”
5. Closing – “With love” or “Forever thankful,”  again, depending on how close you are with the guest.  

Wedding Thank You Ideas

If you’re stuck for inspiration, check out these samples of wedding thank you wording to get the ideas and ink flowing.

A Financial Wedding Gift

The word “generous” is a good way to acknowledge the gift, rather than write out the amount. It’s also nice to mention how you plan to use it.  

Dear Bob and Laura,

Adam and I are so grateful for your generous gift. We’re one step closer to the bathroom remodel we plan to start this spring. It was so wonderful to have you celebrate alongside us at the wedding—thanks for making the trip.

Forever grateful,

Adam and Jane

A Wedding Gift From Off the Registry

They went out of their way to choose a gift they knew you would like (after all, you picked it)! So express your feelings about the gift and/or elaborate on how you will use it.  

Dear Bob and Laura,

Thank you for coming to our wedding ceremony!  Thank you for the red kitchen mixer–it matches the decor in our new home perfectly and we are looking forward to making some yummy desserts! We are so glad you could join us at our wedding.

Best wishes,

Adam and Jane

A Wedding Gift from an Acquaintance

If your father insisted you invite his partner from the law firm, you can acknowledge that you don’t know him well but look forward to including them in your celebrations.  

Dear Mr. Jones,

We loved the crystal decanter and we look forward to using it in our home. My dad has spoken so fondly of you over the years. Adam and I look forward to meeting you at the wedding in a few weeks. Thank you for your kindness and for sharing in this exciting time in our lives.

Sincerely,

Adam and Jane

A Guest Without a Gift

Their presence was present enough, so thank them for making memories with you.

Dear Bob and Laura,

Thank you for being a part of our happily ever after!

Your presence meant so much to us.

Warmest regards,

Adam and Jane

A Wedding Gift You Dislike

Focus on the intention behind the gift, rather than the gift itself.

Dear Bob and Laura,

Thank you for the birdhouse made of license plates–so eclectic and original! Every time we look at it we will think of you and remember this special time in our lives. Many thanks for sharing in our joy on our wedding day.

Warm regards,

Adam and Jane

A Wedding Provider

If your wedding planner or photographer went out of their way to make your wedding memorable, a thank you card is a thoughtful gesture.

Dear Julie,

Thank you so much for being with us on our wedding day.  You made the wedding so special and we greatly appreciate the time you took to make sure our photos turned out perfectly.  We will certainly be recommending you to all our friends who are getting married.

Thank you again,

Adam and Jane

Additional Wedding Thank You Wording Ideas

It can be tiring to write the same thing over and over again. When you want to wording other than simply “thank you”, swap it out for one of these phrases:

• We’ll always cherish your thoughtful gift of …
• We are so appreciative of…
• Adam and I were so happy to receive….
• We look forward to having the crystal vase brighten our home for years to come!
• Lauren and I will treasure the silver frame as a wedding memento.
• What a spectacular gift! We’ll always think of you when we fire up the grill.
• Your gift meant so much to us.
• We are truly blessed to have friends who know us so well.

Writing wedding thank you notes can be a big job, but starting out your new life as a couple with gratitude for the people who helped you come together sets the tone for a happy future. Check out our wedding favors here as a way to say thank you for attending the wedding!

Sources:

A Practical Wedding | Wedding Paperie | The Knot | Shutterfly | Honey Fund