The most beautiful day of your life is now locked into the memory bank forever. Your wedding day was perfect, and you were surrounded by your closest friends and family to share in the magic with you and your new spouse. The wedding day might be over, but the marriage is just beginning, and it’s time for you and your life partner to say thank you to everyone who attended your big day by sending personalized wedding thank you cards.
Of course, there are many ways to write your wedding thank you cards, but there are also some key elements to remember when saying thank you to your guests.
The meaning of a thank you card for weddings is to show gratitude to those who took part in your big day. Most guests have given the new couple a gift of monetary value, and all guests have given the gift of their time. So when it comes to saying thank you from a place of honest appreciation, a thank you card should be thought of as a gift, as well.
Picking the correct wedding thank you card words should not be taken lightly. You should not write a generalized, simple thank-you message – it should be specific to the wedding theme. Family and friends who were part of your day, whether their roles were large or small, and likely planned and travelled to be there for your special day deserve a sincere thank you card expressing your genuine love and appreciation for having them there. Make sure to pick a card that is tasteful, thoughtful, preferably of higher value, and ensure the message is personal to he recipient.
The proper etiquette when sending out wedding thank you cards is to get out all thank yous within three months of the wedding day. Wedding guests fully understand that a lot happens between planning the wedding and the after-the-wedding-day responsibilities that can pile up. For example, a new bride has a ton of paperwork to fill out when changing her name, which can take a while to get through.
Even if no name changes are necessary, there are plenty of other obligations to handle after tying the knot, like approving wedding photos, updating medical documents, and perhaps, splitting up closet space.
It’s a good idea to grab a notebook and pen before opening up the cards and wedding presents that are given to you at your wedding party. Write down each name and the thoughtful gift that you received or the amount of cash that was gifted. It will be an excellent resource to reflect on when giving a personalized touch to the thank you card.
Having an idea of each guest’s role in your wedding will help determine what kind of thank you the guest will receive. Thank you cards can look the same from the outside, but what it says on the inside will make them unique for each role.
If you haven’t thought about it before, you should know that each guest attending your wedding day has a special role. That being said, giving them the proper recognition for their role in your wedding ceremony is essential. In addition, breaking down the roles into groups will make it easier for you to write thank you cards.
Here is a breakdown of who should receive a thank you message.
This is anyone who attended your special day, from extended family to close friends. Usually, these guests have given a monetary gift or a generous wedding gift.
Parents of both the bride and the groom need to be especially thanked for their role and participation in the glorious day. Many times, a parent will contribute a large sum of money or time to making that special day possible. It’s respectful to show your gratitude for such generous contributions by taking the time to write a thoughtful thank you note to show your appreciation.
The bridal party includes bridesmaids, groomsmen, and any junior members that were part of the wedding date like the ring bearer or flower girl. For example, you should send a special thank you note to the flower girl and her parents for their select participation on your wedding day.
These beautiful souls that couldn’t make the long distance to the party, but still found a way to celebrate you and your new life by sending a generous wedding gift. They deserve a big thank you for not only sending a thoughtful gift, but for saving you money, as well.
Wedding vendors deserve a thank you card for their participation on your wedding day. This includes wedding planners, florists, catering companies, venues, clergy, hotels, or anyone else that ‘worked’ your wedding day. It doesn’t have to be individual cards to each person per vendor, but a thank you to the company would be a kind gesture.
A thank you card should be given to anyone who gave a generous contribution to the wedding financially or in other ways, like running errands, hosting out-of-town guests, picking up guests from the airport, or doing anything that had made your special day less stressful.
After you have divvied the guests into groupings, now you can tackle each group at a time, making it easier to keep track of the thank you card list. Plus, it will allow you to keep a one-track mind on what to say when writing your thank yous, so you don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
For example, writing thank you cards to all the vendors in a group will let you focus on the vendors and their work, as opposed to writing a vendor, and then writing a thank you for someone more a little more special, like your maid of honor.
Another critical element to remember when it comes to writing your wedding thank you cards is how meaningful handwritten thank you cards are. A handwritten note makes for a personal and touching outreach. It shows that you’ve taken the time to appreciate each individual guest and personally thank them for their thoughtful wedding gift, especially when you’ve included a unique closing to the card.
If you don’t have the perfect penmanship, or you would like to have an outside source handle writing and shipping your thank you cards, Handwrytten can help you!
Writer’s block is a legitimate problem that can affect anyone on a deadline. It can even happen when trying to think of the perfect thing to say on a thank you card. Don’t fret. Make it personal and shoot from the heart. Here are some different sample wedding thank you card ideas.
It is up to you if you want to mention the amount. It has been considered a faux-pas in the past, but the thinking around this has since changed in recent years (Green Envelope). Now, wedding etiquette suggests indicating specific amounts of gift money received is a positive thing, as it can tell the giver whether or not the correct amount was received, and also just shows that you’re being mindful and attentive of people’s hard earned cash. Here are some thank you card wording ideas:
“Dear Aunt Jackie and Uncle Michael,
Thank you so much for the $200! We appreciate you and your generosity. We plan to put the money towards a new couch that will keep us comfortable for many years to come.
Thank you for being a part of our special day,
Ben and Chloe”
Most wedding presents that come from the registry are given during a bridal shower, so a thank you has probably already been sent for that generous gift. However, guests sometimes bring a wedding present to the ceremony, which requires special recognition. Here is a thank you card wording example.
“Dear Tom and Taylor,
Thank you for the crystal wine glasses! They remind me of my grandmother’s set. They will go perfect on our mantel, and we are sure to make great use of them!
Thank you so much,
Terry and Pauline”
Parents, grandparents, bridal parties, friends, or others may contribute a group gift of money, specifically for you to put towards the wedding or honeymoon funds. These beautiful humans deserve an extra dose of gratitude. Getting a wedding photographer and putting photos or a honeymoon photo within a custom wedding card is a great way to show them how special they are to you.
“Dear Grandma Ida,
Thank you so much for the money that went towards our honeymoon! We never thought we would see paradise the way we could view it on this trip. Here’s a picture of us standing on the beach while seashell hunting.
We would not have been able to do this without your love and support.
Love and thanks,
Becky and Chris”
Here are some frequently asked questions about writing wedding thank you messages.
Writing from the heart and adding a personal note about the generous gift you received is a great touch when sending out wedding thank you cards.
When you receive money as a wedding gift, it’s appropriate to send a thank you card telling the person how much you appreciate their generosity and that it will go towards something valuable in your marriage.
A wedding thank you card shouldn’t sound too formal or forced. Instead, it should be an endearing message to express your gratitude for their absolute love and kindness.
From a guest standpoint, the appropriate way to thank a bride and groom for wedding invitations to their wedding is by giving a present or monetary gift that is at least comparable to the price of your wedding dinner plate. It is customary to double the plate cost if you attend the wedding with a plus one.
Your wedding day will be something that you will remember forever. Your chosen wedding guests will have shared in one of the most special days of your life. There are plenty of ways to write custom wedding thank you cards, and years from now, you might not remember who exactly gave you what generous gift. However, sending out personalized thank you cards after the nuptials will allow them to always remember your appreciation for them being part of your magical day.
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