Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
You’ve said your vows, opened gifts and maybe even been on your honeymoon…now, it’s time to sit down and write ‘thank you’ messages to your wedding guests. Whether you’re thanking a close friend for a heartfelt gift or a colleague for a financial contribution, sending a thank you card is the best way to show appreciation for everyone who was part of your special day. Here, we’ll tackle everything you need to know about writing wedding thank you cards, including some sample wording ideas to inspire you.
How to write wedding thank you cards
Even if you had a small wedding celebration, you likely have a fair amount of people to thank for your special day. The task of writing dozens of cards might be daunting, so it’s a great idea to share the workload with your partner. You can each tackle the thank you cards for your own friends and families, or just split the list down the middle.
Another way to approach your wedding thank you card timeline is by working in batches. Start with cards for your immediate families, bridesmaids and groomsmen -or anyone else who was closely involved in your wedding. These are the people who will probably get a lengthier, more personal thank you note, so write these ones first. A later batch of thank you cards could be for people who contributed to your honeymoon fund -you can include an anecdote about your trip or even a photo in these notes.
Wedding thank you card etiquette
- Don’t wait too long. Aim to mail your thank you cards within 3 months of your wedding -there’s no need to rush, but you want to get your thank-yous in the mail in a timely fashion.
- Make it personal. Turn your thank you cards into one-of-a-kind mementos by including a wedding photo.
- Add a hand-written touch. It’s fine to order thank you cards with a pre-printed, generic message of appreciation -just make sure to add a personal note, too.
Wedding thank you card wording examples
Here, we’ll cover thank you messages for 7 categories of people involved in your wedding, from your bridal party to your vendors.
Thank you card wording for guests who purchased a gift from your wedding registry
Dear [Guest’s Name],
Thank you for being there on our wedding day, and thank you so much for your generous gift. We are so excited to use the cocktail shaker and get creative with happy hour at home. We’d love to have you over soon for drinks or dinner…just as soon as we perfect our margarita technique!
Best,
[Your Name(s)]
Wedding thank you card wording for money:
Dear [Guest],
Thank you so much for being part of our special day! We are so grateful for your generous gift -we will be putting it towards the closing costs of our new home. We can’t wait to have you over for a visit once we’re settled!
All the best,
[Your Name(s)]
Thank you message for wedding guests who contributed to your honeymoon fund:
Dear [Guest],
Thank you so much for being there on our wedding day…we hope you had as much fun as we did! We are so thankful for your generous contribution to our honeymoon fund. We’ll be putting it towards a special excursion when we go on our trip later this year -and we’ll definitely send you a photo or a postcard!
Hope to see you soon,
[Your Name(s)]
Wedding thank you for guests who traveled to get to your wedding, or attended your destination wedding:
Dear [Guest],
We’re so grateful you made the trip to celebrate our wedding day with us. You made the day so special, and we hope you enjoyed the weekend away.
Love,
[Your Name(s)]
Wedding thank you note for people who didn’t attend, but still gave a gift:
Dear [Guest],
Thank you so much for the beautiful set of baking dishes -it was so nice of you to think of us! We wish you could have celebrated with us in person on our wedding day, but we understand that you weren’t able to make it. Hopefully we can get together soon!
Best,[
Your Name(s)]
Thank you message for wedding vendors
Dear [Vendor’s Name],
We wanted to thank you for the beautiful flower arrangements you created for the wedding. Our guests couldn’t stop talking about the centerpieces, and my bouquet came out exactly as I imagined. Thank you so much for bringing our vision to life!
Best,
[Your Name(s)]
What to write in a wedding thank you card to your parents:
Dear Mom & Dad,
Thank you so much for everything you did to make our big day happen -it wouldn’t have been possible without you. Your love and support mean the world to us, and we’re so excited for everything to come.
All our love,
[Your Name(s)]
Wedding thank you card wording for your bridesmaids:
Dear [Attendant’s Name],
Thank you so much for being with me on my big day, and for everything you did to help make our wedding happen. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Love,
[Your Name(s)]
Thank you card wording for people who weren’t invited, but still sent a gift:
Maybe your colleagues and neighbors didn’t make the cut for your guest list -but still got together to give a gift or contribute to your honeymoon fund. Send a group thank you card if it makes sense, or hand out a few individual ones.
Dear [Name],
Thank you so much for contributing to our honeymoon fund! [Partner’s Name] and I really appreciate the gesture. I can’t wait to get together when we get back from our trip!
Best,
[Your Name]
