Thank you notes are the final piece of your wedding stationery suite. These cards are one of the final steps on your wedding to-do list and they’re the most traditional way to express gratitude to your wedding guests not only for gifts but for celebrating your wedding with you.

Our last article on wedding thank yous brought you up to speed on who you should send them to, ideas of what you should generally include in them, and how long you have to send wedding thank you cards. And now you can even shop for wedding thank you cards on Zola for a fully coordinating paper suite with your wedding website, save the date, and invitation.

But if the time has come to share your thanks, you might be wondering how exactly to word your wedding thank you cards. If you’re nervous about writing the wrong thing, here are some ideas for crafting perfect thank you cards, including templates for your convenience.

General Thank You Card Template

Here’s a general overview of the anatomy of a typical wedding thank you note. Feel free to take these basic elements and personalize them, change their order, or mix them up according to your tastes. We’ve also included written examples to really illustrate each section.

1. Greeting

Like all notes and cards, begin with a greeting that identifies to whom the card is written.

Dearest Tamar & Ali,

2. Thank Them for Coming

Immediately thank them for attending your wedding. See below for an example of what to write if they did not attend.

We were overjoyed to have you at our wedding last month.

3. Thank Them for The Gift

Get right to the heart of your message by thanking them for their wedding gift.

Thank you so much for the sleek new juicer!

4. Say Why The Gift Brings You Joy. Be Specific!

Write a line or two about why their gift fits your needs perfectly, how it will be used, or why you’re so grateful to have it.

It’s a delightful addition to our kitchen, and we’ve been whipping up some incredible breakfast smoothies. We remember you fondly when we use it (literally every morning).

5. Show Gratitude for The Big Picture

This wedding gift is more than just a present—it symbolizes the love and support felt by your loved ones as you make this major life decision.

You can’t imagine how much your friendship means to us. Again, thank you for helping us embark on our new life together.

6. Closing

Wrap up your thank you note with an expression of your warmth, love, or friendship for the recipient, and sign your name.

Much love,
Rob & Jason

Sample Thank You Card Language for Every Situation

Whether you’re writing a thank you note to a guest who actually didn’t come to your wedding (but still sent a gift), or someone who gave you an off-registry present that you immediately returned, these thank you note samples will help you navigate wording for every kind of message.

The Gift Was from Your Registry

Dear Jacqueline,

We’re so grateful you could come to our wedding a few weeks ago. And thank you so much for the chef’s knife and honing steel you gave us! We’ve both been learning some basic chef skills, and can’t wait to show them off when you visit us this summer.

Our wedding was a day we’ll remember for the rest of our lives. Words really can’t express how thankful we are that you could be part of it.

Love,
Janine and Kai

The Gift Was a Monetary Gift

Dear Ellen and Sam,

It was wonderful to see you at our wedding! Thank you for making the trip—and for your incredibly generous gift. We’re planning to take a long camping trip this summer, and we just picked up some crucial gear, thanks to you. We’ll send pictures!

Again, we’re so grateful for your friendship. Thank you for being part of our special day.

With love,
Millie and Beau

You Didn’t Like or Exchanged The Gift

Dear Uncle Jeff,

It was a true delight to see you at our wedding. Thank you for the fondue set you gave us! It was incredibly thoughtful of you, and we’re both touched by your generosity.

Our wedding was all we could have hoped for, and it wouldn’t have been the same without you. Thank you again for helping us get our marriage off to such a wonderful start.

Gratefully yours,
Kai and Kiera

The Gift-Giver Didn’t Attend The Wedding

Dear Henrietta,

Thank you for the stunning serving bowl! It’s the perfect accent for the open shelves in our kitchen. Thanks to you, our newlywed home is off to a beautiful start.

While we missed you at the wedding, we know you were there in spirit. We hope to see you when we’re back from our honeymoon! Again, our deepest thanks for your generosity.

Sincerely,
Margaret and Kate

The Gift-Giver Is a Very Close Friend

Dear Jake,

We loved having you at our wedding! Thank you so much for the beer-brewing kit. We’re going to fire it up in the next few weeks, and hope to be sipping backyard IPAs with you in no time.

You can’t imagine how moving it was to see you in the crowd with everyone else we love. These memories will last a lifetime, and then some. Thank you for being part of our lives.

Much love,
Zach and Tracy

The Gift-Giver Is a Formal Acquaintance

Dear Dr. Milford,

Please accept our deepest gratitude for the crystal vase you gave us. It’s a stunning centerpiece for our coffee table, and we can’t wait to fill it with the first flowers of spring.

We were both touched that you could attend the wedding. Your kindness and support means everything as we set off on a new life together.

Gratefully yours,
Logan and Mackenzie

Helpful Synonyms for Writing Thank You Cards

When you’re writing card after card (after card), it can get pretty tiresome to say the same thing over and over. Here are a list of synonyms for common expressions that will help you keep your thank you card language fresh.

Ways to Say “Thank You for Your Gift”

  • We deeply appreciate your gift.
  • Our profound gratitude for your gift.
  • Our deepest thanks for your gift.
  • We’re truly thankful for your gift.
  • We’re so grateful for your gift.
  • We can’t thank you enough for your gift.
  • We love your gift; thank you so much!
  • Your gift is very much appreciated.
  • Thank you for your generosity.
  • Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

Ways to Say “Our Wedding”

  • Our ceremony
  • Our special day
  • The big day
  • Our union
  • The beginning of our life together
  • Our celebration
  • Our big event

Ways to Say “We’re Happy You Could Come”

  • It was a joy to have you at our wedding.
  • We were delighted you could come.
  • We’re honored that you made the trip.
  • It was wonderful to see you at our wedding.
  • We were so grateful to have you as a guest.
  • We really appreciate your presence.
  • We loved having you there.
  • We’re so thankful you could join us.
  • You made our celebration complete.

Ways to Say “With Love”

  • Many thanks,
  • Gratefully yours,
  • With love and gratitude,
  • Warmly yours,
  • With deepest thanks,
  • All our love,
  • Best wishes,
  • Together with love,
  • Fondly,
  • Cheers,
  • Sincerely,

We'll do the work.

Now that you know what to write in your wedding thank you cards, let us do the hard part. If you aren't into handwriting—or you tried and your hands can't handle it—we'll do that part for you. Now with Zola, you can type messages for any of your guests or customize our suggested notes. Yes, you can write individual messages to individual guests or families—it's still super personal. Then, we'll print whatever you write in a beautiful font.

Find this feature when you select any thank you card style on Zola. You have the option to write your custom message on the inside step of your custimization process.