Wedding Thank You Card Wording: Tips & Examples

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Basking in the post-wedding glow with your significant other is much more enjoyable when all of the wedding to-dos are officially checked off—like thanking your guests for celebrating this new chapter with you both.

Thanking every guest in an original and genuine way can take time and preparation. And it all comes down to how you approach your wedding thank you card wording, which is why we’ve pared down the dos and don’ts of writing a thank you card.

For safe measure, we also compiled 15 wedding thank you card wording examples to help you navigate every type of guest and gift. Keep reading to learn about the dos and don’ts of writing a wedding thank you card.

How to Write Wedding Thank You Cards: 10 Dos and Don’ts

Crafting sincere wedding thank you card messages is much easier when you understand the basics of what a wedding thank you card should or shouldn’t mention.

Do Prioritize the Structure

1. Greeting: Begin with a greeting that identifies to whom the card is written.

2. Thank them for coming: Immediately thank them for attending your wedding in the first place.

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

4. Say why the gift brings you joy: Write a line or two about why their gift fits your needs, how it will be used, or why you’re so grateful to have it.

5. Show gratitude for the big picture: Don’t forget to acknowledge the love and support given by your loved ones as you made this major life decision.

6. Closing: Wrap it up with an expression of your warmth, love, or friendship for the recipient, and sign your name.

Don’t Try to Write Them All at Once

Writing wedding thank you cards all at once might sound like a good idea in theory, but this method can quickly lead to fatigue.

Depending on the size of your wedding guest list, plan to set aside some time every weekend or so to write your wedding thank you cards in small batches.

The last thing you and your significant other want is to make your guests feel unappreciated by your rushed wedding thank you card wording.

Do Opt for Handwritten Cards (If Possible)

Handwritten notes signify that a lot of time and effort went into crafting your message. If possible, try to create handwritten wedding thank you cards.

Sourcing stationery that matches your wedding theme is another way to add a considerate touch of style to your handwritten notes.

Don’t Forget to Thank the Vendors

If time allows, consider writing thank you notes for the vendors, caterers, and any support staff that took part in making your big day special!

Do Write Notes for Guests Who Didn’t Send Gifts

Show everyone who took the time to celebrate you and your partner’s ceremony just how special their presence was, even if they didn’t send a present.

Depending on the accessibility of your wedding venue, some guests may have had to spend more resources to attend than others. A wedding thank you card for their attendance lets them know that their efforts were appreciated.

Don’t Write the Same Note for Every Guest

Receiving a beautifully written thank you card is like a present all its own, but realizing that your thank you card is completely unoriginal can leave a guest feeling unimportant.

Attempt to write a personalized thank you card for every guest who attended your wedding ceremony. Mentioning the specific gift you received from them is a great way to add a personal touch.

Do Send Thank You Cards as Soon as Possible

Sending your thank you cards ASAP allows you to check off one of the final tasks on your post-wedding checklist—even if you run into shipping delays and other factors outside of your control.

Although it's common practice to send wedding thank you cards within three months of the wedding, sooner is always better, so that no guest feels forgotten.

Don’t Send Multiple Thank You Cards to One Household

Stationary prices and stamps can add up, especially if you had a long guest list. There is no need to send multiple thank you cards to one household.

If multiple gifts were sent by different guests living under the same roof, make sure to address them individually in your wedding thank you card wording so that everyone feels appreciated.

Do Mention the Specific Gift You Received

Mentioning the specific gift you received is the best way to tailor each wedding thank you card to the sender.

If you’re able to do so, include a brief sentence on how that gift is now bettering your marriage with your significant other. These small details can help the sender understand the impact their gift is making on your new life together.

Don’t Mention Exact Monetary Amounts

For security reasons, it’s typically a good idea to avoid mentioning the exact monetary amount of cash gifts.

In case your thank you card is lost or given to a stranger, you want to protect the gift-giver by not mentioning the cash amounts they were able to give away.

Wedding Thank You Card Wording Examples

Whether you’re writing a thank you note to a guest who 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 wedding thank you card examples will help you navigate wording for every kind of message.

For When 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 cooking 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*

For When 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 were able to pick 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*

For When 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, Cher and Kiera*

For When 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 looking beautiful so far.

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*

For When 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 for us 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*

For When 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*

For When Guests Sent a Group Gift

*Dear Chia, Hector, Phoebe, and Tonya,

We are so grateful that you all pitched in to gift us our new grill! We already cooked our first meal on it and cannot wait to grill for everyone whenever you’re all back in town.

We have profound gratitude for your gift and it touched our heart that you worked together to make this happen. We miss you all so much already!

Our love to all of you, Sebastian and Terry*

For When Guests Traveled Far to Attend

*Dear Aunt June,

We are eternally grateful that you traveled all the way from the other side of the country to be part of our big day! The memories we all made are cherished more than you can imagine.

Your presence at our ceremony was such a gift and we both look forward to spending more time with you this summer!

Love, Haru and Aki*

For When the Sender Was in Your Wedding Party

*Dear Esmerelda,

We cannot thank you enough for being in our wedding party. Your help with the decor and rehearsals made this big day such a breeze for us both!

We love our new dishware as well! We’re so lucky to have your artistic touch in our home now, and we hope to celebrate our new life with you over dinner very soon.

Talk soon, Diaz and Iris*

For When the Gift Is from Your Parents

*Dear Dad and Papa,

We are beyond grateful to have shared our special day with you both by our sides. You both were a tremendous help in making this wedding come to life and the new bookcase you sent was an incredibly thoughtful gesture.

Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us throughout the process and being our shoulder to cry on during the stressful moments—it was all worth it to dance with you like we did.

We love you always, Cassie and Clarke*

For When the Gift Is from Wedding Vendors

*Dear Wedding Supplies & Co.,

Thank you for all the thoughtful touches you added to our big day. Your help made everything run smoothly and we deeply appreciate the wine and charcuterie board you gifted us.

We will be able to host lots of dinners at our new home thanks to your generosity.

Sincerely, Lupita and Louise*

For When the Gift Is a Charity Donation

*Dear Fletcher and Fiona,

We cannot begin to thank you enough for your generous contribution to our charity of choice, The Nippon Foundation Ocean Innovation Consortium.

Your thoughtful gift will help fund ocean cleanup events across East Asia! Our dream is to one day live in a world free of plastic ocean waste, and you have just helped us get one step closer to that goal.

We are forever grateful, Jessie and Matt*

For When a Guest Didn’t Send a Gift

*Dear Leonard and Nancy,

Thank you for taking the time to celebrate our special day with us. We were so excited to see you hitting the dance floor during the reception!

Your presence at our ceremony was such a gift, and we cannot wait to dance the night away with you again soon!

Love, Taylor and Elizabeth*

For When the Gift Is from Someone You Don’t Know

*Dear Ms. Ramirez,

We received the gorgeous vegan cookbook you sent us, and wanted to thank you for the thoughtful gift honoring our new life together.

We appreciate your generosity and kindness, and we hope to cook a delicious meal for you sometime soon. Please give our thanks to your wife and family as well!

Our sincerest gratitude, Yasmine and Maxwell *

For When the Gift Is from a Shared Household

*Dear Shibuya family,

Thank you all so much for helping us celebrate our big day! Little Vanessa’s paintings were the perfect gift, and they’re now hanging up in our study.

We know her artwork will help spark creativity while we both begin new careers during this new chapter of our lives. We can’t thank your family enough for taking time to dance the night away with us!

Take care, Antonio and Alex*

Helpful Synonyms for Wedding Thank You Notes

When you’re writing card after card (after card), it can get pretty tiresome to say the same thing over and over. Here is 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.
• We have profound gratitude for your gift.
• We’re offering the 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,

Hopefully these phrases help you best express the warm fuzzies you got from your wedding gifts. Crafting a heartfelt thank you card is all about the little details, like which adjectives you use and how personal your thank you card wording comes across.

Beautiful wedding card designs can also heighten the wow factor guests will feel upon opening their custom thank you card. Test out these tips while writing your next thank you card batch and you’ll be amazed by how tender your words can be.

FAQs About Wedding Thank You Card Wording

Have more questions about wedding thank you card wording? We have answers.

What Do You Say in a Wedding Thank You Card?

The core elements of wedding thank you card wording include a personalized greeting, thanking the guest for attending, showing gratitude for their specific gift, and a heartfelt closing.

Who Receives a Wedding Thank You Card?

Anyone who sent you and your significant other a gift should be sent a wedding thank you card, and some couples also choose to send a thank you card to every guest who attended the wedding.

Do I Send a Thank You Card to Someone Who Didn’t Attend the Wedding?

This is a personal decision between you and your spouse. Depending on the length of your guest list, this can also be a major time commitment.

If you have the budget to invest in stationary and stamps, then consider taking the time to thank guests who made their presence your present.

How Do You Say Thank You for Wedding Money?

Instead of mentioning the specific monetary amount the guest gifted you, tell the sender what you plan on doing with their investment in your future.

For example, mention that their gift will help make your honeymoon adventures possible or will go to a diaper fund for the next chapter of your life.

When Should Thank You Cards Be Sent Out After a Wedding?

In general, wedding thank you cards should be sent out between one to three months of the wedding. Any earlier is always appreciated by the guests, but later than this might leave guests wondering if you truly enjoyed their gifts or not.

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 customization process.