Wedding Thank You Notes: 101

Once the wedding and bridal showers start coming, you’re going to start writing a lot of thank you notes. A lot. Even more, after the wedding itself. It can be stressful trying to write so many thank you notes in such a short period of time. Regardless to what people might say, you don’t have a year to send out thank you notes. It’s more like three months from the date that you got the gift. Ideally, it would be written and sent the day that you got it, but life can be busy, especially when planning a wedding. To help you out some, we’ve put together the ultimate thank you note guide to get you through all those gifts.

Do You Have to Write Thank You Notes?

Writing a couple hundred thank you notes is not fun, but, it’s something you have to do. Whether we like it or not, wedding thank you notes are a must. There are few things more appreciated than a lovely handwritten thanks.

Who Gets a Thank You Note?

So, who do you send a thank you note to? Short version: anyone who was a part of your wedding should get a thank you card. Here’s a more detailed list:

  • Anyone who gave you a gift. Any type of engagement, shower, or wedding gift deserves a thank you note, even if you thanked them in person. Also, if different people go in on a group gift, they each deserve individual notes. Let them know how much you appreciate what they gave you and how it will benefit you.
  • Anyone who gave you money. Any gift of money, whether it is cash, checks, or contributions, should also get a thank you note. If you have a plan, let them know what you plan on doing with the money.
  • Anyone who hosted a shower. If someone threw you a shower or party in honor of your wedding or engagement, they should receive a thank you note. Even if the event was hosted jointly, individual notes should be sent.
  • Your wedding party. Being in a wedding can be stressful and expensive. Let those who took part in your big day know how much you appreciated them being there and all they did for you.
  • Your wedding guests. Even if your wedding guests didn’t come with a gift, their presence at your wedding should be a present enough. You don’t have to send a long thank you note, but at least let those who attended your wedding know how happy you were that they were able to be there for it.
  • Your vendors. You don’t have to send a thank you note to every single person that worked at your wedding, but, generally, you should send a thank you note to the ones that you met personally, or who provided you exceptional service. For example, your wedding planner and photographer should probably receive thank you notes, while every single person at the venue, not so much. However, if your venue went over and beyond, send a thank you to the contact person you had there.

How to Write a Thank You Note

When you sit down to write your thank you notes, it can be hard to come up with something different for every single one, especially if they give you money or if you don’t know them very well. It doesn’t have to be hard, though; just make sure that you thank them for what they have done for you. For example, if you don’t know the person, instead of bringing that up, tell them how thankful you are that they thought of you and how much you enjoy the gift.

An Example

Dear John,

Thank you so much for the blender. Chris and I were thrilled by your thoughtful gift. It was something that we had been needing around our apartment. We can’t wait to start making smoothies and treats with it. We are lucky to have such incredible people in our lives, and we can’t wait to see you at the wedding.

Sincerely, Claire and Chris

Make sure that you mention the gift or service that they gave you in the note so that it doesn’t seem like a prewritten or generic note. You want to make sure each and every person who gave you something feels special.

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