The Art of Writing Thank You Notes for Wedding Gifts
To have and to hold, to write and to mail! Here’s everything you need to know about writing and sending thank you cards after your wedding.
Now that you just tied the knot in the most spectacular fashion (and you have the pictures to prove it), odds are you have a few thank you notes to tackle. Wedding thank you cards aren’t hard, but the sheer number you need to write and send can be daunting (and the etiquette!). Don’t let the stress of how to write a thank you note take away from your newlywed bliss. Instead, use these wedding thank you messages to create personalized thank you cards that show your gratitude, but don’t cramp up your hand! Now that you've got a stack of gifts and a heart full of gratitude, it’s time to dive into the wonderful world of thank you cards. Welcome to what to write in a thank you card 101!
While you add memories of hitting the dance floor with your friends and family to your wedding thank you notes, you may also want some tips on the best way to preserve photos from your favorite day. After you get your pictures back, turn them into a wedding photo book you can look back on with your new spouse for years to come. There are so many great photo book options to help you capture the magic of your big day — plus pics from your engagement, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and wedding shower. Print your photos in a Classic Photo Book, or opt for a super luxe coffee table book like the Premium Layflat Photo Book. No matter which photo book you choose, you’ll always be able to remember this magical and exciting time in your life.
Decide if your greeting will be casual or formal, and this may vary depending on to whom you’re addressing your thank you note. For instance, you may say “Dear Mr. and Mrs. Scott” if you’re writing to friends of your parents rather than “Dear Mikey” to a close friend. After your greeting, make sure you mention the specific gift, experience or gesture you’re thanking them for to personalize your note.
You can opt for an inside joke or immediately start with a memory from your celebration, like “Thank you not only for your generous gift, but for catching the bride (and stopping her from going face-first into the wedding cake) when the best man accidentally stepped on her train!”
The point of your thank you note is to express your gratitude, which is why it’s important to be specific about the gift, how you may use it, how it makes you and your new spouse feel, and how it may enhance your life as newlyweds.
You don’t have to write a five paragraph essay in your note, but it’s important to take the time to write a few thoughtful sentences about the joy the gift brings you and your spouse. Try a thank you note example like, “We absolutely love the towel warmer! It’s such a thoughtful gift, and we plan to use it throughout the year — although especially during the winter — and are so grateful for your generosity! It truly ‘warmed’ our hearts. There’s nothing like stepping into a warm, cozy towel after stepping out of the shower.”
If you’re able to add any photos from your wedding to your thank you note, it’s a beautiful way to personalize your card and add a touch of sentimentality. Whether you have copies of the photo strips from your photo booth or candids from your photographer, print a few copies and slide them into the envelope. You can also opt for custom thank you cards that include pictures of you and your spouse on the notes themselves.
If your gift was an experience, like dinner on your honeymoon, send them a picture of the happy couple dining out together! Including a visual of the amazing time you had — the memory you created with their gift — so they can see how their gift made you feel.
You can also invite your friends and family members to be collaborators on your wedding photo album, asking them to add any extra photos from the big day you may not have to your book, plus then your closest friends and family can print their own duplicate versions of the big day.
It may seem like beating a dead horse, but it’s important to hammer this point home: Let your friends and family know how you plan to use their wedding presents!
For instance, you may write “We’re already planning on breaking out our new gravy boat when we host Thanksgiving this year!” Or, if you’re not sure how to be specific with a gift like cash, you can always say something like, “We truly appreciate your $100 cash gift, and we’ll be thinking of you when we use it for a nice dinner on our honeymoon!”
If it’s possible to show your guests their gifts in action, add that to your note. For instance, if your Aunt and Uncle sent you a fancy cookware set, write something like, “Please let us know when you’re available next month so we can put our amazing new cookware into action. We’d love to have you over for dinner and whip you Jim’s famous penne vodka!”
After you add a personalized touch to your card with either photos, memories from the wedding, details on how you’ll use or present (or how it made you feel), or an invite to see the newlyweds put their new gifts to use, it’s time to wrap up your thank you note.
Whether you close with a “Thank you again” or something more authentic to your relationship, make sure your appreciation is genuine. Add a PS about catching up soon or a month in the future when you’re free so you can make plans to see one another. It’s important to not only thank your friends and family for their generous gifts, but make it clear you’d like to see them beyond your big day.
As you begin expressing gratitude for the incredible gifts received on your special day in your thank you cards, don't let the seemingly endless task of writing thank you notes for wedding gifts overshadow the joy of your newlywed bliss. With these sentimental messages, you can craft personalized thank you cards that convey your appreciation — without causing hand cramps. And after you’re finished thanking your friends and family members for their generous and beautiful gifts, take some time with your new spouse to pick out your fave wedding photos and add them to a Classic Photo Book or Premium Layflat, so you can relive the magic of your big day and celebrate your romance with each year you have together.
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