Welcome to the last issue of my Wedding Invitation Guide.
There's one last wedding invitation related topic I'd like to discuss with you...wedding thank you cards. Before you know it, you'll be writing yours. Here are a few guidelines:
Wedding thank you notes should be sent within two weeks for gifts received before the wedding.
Three months is the latest that wedding thank you cards should be sent for gifts received at the wedding, but try to mail them out within a month.
TIP
I mentioned in an earlier issue to save your guest list for marking off names as response cards were received. I would also suggest making a copy of the guest list before you start marking it up. This copy will give you quick and easy access to all addresses and also provides a great way to record the wedding gifts you received next to the sender's name on your guest list. When recording gifts, write a few descriptive words about each gift in case you receive similar gifts from different guests. Be sure to check off the guest's name when you have finished writing their wedding thank you card to avoid sending duplicate notes.
Sincere gratefulness should be reflected in your wedding thank you. Try to thank the person in the same tone you would use if you were talking to them face-to-face.
Personally write each wedding thank you card to give it a personal touch. A handwritten wedding thank you is also like a gift in itself. Preprinted cards let guests know the gift has been received. However, you still need to follow up with a handwritten, personal thank you note.
Blue or black ink should be used and be sure to use the same ink color for both the wedding thank you cards and the mailing envelopes.
Both the bride and groom should write them together. Sharing responsibility takes the pressure off a little. If you try to write a little each day, the whole wedding thank you note writing project will seem less daunting.
Everyone involved in the wedding, from the flower girl to the best man, should receive a thank you card. Try to remember to thank all those involved.
Be careful not to step on any toes in writing your wedding thank you cards. DO NOT mention you are going to return a gift for ANY reason. Also, you should not say that you received the same gift from someone else.
Here is an outline of a typical wedding thank you card:
Salutation: "Dear Mrs. Smith", "Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith", "Dear Uncle Dan" and "Dear Sue" are all ways of starting the note depending on your relationship with them.
First sentence: Begin with yourself (and/or spouse). "I would like to thank you..." or "Dan and I would like to thank you...". Let the recipient know who is thanking them.
Mention the gift: Be as specific as possible. Tell the person how nice it is and why. A few descriptive words you can use when they fit the situation are: appropriate, beautiful, charming, elegant, generous, lovely, perfect, special, unique, and useful.
Tell them how you plan to use the gift: In the case of monetary gifts, you should not mention that it was a check, cash or even the exact amount of the gift. An example would be, "Your generous gift is highly appreciated. We have it earmarked for our house fund."
Thank the person again: Maybe include a personal thought about your relationship with the giver or a special memory of your wedding or event.
Close the note: Give a heartfelt closing with something like "Fondly," "Best regards," "Sincerely," "Love," or "Cordially" and sign your name.
TIP
Save time and money by placing your order of wedding thank you cards when you order your invitations. Most wedding invitation styles have matching informal or thank you cards. Informals are note cards that usually have your monogram or names on the front with the inside being blank for writing your thank you message. If your invitation style doesn't have matching thank you cards or informals, I invite you to take a look at our selection of personalized and blank wedding thank you cards.
SAMPLE WORDINGS for Wedding Thank You Cards
For a cash gift:
Dear ________,
Thank you so much for your generous gift. ______ and I are saving for a new home and thanks to you, we'll be shopping for our dream house very soon. Again, many thanks for thinking of us and for sharing our special day.
Love, _________
For a gift you really didn't like:
Dear ________,
Thank you for the __________. You are both so thoughtful! Every time we look at them/it, we will think of you and this special time in our lives. Again, many thanks for sharing our joy.
Fondly, ____________
For many, many more samples of wedding invitation wording, visit our Sample Verse area!
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