Wedding thank you cards: when to send, what to write, and more

Wedding stationer Atelier Rosemood spills the bean on this oft-forgotten but completely essential tick on your post-wedding to do list

This article contains paid-for content created in collaboration with Atelier Rosemood

Congratulations on tying the knot – we are sure that your wedding was better than you could have ever imagined! As you revel in the delights of married life, don’t forget to thank all those who helped make your big day so special.

Thank you cards are an essential part of your wedding duties, but sending potentially hundreds of cards can seem like a daunting task and sometimes it’s difficult to know where to start.

Luckily for you, the team at Atelier Rosemood are here to answer your questions about wedding thank you cards! From when to send them to what to write, our top wedding thank you card tips will help you tick this last piece of wedding stationery off your list with ease.

Do I need to send wedding thank you cards?

This may seem like an obvious question, but some happy couples get so caught up in the post-wedding bliss that they forget to send out wedding thank you cards. It’s only polite to thank everyone for making the effort to attend your wedding and for showering you with lovely gifts, so remember that your wedding duties are not over until that last thank you card has been sent out!

When should I send wedding thank you cards?

Wedding etiquette generally gives couples three months after the big day to send out thank you cards, but remember the quicker you get them checked off the list the quicker you can go back to enjoying newly married life!

One thing to note is that the timescale for sending your thank you cards may depend on when you get your professional photos if you want to use these as part of the design.

Who should get a wedding thank you card?

Write a list of who you wish to thank to before ordering your cards. As a basic rule, you should send cards to:

• All your wedding guests
• All those who gave you a wedding gift
• Everyone involved in the preparations, including your wedding suppliers

It is best to keep track of who gave you each gift as you open them! That way you will have a head start on your list and will just need to add on your wedding suppliers.

What should I write in my wedding thank you cards?

The most important thing is to keep things personal, (part of which comes from writing your cards by hand). You can keep the message short and sweet, as long as you take the time to mention any specific wedding gifts and how you are going to use them. Cheat by typing up part of a generic message online when ordering personalised wedding thank you cards, but remember to always sign off your cards by hand!

Here are a few examples to help you put pen to paper:

Thank you for attending the wedding

Thank you so much for being there on our wedding day, you helped make it truly unforgettable. It meant the world to us that we could celebrate with you. We hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did!

Thank you for the gift

Thank you for being there on our wedding day. Having our friends and family there made the day truly unforgettable. We were so happy to receive the lovely crockery set that you so kindly gave to us. We look forward to using it for years to come.

Thank you for the money

Thank you so much for attending our wedding! We had a lovely day and were so happy that you were there. We are so grateful for your generous gift, that we will be adding to our honeymoon fund. We will be sure to send you a postcard!

Don’t forget that you can find more wedding thank you card wording ideas on Rosemood’s website.

What type of wedding thank you cards should I choose?

The decision making doesn’t come to an end once the wedding is over, as you still need to pick your favourite design for your thank you cards.

Choose a design that reflects the style of your big day and consider whether you would prefer to keep things consistent and hint back at your stationery suite, wedding theme and colour scheme, or whether you simply wish to share some of your favourite wedding photos.

Do my wedding thank you cards need to match my invites?

The short answer is no, but your guests are sure to be impressed when they see that you have kept every last detail coordinated. Whilst Rosemood offers wedding thank you cards to match each collection of wedding invitations, many couples prefer to use simple photo designs.

What photos should I put on my wedding thank you cards?

We’re sure that you do not need an excuse to get your wedding photo album back out, so start flicking through your pics to find your favourites. Your cards may be your guests’ first glimpse of your professional photos and will provide them with a lovely souvenir from your big day. Some of the most popular shots we see here at Rosemood include:

• Romantic couple snaps: Share a tender moment on your cards to show off the love and emotion you felt on your wedding day.
• Quirky couple snaps: If you have a series of wedding photos with you jumping for joy or striking quirky poses use them to remind your guests of your unique wedding
• The confetti throw: This photo encapsulates you and your loved ones’ joy following your wedding ceremony
• A group shot: Your friends and family will be delighted to spot themselves on your wedding photos

There are also a couple of practical details to bear in mind when it comes to choosing your wedding thank you card photos:

• Use high-resolution images: Whilst it may be tempting to use the Facebook preview of your professional photos so that you can get your cards on the way, these photos will not guarantee a high-quality print. It is, therefore, worth waiting for your professional photos before creating photo cards online.
• Choose cards to suit the format of your favourite wedding photos: This may sound simple, but your choice of design may be limited by the orientation of your photos.

How can I make writing wedding thank you cards easier?

• Have your list at the ready: Knowing who you need to send a card to and what exactly you are thanking them for (i.e. which gift), is going to make writing your cards so much easier.
• Don’t tackle them all at once: There’s no way that you are going to be able to write a hundred cards in one go without ending up with an aching hand, so spread out the workload and write your cards in smaller batches. Even if it is tempting to pop them in the post as you go, it’s best to wait to send them all out at once to avoid anyone wondering why they are yet to receive a card.
• Divide and conquer: Splitting up the cards between you and your partner will make it much easier to get through the pile.
• Get comfortable: You’re going to be there for a while, so make sure you choose a comfortable spot when setting up your thank you card writing station. Pop on music or a film in the background and sweeten the deal by serving your favourite tipples to sip as you go.

If you’re looking for personalised wedding thank you cards, check out Rosemood’s website, where you will also find plenty of wedding stationery advice. The friendly customer service team is also on hand to answer any questions you may have so do not hesitate to get in touch.