Couple Guides

What to write in wedding thank you cards.

In a wedding thank you card, write three sentences: name the gift, say how you are using it or what it meant, and add one personal line about the guest or the day. Handwrite the card, sign it from both of you and send it within three months of the wedding.

Perrie Lundstrom · 5 min readPublished · Updated

At a glance

In a wedding thank you card, write three specific sentences: name the gift, say how you are using it or what it meant, and add a personal line about the guest or the day. Good wedding thank you card wording could only have been written to that one guest. Handwrite each card, sign from both of you and send it within three months of the wedding.

Length
Three sentences
Send by
Three months after the wedding
Format
Handwritten, one card per giver
For money
Say what it is going toward

What is the standard wedding thank you card wording?

Standard wedding thank you card wording is a greeting, three sentences and a sign-off. The first sentence names the gift or gesture, the second says how you are using it or what it meant, and the third is a personal line about the guest or the day.

  1. Name the gift. Write "the olivewood serving bowl" or "the generous cheque". A bare "thank you for your gift" leaves the giver wondering whether you remember it.
  2. Say how you are using it. Where it sits in your home, what the money will pay for, or what their being there meant.
  3. Add one personal line. A shared memory, a moment from the day or a plan to see them.

The Emily Post Institute puts the length at three to five sentences.

What does a wedding thank you note template look like?

A wedding thank you note template has five parts: a greeting, a sentence naming the gift, a sentence on how you are using it, a personal line and a sign-off. Replace each bracket below with a detail only that guest would recognise, then write the card by hand.

Dear [name],
Thank you for [the gift]. [Where it is now, or what it will pay for.] [One line about them or about the day.]
Love, [both your names]

What are some wedding thank you wording examples to copy?

Wedding thank you wording examples follow one pattern: name the gift, say what you did with it and add a line about the guest. For a registry gift: Thank you for the olivewood serving bowl. It is already on our dining table, and we used it for pasta on Sunday. The wedding felt complete with you there.

Five more, by gift and guest. Add your own greeting and sign-off.

ThankingWhat to write
A group giftThank you for joining the others to give us the KitchenAid. Every Saturday morning is now a baking morning. Come and taste the results.
A honeymoon fund giftThank you for funding our dinner in Positano. We toasted you from the cliffside restaurant on a Tuesday night in June. The view was everything you said.
ParentsThank you both for every part of the wedding. We don't know where to start, so we'll just say we love you. Thank you for the week.
The wedding partyThank you for the rehearsal-dinner toast, the morning getting ready and the hundred small things you did. I will never forget looking over and seeing you there. I am endlessly grateful.
A destination wedding guestThank you for making the trip all the way to Mallorca. Your being there made the week feel complete. The dinner on the beach on Sunday was one of our favourite moments.
  • Group gifts: each contributor gets their own card, say the Emily Post Institute and The Knot.
  • Destination weddings: guests paid for flights and a hotel to be there, so name the trip (see destination wedding etiquette).
  • Gifts you did not want: never write that you do not like a gift or plan to return it. Thank the giver for the thought.

What do you write in a wedding thank you card for money?

In a wedding thank you card for money, thank the guest for their generous gift and say what the money is going toward: a honeymoon dinner, a new sofa, a first anniversary trip. Wedding thank you card wording for money reads more gently with "gift" or "cheque" than with "cash".

Thank you for your generous gift. We are putting it toward a week in Lisbon in October. The photo of you and your dad during the first dance made us both cry.

The Emily Post Institute says mentioning the amount is optional, and that doing so lets the giver know the correct amount arrived. Guests asking the opposite question can read how much to give as a wedding gift.

What do you write to someone who sent a gift but did not attend the wedding?

To someone who sent a gift but did not attend the wedding, write the same three sentences as for any other gift and say they were missed. Name the gift, say how you are using it, and suggest seeing them soon. Every gift is owed a card, whether or not the giver was there.

Thank you for the cookbook. We made the Moroccan chicken last week and it was just what we needed. We missed you at the wedding and would love to bring the photos over.

A guest who neither came nor sent a gift does not need a card.

What is a short, simple wedding thank you card message?

A short, simple wedding thank you card message can be two sentences: one that names the gift and one that says something only that guest would recognise. Short is fine when it is specific, and a two-line handwritten note outweighs a typed paragraph.

  • Thank you for the linen napkins. We used them for our first Sunday lunch as a married couple.
  • Thank you for the bookends. They are already at work on the shelf.
  • Thank you for being there. We know how much had to shift to make it work, and we will not forget it.

When should you send wedding thank you cards?

Send wedding thank you cards within three months of the wedding. Immediate family and the wedding party should have theirs within four weeks. A card later than three months is still owed, and past six months it should acknowledge the delay with a brief apology.

Who wrote this

About this article

Written by Perrie Lundstrom. Sources and revision details are listed here. If you spot an error, email us.

First published
28 March 2026
Last revised
7 October 2026
Author
Perrie Lundstrom

Common questions

How do you write a wedding thank you card?+

Write a wedding thank you card by hand, one for each giver. Open with "Dear" and the guest's name, write three sentences (the gift, how you are using it, a personal line) and sign from both of you. Either partner can write the cards.

How long after the wedding do you have to send thank you cards?+

You have three months after the wedding to send thank you cards, not a year. The Emily Post Institute calls the one-year allowance a myth and counts three months from the day each gift arrives. A late card still has to go.

What do you write to a guest who came but did not give a gift?+

To a guest who came but did not give a gift, write a thank you for being there. At a destination wedding, name the trip: "Thank you for flying from Sydney to be at the wedding." Never let the missing gift show.

How do you sign wedding thank you cards?+

Sign wedding thank you cards with a warm closing and both your names, such as "Love, Sarah and James". The Emily Post Institute says the writer may sign alone, sign for both or have each partner sign, provided the note mentions both as grateful.

How do you address wedding thank you cards?+

Address a wedding thank you card inside to each person who signed the gift's card or tag; first names are fine. On the envelope, address guests the way you did on the wedding invitations and write the address by hand. Both points are The Knot's advice.

Do wedding thank you cards have to be handwritten?+

Yes, wedding thank you cards should be handwritten: handwriting is the point of the card. The Emily Post Institute rules out pre-printed cards, emails and a general thank you posted on the wedding website. A text or an email is a last resort for a truly informal relationship.

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Sources

Sources and editorial notes

  1. 2020The Emily Post InstituteWedding thank yousOpen →
  2. 2010The Emily Post InstituteInside Weddings: expressing gratitudeOpen →
  3. 2025The KnotWedding thank-you card wording for every type of giftOpen →
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