Whether you’ve just pulled off the indoor or outdoor wedding of a lifetime, hosted an intimate affair with close family and friends, or said “I do” all over again by renewing your wedding vows, each and every one of your guests will have played an extra special part in making your big day what it was. That’s why sending thank you notes is so important. You’re showing your gratitude for their attendance and their tokens of love and support, so don’t delay too long after the wedding.
Many couples procrastinate over thank you notes. Picking out a design is the easy part; writing a meaningful message to each and every one of your guests is a bit more difficult.
Read on to discover our top tips for getting your wedding thank you wording just right.
Go handwritten with your notes
With the latest and greatest tech now at our disposal, it’s so simple to type up a generic thank you note and send it on to all your guests electronically. Going back to basics with a handwritten thank you note can unlock a number of advantages, benefits that were explored in great length in a recent study:
“Kumar and Epley conducted three different experiments in which study participants wrote various letters expressing gratitude and then predicted how surprised, happy, or potentially awkward they thought the recipient would feel when he or she received a handwritten note of appreciation. Their results showed that people expressing gratitude underestimated how pleasantly surprised recipients would be to receive a handwritten ‘thank you’ and how positive the expression of gratitude made recipients feel.”
Generally, handwritten notes were better received than typed letters of thanks. The recipients of handwritten thank yous felt better appreciated, with the contents of letters seen as more thoughtful and sincere. Handwriting your notes may be more time consuming than typing them up, but thanks to the increased benefits, they’re well worth it.
Keep the message inside personal
Although your guests aren’t likely to get together to compare thank you notes after your wedding, adding a personal touch to every note you send will really make a difference. If your guests have given you gifts or money, thank them directly for it. Starting off on a personal note by saying “Thank you so much for the coffee machine…” or “We were both thrilled with your generous and thoughtful gift” are simple statements that go a long way.
Keeping your messages as detailed as possible and completely unique from guest to guest will ensure recipients know that they were truly treasured.
Include everyone – even those who didn’t come or give a gift
Thanking everyone who attended or sent their own messages of congratulations is the only right way to go about sending wedding thank you notes, so don’t discriminate. Even guests who didn’t give a gift or those who were invited but couldn’t attend for whatever reason deserve a message of thanks. For the latter, note their absence in your message by starting “We are so sorry you weren’t able to make it to our wedding. It was a wonderful day, and you were missed”, before thanking them for their gift or messages of love and support.
Don’t forget to thank those closest to you, including your wedding party of bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers and parents. Send extra special thank you cards to these, with longer, more emotionally-fuelled messages.
For further advice on post wedding thank you note etiquette, read this essential guide. Don’t forget to thank guests on your wedding day too. As well as saying it in person, give one of these fabulous and truly unforgettable wedding favours.
