Wedding Thank You Cards: When to Send Them, What to Write & How Many You Need

The wedding may be over, but there’s one last piece of stationery to send before you officially close the chapter on your celebration: wedding thank you cards.

After months of planning, showers, gifts, celebrations, and the wedding day itself, taking a few minutes to personally thank the people who celebrated with you is a meaningful finishing touch.

But wedding thank you card etiquette can bring up plenty of questions. When should you send them? How many should you order? Does every message need to be different? And what exactly are you supposed to write?

Here’s everything you need to know.

When Should You Send Wedding Thank You Cards?

You may have heard that newlyweds have an entire year to send wedding thank you cards, but that's one tradition we wouldn't recommend following.

Ideally, thank you cards for wedding gifts should be mailed within about three months after your wedding.

For gifts received before the wedding—such as bridal shower gifts or gifts sent directly to your home—you don't need to wait until after the wedding. Sending a thank you note within a few weeks of receiving the gift is a thoughtful approach and gives you fewer cards to tackle after the big day.

The easiest rule?

Don't wait until you have time to write every card at once.

Write them in small batches as gifts arrive, and the process becomes much more manageable.

How Many Wedding Thank You Cards Should You Order?

Unlike wedding invitations, you generally don't need one thank you card for every wedding guest.

Think in terms of households and gifts instead.

Start with the number of invitations you sent, then consider additional cards you may need for shower gifts, vendors, members of your wedding party, hosts, and anyone else you'd personally like to thank.

We also recommend ordering a few extras.

Having additional personalized cards on hand is helpful for a forgotten gift, a last-minute thank you, or simply to use as personal stationery after the wedding.

What Should You Write in a Wedding Thank You Card?

This is where couples tend to get stuck.

Your message doesn't need to be long or perfectly written. A few sincere sentences are plenty.

A simple formula is:

Thank them + mention the specific gift or gesture + say how you'll use or enjoy it + close warmly.

For example:

Dear Sarah and Michael,

Thank you so much for celebrating with us and for the beautiful serving platter. We can't wait to use it when we host our first holiday dinner! It meant so much to have you there with us on our wedding day.

Love,

Emma & Noah

Specificity is what makes a thank you note feel personal.

Instead of simply writing “Thank you for the gift,” mentioning what they gave you—or what their presence meant to you—makes the message much more memorable.

What Do You Write for a Cash Wedding Gift?

You don't have to mention the exact dollar amount.

Instead, thank the guest for their generous gift and, if appropriate, tell them what you're planning to put it toward.

For example:

Thank you so much for your generous wedding gift. We're saving toward our first home, and we're incredibly grateful that you helped us get a little closer. We loved celebrating with you!

The same idea works for honeymoon funds and other monetary gifts.

What About Guests Who Didn't Give a Gift?

If you'd like to send them a note, absolutely.

A wedding thank you card doesn't have to be solely about receiving a physical gift. You can thank someone for traveling to celebrate with you, participating in your wedding, helping during the planning process, or simply sharing such an important day with you.

Their presence can be the thing you're thanking them for.

Should Wedding Thank You Cards Be Handwritten?

Whenever possible, handwrite the message inside your thank you cards.

Your names or a short sentiment can certainly be printed as part of the card design, but the handwritten message is what makes each note personal.

And don't worry about having perfect handwriting.

Your guests care much more about hearing from you than whether your penmanship looks like calligraphy.

Personalized vs. Photo Wedding Thank You Cards

Both can be beautiful—it really comes down to the style you prefer.

Photo thank you cards are a wonderful opportunity to share a favorite wedding image, particularly with friends and family who may want a keepsake from the day.

Personalized folded note cards offer a timeless alternative to photo thank you cards. Your names, monogram, or a simple “Thank You” can be printed on the front, while the blank interior leaves plenty of room for a handwritten message.

And because the design doesn't have to be wedding-specific, any extras can easily become personal stationery for birthdays, hostess gifts, showers, holidays, or everyday thank-you notes.

Personalized Thank You Cards from White Lace Design

At White Lace Design, our personalized folded thank you cards are professionally printed and paired with coordinating envelopes, with a variety of envelope colors available to complement your wedding palette or personal style.

Because your thank you cards don't necessarily need to match your wedding invitations exactly, this is also a fun opportunity to choose something simple and timeless that feels like you.

Shop Personalized Thank You Cards

Don't Forget to Order Them Before the Wedding

This is the little piece of advice I'd REALLY like us to emphasize.

Don't wait until three weeks after your honeymoon to remember that you need 75 thank you cards.

Ordering your cards before the wedding means they're already waiting for you when gifts start arriving.

You can even begin writing notes for shower gifts and early wedding gifts before your wedding day.

Future-you will be very grateful.

A Thoughtful Ending to Your Wedding Celebration

Wedding thank you cards may be one of the final items on your wedding checklist, but they're also one of the most personal.

They don't need to contain the perfect words. They simply need to let the people who celebrated, supported, gifted, traveled, and showed up for you know how much it meant.

Choose a card you love, keep your message genuine, and tackle them a few at a time.

And then?

You are officially DONE with wedding stationery.