Wedding Thank You Card Etiquette: 4 Things You Need to Know

There are a lot of things to remember when planning your wedding -- one of the most essential being the post-wedding thank you card. After all, your guests showed up to celebrate you as a couple and wish you a good life together. They might even have given you a gift! It’s important to show your gratitude and the most traditional way of doing this is through a thank you note. However, there is some wedding thank you card etiquette that is essential to know before you make any moves.

Discover 4 things you need to know about wedding thank you card etiquette:

1. Think about messaging

Tailoring your thank you note to each and every guest is a great way to show your appreciation and personalize your big day even more. Address all of your guests by name and be specific about what they contributed to your gift registry (yes, you should be tracking this) or during the planning process. By being specific, your thank you note will feel that much more sincere.

2. The three month window

One of the biggest questions couples have around thank you etiquette is when to send the thank you notes. Within three months after the wedding is considered standard. Some are strict about this timeframe, while others are not. Just keep your audience in mind when deciding how much you want to stick to the three month rule. Do you have any traditionalist friends or family members who might consider this a faux pas?

3. Thank early when you can

Receive a gift from a friend or family member early? Write them a thank you note now -- even if it’s before you’ve said “I do.” This will not only provide your loved one with a quick and personalized response, but it will also keep you from having to write your thank you notes in bulk.

4. Late is better than never

“Better late than never” applies to a lot of situations, including sending thank you cards after your wedding. While the three month window is considered polite, sending a thank you card at almost any time will be appreciated. Life catches up with us and sometimes it’s hard to accomplish things on a strict timeline. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. If it’s month four after the wedding and you’re just getting around to writing thank you notes, do it and send them out anyway. When is truly too late? Most would say around one year.

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