What's The Deal With Wedding Thank You Cards?

Merci, Gracias, Go Raibh Maith Agat

It's a big ask to go to a wedding. You might take a day off work, you might buy a new dress, and you'll most likely spend on a gift, at the bar, and perhaps on travel and accommodation too. So when someone has made the effort to come to your wedding, it's really important to find a way to say thanks, whether that's with thank you cards, a note, a phone call, or a personalised email (not a BCC or cut-and-paste job!). We get asked a lot about the expectations and etiquette around wedding thank you cards, so we're sharing our thank you card tips, as well as some inspiration on where to find thank you cards of your own!

When Do You Need to Send Wedding Thank You Cards (And Associated Questions)

  • Etiquette dictates that you should send your thank you cards within three months of your wedding, and that's about right, although it may take longer if you're having cards made up with your wedding photos. They should definitely be sent within six months.
  • If you're on a tight budget after your wedding, just send a thank you note on plain paper - it doesn't have to be a fancy card, it's about making the effort to say thanks.
  • Try to make your thank you cards as personal as possible, whether it's thanking someone for a specific gift, recalling an anecdote from the wedding, or mentioning when you'll see the person next.
  • Don't just send thank you cards to the people who attended your wedding, include anyone who sent you a gift. It's also nice to send a card to each of your suppliers to thank them for their hard work.
  • It's really helpful to keep a document close to hand around your wedding, (either a note app on your phone or a spreadsheet) so you can track gifts as you receive them. Don't rely on your memory amid all the madness of a wedding and honeymoon!
  • If you've taken your other half's name (or you want to specify that you haven't!), or if you changed your address since your wedding, your thank you cards are an opportunity to let people know. You can include a note, have an address card or sticker made up, or add a return address on the envelope.
  • Thank you cards can be a massive effort when you're over all the wedding admin and a lot of couples end up putting them on the long finger. Make a night of it, get in some snacks or wine, and write them together in one massive batch, rather than dragging them out over days and weeks (or months!).
  • Make it really easy for yourself, if you're having invitations designed, ask your stationer to make thank you cards to match, that way, they're ready to go after the wedding! Find our list of recommended stationers here.
  • It's always more affordable to buy in sets, so if you've found an individual thank you card you like, get in touch with the stationery designer to ask about discounted rates for a bulk order.

Gorgeous Wedding Thank You Card Ideas

We're total stationery nerds around here, so having another opportunity to weigh up card stocks and font sizes is fine by us, but we know for a lot of couples, it's just another piece of admin. To make the job a little easier, we've rounded up some gorgeous thank you cards in all sorts of styles, from our favourite stationers and online shops. With everything from custom photo cards to simple card packs, there's something in there for everyone.

1. Thank you card set from Anthropologie

Wedding Thank You Card

2. Thank you custom photo card from Papier

3. Custom Illustration Card by 'Till Dawn Dear

4. Kindness card by Quill London

5. Tropical foliage thank you card by Dusty Boy Designs

6. Celestial thank you card from Liberty

7. Dark blooms thank you card by Appleberry Press

7. Tom Hanks thank you card set from Paper Source



8. Thank You Card by Worthwhile Paper on Etsy

9. Thank you card by 1Canoe2

10. Thank you card by Dusty Boy Designs

11. Thank you card by Finer Details

11. Thank you card by Rifle Paper Co.

12. Multi-lingual thank you card by Banquet Workshop

13. Thank you card by Ola Studio at Industry & Co

14. Unique thank you card by Blackbird Letterpress

15. Thank you card by Dahlia Press

16. Thank you card by Lagom Design

Are you a stationery nerd like us? Check out more posts about all things paper here

Feature Image: Card by Katie Leamon at Industry & Co


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