The Etiquette of Wedding Thank You Cards

Your wedding is an extra-special event in your life that requires a lot of organizing of many details to be a success. One of these details that should be at the top of your list is how to thank all of your guests who witnessed your exchange of wedding rings and marital vows.

Most wedding stationery designs include a thank you note that matches the invitation. However, many couples are confused as to whether or not the message should be printed or handwritten.

While there is no hard-and-fast rule on this, for most people, a handwritten note is a much more personal way to thank someone for their time, good wishes and wedding gift. This task is a lot easier if you compose the wording beforehand and use a calligraphy pen or hire a calligrapher to write these special messages for you.

The other important thing to keep in mind is the wording of your message. If you are inviting a large number of people, there will be some that have a close relationship with you which requires a different wording than for someone you don't know very well.

Addressing family members and close friends by their first names is acceptable, but you should always address others with their full name and title.

Your thank you note should acknowledge the person's presence at your wedding and/or reception as well as their wedding gift if one was sent. Regardless of how you feel about what was given, it's most appropriate to be gracious and appreciative of the gift.

In addition to these sentiments, for the members of your family and close friends, a nice touch is to let them know that you will share memories of your honeymoon when you return.

The design of the wedding thank you note often includes a photo of the couple on their wedding day, but you can make it more personal for the recipient. Have your wedding photographer take pictures of each guest as they arrive at the reception. Enclose this photo signed with your names and the date of your wedding with the thank you note.

When a person has given you a monetary wedding gift, it is always important to not only acknowledge the gift itself, but to let the person know how it will be used.

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