How to Write Wedding Thank You Letters

If the wedding gifts are piling up faster than you can count, then you are probably starting to feel a little anxious at the thought of tackling all of those thank you letters. But there is no need to stall any longer. A short, heartfelt thank you letter can take mere minutes to write when you follow the format outlined here.

Things You'll Need

• Stationery or note cards
• Pen
• Proper postage

Instructions

1. Begin by offering a proper greeting such as "Dear So-and-so." Many writers forget this very simple first step.

2. Express genuine gratitude with a sentence as simple as "Thank you for the crystal vase."

3. Write next about how you plan to use the item--something like "I love having fresh flowers in the house and I know that the vase will look beautiful on our table."

4. Discuss the past and refer to the future. An example might be along the lines of "I enjoyed seeing you last summer at Uncle Jack's birthday party and am thrilled that you will attend our wedding next month," or "I was so happy to share our wedding day with you and hope to see you again very soon." If you do not have frequent contact with the sender, as simple "I think of you often and hope you are well" will suffice.

5. Say "thanks" once more, "Thanks again for the gift."

6. Wrap it up with a pleasant closing that uses words like "Love," "Warmly," Yours truly" or whatever suits you.

7. Review the letter for spelling errors and be sure to attach proper postage.

Tips & Warnings

• Wedding gifts often arrive before the big day. Rather than waiting until after the wedding to thank gift givers, write your thank you letters as the presents roll in. This will not only keep you on top of the thank you letter game, but it will also let givers know that their gift arrived timely and that the store sent the proper item.

• Handwrite your thank you letters as well as their accompanying envelopes. Traditional etiquette generally frowns upon email thank you letters and pre-printed address labels.

• Share in writing the thank you letters--let the bride write the ones for her family, and the groom write the ones for his.

• If you received money as a gift, do not mention the cash itself in the thank you letter. Instead write something like "Thank you for your generosity," and "It will help us quite a bit when we purchase our new home/stemware/china."

• Be prompt. Contrary to popular belief you do not have one year to write thank you letters. Instead, you should write them as quickly as possible and preferably within a few weeks or possibly a couple of months of receiving the gift.