How to Say Thank You for a Wedding Gift

Thank you cards show you want to thank each gift giver personally.

Your wedding is an event you will never forget. The attendance of loved ones is always appreciated. Often, family and friends will bring wedding gifts to your wedding or send gifts to your home as a way to wish you well in this new part of your life. An appropriate thank you will let your guests know how much you appreciate their generosity in celebrating your union.

Things You'll Need

• Names and addresses of gift givers
• Thank you cards with envelopes

Instructions

1. Address the the gift giver directly. If a card came with your gift, you can look to the card’s signature to know who the gift is from.

2. Thank the gift giver(s) for helping make your wedding such a special day by celebrating with you. In a post titled “Wedding Thank You Notes Guide” on wedding website theknot.com, author Cindy Hobson notes you should say a few words about the actual gift that was given, including monetary gifts. Identifying the gift that was sent will show you have paid attention to which individuals sent each gift.

3. State how you plan to use the gift. An example would be to say how you will use a picture frame to hang some of your favorite wedding shots around your house. If you cannot think of a specific use to note in your thank you card, simply thank the gift giver and sign the card from both you and your spouse.

Tips & Warnings

• Hand-write your thank you cards to give a personalized touch.

• If the gift was sent from someone who was unable to attend the wedding ceremony or reception, thank the person for sharing in your new life together through the generous gift she gave.

• Think about what you will write to each recipient before you begin writing to avoid making errors. This will also help your message to flow in a thoughtful manner.

• If you are unsure of who sent a particular gift, do not guess blindly in a thank you response. Family or friends may be able to help you identify the sender. Otherwise, do not send a thank you card for the gift. Sending a thank you card to someone who did not send a gift will make the recipient feel awkward, if not guilty, for not sending something.

References

• The Knot: “Wedding Thank You Notes Guide”