Unlike the dress, the food, and the venue, there are certain elements of your wedding that some of your guests won’t even notice.

Some guests might not notice the petals strewn down the aisle. Some might not pay much attention to the welcome sign placed at the entrance to your ceremony. No matter how much they love the bride and groom, some guests won’t even read your wedding program.

But is that going to stop you from decorating your ceremony space or creating a wedding program?

Of course not!

When creating your wedding program, there’s one important statement that you don’t want to leave out:

The thank you.

A thank you message in your wedding program is your opportunity to express your heartfelt gratitude for your guests’ attendance and let them know you’re excited to have them be a part of your special day.

Not sure what your wedding program thank you message should be?

Here’s everything you need to know about wedding program thank you wording!

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Why the “Thank You” Section Is So Important

 In comparison to other elements of your wedding day, the wedding program itself is not that important. Unless you have a long procession with lots of readings and rituals, a program isn’t a must (though they do make for a handy fan during a hot ceremony)!

If you do decide to create one, the “thank you” at the end is the most important part of all. It’s both customary and considerate to thank your loved ones for sharing such an important day with you.

Whether you choose to write a short wedding thank you or a long note, here are some thank you wording examples that you can copy and print right onto your wedding stationery!

How to Write a Short Thank You Note

Some couples choose to keep it short and sweet. Others choose to write a few paragraphs or an entire page. The length of your thank you is entirely up to you.

You can show your gratitude in as little as one or two sentences. Consider a statement as simple as:

“Thank you to all of our friends and family members for being a part of our special day!”

or

“Thank you for sharing this joyous moment with us!”

Bella Bridesmaids Columbia/ Ashleigh Donahue

How to Write a Long Thank You Message

Some couples use their wedding programs as a way to thank individual people. Others use programs as a way to tell their relationship story, from how they met to how they arrived at this very special moment. You can include as many (or as few) details in your wedding program as you wish.

It’s common practice to thank your parents and grandparents for their love and support and for being a part of your big day.

You can also use your wedding program to give special thanks to your wedding party by listing the names of your maid of honor, best man, bridesmaids, and groomsmen.!

It’s also traditional to thank your guests for attending the wedding ceremony.

Whether you’re having a small, simple wedding with a handful of guests or an extravagant event with hundreds of attendees, a collective “thank you” to your wedding guests is a must.

Generalized or Personalized?

Thank you messages can be generalized or personalized, but it’s definitely easier to create a general thank you message that speaks to all of your guests. If you prefer to be a bit more detailed, you can thank individual people by name, such as your ushers, best friends, those that helped you plan the day, and anyone who might be helping you pay for the event.

IF you decide to thank individual people, spread your “thank yous” around equally. For example, if you thank the bride’s parents, thank the groom’s parents too.

Some couples also use their wedding program as a way to commemorate friends or relatives who’ve passed on. The program is the perfect place to give a special thank you to those who can’t be there to celebrate your beautiful wedding day.

Not sure if you’re going to create a program?

That’s okay too. Once the wedding is over, you’ll have another way to say thanks:

By sending thank you cards to everyone who gave you a wedding gift.

Many couples prefer to keep their program's thank you message short, sweet, and generalized, then include more personalized details in their individual thank you cards. Thank you card wording can include mention of their generous gift as well as a general thank you, such as “thank you for sharing in the most exciting day of our lives!”

Don’t Forget to Include This in Your Wedding Program Wording

Are you having a destination wedding? Are guests traveling long distances to be at your event?

Include a general thank you to out of town guests in the program. Somewhere in there, add a brief line that says something like:

“We are grateful for those of you who have traveled so far to be here today.”

or

“Thank you to those who have traveled near and far to join us on this important day.”

A simple line like this is a great way to thank guests who flew or drove miles to take part in your wedding celebration. Guests will appreciate that you took the time to include that sentiment!

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Other Details to Include in Your Wedding Program

At the end of your thank you, you might want to include the time and location of your reception, especially if it’s at a different location or not immediately following the ceremony.

Sure, your wedding invitations will include this info, but mentioning it again in the program can be super helpful, as most of your guests won’t bring the invitation with them to the ceremony.

If you create wedding ceremony programs, include a heartfelt thank you at the end. It’s a simple and effective way to spread love and show appreciation for everyone taking part in your special day.

When it comes to your thank you wording, choosing the right words isn’t hard to do. As long as the message is sincere and genuine, you can’t go wrong!