Should You Send Thank You Cards to Virtual Guests?

Updated October 20, 2021

LoveStream couple saying thank you to virtual guests; photo by Laney Logan Photography

Thank you cards are one of the last puzzle pieces of your wedding. It is customary to send out thank you cards within six months of the wedding to anyone who sent a wedding gift or who gave you a monetary gift. Typically, thank you cards go to anyone who fits the descriptor, whether they attended your wedding or not. 

For those who attended the wedding but did not send a gift, it’s also worthwhile to thank them for attending, especially if they traveled to be with you on your wedding day.

So, how do virtual wedding guests fit into all of this? What if someone watches your wedding live stream? Should they receive a thank you card? 

We’ve previously discussed whether or not to include a wedding registry for your virtual guests (you should) – but what about sending thank you cards to at-home guests tuning in to your wedding live stream? We have some thoughts below!

Thank You Cards for Virtual Weddings

Without a doubt, every virtual attendee who sends a gift or donates money to your newlywed fund should receive a thank you card. That’s the easy part! 

For guests who attend virtually but do not send a gift, it is up to your discretion on whether or not to send a thank-you note. We think it’s nice to send a quick thank you, anyways! After all, they sat down to watch your wedding and help you celebrate, even without the typical “perks” of an in-person wedding like an open bar or a fun night. 

Send to the Right People

If somebody RSVPs to your virtual wedding but doesn’t actually watch your wedding live stream, you probably don’t want to send them a thank you card. Not out of bitterness, but just because saying, “Thank you for taking the time to celebrate with us on wedding day,” when they didn’t actually do that is a little bit awkward. 

Instead, start by looking at your virtual guest book and chat transcript (included with every wedding live stream package from LoveStream)!

If a guest left you a nice love note, then they definitely watched your live stream. You can also reference their message in your thank you card, adding a more personalized touch. Try something like, “Thank you so much for joining us via our wedding live stream and for your kind note in our virtual guest book!” 

LoveStream couple saying ‘thank you’ to guests watching their wedding live stream.

What to Write in Thank You Cards

When writing your thank you cards, handwritten notes are always appreciated. That said, there’s no need to write a novella. Keep the notes short and sweet, but also personal. Find the balance between making the recipients feel loved without giving yourself a hand cramp.

When writing your notes, be sure to specify whether that guest joined online or was there in-person, or neither! For virtual wedding guests, try, “We appreciate you taking the time to join us virtually for our live stream wedding!”

For in-person guests, you can say, “We were so happy to be able to celebrate in person at our wedding.” 

And for those who could not attend, you could try saying something like, “We’re so sad we missed you, but we definitely need to see each other soon.”

For guests who send physical items, let them know how much you appreciate the specific gift, for example, “Thank you so much for the electric tea kettle! We love making tea before bed every night.”

If you were gifted money, let the recipient know how that will help you. Try, “Thank you so much for your generous gift. We’ll definitely treat ourselves to a date night thanks to you!”

Finally, for those who attend (virtually or in-person), but do not send a gift, you can say something along the lines of, “Thank you so much for helping us celebrate our big day!”

Up Your Thank You Game 

We’re specifically talking about sending thank you cards to guests who joined in virtually to watch your wedding live stream. One thing to keep in mind is even though these people helped you celebrate from afar, they didn’t get to experience the classic “catching up” that happens at a lot of weddings. For these guests who attended virtually, why not thank them virtually in a highly personalized way? 

Put your phone camera on selfie mode, get yourself some good lighting, and record a thank you video with you and your new partner. 

Think of how special that guest will feel when they open their phone to a video of the newlyweds thanking them for watching their wedding online! 

Live Streaming Your Wedding with LoveStream

LoveStream weddings have been viewed by tens of thousands of wedding guests. That’s a lot of thank you cards to write! But that’s the beauty of live streaming your wedding. It gives you the opportunity to share your day with a truly unlimited number of guests. Whether you’re inviting your VIPs who can’t make it in-person to watch online, or you’re offering a live stream as an alternative way of attending your wedding, you won’t regret sharing your big day virtually.

Ready to get started? Browse our wedding live stream packages or book some time with our team to chat about live streaming options.