Who should get a thank you card?

Everyone who gave a gift, helped organise the event, or attended and you want to show appreciation. For weddings, send to all guests plus anyone who sent a gift but could not attend. Thank you cards are not essential for casual parties but are a lovely touch.

When should I send thank you cards?

Send within 2-4 weeks of the event. For weddings, the traditional deadline is 3 months, but sooner is better. A prompt thank you feels more genuine. Write and post in batches if the number is large to avoid it becoming overwhelming.

Should I handwrite or print thank you cards?

Handwritten notes are always more personal and appreciated. For large numbers (50+), you can print a standard message but add a handwritten personal line to each. A printed card with a personal handwritten addition is perfectly acceptable for any event.

Do couples get one card or two?

One card per couple or household is standard. Address it to both names. If a family attended, one card addressed to the whole family is fine. Only send separate cards if family members gave separate gifts.

Thank You Card Calculator — Post-Event Cards

Calculate how many thank you cards you need after your event.

Guests Who Attended

Total headcount — grouped into households for the estimate

Gift Givers

People or couples who gave a gift, including those who could not attend

Households (if known)

Separate households or couples — overrides the guest estimate when entered

Cost per Card

Price per printed card — typically £0.50–£2.00 each

Postage per Card

Royal Mail 2026: 2nd-class Large Letter £1.55, 1st-class £3.30 for a greeting card

Spare Percentage

Extra cards for write-mistakes and late gifts — usually 10–20%

How We Calculate This

This calculator estimates thank you card quantities based on your guests, gift givers, and households.

Formula

Cards needed = households if known, otherwise the larger of gift-giving households or attending households (each ÷ guests per household)
Total to order = cards needed + spares (typically 10–20% extra for write-mistakes and late gifts)
Print cost = total cards × cost per card
Postage = cards actually sent × postage per card (spares are not posted)
Grand total = print cost + postage + envelopes

Etiquette is one card per household or couple — not one per head. A couple or family who gave a single joint gift receives a single card. Order ~10–20% more than you estimate to cover handwriting mistakes, last-minute changes and surprise gifts.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Adjust quantities based on your guests and event type.