Thank you card etiquette

Our thank you cards were a picture of us and I hand wrote on the inside "thank you so much for your gift of the toaster. We appreciated the toaster and it will keep us well fed as we plot to take over the world. Your generosity was noted as we compile our list of those who will join us in our reign."

In other words, do both

I think you can have a picture if you want, but if that delays your thank you cards for a few months while you wait for wedding pictures, I wouldn't suggest it. However, I ABSOLUTELY think you should have something handwritten in each one. That shows that you put thought into actually thanking each and every guest. I think just stinking something with your picture on it into an envelope without ever putting pen to paper seems a little half-assed in my honest opinion

There's not a note inside at all? Yes, is rude to not write anything. Usually that's just the front and it's either a postcard or a folded card. Either way, it has a note.

I definitely think you should hand write something. You can definitely do what Janeen did, but at a minimum include handwritten thanks.

Nothing wrong with a photo card, but it should still include some sort of written note that maybe makes some specific reference to the gift they gave you, how you can't wait to use it for such-n-such, thanks so much for travelling from so far to be here, it was wonderful to see you, etc. I honestly am a little put off when I receive a photo thank you with nothing else...it makes me feel like they couldn't be bothered to properly thank me for the gift and all they wanted to do was send me a picture of themselves...what am I supposed to do with that?

We are doing both! (sending a photo and writing a note.)

It should have something more personal included IMO. the photo from the wedding is a bonus

Definitely handwrite a note, even if you go with pictures.

I got a few picture-less (but personalized) thank you notes to send to those who already bought us gifts. It didn't seem right to go 2+ months without acknowledging the present. But, we'll get picture thank you cards after the wedding and write a personal note in each.

I'm with PPs, you need to hand write something. I think the photo cards with the bride and groom are cute, and I'm sure you could ask the photog to send that one photo early. Whatever you use for a card, write a note!

There definitely needs to be a hand-written message, acknowledging what the specific gift was.

The photo cards are cute, but make sure your photographer sends you that specific picture quickly so that you can order your thank you notes. They should be sent out by 2-3 months after the wedding for gifts received at the wedding.

Receiving a thank you of any kind - printed or hand-written -- should never be perceived as rude. Its WAY more rude to not send thank yous at all. Most of your guests would be thrilled to receive a nice photo of the new Mr. and Mrs.

Choose postcard style and you can write in your personal note on the back

I also think there should be a personal note included in each thank you card. If it has a picture on the front, that's fine, but there needs to be more to it than that.

@Janeen, my MOH would totally write that thank you note about using a gift to take over the world. Your example just made my day!

I'm still waiting for a thank you from a close friends wedding in September where I gave her $300. At this point, I'd take a non-handwritten thank you! But they ultimately should be handwritten- otherwise it's a mindless activity of envelope stuffing and throwing an address on the envelope.

It should have a handwritten note somewhere.

Always handwrite thank you cards. Always personalize. Doesn't matter if the card is your picture or a simple thank you card- guests will notice the thought on the inside more than the picture on the outside.

I got a thank you card from a bride and groom, which was one of their formal portraits printed as a card. Not even their signatures were handwritten. It simply said "Thank you for celebrating our wedding with us. X and Y" Yes, I was a little miffed that they acknowledged nothing about us actually being there. It felt rather generic and interchangeable.

Handwritten. They put forth effort to get you a gift. Show your gratitude by putting forth effort to thank them properly.

No, there wasn't anything hand written @Chrises. Thanks guys, I always have received hand written. This was a first and I wasn't sure if that was okay.

I've hand written thank you cards and specified the gift - I think it's about showing your guest that you took the time to hand write a thank you card especially for them. However, a general thank you is better than none...I went to two friend's weddings and bought them gifts and the brides did not send thank you cards...very rude. TBH I was a guest of the grooms, not brides, but still very rude.

Yeah, a picture of you guys holding up a sign that says "thank you" is not a substitute for a hand-written message on/inside the card. I know it seems like a lot of work to send a proper, hand-written card to every guest, but think about the amount of time and money each of them spent to attend your wedding and give you a gift. Five minutes really doesn't seem so bad now does it?

ETA - grammar