Expert: Richelle Albrecht - 11/29/2007

Question
Irish Church Wedding, which I am in the process of printing up programs for the church, the programs contain bridal party names and the full mass. I have added a Wedding Poem on the last page and would also like to write a Thank You Note to all: to our friends and to our parents(keeping in mind my fiances mother has passed away)for all there help, support and joining us on our special day. Easier said than done however!! any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Hi Tracy,
Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!
Please accept my apologies for the delay in answering your question - I've been experiencing a very frustrating delay in receiving notification of new questions, and I didn't know yours was waiting for me until just now.

Crafting the perfect "thank you" for a program can be very tricky, but I've got a couple of examples for you to consider below...

Option one: the "blanket" thank you - to everyone

We want to take a moment to thank all of our guests for being here to witness our marriage. Your love and guidance have been important to us throughout our lives, and we are thrilled and grateful that you are here to watch us take our first steps together as husband and wife.
Love (or Sincerely, Fondly, etc.)
John and Tracy

Option two: singling out a select few
We are so grateful that so many of our friends and family are here today, as we become husband and wife. Each of you has helped us grow into the people we are today. We especially want to thank Samuel Jones and Jane and Tom Smith, our parents, for their love and support over the years. To our friends, who've witnessed our growing together as a couple, we thank you for hanging in there through our good times and troubled ones. To Gertrude, who introduced us, we owe a debt that can never be repaid (although we'll try!). Finally, we hold a quiet prayer in our hearts for Sarah Jones, John's late mother. We know she's watching over us today.
Thank you for joining us on this important day in our lives,
John and Sarah

(etc...the wording can be as funny/serious as you want to make it, but I think you get the idea here)

I hope this helps, and wish you the best for your marriage!
Sincerely,
Richelle