The quick answer
Two things UK couples ask most: does the Royal Family send wedding congratulations? and do brands send gifts if you invite them? The honest answers: the King does not send anything for a wedding you invite him to — but there is a real Royal message tradition for milestone anniversaries (more on that below, because it's lovely and genuinely useful). And some companies do write back to a wedding invitation with a card or small gift, though it's very much hit or miss.
The Royal Family: the real tradition (and the myth)
Let's clear up the big one. Mailing a wedding invitation to Buckingham Palace will not get you a gift or a personal reply from the King — that part is myth.
What is real is the monarch's long-standing tradition of sending a congratulations card for significant wedding anniversaries. According to the Royal Family, messages are sent for:
- Your 60th (diamond) wedding anniversary
- Your 65th anniversary
- Your 70th anniversary and every year thereafter
You have to apply — the Palace doesn't track anniversaries automatically. Eligibility is limited to citizens of the King's Realms and UK Overseas Territories. You can apply online via royal.uk, or by post: complete the anniversary-message form and send it with a good photocopy of the couple's marriage certificate to the Anniversaries Office, Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA. Apply no sooner than about five weeks before the date (and a belated message is possible up to six months after).
It's one of the sweeter pieces of post a long-married couple can receive — and if you'd rather not print the form and marriage-certificate copy and find a postbox, PostPal can mail the application for you.
Which brands do couples invite?
Beyond the Palace, UK couples play the same game as everyone else: mailing a genuine wedding invitation to companies they love, just for the delight of a reply. Globally-known brands famous for responding — Disney (a signed card or character keepsake), Coca-Cola (coupons), and others — receive invitations from UK couples too, alongside British favourites people are simply fond of.
Be realistic: there is no guaranteed British brand that "always sends a gift," responses vary constantly, and many invites get no reply. Invite the companies that mean something to you, keep the note warm, and enjoy anything that comes back.
Setting honest expectations
- A card is the most common "gift." A friendly note is the usual reply; coupons or swag are the bonus.
- Policies change. Popular brands get flooded and may scale back or stop.
- No reply is normal — big companies get a lot of post.
- Never pay or share sensitive details. A real brand or the Palace will never ask for payment in return.
How to invite them and actually hear back
Three things make a reply more likely:
- Send a real invitation or short warm letter to the company's customer- or guest-relations address.
- Say why the brand matters to you — a specific line beats "please send a gift."
- Always include your full return address inside the letter, so a reply can find you.
Post them a couple of months before the wedding so any replies arrive in time.
Mail the whole batch without the faff
The real hassle is printing, stuffing, and stamping a dozen envelopes. PostPal handles it: write or upload your invitation, add each company's address, and we print, envelope, stamp, and post every one via Royal Mail — with your return address printed on each so brands can reply. No printer, no stamps, no queue.
Mail your wedding invitations with PostPal →
Want the story behind the trend and a sample invite? Read the wedding invitation trend explained.