That is, you congratulate men but wish a woman much happiness or all the best. Keep these core principles in mind as you write your wedding wishes and.
We've been there: You shop long and hard to find the perfect wedding card for the soon-to-be married couple and then you get home and have a pretty rough time figuring out what to write in it. The good news is, there are no hard-and-fast rules about what to write in a wedding card. As long as your wedding congratulations message is heartfelt and offers the couple a positive wish for their marriage, you're good to go.
It should almost go without saying that wedding cards are customary for anyone who wants to send wedding wishes to an engaged or newly married couple. If you're following traditional wedding guest etiquette, you'll either want to bring the card to the wedding reception or mail it directly to the couple (usually between the time you receive the wedding invitation and a few weeks after the wedding). Honestly though, you can send it whenever you want. You could even send a nice card if the wedding is small and you're not invited. Simply put: Wedding congratulations are welcome anytime by anyone!
As for the card itself, wedding cards come in lots of different formats—from standard greeting cards you find at a cute stationery shop to homemade cards, small tags attached to gifts and even simple, digitally created wedding messages that are printed and shipped to the couple with their gift. All of the above pass as a wedding card and are considered okay, so don't feel the need to have more than one. (Then again, if you bought a gift off the couple's registry and want them to also have a pretty card from you, take one to the reception and drop it in a wedding card box or on a gift table!)
In short, yes. That said, it used to be saying or writing "congratulations" to a newly married woman was once considered a faux pas because it was thought of as congratulating her on actually landing a man! (Yep, you read that right.) Today though, that's considered an outdated rule and school of thought. Still, if the couple happens to be very traditional or come from a very traditional family, you might want to avoid the term altogether and just say "best wishes."
The perfect wedding wish is sentimental, sweet and totally tailored to the couple. Is it for your favorite cousin and his new wife? Or your hilarious college roommate who finally settled down? Below are dozens of examples of wedding wishes quotes for inspiration. Use the quick links below to craft an amazing (genius!) wedding message:
Just because it's a formal wedding with floor-length dresses and tuxes doesn't mean you have to send a formal card with stuffy wording. (The card doesn't have to perfectly match the event.) Still, if you want to write a nice message that's timeless and romantic, a formal note is the way to go.
Examples:
If you don't feel comfortable with formal wedding sayings, then don't do it. Be yourself. It's completely fine to write a more casual wedding message in the card, no matter the recipient. Put it this way: Short and sweet is always fine, as long as you're saying something nice or including a wish for the couple's future.
Examples:
Go ahead and write something funny in the card that you think will make them laugh. Just be careful with your marriage wishes. What might easily come across as a joke in conversation could be taken the wrong way on paper. As a rule of thumb, avoid jokes that are sarcastic or snarky. Also off-limits? Steer clear of anything that could be considered insulting, imply that one of them is the "better half" or mention anything about it having taken way too long (or way too little time) to get married. Oh, and no divorce jokes!
Examples:
If the couple is religious, then this might be the best option. Religious wedding card messages can mention God, tell them of your prayers or quote scripture. Before writing a religious message in a wedding card, consider the couple's beliefs and practices, and customize the message to them. If they aren't too religious or don't worship regularly, something very religious could make them uncomfortable, so it's be best to tone down religious elements or avoid them altogether. And if you're unsure of what religious message to write, opt for more general wedding words instead.
Christian Examples:
Jewish Examples:
When writing a wedding card for family, you can go very general or very personal—it's completely up to you and the type of message you want to convey.
Examples:
So you're writing a message on your brother's or sister's wedding card? The key here is personality. In some cases, sibling relationships are strained, in which case you might want to go general. But more often, your brother or sister is the person whom you know best, to whom you can make inside jokes or recall some of your favorite moments together. Just remember to mention the new spouse in your note!
Examples:
It's a big deal when your son or daughter marries. And when you're the mother or father of the bride or groom, you'll most likely feel a flurry of emotions that are extra tricky to get down on paper. What's most important is that you wish the couple well. From there, add in some personal touches to the otherwise standard wedding wishes quote to give your wedding card message meaning. If you're happily married, you could even add some of your own marriage advice.
Examples:
It's just as good of a choice to go classic with wedding wording on a friend's wedding card as it is to get specific and personal. Before you write, consider your relationship and how funny, serious, personal or sentimental you want to get with your wedding wishes. Then go from there.
Examples:
When writing a card to your coworker who's getting married, you're probably not going to want to wish them "lots of love." Instead, it's best to go with general wording. Use one of the formal or casual examples above, or see below for a few appropriate, work-inspired quotes. All that said, it's more than possible that your coworker is a good friend. If that's the case, scroll up to "Wedding Card Wishes for a Friend."
Examples:
Whether you're thrilled or lukewarm about the union, if your mom or dad is getting married (or remarried), it's completely normal to agonize a little over the right wedding card wording. Our best piece of advice? Be honest and tell the truth. Don't say you're crazy about the new husband or wife if you're not, but instead wish them both a happy future together. After all, isn't that what you want for your parent?
Examples:
Sincere congratulations on your marriage! I don't know when I've felt better about two people getting together, and it's plain to see that you love each other.
A wedding is a festival in itself. There are so many ceremonies as well as rituals to be performed. A wedding is a milestone in your life, a new beginning. It is an occasion to be celebrated, and all the near and dear ones want to congratulate you for the same. Sometimes, due to various reasons, you may not be able to attend a person’s wedding. At such times sending your wishes through a letter is the best resort, as you can pour out your heart and express yourself freely.
Through a congratulations letter, you make your friend/employee or your loved one feel special while reading it. Also, a letter is a treasure for a lifetime and can be read again and again. In such letters, you need to mention your relation with the recipient and the reason for not attending the wedding. Also, you can mention some example or experience with the reader to be remembered and as a sense of nostalgia. Since it is not a formal type of letter, you can be elaborative.
Use our free Congratulations letter for the wedding to help you get started.
From,
__________
__________
__________
Date:_______________(date of writing the letter)
To,
__________
__________
__________
Subject:_______
Dear________(name of the recipient),
Heartiest congratulations on your wedding. I am really sorry I was not able to attend the ceremony due to_____(mention the reason) I was really looking forward to being a part of your joy but unfortunately wasn’t able to.
I have known you for many years now, and I couldn’t be happier. You deserve only the best, and I hope your life post marriage. You are blessed with such a supportive partner who makes your life even better. May you both keep moving forward and may your relation keep flourishing. You are one of the sweetest couples, I have ever seen, and I hope it remains the same throughout your life.
Once again congratulations. Let’s plan up to meet soon.
Yours truly,
___________
Name and signature.
From,
Cathy Monis,
Block No.13
Mumbai, 400006.
To,
Sandy Rovers,
Moonlight Complex,
Mumbai, 401601.
Subject: Congratulations
Dear Name,
It gives me immense pleasure to convey my best wishes for the auspicious occasion of your sisters’ marriage. I have known Karan personally from past four years and I must say that he is one of the best employees of our company and I am aware of his character. He is a very spiritual person and someone who respects others views. He is someone who is liked by many for his behavior. His family is from a respectable background and I am sure your sister will be very happy with him. May god bless them two and they have a blessed happy married life.
I am eager and looking forward to attending your sisters’ marriage. As promised I will be there along with my family a week before the marriage. Your sister always treated me as her own brother and had asked me to be there for her marriage. I am sure you would have already started arranging for the marriage. I am eagerly waiting to join you and help you with the work.
With warm regards,
Cathy Monis
The following is the email format to be followed while writing congratulations for wedding letter.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Congratulations
Dear________(name of the recipient),
Heartiest congratulations on your wedding. I am really sorry I was not able to attend the ceremony due to_____(mention the reason) I was really looking forward to being a part of your joy but unfortunately wasn’t able to.
I have known you for many years now, and I couldn’t be happier. You deserve only the best and I hope your life post marriage. You are blessed with such a supportive partner who makes your life even better. May you both keep moving forward and may your relation keep flourishing. You are one of the sweetest couples, I have ever seen and I hope it remains the same throughout your life.
Once again congratulations. Let’s plan up to meet soon.
Yours truly,
___________
Name and signature.
When it comes to writing the perfect wedding day wishes, how do you make your message stand out?
There’s nothing worse than finding the perfect card only to hover over it with a pen struggling to think of an appropriate message. And while we’re often flooded with inspiration during our commute or when we’re in the shower, it’s often the way that when it comes down to it, we just can’t find the words. Cue major frustration.
To help you out, we thought we’d cover every message you could possibly need to write in a wedding card, whether it’s for your best friend, a family member or just an acquaintance. Depending on the couple, you may want to stick to religious or traditional wording, a sentimental or a fun message, so we’ve got all that covered. All you need to do is skim through the list until you find the right message for you – you are more than welcome.
If you’re going to a wedding or two this summer, chances are that as well as the perfect guest outfit, you’ve already found the perfect greeting card to congratulate the couple. But we know you’ve got enough on your plate ticking off items on your wedding checklist to spend ages agonising over what to write.
So, grab your carefully chosen card and a pen, you’re going to want to jot down your favourite message!
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Now all you have to worry about is what to write in your wedding thank you cards!
All the very best with the wedding plans and have a lovely life together. ------ Best Wishes on your Engagement. Wishing you the very best as you begin to plan.
Sincere congratulations on your marriage!
I don't know when I've felt better about two people getting together, and it's plain to see that you love each other deeply. It's wonderful to see how at peace you are with each other.
My prayer for you is that you will be as happy fifty years from now as you are today.
On behalf of the production staff, I want to congratulate you on your marriage.
We haven't had the pleasure of meeting your husband yet, but we are sure that you have made a perfect decision.
Please accept the accompanying gift as our way of wishing you every happiness together forever.
As the Big Day approaches fast, I want to congratulate you and John! You two are great together--obviously in love--and a joy to be around.
We're sending up a little wedding gift. Be sure to open it before you leave on your honeymoon; it will be useful on a vacation.
We couldn't be happier for you. Here's to many happy years together!
We want to congratulate you on your upcoming wedding. It is such a pleasure to see two people marry who are as obviously made for each other as you two are. Here is a little gift we chose to remind you of our love and admiration for you both. We offer you our warmest and best wishes, always.
This congratulations on a marriage example letter is perfect to for extending congratulations or best wishes to en employee or business.
