A wedding card doesn't need to be long. The couple will read dozens of them, and the ones they remember are warm, specific and sincere. Here are wedding messages for every kind of guest, with a few tips to make yours your own.
If you're stuck, use three parts:
- Congratulate them, by name.
- Say something personal: a memory, what you admire about them as a couple, or a hope for their future.
- Sign off warmly.
Anna and Tom, congratulations! Watching you two plan this day together (spreadsheets and all) has been a joy. Wishing you a lifetime of adventures. With love, Maria
Short and sweet wedding messages
- Congratulations on your wedding day! Wishing you a lifetime of love and laughter.
- So happy for you both. Here's to the adventure ahead!
- Two wonderful people, one brilliant marriage. Congratulations!
- Wishing you a love that grows stronger every year.
- Cheers to love, laughter and happily ever after.
- May your home always be full of love and good friends.
- Congratulations on finding your person.
- Here's to the start of your best chapter yet.
- Wishing you every happiness today and always.
- You two make it look easy. Congratulations!
For close friends
- I've watched you grow into the happiest version of yourself with them. Congratulations, I couldn't be prouder.
- From late-night chats about "the one" to today: I'm so happy you found each other.
- Thank you for letting me be part of your story. Here's to many more years of dinners at your table!
- You deserve all the happiness in the world, and now you have someone to share it with.
- Congratulations to my favourite couple. Promise you'll still answer my calls?
- I knew from your first date story that this was it. Love you both.
For family
- Welcome to the family! We're so happy to have you.
- Seeing you so happy is the best gift we could ask for. All our love on your wedding day.
- From your first steps to walking down the aisle: we're so proud of you.
- May your marriage be as full of love as the family that surrounds you today.
- Wishing you both a lifetime of joy. We love you.
For colleagues
Colleagues often sign a group wedding card together. Keep it warm and a little lighter:
- Congratulations from all of us! Wishing you a wonderful day and a very relaxing honeymoon.
- So happy for you both. Enjoy every moment, and don't check your emails!
- Congratulations on your wedding! The office won't be the same without your wedding planning updates.
- Wishing you a lifetime of happiness together. Congratulations from the whole team.
- Here's to love, laughter and a well-deserved break. Congratulations!
- Wishing you both all the best for your new life together.
Funny wedding messages (for people who'll laugh)
- Congratulations on finding someone who'll put up with you forever!
- Marriage: the art of finding someone you want to annoy for the rest of your life.
- Remember: you're a team now. That means you can blame each other.
- May your love be modern enough to survive the times, and old-fashioned enough to last forever.
- Congratulations! Here's to a lifetime of arguing about the thermostat.
- Happy wedding day! Remember, the secret to a happy marriage is saying "you're right."
Keep jokes kind, and save the in-jokes for people who'll get them.
If you don't know the couple well
- Congratulations on your marriage. Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness.
- Thank you for including us in your special day. Wishing you all the best.
- Best wishes on your wedding day and for the years ahead.
- Wishing you love, joy and many happy years together.
Messages that don't fit on a paper card
A group e-card has room for more than words. Some ideas the couple will love:
- A photo of you with the couple, or from the hen or stag do (choose wisely).
- A favourite memory, told as a short story.
- Advice for married life, from couples who've been married for years.
- A GIF that sums up the couple perfectly.
What to avoid
- Mentioning exes, past break-ups or "finally!"
- Jokes about divorce or "ball and chain".
- Comments about money, the cost of the wedding or the gifts.
- Anything you wouldn't want their grandparents to read.
Writing a card for the whole group?
If you're collecting messages from friends, family or colleagues, a group e-card means everyone can sign from their phone, even guests who live far away, and it arrives on the day you choose. See how to organise a group wedding card, or start a wedding card now.
Questions and answers
What do you write in a wedding card?
Congratulate the couple by name, add something personal (a memory or a wish for their future) and sign off warmly. Two or three sentences are enough.
What do you write in a wedding card for a colleague?
Keep it warm and light: congratulate them, wish them a great day and a relaxing honeymoon, and sign with your name. Many teams sign one group card together.
Is it OK to write a funny message in a wedding card?
Yes, if you know the couple well and the joke is kind. Avoid jokes about exes, divorce or money, and add a sincere line too.
Should I put money or a gift card inside the card?
It depends on the couple's wishes and local customs. If they have a registry or have asked for contributions, follow that. The card itself is for your words.
