What to write in a wedding card: 50 wedding wishes and messages

A wedding card is a small thing with a lot of pressure. You want to sound warm but not cheesy, personal but not overly familiar, and you're usually writing it in the car on the way to the ceremony. Take a breath. A great wedding message comes down to three things: congratulate the couple, say something personal about them, and wish them well for the future.

Classic wedding wishes

Simple, elegant and perfect when you're signing alongside a gift or don't know the couple well.

• Congratulations on your wedding! Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness.
• Best wishes on this wonderful journey as you build your new life together.
• May your love grow stronger with each passing year.
• Wishing you joy, laughter and adventure today and always.
• Congratulations to a wonderful couple on the start of a beautiful marriage.
• May the love you share today last a lifetime and beyond.
• Here's to love, laughter and happily ever after.
• Wishing you both a lifetime of shared dreams and quiet Sunday mornings.
• Two wonderful people, one beautiful future. Congratulations!
• Cheers to the happy couple. May your home always be full of love.
• Congratulations on the beginning of your forever.

Wedding messages for close friends

• I've watched you two fall in love and it's been one of my favorite things to witness. Congratulations!
• I knew from the first time I saw you together that this was it. So happy I was right.
• You found someone who laughs at your jokes. Hold on tight! Congratulations, both of you.
• Thank you for letting me be part of your story. I can't wait to see the next chapter.
• To my best friend and the person who makes them happiest: welcome to forever.
• Seeing you this happy makes me so happy. Congratulations on finding your person.
• From late-night talks about “the one” to watching you marry them today. I'm so proud of you.
• I love you both separately, and even more together. Congratulations!

Wedding messages for family

• To my sister and my new brother: our family just got bigger and better. Congratulations!
• Watching you grow up and find this kind of love is a gift. We're so proud of you.
• Welcome to the family! We couldn't have picked anyone better if we tried.
• Son, seeing you so happy today is the greatest joy of my life. Congratulations to you both.
• To my daughter and her wonderful partner: may your marriage be filled with the same love you've brought to our family.
• Congratulations, cousin! May your marriage be as fun as our childhood summers.
• We've loved you since the day you were born, and we love you both today. Welcome to married life.

Wedding messages for coworkers and acquaintances

• Congratulations on your wedding! Wishing you both every happiness.
• Best wishes to you and your partner as you start this exciting new chapter.
• Wishing you a beautiful wedding day and a lifetime of happiness together.
• Congratulations! The office is cheering for you both.
• Wishing you all the best on your special day and in your marriage.

Funny wedding wishes

Know your audience. Light humor works for close friends; save the edgier jokes for the speeches (or never).

• Congratulations on finding someone who will put up with you forever. Truly a miracle.
• Marriage: when you find that special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.
• Remember: the secret to a happy marriage is two words. “You're right.”
• Wishing you a love that lasts longer than the wedding photos take to arrive.
• Congratulations! May you always share the remote and never share dessert.
• Here's to the couple who finally made it official. Our group chat thanks you.
• Love is sharing your fries. Marriage is sharing your fries forever.

Religious and traditional blessings

• May God bless your marriage with love, patience and joy for all your days.
• Wishing you a marriage blessed with faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.
• May your home be filled with peace, your hearts with love, and your lives with blessings.
• Praying that your marriage is a reflection of God's love for many years to come.

What to write if you can't attend

• I'm so sorry I can't be there to celebrate with you, but I'll be raising a glass from afar. Congratulations!
• Even though I can't be there in person, my heart is with you both today.
• Sending all my love on your wedding day. I can't wait to celebrate with you when I see you next.
• Wishing I could be there to see you say “I do.” Congratulations on your wedding, and here's to a lifetime of happiness.

If you can't make it, a card with your words in it means even more. A Toast to Your Forever puts your toast on beautiful stationery so your words are there even if you aren't.

What to write with a gift of money

Keep the focus on the couple, not the amount. A few options:

• A little something to help you start your new life together. Congratulations!
• For your honeymoon fund: enjoy a dinner on us somewhere beautiful.
• Please accept this gift towards your first home together. Wishing you every happiness.
• Here's to your next adventure. Spend it on something that makes you smile.

Wedding card etiquette

• Address both partners by name on the envelope and in the card.
• Don't mention exes, past weddings or anything awkward, however well-meant.
• Sign with the names of everyone it's from, including children and partners.
• It's fine to send a card after the wedding. Etiquette guides traditionally allow several weeks, even months, especially with a gift.
• Digital wedding cards are completely acceptable, especially when you can't attend, or when the couple lives far away. A personal e-card with their photos often means more than a generic card.