How To Write A Wedding Card

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How To Write A Wedding Card

Writing a warm and heartfelt wedding card message can be easier said than done! Whether you’re sending wedding day wishes to your distant cousin or closest friend, you might find yourself stuck with writer’s block as you try to craft the perfect wedding day sentiments. 

Don’t panic – if you’re looking for some last-minute wording inspiration for the perfect wedding card, you’re in the right place. From formal to casual and funny, we’ve got you sorted with our top tips and examples on exactly what to write in a wedding card below.

The Do’s and Dont’s of Writing a Wedding Card

Dos

• Address it to the couple as a pair. The wedding card will be read by both partners, not just the person you’re closest to, so make sure you congratulate them both and leave out the inside jokes for another time!
• Plan in advance. Saying the right words for this special occasion is hard. That’s why you’re here! To avoid any errors, take the time to write out what you want to say on another piece of paper. This will relieve the pressure of making a mistake on the actual wedding card.
• Have fun and be real. Your friends are going to keep this card as a memento long after the wedding. Write from the heart, but don’t say anything that doesn’t sound like you.

Dont’s

• Misspell their names. This is the first thing the couple will notice when reading the wedding card, so make sure you spell the couple’s names correctly!
• Write a novel. As much as you may want to express your excitement and share a story or two, keep your wedding card message short and sweet. Wedding cards usually don’t allow for a lot of space, so if you do have a lot to say, it is best to save it for a personal letter or email.
• Do it last minute. Chicken scratch on notepaper is a total faux-pas and, to avoid embarrassment, look for the perfect wedding card in advance!
• Get too cheeky. Don’t forget that both partners will read the wedding card! By all means, be real and genuine, but keep it clean and save the cheeky stories for another place.

Wedding Card Etiquette

Before you start writing those wedding wishes, let’s chat first about wedding card etiquette. What should you keep in mind as you begin crafting a meaningful message to the newlyweds?

As a general guideline, wedding card messages should be warm, genuine and personalised to the couple. The format of a wedding card message might look something like this:

• A word of congratulations to the couple
• Some warm wishes for their marriage
• A more personal message, anecdote, joke or marriage advice (if that suits your relationship to the couple)
• A note of thanks and appreciation for letting you share in their day
• A loving sign off

What you choose to write in your wedding card will be influenced by the kind of relationship you share with the newlyweds. If you’re sending wedding wishes to a close friend or family member, you can use a more casual tone and get away with injecting some humour or personal anecdotes. But if you’re sending wedding wishes to a distant relative or work colleague, it might be better to keep your wording more formal and sincere.

Wedding cards are traditionally given at the wedding reception via a wishing well. But if you’re unable to attend the wedding, you’ll want to mail your card to the couple as close as possible to the wedding instead.

Once you’ve decided on format and tone, draw some inspiration from our wedding card wording examples below to get started with crafting the perfect message!

What to Write in a Wedding Card

A formal tone is best suited if you don’t have a close relationship with the couple, such as extended family or work colleagues. Formal wedding card messages are usually simple, timeless, and sincere. Some classic and romantic wedding wishes that fit perfectly for a formal wedding card include sentiments like:

Formal Wedding Card Wish Examples

• Congratulations on your wedding day. Wishing you a lifetime of love, joy and happiness.
• Congratulations on taking this next step together. May your love for each other see you through all of life’s ups and downs.
• Wishing you both love and joy on your wedding day, and as you begin your new life together.
• Sending our best wishes as you embark on this new journey together.
• Congratulations on your wedding day. May today be the beginning of a long and happy life together.
• Congratulations on your special day. May the years ahead be filled with lasting joy, love and happiness.
• Congratulations on your union. Wishing you all the best as you build your life together.
• Life will bring all sorts of things your way, but it’s better to share it with someone by your side. Wishing you many more joyful moments to come.
• Congratulations to you both on finding the perfect person to share all your days with.

You’ll also want to include some words of appreciation for inviting you to the wedding. Some examples for a formal wedding card could include: 

• Thank you for letting us share in this joyful day.
• Thank you for inviting us to join in your union.
• Thank you for inviting us to celebrate with you and your families on this special day.
• Thank you for letting us play a small part in your special day.
• Thank you for inviting me to your wedding. It’s an honour to share in such a beautiful and important celebration with you.

To bring it all together, your final wedding card message might look something like this:

To Harry and Sally,

Congratulations on your wedding day. May the years ahead be filled with lasting joy, love and happiness.

Thank you for inviting us to celebrate with you and your families on this special day.

Best wishes today and always,

Mike and Sandra

Funny/Casual Wedding Card Wish Examples

If you’re writing a wedding card for a close friend or family member, it’s completely okay to keep things more casual! You can use informal language, insert personal jokes, offer marriage advice and inject a sense of humour if that suits your relationship to the couple.

Our tip: if you are using jokes or humour, try to balance this with some more genuine and heartfelt sentiments, too. This is a pretty special milestone after all!

Draw inspiration from these fun and casual wedding card wishes below: 

• Congratulations on your wedding day! Our marriage advice to you: Remember, no matter how hard it gets, the first 50 years of marriage are always the hardest.
• Thanks for the free booze. Oh, and congratulations on your marriage!
• Woohoo, you got hitched! Wishing you a lifetime of Netflix and chill together.
• Congratulations! It’s so great to see two equally amazing people find their perfect match. Wishing you all the love and happiness on your special day.
• Congratulations guys, it’s official – you’re stuck with each other now!
• Congrats guys, you did it! You found the one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your lives!
• Congratulations guys! Now it’s time to knock back the champagne and pretend like this hasn’t been the most stressful day of your entire lives.
• Congratulations guys! We can’t wait to watch you two turn into the cutest little old married couple there ever was.
• Woohoo, you did it! Congratulations on hosting the most Instagram-worthy wedding of the year.
• Congratulations, you two. Everyone can see that you guys are perfect together. Our marriage advice: date nights, and lots of them!
• Congratulations on your wedding day! From the moment you two met, I knew it was a match made in heaven. I’ll never forget the time (insert brief personal anecdote or memory).

Don’t forget to follow up your wedding wishes with a heartfelt thanks to the couple. These examples are a perfect fit for a casual wedding card:

• In all seriousness, we couldn’t be happier to witness two perfect soulmates tie the knot today! Thanks for inviting us to the party of the year.
• I’m so grateful for the friendship we share, and the memories we’ve created over the years. Thanks for having me here to celebrate with you – I hope your day is everything you imagined and more.
• We are so ecstatic to see you two finally hitched! Thanks so much for your love, friendship and support – we’re so happy we could share in this perfect day with you.

Your final wedding card message might read something like this:

To the happy couple,

Woohoo, you got hitched! Wishing you a lifetime of Netflix and chill together. We can’t wait to watch you two turn into the cutest little old married couple there ever was. 

In all seriousness, we couldn’t be happier to witness two perfect soulmates tie the knot today. Thanks for inviting us to the party of the year.

Sending you lots of love,

The Smith Family

Wedding Wishes for a Family Member

Celebrating the wedding of a close family member? Writing a personal wedding card message is a great way to welcome their new partner into your family. You might want to personalise your wedding card wording to include one of the following sentiments:

• Congratulations on your marriage, and welcome to the family (Name)!
• Congratulations on your wedding day! (Name), we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome you to our family.
• Huge congrats on your wedding day! (Name), we’re so happy you’ve found the one.
• Congratulations, you two. We couldn’t be happier with our new addition to the family.
• Welcome to the family, (Name)! We couldn’t be happier to have you join our crazy tribe. 
• Congratulations guys – we’re overjoyed to call you both family.

After including some warm words of appreciation, your final wedding card message for a family member might look something like this:

To John and Jenny

Congratulations on your wedding day!

John, we’re so happy you’ve found the one. Jenny, we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome you to our family.

We love you both, and wish you a lifetime of joy and happiness.

Lots of love, 

Susie and Nick

Wedding Wishes When You Can’t Attend

If you’re unable to make the celebration itself, sending a personal wedding card is a beautiful way to share your thoughts and well wishes to the newlyweds. 

When it comes to crafting the perfect message for this situation, you’ll want to make it clear how much you wish you could be there to celebrate. You don’t need to apologise over and over again for your absence, but do acknowledge your love and support for the couple and their union. The following sentiments are perfect for sending a wedding card from afar:

• Congratulations on your wedding day! We hope you can feel our love and support even though we can’t be there.
• Congratulations on such an exciting day! We really wish we could be there to celebrate with you and your families.
• Congratulations, you two! We’re with you in spirit on this special day.
• Congratulations on your wedding day! We’re so sorry we couldn’t make the trip, but are celebrating with you from afar with a glass of champagne (or two!).
• Wishing you both the very best on this special day. We hope you can feel us joining in your joy and celebrations.

You might also want to acknowledge how much you’re looking forward to hearing about the day with a sentiment like:

• Wishing you all the best for a perfect day – we can’t wait to see pictures and hear all about it!
• We can’t wait to catch up with you both soon and hear your favourite memories from the day. We’re sure you’ll have some stories to tell!
• We are so looking forward to seeing you both soon and hearing all about your special day.
• Dinner and drinks on us sometime soon! We can’t wait to hear all the beautiful details from your day.

Your final wedding card message might flow something like this:

To Katie and Chris

Congratulations on your wedding day!

We hope you can feel our love and support even though we can’t be there. 

Wishing you all the best for a perfect day – we can’t wait to see pictures and hear all about it!

Lots of love,

Tilly and Tom

Write From The Heart

Above all, if your wedding card wishes are warm, genuine and written from the heart, you really can’t go wrong. Simply think about the kind of sentiments you’d love to hear in your own wedding cards, and use this as inspiration to get started.

Currently planning your own wedding celebration? We’ve got you sorted with wording examples there, too! Check out our wedding invitation wording examples to set the tone for your upcoming day, or our complete guide to writing your wedding website sections here.

what to write in a wedding card uk

When Should You Send a Wedding Card?

We’re sure the couple will be happy to receive a lovely card anytime you want to send one! Traditionally, you either bring the card with you to the wedding reception, or you send it to the couple a few weeks before the wedding, after the invites have gone out. If you don’t have an invite to the wedding because there’s a small guest list, then a card is a wonderful way to wish the couple the best.

Do You Write Congratulations in a Wedding Card?

It was once considered rude to write “congratulations” in a wedding card because it was thought of as congratulating a woman for landing a husband. None of that such nonsense now – not least because there may not be a husband involved! Nowadays, it’s totally fine to say or write congratulations as a way of celebrating the newlyweds’ union. If you want to err on the side of caution, use “best wishes”.

How Much Do You Put in a Wedding Card?

The couple may ask for presents from a registry or a cash gift. If you’re giving a cash gift, you can find out how much to give as a wedding gift here, including what to give for an evening-only invite, if its a destination wedding or a colleague. A couple who are friends with the newlyweds would give around £100-£150. If you’re immediate family, expect to double this. If you’re a bridesmaid or groomsman, a £100 gift minimum is expected from you.

You can put cash or a cheque in the wedding card or a wedding money envelope if there’s somewhere secure for you to leave it at the reception venue. Otherwise, ask if they have a special fund set up and transfer the money with a note in your wedding card that that’s what you’ve done. Include a message like, “Here’s a little something to start your life together”.

Bought a gift from a registry? Write a card anyway and leave on their card/gift table. It’s a nice thing to do.

What Are the Basic Things to Write in a Wedding Card?

You can address the card to both the bride and groom/bride and bride/groom and groom, or write separate messages for each person. However, ideally you should end with a joint message or wish for their life together.

The general format is: your congratulations or best wishes; your hopes for their future together; a message about how right they are for each other; and end with a thank you for allowing you to share in their big day.

Read on to find those perfect wedding wishes or click above to jump to exactly the words you need. If you’re looking for something short and sweet, make sure you check out our favourite quotes for wedding cards.

Formal Wedding Wishes

Wedding wishes are the messages of congratulations and wishes for the future that you write in the wedding card. Formal wishes don’t have to be stuffy and without heart. Opt for something timeless and romantic:

• Your greatest journey is only just beginning and I wish you a lifetime of adventures together.
• I wish for you a life filled with happiness; I wish for you the strength to overcome any obstacles together; I wish for you a love that grows ever stronger each day.
• You have shared so much love and laughter over your years together, and I know there will be many more joyful moments to come. I wish you all the happiness that you deserve for your married life together.
• May the love you feel for each other today grow ever stronger and more fulfilling as the years go by.
• All love stories are special, but yours is one of the most beautiful I’ve had the fortune to witness. I wish you love, laughter and happiness for all your years ahead.
• May you look back on today with fond memories of the start of a life filled with love and happiness.
• As I enjoy the free bubbly on your wedding day, I’ll raise a toast to two of the nicest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.
• The two of you shine with the love you share for each other. May that light get ever brighter as the years go by.

Short Wedding Wishes

For something more causal, try anything from quotes, poems, even lyrics from one of their favourite songs, to just a nice few sentences about the couple. Here are some super simple things to write in a wedding card:

• Congratulations to a wonderful couple
• Best wishes on your wedding day
• We’re so happy to celebrate this day with you
• Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness
• Lots of love today and beyond
• Here’s to a long and happy marriage
• To a future full of love and adventure!
• Wishing you the happily-ever-after you both deserve

Funny Wedding Wishes

• Thanks for all the free food and drink! Congratulations on throwing an excellent shindig.
• Well done on finding that one person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.
• I guess you won’t end up a crazy cat lady after all – well done!
• Marriage is a rollercoaster ride. May you have more ups than downs and more laughs than screams. Most importantly, may you both enjoy the best ride of your life every night.
• Here’s to not getting pregnant on the honeymoon!
• Only a couple as good as you could make me throw my famous robot dance moves. It’s an honour to be able to perform for such wonderful people tonight. Congrats!
• I would have got you a nicer card, but I was only invited to the evening do.
• Our best marriage advice: trust one another, forgive the other’s flaws, and stick with each other through thick and thin – divorce is too expensive!
• May your love story be more X-rated than PG, with just enough plot twists to keep things interesting, but not enough to see you clapped in handcuffs for the wrong reasons.
• Here’s to the Instagrammable wedding you deserve!
• I’m just here for the cake – and I guess to see two people tie the knot!
• I predict very cute babies.

What to Write in a Wedding Card to a Friend

If you are close friends with the couple, why not personalise the content with in-jokes and use a warm, friendly tone:

• You met over drinks, bonded over your love of Masterchef and cheesy jokes, and fell in love completely, utterly and forever. It would be hard to find a couple more ideally suited to each other. (And let’s face it, who else would put up with Ellie’s snoring or Matt’s Arsenal obsession?) In all seriousness, I am so happy to be celebrating this day with you, and look forward to many more celebrations to come.
• Wishing you two soulmates a lifetime of Netflix binging and Friday night takeaways. Don’t mind me, I’ll be the one sobbing uncontrollably during the ceremony.
• Thank you for letting me share in your special day. The two of you are made for each other, and I couldn’t be happier to see my oldest friend Karen and my newest friend Ben tying the knot.
• May your days together be filled with joy, and your nights full of fun! Now let’s kick back with some prosecco and pretend this hasn’t been the most stressful day of your life.
• Guys, you did it! Now you can eat, drink and get fat!
• To love and friendship!
• Abi and Jon, I can’t wait to watch you turn into the cutest old married couple. Here’s to love and marriage getting better with every year – and that we all end up in the same nursing home!

What to Write in a Wedding Card to a Best Friend

Let’s face it, trying to decide what to write in a wedding card to your best friend can be a bit of a headache. How can you cram everything you want to say into such a small space? Our advice is to pick two or three highlights from your friendship to focus on, and make sure you don’t leave out the other half of the couple:

• Well, Lisa, what to say? From building dens and bunking off school, to braving Oceana nightclub together, we’ve had plenty of adventures over the years. Now you’re entering into the biggest adventure of your life so far, and I couldn’t be happier for you. You kissed more than your share of frogs to find him, but Ben is definitely a keeper. Ben, thank you for making my best friend so happy. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the two of you.
• Of everything we’ve celebrated together over the years, this one tops the list. Let’s just hope it doesn’t end up with us in a police car like that trip to Ibiza…Here’s to as much laughter together as we’ve had!
• Mark, I’m still reeling with the shock of you landing someone as warm, funny and drop-dead gorgeous as Judith. Let’s face it, those practice runs in the uni bar were not your finest moments. Jude, I’d like to point out that when I met him, Mark was a Star Wars obsessed geek with a rather suspect taste in slogan T-shirts. Obviously I take full credit for turning him into the man who stands beside you today. In all seriousness, I am truly happy for you two. You’re clearly made for each other and I look forward to watching the two of you grow even closer over the years to come.

Want something pithier?

• Congratulations on your wedding day to two of my best friends! There better be an open bar or I retract my previous statement.
• Sam, I can’t believe you got married before me. This is bulls***.

What to Write in a Wedding Card to a Son or Daughter

If it’s your son or daughter getting married, here are some suggestions for what to write in their wedding card:

• The saying goes that you don’t lose a son, you gain a daughter, and that’s certainly true for us. We can’t think of a better new daughter to welcome into our family. The two of you are so well suited. You have brought us so much happiness over the years, and we look forward to sharing even more joy over the years to come.
• Ash, you have brought so much joy into Ben’s life. We could not wish for a better person for him to spend his life with. Ben, you have made us proud since the day you were born, but never more so than today, as we witness the man you have grown into. We look forward to sharing in your life together over the years to come.
• Lily and Albert, you are clearly made for each other, and we couldn’t be happier. The bond you have is very strong, so you need little advice from us, but one wish we do have is that you let each other grow and give each other the freedom to follow your own dreams. May you always remain your own people, as well as partners, friends and companions on your journey through life together.
• I always promised when your time came, we’d throw the wedding of the year. And it better be as I can’t afford another! Danny, wishing you all the best as you take over from the Bank of Mum and Dad! May love, happiness, good fortune, health and wealth bless you both as you take these first steps as newlyweds.

What to Write in a Wedding Card to a Sibling

Is your big brother or baby sister tying the knot? Here are some sentimental wedding messages perfect for siblings:

• It’s hard to believe that the little brother who followed me around for all those years is now all grown up and getting married. Emma, I hand all responsibility over to you for Jonah’s wellbeing. I’ve done my best to mould him into something resembling a decent human being, but I reckon you still have your work cut out when it comes to his dress sense… In all seriousness, Jonah I could not be more proud of the man you’ve turned into, and have loved watching the two of you fall in love. Emma, you’ve got yourself a good ‘un, and I know it’s well deserved. I’d wish you well for the future, but I can see that’s not necessary; the two of you are undeniably ‘right’ for each other. With love always, your big brother Matt.
• I don’t need to welcome you to the family, Harry, as you’ve been a member of our clan since the night you braved the Smith family Christmas. What I will do is congratulate you both on finding your soul mate, your partner in crime, your companion on life’s adventure. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness.
• You’re getting married. I’m getting drunk and snogging the best man. I always knew I was the more fun twin. But I guess congratulations are in order for no longer dying alone! Love you both.

What to Write in a Wedding Card to a Colleague

If someone in the office is getting married, you can get them your own wedding card or sign a shared one that’s passed around. These messages would work for either scenario (although if you’ve been invited to the wedding, you should definitely get your own card!):

• While I’ve never met Hannah, I can see your love for her every time you speak of her. I wish you a long and happy life together, and look forward to seeing the photos of your big day.
• Let’s hope you make Olivia tea more often than you do your colleagues! Have a wonderful wedding and enjoy escaping work on your honeymoon.
• What will we do on our tea break now we no longer have wedding dresses to critique and venues to discuss? I hope your big day goes just as you’ve dreamed and your life together is all that you want it to be.
• Thanks for inviting me to share this day with you and your family.
• You finally got your promotion: from fiancé/fiancé to husband/wife!

What to Write in a Wedding Card to a Parent and Step-Parent

It can be tough to know what to write when your parents remarry. Here are some ideas:

• Mum, I know dad is looking down and smiling to see you so happy. I couldn’t wish for a better man than Graham to stand by your side today. I am truly happy to see the love that you share, and I wish you a million more joyful moments to come.
• Celia, I am so happy that you are joining our family today, and cannot thank you enough for the happiness that you have brought to my father. May the two of you have many more days of joy and love together.
• To the best Mum/Dad a person could ever ask for, and your new husband/wife! So much love and happiness to you both.
• Mum/Dad, we’re so happy you’ve found a partner to share you life with. I can’t wait to get to know you better. Welcome to the family.
• The two of you are so clearly meant to be together, it was destined to be. While you may have met later on in life, that just means that you will treasure every moment together even more.
• You’ve given me to best advice over the years. Now you get to hear mine: [fill in with advice].