All of us have been there. A wedding is coming up and you need to buy a card for the couple who will be marrying soon. So you set out to shop for that perfect wedding card. After shopping long and hard, you finally settle for one. But when you get home, there is still another hurdle ahead. You have to come up with what to write on it. Fortunately, there are no cast-iron rules about what is to be written in a wedding card. What matters most is that your congratulations message is genuine and offers the soon-to-be-married couple positive wishes for their marriage.
Wedding Card Decorum
It is obvious that cards are traditional for anyone who would like to send a couple – whether engaged or newly married – wedding wishes. If you are following customary wedding guest decorum or etiquette, then you will do either of the two: bring it along to the reception venue or mail it to the couple – which is normally the moment the wedding invitation card is received and a number of weeks after the wedding. But it is alright to send it any time you wish. Also, you don’t have to be invited and you can even send the couple a cute card even if it is a small wedding and you are not invited. In other words, any couple wouldn’t mind wedding congratulations anytime and from anyone.
Wedding cards come in multiple diverse formats including the typical greeting cards that are available at the adorable stationery shop, homemade cards, little cards affixed to gifts, as well as simple wedding messages that are digitally created, printed and sent to the pair along with their gift. All the aforementioned qualities as a wedding card are thought to be in order hence you don’t need to worry about having more than one card.
What You Should Pen In a Wedding Card
The ideal wedding card message ought to be customized to the couple, and for it to have that sentimental value, it should be penned from the heart. Two wedding card messages will certainly never be the same. In case you feel under pressure to say the ideal words, simply avoid it.
Writing suitable wedding messages doesn’t have to be an uphill task at all. Here is a wedding card etiquette guide featuring simple instructions to help you figure out what to pen in a wedding card:
Starting with congratulations to the couple is appropriate. And regardless of your bespoke writing style, this common phrase is a cute way of warming up your greeting.
Next, add a customized wedding wish to them. In the next couple of lines, craft a tailored wedding wish for the couple. You need to consider your relationship with the bride and groom. Think of what they might enjoy reading after their wedding.
Then thank them. Reserve one line to appreciate the couple’s invitation to take part in one of their greatest days.
Sign off warmly. Ensure that you leave the new couple with a warm closing before signing your name.
Writing the Word “Congratulations” Is Quite In Order
There was a time that saying or writing “congratulations” to a newly married bride was thought to be a blunder. This is because the congratulations were thought to be directed towards her having found a man for herself.
However, that school of thought is considered as outdated. Also, in case the couple by chance is too traditional or their family is extremely traditional, you may wish to avoid using the term and simply say “best wishes.”
Casual Wedding Wishes
In case you feel uncomfortable with formal wedding wording, then you better not do it. It is good to be yourself, and regardless of the recipient, it is alright to write in the card a more informal wedding message. A short and sweet message is always appropriate, provided what you are saying is something good or includes a wish for the bride and groom’s future.
Here are a few examples:
“Congratulations!”
“Best Wishes!”
“I love you. Congrats!”
“I’m so happy for you!”
“Hugs and kisses”
Formal Wedding Wishes
A formal wedding featuring tuxedos and floor-length dresses does not necessarily mean that you must send the couples a formal card with many words. It is not a must for the card to match the event.
But if you want to write a cute timeless and romantic message, then a formal note will do just fine.
Funny Wedding Wishes
Just write something humorous in the card, one that you really feel will make the couple have a good laugh. However, you need to be cautious with your wishes. This is because a joke on paper may be misinterpreted by the couple hence you should avoid sarcastic jokes. Avoid anything that could come across as insulting, indicate that either of the pair is the “better half.” Also, avoid mentioning anything that may imply that the couple has taken a too long or too short time to say “I do.” Also, divorce jokes are totally out of the question.
Religious Wedding Wishes
Are the couples religious? If so, then religious wedding wishes could be the most appropriate. Such card messages may mention God, tell the couple about your prayers, or even quote a scripture. But before you can write such a message on the card, you need to pause and take into consideration the couple’s faith and practices, which will help you personalize the message to the couple. If they are not overly religious or if they only worship occasionally, then they might not be comfortable with a message that is too religious. In this case, the best thing to do is either tone down on religious elements – or just avoid them totally. If you are not certain of the type of religious message to write, choosing more general words is the right route to go.
Wedding Card for a Friend
When you are writing a wedding card message to friends, you can opt to be too personal or just keep it more general. The point here is to consider your relationship with them and their other half. Sticking to this will allow your love for the new couple to shine through your greeting.