How to Sign a Wedding Card
Writing the message is usually the easy part. It's the signing off that trips people up - whose name goes first, whether to include a partner, what to do if you're signing on behalf of a group. None of it is complicated once you know the conventions, but it's easy to freeze at the bottom of the card wondering if you're getting it wrong.
Here's how to get it right, whoever you're signing as. Still working out the message itself? Our guide to what to write in a wedding card has messages for every kind of relationship.
Signing as a Couple
If you and a partner are giving the card together, the usual convention is to write both names, joined with "and" or an ampersand.
- "With love, James and Sarah"
- "Lots of love, James & Sarah"
There's no fixed rule on whose name goes first - alphabetical, whoever's closer to the couple, or just whichever sounds better out loud all work fine.
Signing as a Family
If children are old enough to be included, their names typically follow the parents'.
- "With love from the Hendersons"
- "Lots of love, Mum, Dad, Alfie and Rosie"
For very young children who can't sign themselves, it's common for a parent to write on their behalf: "With love from all of us, including baby Rosie (who can't hold a pen yet)."
Signing on Behalf of a Group
For colleagues, friendship groups, or anyone signing collectively, there are two common approaches.
Everyone signs individually, usually just first names, scattered around the card or listed down one side. This works well when there's space and the group isn't too large.
One person signs on behalf of everyone, particularly useful for a large office or when the card's being sent rather than handed round.
- "With love and best wishes from everyone at [company]"
- "So much love from all of your university friends"
If You're Signing After the Main Message
If someone else has already written the main message and you're adding a shorter note beneath it, keep it brief rather than trying to match their length. A line or two is plenty.
- "Sending you both so much love, [name]"
- "Couldn't be happier for you both. Love, [name]"
What to Avoid
Don't sign with just an initial unless the couple would immediately recognise it - a card full of "J" and "S" and "K" isn't much use as a keepsake years later.
Don't cross out a mistake messily. If you sign the wrong thing, it's worth asking for a fresh card rather than leaving a scribbled-out line on what's meant to be a keepsake.
Don't worry about matching everyone else's tone. If the card's already got a few jokes in it and you'd rather write something sincere, that's fine. Wedding cards get read and re-read - a mix of voices is part of what makes them worth keeping.
The Most Important Thing
However you sign it, make sure your name is actually legible. A beautifully written message signed with an illegible scrawl leaves the couple guessing later on, thumbing back through old cards trying to work out who "that one" was from.
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