Weddings are one of the most significant and memorable events in anyone’s life. When people in our lives announce their upcoming nuptials, it is understandable to be excited and want to express our joy and happiness for them. However, there is a bit of confusion regarding what to say or whether to say congratulations or offer best wishes. In this blog post, we will answer the question – do you say congratulations when someone gets married?
Congratulations or Best Wishes?
Traditionally, people offer congratulations when someone gets engaged, and congratulations when the couple ties the knot. But there’s also a school of thought that suggests that congratulations might not be the most appropriate thing to say on someone’s wedding day because it’s more desired to celebrate two people committing to each other rather than acknowledging one.
Before we dive deeper into this topic, let us understand what congratulations and best wishes mean.
Congratulations: A congratulation is a message that recognizes and celebrates a person’s achievements or milestones. It carries connotations of recognizing someone’s efforts and success. It is also an implied way of conveying good luck for what’s yet to come.
Best Wishes: Best wishes convey your desires for the future as the couple begins their new journey together. It is a way of wishing them a happy life together. It is more about conveying goodwill, hope, and blessings for the couple’s future.
When to Use Congratulations
If a couple has just tied the knot, congratulations are entirely appropriate. It is a significant milestone and accomplishment for the couple, and they deserve to be congratulated. Saying congratulations is an acknowledgment of their wedding day and their commitment to each other.
Congratulations may be more suitable when:
- The couple got engaged and is sharing their news.
- You meet the couple for the first time and are congratulating them on their wedding day.
- You’re congratulating a friend, relative, or co-worker who has just realized their lifelong dream of getting married.
When Best Wishes are More Appropriate
Whereas, if you want to acknowledge a couple’s union and wish them happiness, joy, and love in their future together, then “best wishes” might be more apt. While “congratulations” is to mark a specific achievement or milestone, “best wishes” is more of a warm and thoughtful expression of hope for the future.
Best wishes might be a better option when:
- You’re wishing the couple a “happily ever after” on your wedding card.
- You’re offering a toast to their marriage and life together.
- You are congratulating someone who you know has been through a lot of ups and downs before finding their perfect match.
- You’re writing a personal note to the couple in their guestbook or giving them a keepsake gift.
Conclusion
So, what’s the verdict? Is it congratulations or best wishes when someone gets married? It ultimately depends on your relationship with the couple and what message you want to convey. If you want to recognize their accomplishment and acknowledge their wedding day, “congratulations” is apt. If you want to offer a more heartfelt and sentimental message of goodwill and hope for the couple’s future, then “best wishes” might be the better option.
It’s essential to remember that regardless of what you choose, the most important thing is to be genuine and heartfelt in your message. Being a part of someone’s wedding is a special privilege, and your words should reflect your joy and happiness for them.
FAQ
What do you say to someone who got married?
When someone close to you has just gotten married, it is always a kind gesture to extend your congratulations and well-wishes. Depending on how close you are with the person, you may choose to go with a simple yet heartfelt message, or a more elaborate sentiment. Casual wedding wishes include phrases like “best wishes,” “congratulations,” or “happy wedding day.” If you want to add a little more personality to your message, you could say something like “we’re so happy for you,” or “wishing you lots of love and a lifetime of happiness.”
On the other hand, if you would like to express a more elaborate message, you may choose to touch on some of the elements that make the person’s marriage special to you. Perhaps you could discuss the qualities that you admire in the happy couple, or the journey that led them to the altar. You could also add humor or personal anecdotes to your message, making it more memorable and unique. Whatever message you choose to send, make sure it comes from the heart and that it accurately reflects your joy and support for the newlyweds.
What can I say instead of congratulations?
Whether it’s a graduation, promotion, or any other achievement, you might want to offer your congratulations to someone. However, repeating the same word over and over again can seem insincere or bring down the excitement. Instead, you can use different synonyms and expressions to convey your happiness and admiration. Some of the alternatives to congrats are compliments, felicitations, greetings, hail, best wishes, give a ‘hear-hear’, good going, and good wishes. Each of these expressions brings a unique tone and connotation to your message, allowing you to customize it and make it more personal and memorable.
For instance, if you want to sound more formal or official, you can opt for felicitations or greetings. Both of these words are more sophisticated and polite than congratulations, and they carry a sense of honor and esteem. Alternatively, if you want to sound more enthusiastic and supportive, you can use good going or give a ‘hear-hear’. These expressions are more casual and energetic, and they show that you are excited and proud of the person’s achievement.
Finally, don’t forget that you can always add a personal touch to your congratulations message by mentioning the person’s accomplishment or characters that you admire. For example, instead of just saying “congratulations on your graduation,” you can say “Congratulations on completing your degree! Your dedication and hard work are truly inspiring, and I can’t wait to see what you’ll achieve next.” This way, you show that you not only acknowledge the person’s achievement but also understand the effort and passion behind it.
Can you just say congratulation?
Certainly, congratulations is a term used to express joy and celebrate an achievement or accomplishment. While it may seem like a simple term, it is important to ensure that the spelling is accurate in order to properly convey the intended message. Using incorrect spelling, such as “congratulation”, can convey a lack of attention to detail or even disrespect towards the individual or group being congratulated.
Furthermore, while congratulations is a commonly used term, it is always appreciated to personalize the message and add a personal touch. This can be done by acknowledging the specific achievement or accomplishment, noting the hard work and effort that went into it, and expressing genuine admiration and pride for the individual or group. Adding additional words or phrases to the congratulations message, such as “well done”, “keep up the good work”, or “I am so proud of you”, can also help to make the message more meaningful.
While a simple “congratulations” can be used to express joy and celebrate an achievement, it is important to ensure that the spelling is accurate and to add a personal touch to show genuine support and admiration for the individual or group being congratulated.
