Sometimes, you just need to celebrate someone’s accomplishments. They’ve achieved something big–a move, a degree, a dream job, even a marriage or a baby. Times like these are perfect for saying congratulations.
And that means it’s time to break out the congratulations cards and send your best wishes. But if you’re staring at your boxed graduation cards (or wedding cards, or baby cards, or new house cards) without a clue what to write in them, no worries! Here’s a quick guide on how to say congratulations, no matter what the occasion may be.
Occasions to Send a Congratulations Card
Before we talk about what to say, though, it’s helpful to know when to say it.
Sure, you could send a congratulations card anytime. Sometimes life is hard and someone needs congratulations for putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes you want to just congratulate someone for being their awesome selves.
That said, there are a few occasions that should always get a congratulations card for the sake of politeness. These include:
- Weddings
- Graduation (high school or college)
- New baby
- Baby shower
- New home
- New job
These are all momentous life occasions, markers of moments when your life is starting a new and exciting chapter. If someone you love is embarking on a new adventure, one of the best ways to celebrate with them is to congratulate them on the success of starting their next chapter.
However, there are different types of congratulations that are appropriate for every occasion. Let’s break them down.
Wedding Congratulations
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A wedding is a time that gets (and deserves) a lot of hurrahs. They’re also the occasion on this list that has the most etiquette rules.
For example, did you know that once upon a time, it was considered rude to actually say or write “congratulations” to a newly married woman? If you did, you were congratulating her on actually landing a man. Happily, all but the most traditional people these days view that train of thought as ridiculous and outdated, so you’re perfectly fine to include “congratulations” in your wedding greetings. That said, wedding cards congratulations come in a wide array of forms. “Best wishes” is still considered the most formal and polite phrase in a wedding card, but after that, it depends on the couple and your relationship to them. Are they casual? |
Do they have a killer sense of humor and love a good laugh? Are they religious? Are they a sibling or relative? Are they a colleague? A friend? What about a son or daughter? What about an elopement?
Formal wedding cards still avoid the word “congratulations” and you should stick with a more formal message for a colleague unless you happen to be very close friends. That said, if you’re not comfortable being formal, don’t–just be yourself and keep it short. “I’m so happy for you!” goes a long way, as does, “Wishing you lots of love and happiness,” and “So happy to celebrate with you!”
Graduation Congratulations
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Whether they’re earning a high school diploma, a Ph.D., or even just an awesome professional certification, a graduation card is a great way to celebrate your favorite smarty pants for their successes. If you’re not sure where to start, “Congratulations on your graduation!” always sets you off on the right foot. From there, it depends on your relationship to the graduate. Parents and relatives can include expressions of nostalgia and pride at seeing the graduate grow up into the amazing person standing in front of them celebrating their achievements. If the graduate is excited but a bit nervous about what comes next, give them a few words of wisdom–if you’re a friend, have some fun with it, and reminisce on your favorite times spent studying together or helping your loved one survive high school/college/advanced degree programs. If you’re short on your own words to say congrats on graduation, why not borrow a few words? Like this quote from Neil Gaiman, “Now go, and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for you being here. Make good art.” |
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Just…don’t do a quote from The Graduate, unless you happen to have a fantastic in-joke about it.
Congratulations On A New Baby
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There are few occasions in life quite as joyous as the arrival of a new baby. You blink and suddenly, your loved one made this tiny person who looks at the world with absolute wonder. Sending congrats for a new baby is just one of the many ways you can help your loved one celebrate this amazing new time in their life.
If you need a simple place to start, a heartfelt “Congratulations on your baby,” or “Congratulations on your new baby girl/baby boy,” is always appreciated. Follow it up with all the warm well wishes you have in your heart for your loved one and their new little family member. Lean into the occasion with, “Sending you a cradle full of well wishes.” Or maybe made a funny nod to the times that await with, “Wishing you and your new baby health, happiness, and plenty of sleep!” or “Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy/girl! Bring on the diapers and sleepless nights!” If your loved one has mentioned their dreams for their new baby, mention them in the card. Maybe, “One day they’re snoozing in your arms, the next day they’re getting into Harvard–wishing you years of joyful parenthood and happy memories ahead.” |
Of course, if the baby hasn’t come yet, there are still plenty of congratulations to go around! Like the baby shower, for example. In fact, sending a card is part of good baby shower etiquette.
The good news is that baby shower congratulations cards can be quite similar to newborn baby cards, except for the fact that the baby hasn’t come yet. Focus on congratulating your loved one on preparing for an exciting new chapter in their life.
Congratulations On A New Home
| If your loved one’s new chapter involves moving to a new house, saying, “Congratulations on your new home!” via a new home card is a great, simple way to celebrate that’s more heartfelt than a quick text. And if they’ve moved far away, you can still send good thoughts even though you can’t visit.
When writing a new home card, there are three rules of the road:
The second one is especially important, even if the circumstances surrounding the move weren’t happy ones. An optimistic, thoughtful (and carefully thought out) congratulations card is a good way to gently remind your loved one that they’ve made it to a new chapter and that you know they can make it a great one. |
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Don’t be afraid to get a little sentimental in your congratulations–there’s a new house to make into a home, and a card helps send the right message. A message like, “The best thing about a new home is the people who you share it with. We can’t wait to come visit, and we hope that your whole family is settling in nicely!” is a great way to convey that idea, as is, “A house is made of bricks and beams, but a home is made of hopes and dreams. Wishing nothing but the best for you in your new home.”
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of humor, especially after the stress of the move. Something like, “Congratulations! I may have not been around to help you pack and move, but I’m more than happy to come drink wine with you while you settle in,” is a great way to get a laugh. Or maybe, “I know where you live. (And I can’t wait to visit!)” is more your speed?
If you plan to visit soon, try, “I’m so excited for you in your new home! I’ll let you know when I’m coming to visit so that you can make sure to stock the right snacks.”
Congratulations On A New Job
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A new job is like a fresh reset, and it happens more often than most other occasions on this list. A card saying congrats on the new job is a simple but sweet way to help someone usher in the new chapter.
Always start or end with the essential message, “Congratulations on your new job!” After that, it depends on your relationship with the person. If they were a coworker, you can add a note saying how much you enjoyed working with them and that their new workplace is gaining a fantastic addition. If you happen to be good friends with your former colleague, you can send them off with a bit of humor, like, “Congratulations! Looks like you’ll be goofing off at a much more impressive job from now on!” or “Congrats on landing the job of your dreams! Wishing you all the best of luck finding coworkers as weird as us!” |
The Cards You Need to Celebrate Any Occasion
No matter what you’re saying congratulations for, there’s a perfect card for every occasion. If you’re in the market for the perfect card to celebrate a loved one’s success, make sure to check out our congratulations cards.