Wedding Out of Office Message Ideas and Tips

Are you looking for help on how to write a wedding out of office message? Are you searching for advice from real etiquette professionals who can demystify the rules of wedding communications at the workplace? If so, then these wedding out of office message tips and examples are exactly what you’re looking for.

In this post, we provide real answers from coaches and consultants who are nationally recognized for their work in teaching people manners. Whether you’re not sure what to write or just need to figure out how to word it, we’ve got you covered with plenty of email templates you’re welcome to use!

Explore these tips before you schedule your wedding out of office message:

1. Share less

Nick Leighton from the etiquette podcast “Were You Raised By Wolves?” told Wedding Spot that you really don’t need to provide that many details.

“There’s no requirement to give a reason why you’re out of the office,” shares Leighton. “Just be sure to include the dates you’ll be away and who someone can contact if they need something that can’t wait until your return.”

Here’s an example of what that looks like:

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out! I will be out of office May 25th-30th and will be responding to messages in the order they were received when I return. In the meantime, please feel free to contact Sarah at sarahsemail@company.com for all time-sensitive questions and requests.

Best,

(Your Name)

2. Backspace “sorry”

Wedding Spot also spoke to the perpetually busy Sarah Meyer, a PR specialist whose job requires her to be attached to her email 24/7. In order to be polite to her many clients while also honoring her feelings, Meyer chose to make no apologies for her short-term out of office message.

“Funny enough, I am going OOO for my wedding on Tuesday and have (the email) scheduled,” Meyer shared. “After many, many revisions I decided that apologizing for being out (sorry I missed your note) when it’s one of the biggest days of your life seems silly. ... I’ve decided to simply say that I’m being fully present for my wedding weekend.”

Using Meyer’s advice, your wedding out of office message may look like this:

Hi,

I am currently out of office from May 25th-May 30th. In order to be fully present for my wedding weekend, I’ll be answering any incoming communication by email, text, or phone when I return to the office on May 31st.

Thank you,

(Your Name)

And don’t forget to remove your phone number from your email signature for the week, too!

3. Honor your feelings

Seattle-based manners teacher and etiquette coach Jennifer Porter says that it’s really about what you feel comfortable sharing. Do you want to keep things very professional or would you prefer that coworkers and clients know what’s going on?

Here are a couple of examples — formal and less formal — that Porter provided to Wedding Spot.

Option No. 1 (formal)

Greetings,

Please note that I will be away from my office for the next two weeks for personal reasons. I will not be checking work communication until I return on XX/XX/XX.

Thank you for your patience. For immediate assistance, please reach out to my colleague, Ms. X at email and phone or Mr. Y at email and phone.

I look forward to connecting with you upon my return.

Regards,

(insert name here)

Notice how the message communicates important dates, timelines, and contact information. It also sets expectations about when people can expect to hear back.

Option No. 2 (less formal)

Greetings!

Please note that I will be away from my office for the next two weeks to celebrate my wedding.

I look forward to connecting with you upon my return on XX/XX.

For immediate assistance, please reach out to my colleague, Ms. X at email and phone or Mr. Y at email and phone.

Best Regards,

(insert name here)

This option is great for anyone who is excited to share the news. You might even receive a congratulatory message or two in your inbox when you return, which may make the transition back to work that much easier.

4. Cover your bases

Wedding Spot also spoke with Jodi RR Smith at Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting about how to write a wedding out of office message. Smith reminds us that you must remember to dot your i’s and cross your t’s before you schedule that outgoing email.

“As a human resources professional and an etiquette expert, I can assure you that while you may be floating in anticipation the days before your nuptials, dashing off something glib as an out of office response is a very poor decision,” advises Smith.

“Etiquette is all about creating appropriate boundaries. We use our attire, behavior, and communication to create boundaries between our personal and our professional lives. The way you phrase your out of office message for your wedding is highly dependent on a number of factors.”

Not sure where to begin? Refer to your company’s communication policies.

“First and foremost, you should check to see if your organization has any specific guidelines for how you word your OOO response,” Smith suggests. “Your work email belongs to your employer and many organizations want to be sure a certain tone and professionalism is maintained. Additionally, there is usually a back-up colleague who is covering your work while you are gone, listed along with their contact information.”

Reflecting on your audience is also key, as Smith explains.

“Next you will need to think about how much of your personal life you want to share with your colleagues, clients, and potential clients. How much do you want them to know about your marriage? Do they really need to know? Is your wedding business related?”

There’s also your personal safety to consider. As Smith says, “you must understand that your OOO response will be sent to any and all incoming emails (depending on the filter options you choose). This includes spam. Sharing the information that you will be out of your residence for a specific period of time may be just the thing a porch pirate or petty thief is hoping to learn.”

If you’ve followed these steps and still don’t know what to say, just know that you’re allowed to ask for help. “When in doubt, do ask for guidance,” suggests Smith.

“Check with your supervisor and/or human resources about the appropriate out of office wording for your workplace.” You can even show them a draft of your message before finalizing it.

Your HR will have their own guidelines, but here’s a good template that most corporations could easily approve:

Thank you for your email. I am out of the office at this time and I am not checking email. I will return on April 2nd. If this is an urgent matter, please contact X at (email and phone number). Otherwise, I will respond to your email as soon as possible after my return.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

FAQs about wedding out of office messages:

How do you write an “I will be out of the office message”?

First, start by reviewing any policies your company may have in place for out of office messages. Then, decide what you are or are not comfortable sharing with potential recipients. Finally, draft the message using one of the templates above or by following an example you’ve seen your coworkers use.

How do you say you will be out of the office when someone asks you about a date you’re unavailable for?

Even after you draft your wedding out of office message for your email, you may still find yourself getting asked to complete tasks or attend meetings that will take place during your wedding celebrations.

The best way to handle this is to make a decision about what you’ll say whenever this comes up. A simple “I’ll be out of office on that date but I can make myself available at this date and time instead” is plenty.

What to put on your out of office when you leave the company just before your wedding?

If you’re transitioning to another role inside or outside the company and the switch will take place around your wedding celebrations, know that less is more when it comes to sharing this information.

Your supervisor may ask you to hold off on communicating your new title or company exit. If they don’t provide guidance then you’re free to provide a single sentence or two about the new role and when it will take effect.

Be doubly sure to include contact information for anyone who is responsible for taking over your duties in the meantime.

How do you write an out of office message for extended leave if you’re going on a honeymoon right after the wedding?

Whether it’s an extra week or an extra month, your wedding out of office message needs to professionally communicate your extended leave. You can do this by sharing the date you’ll be back without acknowledging the event.

You’re fully prepared to write a wedding out of office message everyone will appreciate!

Looking for ways to let loose now that you’ve wrapped everything up with work? Learn how to relax before your wedding with our 30 actionable tips.