diff --git a/prisma/schema.prisma b/prisma/schema.prisma
index f2bb4a0..8ea93ed 100644
--- a/prisma/schema.prisma
+++ b/prisma/schema.prisma
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ model Cards {
   description String @default("")
   createdAt DateTime @default(now())
   birthday DateTime
+  paused Boolean @default(false)
 
   User User @relation(fields: [creatorId], references: [id])
 
diff --git a/src/components/EditCard.tsx b/src/components/EditCard.tsx
index 7d7fe03..5642329 100644
--- a/src/components/EditCard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/EditCard.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ export type CardDataValues = {
   description: string;
   birthday: string;
   showAge: boolean;
+  paused?: boolean;
 };
 // used for type-checking in our textbox component
 type CardDataTypes = "title" | "description" | "birthday";
diff --git a/src/pages/c/[id]/index.tsx b/src/pages/c/[id]/index.tsx
index 0b89431..a80f5f2 100644
--- a/src/pages/c/[id]/index.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/c/[id]/index.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { PropsWithChildren } from "react";
 
 const CardPage: NextPage<{ id: string }> = ({ id }) => {
   const {
-    data,
+    data: cardData,
     isLoading: cardLoading,
     isError: cardError,
   } = api.cards.fetch.useQuery({
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ const CardPage: NextPage<{ id: string }> = ({ id }) => {
       <>
         <Meta
           title="Sign this card | bday.quest (beta)"
-          description={data ? data.description : ""}
+          description={cardData ? cardData.description : ""}
         />
         <Navbar />
         {props.children}
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ const CardPage: NextPage<{ id: string }> = ({ id }) => {
       </BasePage>
     );
 
-  if (cardError || !data)
+  if (cardError || !cardData)
     return (
       <BasePage>
         <main className="flex min-h-screen items-center justify-center bg-base-100">
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ const CardPage: NextPage<{ id: string }> = ({ id }) => {
   const CardInfo = () => {
     return (
       <article className="prose">
-        <h1>{data.title}</h1>
-        <p>{data.description}</p>
+        <h1>{cardData.title}</h1>
+        <p>{cardData.description}</p>
       </article>
     );
   };
@@ -73,15 +73,34 @@ const CardPage: NextPage<{ id: string }> = ({ id }) => {
     if (wishError) return <></>;
     const canShow = !wishesLoading && !wishError && data;
 
+    const SignCard = () => {
+      if (!canShow) return <></>;
+
+      if (cardData.paused) {
+        return (
+          <div
+            className="tooltip tooltip-bottom"
+            data-tip="Wishes are disabled"
+          >
+            <button className="btn btn-disabled">Sign</button>
+          </div>
+        );
+      }
+
+      return (
+        <Link href={`/c/${id}/sign`}>
+          <button className="btn btn-primary">Sign</button>
+        </Link>
+      );
+    };
+
     return (
       <>
         <article className="prose">
           <h2>Wishes</h2>
         </article>
         {canShow ? <Signatures signatures={data} /> : <Loader />}
-        <Link href={`/c/${id}/sign`}>
-          <button className="btn btn-primary">Sign</button>
-        </Link>
+        <SignCard />
       </>
     );
   };
diff --git a/src/pages/manage/[id].tsx b/src/pages/manage/[id].tsx
index a09f039..a57aee7 100644
--- a/src/pages/manage/[id].tsx
+++ b/src/pages/manage/[id].tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { api } from "~/utils/api";
 
 const ManageCard: NextPage<{ id: string }> = ({ id }) => {
   const {
-    data,
+    data: cardData,
     isLoading: cardLoading,
     isError: isCardError,
     error: cardError,
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ const ManageCard: NextPage<{ id: string }> = ({ id }) => {
       </BasePage>
     );
 
-  if (cardError ?? !data) {
+  if (cardError ?? !cardData) {
     toast.error(cardError?.message ?? "");
     return (
       <BasePage>
@@ -100,14 +100,31 @@ const ManageCard: NextPage<{ id: string }> = ({ id }) => {
                 title="Title"
                 type="title"
                 register={register}
-                placeholder={data.title}
+                placeholder={cardData.title}
               />
               <Textbox
                 title="Description"
                 type="description"
                 register={register}
-                placeholder={data.description}
+                placeholder={cardData.description}
               />
+              <Textbox
+                title="Description"
+                type="description"
+                register={register}
+                placeholder={cardData.description}
+              />
+              {/* note: perhaps we should convert this into a component, since this is copied from our create code. */}
+              <div className="form-control">
+                <label className="label cursor-pointer">
+                  <span className="label-text">Pause wishes?</span>
+                  <input
+                    type="checkbox"
+                    className="checkbox"
+                    {...register("paused")}
+                  />
+                </label>
+              </div>
               <div className="form-control mt-6">
                 <button className="btn btn-primary">Edit</button>
               </div>
diff --git a/src/server/api/routers/cards.ts b/src/server/api/routers/cards.ts
index e215dd4..9dd6a07 100644
--- a/src/server/api/routers/cards.ts
+++ b/src/server/api/routers/cards.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ import {
 import type CardWish from "~/interfaces/CardWish";
 import { TRPCError } from "@trpc/server";
 
+const checkFalsy = (...values: (string | boolean | null | undefined)[]) =>
+  values.every((value) => value === null);
+
 export const cardRouter = createTRPCRouter({
   create: privateProcedure
     .input(
@@ -58,6 +61,7 @@ export const cardRouter = createTRPCRouter({
         cardId: z.string().cuid(),
         title: z.string().nullish(),
         description: z.string().nullish(),
+        paused: z.boolean().nullish(),
       }),
     )
     .mutation(async ({ ctx, input }) => {
@@ -73,19 +77,21 @@ export const cardRouter = createTRPCRouter({
           code: "NOT_FOUND",
         });
 
-      if (!input.title && !input.description)
+      if (checkFalsy(input.title, input.description, input.paused))
         throw new TRPCError({
           code: "BAD_REQUEST",
-          cause: "Either a title or description should be specified.",
+          cause: "No valid options specified.",
         });
 
       const update: {
         title?: string;
         description?: string;
+        paused?: boolean;
       } = {};
 
       if (input.title) update.title = input.title;
       if (input.description) update.description = input.description;
+      if (input.paused !== null) update.paused = input.paused;
 
       return await ctx.db.cards.update({
         where: {
@@ -182,6 +188,18 @@ export const cardRouter = createTRPCRouter({
       }),
     )
     .mutation(async ({ ctx, input }) => {
+      const cardInfo = await ctx.db.cards.findUnique({
+        where: {
+          id: input.cardId,
+        },
+      });
+
+      if (!cardInfo) {
+        throw new TRPCError({
+          code: "NOT_FOUND",
+          cause: "You cannot send a wish to an inexistent card!",
+        });
+      }
       const hasWish = await ctx.db.wishes.findFirst({
         where: {
           cardId: input.cardId,
@@ -189,11 +207,19 @@ export const cardRouter = createTRPCRouter({
         },
       });
 
-      if (hasWish)
+      if (hasWish) {
         throw new TRPCError({
           code: "BAD_REQUEST",
           cause: "You've already submitted a wish to this card!",
         });
+      }
+
+      if (cardInfo.paused) {
+        throw new TRPCError({
+          code: "BAD_REQUEST",
+          cause: "Wishes can no longer be submitted to this card!",
+        });
+      }
 
       return await ctx.db.wishes.create({
         data: {