$("#contactForm").validate({
    //set the rules for the field names
    rules: {
        name: {
            required: true,
            minlength: 2
        },

    email: {
            required: true,
            email: true
        },

    message: {
            required: true,
            minlength: 2
        },

    },

    //set messages to appear inline
    messages: {
    name: "Please enter your name",
    email: "Please enter a valid email address",
    message: "Please enter your message"
    }
});