Syntax to timeout message or fade in and out after JQuery validation plugin code

Syntax to timeout message or fade in and out after JQuery validation plugin code

I want to have a message show briefly on the same page (either with timeout or fade in and out) after a contact form is submitted, but I am having trouble applying the syntax to my code (which is based on the JQuery validation plugin sample code, and differs somewhat from the examples I've seen for timeout or fade in out).

The code which is used to validate the form, submit the input to sendmessage.php, and display the message sent back is:
  1.  $(function () { // shorthand for $(document).ready(function() {
  2.         // validate the comment form when it is submitted
  3.         $('#contact').validate({
  4.             submitHandler: function (form) {
  5.                 $(form).fadeOut('fast').ajaxSubmit({
  6.                     target: '#result'
  7.                 });
  8.             }
  9.         });
  10.     });
sendmessage.php echos the message (after processing the form input) and it is displayed in <div id="result">
  1. if(@mail($sendto, $subject, $msg, $headers)) {
  2.     echo "Message Sent";
  3. } else {
  4.     echo "Unable to send message at this time";
  5. }