What to Write in a Wedding Guest Book: Message Ideas for Every Guest

A good wedding guest book message is short and personal: congratulate the couple by name, add one memory, wish or bit of advice, and sign with your full name and how you know them. Two to four sentences is plenty. "Congratulations!" is fine, but a line they'll still smile at in twenty years is better.

The guest book table has a way of emptying your head. You've had a glass of fizz, a queue is forming behind you and the pen has a feather on it. Here are ideas to borrow for every kind of guest, plus a few tips for couples who want a guest book that's worth reading.

A simple formula for your message

1. Congratulate them by name.
2. Add one personal thing: a memory, something you love about them as a couple, a wish or a bit of advice.
3. Sign properly: your full name and how you know them, for example "Kate (Tom's cousin, the one who fell in the pond in 1998)".

That last step matters more than you'd think. The couple will know who "Kate" is next year. Their grandchildren won't.

Short and sweet wedding guest book messages

• "Congratulations, Amy and Jack! What a beautiful day. Wishing you a lifetime of happy ones."
• "To many more adventures together. Lots of love, the Robsons."
• "You two make it look easy. Here's to forever."
• "Thank you for letting us share your day. We'll be talking about those speeches for weeks."

Heartfelt messages

• "I've known Sophie since we were five, and I've never seen her as happy as she is with you, Ben. Look after each other."
• "Watching you two today reminded us what really matters. May your home always be full of laughter and good food."
• "When you're old and grey and reading this book, we hope you're still holding hands."

Funny wedding guest book messages

A bit of humour is welcome, as long as it would survive being read aloud to Granny.

• "Marriage advice: always say yes to a cup of tea, and never build flat-pack furniture together."
• "We give it at least sixty years. Love, Uncle Pete."
• "Thanks for the free bar. Oh, and congratulations."
• "Remember, the secret to a happy marriage is two bathrooms."

Marriage advice from long-married guests

If you've been married a while, the couple will love hearing what has worked for you. Keep it to one tip:

• "Forty-two years in, and our secret is a shared sense of humour and separate duvets."
• "Never go to bed angry. Stay up, sort it out, then have toast."
• "Keep going on dates, even when life gets busy."

Messages from family

• "From the moment you were born, I hoped you'd find someone who loves you as much as we do. Today you did. Love, Mum."
• "Welcome to the family, Leo. You have no idea what you've let yourself in for. Love, your new sister-in-law."

Messages to read on an anniversary

A lovely idea is to write to the couple in the future:

• "For your first anniversary: we hope year one was full of lie-ins and good dinners."
• "For your tenth anniversary: did you ever use that fondue set?"

Tips for couples: how to get better messages

• Give people a prompt. A small card saying "Leave us a memory, a wish or your best marriage advice" works wonders.
• Put the book where people linger, near the drinks or the dessert table, not by the door.
• Ask a friend to keep an eye on it. A bridesmaid or usher can send people over between courses.
• Leave proper pens. And spares. Pens disappear at weddings faster than the cake.
• Add photos afterwards. If there's an instant camera at the wedding, stick the pictures in next to each message later.

If you'd like something other than a classic book, we've rounded up some wedding guest book alternatives that guests actually want to sign.

Choosing a guest book that lasts

The messages are the point, but the book matters too. Look for plain pages with room for a proper note or a drawing, a binding that lies open while people write, and a cover you're happy to leave out on a shelf rather than in a box in the loft.

That's what we had in mind when we designed the Book of Special Guests: a square, thread-sewn hardback in a protective slipcase that works on the wedding day and keeps going afterwards, for the first Christmas you host, dinner parties and friends who come to stay. It's arriving this autumn, and you can join the waitlist on the product page or browse all our memory books.

And if you're a guest still looking for a present rather than a message, here are some ideas for a meaningful wedding gift that lasts beyond the day.

FAQ

What should I write in a wedding guest book?
Congratulate the couple by name, add one personal touch such as a memory, a wish or a bit of advice, and sign with your full name and how you know them. Two to four sentences is enough.

How long should a wedding guest book message be?
Short. Two to four sentences keeps the queue moving and leaves room for everyone else.

Is it OK to write something funny in a wedding guest book?
Yes, as long as it's kind and you wouldn't mind it being read aloud to the grandparents.

What do you write if you don't know the couple well?
Keep it simple and warm, for example "Thank you for having us. Wishing you both every happiness," and add how you're connected, such as "Ben's colleague".

How do you get guests to write more in a wedding guest book?
Put a prompt card next to the book, place it where guests linger, leave good pens and ask a friend to send people over during the day.