What to write in a wedding guest book

In a wedding guest book, write your full name and one or two sentences for the couple: a wish for their marriage, a favorite memory of them or a small piece of advice. Keep it short when there is a line behind you, and save the longer story for a card or an online guest book.

Below are 35 examples sorted by how you know the couple. Borrow the shape and swap in your own details, since the details are what the couple will remember.

The short version, when there is a line

The book usually sits near the entrance with half the room waiting to sign. Liz Bryant, an etiquette expert quoted by The Knot, says a few sentences are fine when there is space, as long as you do not hold up the line or take over the page. Her best tip: think about what you will write before you reach the table, and jot it down if you need to.

The format matters too. Zola points out that a small keepsake suits a short note or a signature, while a photo album has room for a longer message. A puzzle piece or a wooden block from a guest book alternative holds about six words.

• “Congratulations, Ana and Tom! Wishing you a lifetime of adventures.”
• “So happy to celebrate with you today. Love, the Lopez family”
• “To many more dance floors together.”
• “Thank you for letting us be part of your day.”
• “May your home always be full of laughter and good food.”
• “Cheers to the two of you, today and every day after.”
• “What a beautiful day. We love you both.”

Examples by how you know the couple

Close friends

• “I knew you two were it the night you argued about pizza for an hour and then shared one anyway.”
• “Ana, you have always made everyone around you braver. Tom is a lucky man.”
• “Ten years of friendship, and today is my favorite chapter so far.”
• “Thank you for every road trip, every late call and now this. Love you both.”

Family

• “Welcome to the family, Tom. You were one of us long before today.”
• “Little sister, you did good. So proud of you both.”
• “From your grandparents, married 52 years: be kind first, be right second.”
• “Your aunt and uncle are thrilled. Come for Sunday dinner, both of you, anytime.”

Parents

• “Watching you walk down the aisle was the proudest moment of our lives. We love you both.”
• “Tom, thank you for loving our daughter the way she deserves.”
• “Today we did not lose a daughter, we gained a son who already fixes our Wi-Fi.”

Coworkers

• “Congratulations from all of us at the office. Enjoy the honeymoon, we will cover your desk.”
• “Ana, you make every Monday better. Now you get to do that for Tom every day.”
• “Wishing you as much happiness at home as you bring to work.”

When you do not know them well

A plus-one or a family friend can keep it simple and say who they are, so the couple can place the name later.

• “Thank you for having me. I am Sam’s partner, and I hope to get to know you both better.”
• “Congratulations from your mom’s book club. What a beautiful ceremony.”
• “Wishing you every happiness. Love, the Nguyens, your neighbors from Cedar Street”

From the kids

Children often prefer to draw. A small heart or a drawing of the couple, signed with a name and an age, is one of the entries couples love most.

• “Congratulations! I liked the cake best. Mia, age 7”
• “You looked like a princess and a prince. Leo, age 5”

Funny, but kind

Humor in writing is tricky, Bryant warns, because a joke can land differently on paper than it would out loud. Lisa Mirza Grotts, a certified etiquette professional also quoted by The Knot, says it can work in good taste. Keep it clean and positive, and never at the couple’s expense.

• “Ana, thank you for finally teaching Tom to dance.”
• “Congratulations on finding someone who laughs at your jokes. Keep them.”
• “Rule one: whoever cooks does not do the dishes.”
• “Never go to bed angry. Stay up and talk it out, with snacks.”
• “May your Wi-Fi be strong and your arguments short.”
• “Officially off the market. The rest of us are thrilled for you.”

Longer messages, for an online or photo guest book

When the guest book is online or a photo album, there is room for a real story. Three or four sentences that the couple can read again on their anniversary are the best thing you can leave.

• “We met Ana on the first day of college, lost in the wrong building. Fifteen years later she still gets lost, but now Tom drives. Thank you for a perfect day. We love you.”
• “Tom, your dad would have been so proud today. He talked about you to anyone who would listen. Ana, welcome to a very loud family.”
• “Our best advice after 30 years: say thank you for the small things, every single day. Congratulations, both of you.”

We make a free online wedding guest book, so weigh this with that in mind. Couples print its QR code for the tables, and guests who wanted more time can write their message that evening or the next morning from home.

What to leave out

A guest book often ends up on a shelf in the couple’s home, so Zola suggests thinking about who will read it. A joke that suits one couple can fall flat with a reserved or religious one, and their grandparents will read it too.

Leave out exes, the cost of the wedding and anything about babies “soon”. Skip the inside joke that only one of them will understand, and any “finally” about how long it took. If you are not sure about a line, cut it.

Two quick answers

Do you sign a wedding guest book with your full name? Yes. First and last name, plus how you know the couple if they might not place you, such as “Sam, Tom’s college roommate”. A couple or a family can share one entry with all the names.

What if you cannot think of anything? A wish works every time: “Wishing you a long and happy marriage” is simple, warm and impossible to get wrong.