Finding the right words for someone else’s marriage — or your own — is harder than it sounds. You want something short enough to fit on a card, honest enough to mean something, and not so overused that it feels like a rerun from every Pinterest board you’ve scrolled past.
This list solves that problem. Every quote below is short (most are under 20 words), correctly attributed to the best available source, and organized by the situation you’re actually writing for: a toast, a card, a vow, or just a caption. Where a quote’s origin is disputed or commonly misattributed online, that’s noted too, so you’re not the person who puts the wrong name under a quote at someone’s wedding.
Why Short Marriage Quotes Work Better Than Long Ones
A short quote gets read. A long one gets skimmed, or skipped entirely — especially on a card, a toast note, or an Instagram caption where people expect a sentence, not a paragraph. Short quotes also memorize easily, which matters if you’re planning to say one out loud at a rehearsal dinner without reading off your phone.
There’s a practical reason short quotes dominate wedding content, too: they’re portable. A single sharp line fits under a photo, inside a ring box note, or at the bottom of a place card in a way a three-sentence passage never will. The best short marriage quotes do a lot with very little — they capture an entire philosophy of partnership in one breath.
Romantic Short Quotes About Marriage
These work well for wedding invitations, first-anniversary gifts, or simply telling your partner how you feel without writing an essay.
- “A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short.” — André Maurois
- “If I get married, I want to be very married.” — Audrey Hepburn
- “Two hearts in love need no words.” — Marceline Desbordes-Valmore
- “Where there is love there is life.” — Mahatma Gandhi
- “To give somebody your time is the biggest gift you can give.” — Franka Potente
- “It is such a happiness when good people get together.” — Jane Austen
André Maurois’ line about marriage being “a long conversation” is one of the most quoted marriage sayings in the English-speaking world, and for good reason — it treats marriage as an ongoing exchange rather than a finished achievement, which is a more useful way to think about a decades-long relationship than the “happily ever after” framing most wedding content leans on.
Funny Short Quotes About Marriage
Humor cuts through the sentimentality that dominates most marriage content. These are the lines that get an actual laugh at a rehearsal dinner instead of a polite smile.
- “The secret of a happy marriage remains a secret.” — Henny Youngman
- “The best way to remember your wife’s birthday is to forget it once.” — E. Joseph Cossman
- “A good marriage is one where each partner secretly suspects they got the better deal.” — Unknown
- “Marriage is like vitamins: we supplement each other’s minimum daily requirements.” — Kathy Mohnk
- “Marriage is not just spiritual communion, it is also remembering to take out the trash.” — Joyce Brothers
Comedian Henny Youngman built an entire career on one-liners, and this one has outlived most of his other material precisely because it’s true in a way that doesn’t need explaining — nobody actually knows the secret, and everybody married knows that.
Short Quotes About a Happy, Lasting Marriage
If you’re looking for something that speaks to longevity — for a 25th anniversary, a golden anniversary, or advice for a couple just starting out — these focus less on the wedding day and more on the decades after it.
- “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” — Mignon McLaughlin
- “The highest happiness on earth is marriage.” — William Lyon Phelps
- “Everything else in marriage is transitory.” — Friedrich Nietzsche
- “Marriage is not about age; it’s about finding the right person.” — Sophia Bush
Mignon McLaughlin was a journalist and aphorist, and this particular line is one of the most-cited marriage quotes in modern wedding writing because it names something true that most people don’t say out loud: attraction and connection aren’t a one-time event you lock in on the wedding day. They’re something you keep choosing.
Short Quotes for Wedding Toasts and Speeches
A toast needs a line that lands when spoken aloud, not just read silently. These have rhythm and a clear point, which makes them easier to deliver without notes.
- “A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.” — attributed to Michel de Montaigne
- “It’s easy to fall in love. The hard part is finding someone to catch you.” — attributed to Bertrand Russell
- “Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.” — Oscar Wilde
A note on that last one: Wilde’s full line is usually quoted with a second half about second marriages being “the triumph of hope over experience.” Using just the first sentence keeps a toast tight, but if you want the full quote, look it up directly and quote it in full and accurately rather than paraphrasing it — misquoting Wilde at a wedding is the kind of thing guests remember for the wrong reasons.
If you’re building a full toast around one of these lines, open with the quote, then spend 30–60 seconds explaining why it fits the couple specifically. A quote without context reads like a fortune cookie; a quote with one personal detail attached reads like a toast.
Short Quotes for Wedding Cards and Anniversary Cards
Cards need brevity above everything else — you’re often writing in a two-inch space. These fit that constraint without feeling clipped.
- “Marriage is not about age; it’s about finding the right person.” — Sophia Bush
- “The highest happiness on earth is marriage.” — William Lyon Phelps
- “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” — Mignon McLaughlin
- “Two hearts in love need no words.” — Marceline Desbordes-Valmore
A useful trick for cards: pair a short quote with one specific, personal sentence underneath it. The quote sets the tone; your own line makes it about the actual couple instead of reading like generic stock text.
Literary and Classic Quotes About Marriage
These come from novels, essays, and classic literature rather than modern speakers, which gives them a different weight — useful if you want something that reads as timeless rather than trending.
- “It is such a happiness when good people get together.” — Jane Austen, Emma
- “A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.” — attributed to Michel de Montaigne, Essais, Book I, Ch. 20
- “Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.” — Oscar Wilde
Montaigne’s essay collection dates to 1595, which makes it one of the oldest sources on this list. It’s also worth noting that many “classic” marriage quotes circulating online are misattributed or slightly altered from the original text — when a quote matters enough to matter (a vow, an engraved gift), it’s worth tracking down the original source before committing it to something permanent.
How to Choose the Right Marriage Quote
What’s the occasion? A toast can carry humor; a sympathy-adjacent moment (a couple who’s struggled and stayed together) probably shouldn’t lean on a joke. Match the tone of the quote to the actual moment, not just the general topic of marriage.
Who is it for? A quote about “falling in love many times” fits a couple who’s been together decades. It fits a newly engaged couple less naturally, since they haven’t lived that yet. Pick a quote that describes something the couple has actually experienced, not just something you hope they will.
Do you know the real source? Quote sites frequently misattribute lines — a saying gets repeated enough times under the wrong name that the wrong name sticks. If a quote is going somewhere permanent (a ring engagement, a framed print, a ceremony program), verify the source with more than one reference before using it.
Is it actually short? “Short” quotes that run three sentences long defeat the purpose. If you need to trim a quote to fit a space, don’t edit the wording — pick a different, naturally shorter quote instead.
Where to Use These Quotes
| Use Case | Best Category | Length to Aim For |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding toast | Toasts, Romantic | 1–2 sentences, spoken aloud |
| Anniversary card | Cards, Happy & Lasting | 1 sentence |
| Wedding invitation | Romantic, Literary | 1 short sentence |
| Instagram caption | Funny, Romantic | Under 15 words |
| Vow renewal ceremony | Happy & Lasting, Literary | 1–2 sentences |
| Engraved gift | Literary, Romantic | Under 10 words |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most quoted short marriage quote?
André Maurois’ line — “A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short” — is one of the most widely repeated marriage quotes in English-language wedding writing, appearing across greeting cards, wedding programs, and quote compilations for decades.
Are quotes attributed to Bible verses about marriage accurate?
Biblical references to marriage and love (commonly drawn from 1 Corinthians 13, for instance) are frequently paraphrased or shortened in secular quote lists, which can change their meaning. If you want a scripture quote for a religious ceremony, it’s worth pulling the exact wording from a specific Bible translation rather than a quote compilation site, since translations vary and paraphrased versions circulate widely online.
Why do some marriage quotes have no known author?
Many short, punchy sayings — especially funny ones — spread through repetition long before anyone tracked their origin, so they end up labeled “Unknown” or get attached to a celebrity’s name incorrectly because it made the quote more shareable. When a quote is marked “Unknown” in this list, that’s an honest reflection of what’s verifiable, not an oversight.
Can I use a short quote in my actual wedding vows?
Yes, and it’s common — many couples open or close their vows with a short quote before moving into personal promises. Keep it brief enough that it doesn’t overshadow your own words; a quote should set up your vow, not replace it.
What’s the difference between a marriage quote and a wedding quote?
Marriage quotes tend to reflect on the ongoing relationship — the daily reality of being married for years. Wedding quotes more often focus on the single day itself: the ceremony, the celebration, the beginning. Both categories overlap, but if you’re writing something for a 10th anniversary rather than a wedding program, a marriage quote usually fits better.
Conclusion
The right quote isn’t necessarily the most famous one — it’s the one that actually matches the couple, the moment, and the amount of space you have to work with. A short line from André Maurois works for a toast; a Jane Austen line works for a printed program; a Henny Youngman one-liner works when you want the room to laugh before you say something sincere.
Whichever quote you use, verify the attribution before it goes somewhere permanent, and pair it with one personal, specific detail. A quote gives you the words; the personal detail is what makes it sound like you meant them.
