To congratulate a newly married person, say Barakallahu laka, wa baraka alayka, wa jama'a baynakuma fi khayr: May Allah bless you, shower His blessings on you and join you both in goodness. The Prophet ﷺ said this to those who married, in place of the old Arab greeting.1
بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ، وَبَارَكَ عَلَيْكَ، وَجَمَعَ بَيْنَكُمَا فِي خَيْرٍ
Bārakallāhu lak, wa bāraka ʿalayk, wa jamaʿa baynakumā fī khayr
May Allah bless you, shower His blessings on you, and join you both in goodness. (To a bride: laki, ʿalayki.)
Sunan Abi Dawud 2130; Jami at-Tirmidhi 1091, graded sahih
بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ
Bārakallāhu lak
May Allah bless you. (Said to Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf when he told the Prophet ﷺ he had married.)
Sahih al-Bukhari 5155
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهَا وَخَيْرَ مَا جَبَلْتَهَا عَلَيْهِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهَا وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا جَبَلْتَهَا عَلَيْهِ
Allāhumma innī asʾaluka khayrahā wa khayra mā jabaltahā ʿalayh, wa aʿūdhu bika min sharrihā wa min sharri mā jabaltahā ʿalayh
O Allah, I ask You for her good and the good of the nature You created her with, and I seek refuge in You from her evil and the evil of the nature You created her with. (Said by the groom, with his hand gently on her forehead.)
Sunan Abi Dawud 2160; Sunan Ibn Majah 1918, graded hasan
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Guide
To congratulate a newly married person, say Barakallahu laka, wa baraka alayka, wa jama'a baynakuma fi khayr: May Allah bless you, shower His blessings on you and join you both in goodness. The Prophet ﷺ said this to those who married, in place of the old Arab greeting.1
Before Islam, Arabs congratulated a groom with bir-rifa'i wal-banin, "with harmony and sons". Aqil ibn Abi Talib was congratulated this way and told the people not to say it, because the Prophet ﷺ had taught them to say barakallahu fikum wa baraka lakum instead.2 So use the dua above, for the couple and for any children they may have.
When Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf told the Prophet ﷺ he had married, the Prophet ﷺ said Barakallahu lak and told him to hold a wedding meal, even if only with one sheep.3 Inviting family and friends to share food is part of announcing the marriage, and their duas for the couple are part of its blessing.
For both of them together, write Barakallahu lakuma wa baraka alaykuma wa jama'a baynakuma fi khayr. For the groom use laka and alayka, and for the bride laki and alayki.
The groom says Dua 3 when he first meets his wife alone. Praying two rakahs together is reported as a practice of the Companions, such as Abdullah ibn Masud.4 Before intimacy, say the dua before intimacy. For duas for a happy marriage and righteous children, see dua for marriage.
Questions
Barakallahu lakuma, wa baraka alaykuma, wa jama'a baynakuma fi khayr (Abu Dawud 2130).
There is no fixed reply in the hadith. Many say wa fika barakallah, "and may Allah bless you too", or Jazakallahu khayran.
Allahumma inni as'aluka khayraha wa khayra ma jabaltaha alayh, wa a'udhu bika min sharriha wa min sharri ma jabaltaha alayh (Abu Dawud 2160).