The Top 10 Relationship Journals for Dating, Engaged & Married Couples
Most of us know a little bit about journaling as a self-care practice, but did you know that it's not just for individuals? There are great couples journals out there that'll help give your relationship a healthy dose of self-care too. And yes, they have a ton of benefits.
For starters, journaling as a duo can help improve communication. According to our company data, communication is a defining factor of a healthy relationship for 58% of females in a relationship aged between 18–29. Using a journal together is a simple and low-pressure way to build on communicating more effectively.
Journaling as a couple is also a great way to get to know each other better, since many journals include insightful questions for both of you to answer. Different couples journals offer different forms of relationship care. For example, if your goal is simply to spend more time with your significant other (or you're looking for something new to do on date night), a lighthearted Q&A-style journal will do the trick. Alternatively, if you want to dive deeper into your relationship and work on building a stronger foundation, there are guided journals for couples that are a great supplement to counseling or therapy.
Either way, there are pros to picking up any of the marriage and relationship journals on our list. So what are you waiting for? If you're ready to feel emotionally and intimately closer to your partner, check out the 10 best couples journals below.
The Short List of the Best Couples Journals
TL;DR, these are the best relationship journals for couples at every stage, whether you've just started dating or you've been together for years.
- Keepsake Journal: Promptly Loom Journal
- For Dating Couples: Questions for Couples Journal by Maggie Reyes
- For Engaged Couples: Season Journals Engagement Journal
- For Newlyweds: Beating 50 Percent The Marriage Journal
- For Married Couples: A Couple's Love Journal by Lori Ann Davis
- For LGBTQ+ Couples: Love Yours: 365 Days of Q&A by Ashley and Cortney Adams-Matthewis
- Sex Journal: A Sex Journal For Couples by Levina Li and Caleb Spaulding
- Fun Journal: The You & Me Book by Rachel Kempster and Meg Leder
- Activity Journal: The Adventure Challenge The Adventure Challenge: Couples Edition
- For Reconnection: BestSelf Relationship Journals
The Top 10 Couples Journals
We're breaking down each book's best features below so you can choose the right one for you. These relationship journals cover everything, from activities to help you bond to tips on talking about sex.
The Best Keepsake Couples Journal
Promptly is known for its thoughtful and aesthetically pleasing journals designed for every member of the family, from grandparents right down to kids. This relationship-focused version is a weekly journal for couples that'll keep you going for a whole year. Yep, that's 52 weeks' worth of prompts to help you and your partner stay connected. Wife and husband duo Kim and Clay Christenson worked alongside relationship coach Georgia Anderson to carefully curate each page of the Loom Journal. The book is packed with opportunities to show gratitude, brainstorm new ways to spend time together and reminisce on your favorite moments.
The Best Journal for Dating Couples
The Questions for Couples Journal is a couples communication journal with seven different categories of questions: your relationship, goals and dreams, memories and the past, values and beliefs, passion and intimacy, communication and just for fun. Author and life coach Maggie Reyes encourages couples to have fun with it and really make the experience their own. For example, you could stick with one question a day or fly through multiple questions as a date night activity. It's also not necessary to work through the book in order—feel free to discuss whatever prompt sticks out to you the most.
The Best Journal for Engaged Couples
This isn't your average wedding planner book. Season Journal's Engagement Journal is all about being intentional as you're planning the biggest party you've ever thrown: your wedding. The pages are laced with conversation prompts, journaling space and mindfulness tips to help you along the process in a way that supports your relationship and mental health. At the end, it becomes a keepsake documenting this special time in your life when you call each other fiancé.
The Best Journal for Newlyweds
The Marriage Journal is exactly what it sounds like: the ultimate journal for couples figuring out this whole "marriage" thing. This pretty notebook contains six weekly questions designed to spark conversation and strengthen your bond. Rather than both of you writing down the answers each week, you and your partner take turns filling out the journal entries throughout the year. There's also a weekly calendar page that aids better communication and coordination. One reviewer writes: "I recommend it to every couple I know and I think it'll be part of our marriage forever. It's helped with communication, accountability, and planning." One thing to note: The book is designed with Christian couples in mind and each week includes a short devotional passage.
The Best Journal for Married Couples
Certified relationship coach and author Lori Ann Davis designed A Couple's Love Journal hoping to bring back the spark in their relationships. Created to improve communication and ultimately help the two of you become closer, this communication journal for couples contains a question a day, totaling 52 thought-provoking prompts to get you talking and journaling together for a whole year. The questions range from lighthearted ("How do I bring a smile to your face?") to fundamental ("What is your favorite way to give and receive physical affection?"). It's great for couples who are firmly out of the honeymoon stage.
The Best LGBTQ+ Couples Journal
This couples notebook is LGBTQ+ friendly and designed for couples in all stages of their relationship. Love Yours includes 365 days of questions to help you and your partner open up about the past, present and future. The journal was written by a real married couple who are familiar with the highs and lows of being in a long-term partnership. Ashley and Cortney Adams-Matthewis created this journal to help other couples communicate effectively and let their love shine. One reviewer shares: "This is a wonderful book to fill out with your significant other. It is written in such a way that it is inclusive to all types of relationships."
The Best Sex Journal for Couples
We get it, sex can be a touchy subject (physically and figuratively). That's why Levina Li and Caleb Spaulding created A Sex Journal for Couples. This thoughtful book makes it easier for couples to broach the subject. You don't need to find the exact words you're looking for to kick off a conversation because they're all in here for you. The purpose is to create open communication for a better sex life that works for both of you. How, exactly? Writing prompts, intention-setting exercises and inspirational quotes will help you on your way.
The Most Fun Couples Journal
This lighthearted love journal is perfect for couples who want to spend more time together and keep track of their relationship along the way. It's packed with creative prompts, romantic quotes and activity ideas that encourage you to look back on your unique love story and keep creating new memories together. This hybrid-style journal by Rachel Kempster and Meg Leder combines lists, Q&As, date ideas and more to produce a lovely keepsake of this time in your lives. It's also great inspiration for starting a couples bucket list journal.
The Best Couples Activity Journal
If you haven't heard of The Adventure Challenge, you're in for a treat. The Couples Edition of this activity journal has become a staple in our gift guides because we think every couple should have one. Of course, that doesn't mean you can't pick up a copy for yourself. Each page of the book is chock-full of unique and fun date ideas, but there's a catch. The ideas are hidden beneath a scratch-off surface, so you won't know what you're committing to until you've revealed it. Helpful icons next to each activity hint at the need-to-know details, like cost and whether you need to leave the house. The purpose of this couples journal is to carve out time to have more fun together, so be prepared to really dive into some action-packed dates. There's space to jot down details and stick a photo for each activity, so it doubles as a cute scrapbook.
The Best Couples Journal for Reconnection
This BestSelf couples journal—or rather, journals—makes connecting and reconnecting as a couple more simple. There's a journal for each of you so you can both have a space to work through thoughts and follow along the guidebook. You'll strengthen your relationship over 13 weeks of sessions, starting with "Relationship Snapshot" on week one to "Shared Values & Synergy" on week 13. Along the way, you'll learn about expressing appreciation for each other, handling conflict, building intimacy and more.
Haven't found what you're looking for? You can always start your own couples journal by purchasing a blank notebook. That way, it's completely up to you and your S.O. whether you want to create a gratitude journal, appreciation journal or bullet journal. Alternatively, move your love online by using a shared journal app for couples instead. Going digital is a particularly good option for long-distance couples looking for a special way to stay connected.