The secret of a long marriage may come in a cocktail – one part whiskey, two parts love and understanding.

So say a British couple, whom the Guinness World Records book claims has been married the longest anywhere: 80 years.

They plan to celebrate their June 1 anniversary with a family party.

"I like sherry at lunch time and whisky at night and I'm looking forward very much to my party," said Florence Arrowsmith, aged 100.

Her 105-year-old husband, Percy, said two words had served him well over the years: "Yes, dear."

Florence extolled a similar wisdom of humbleness, the importance of saying sorry. "We don't often quarrel. You must never go to sleep as bad friends," she said.

The couple, who still live in their own house in Hereford about 200 km northwest of London, also set a record for the largest combined age in a marriage.

Officials from Guinness World Records presented the couple with a certificate on Tuesday.

Diamonds and pearls

"I think we're very blessed," Florence said. "We still love one another, and that's the most important part."

The couple has three children, six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

The Arrowsmiths were married during the Roaring '20s when George V was King, radio was brand-new and television in homes was decades away.

The couple went out with each other for more than three years before getting married.

The heel-kicking Charleston was a dance craze but the Arrowsmiths had classical music at their wedding.

Florence recalled the big day was cold, while Percy's speech stood out in his memory. "I remember saying, 'on behalf of myself and my wife' – It was the first time I had ever said those words."

Guides to anniversaries say the 80th anniversary should be marked with gifts of diamonds and pearls.