Unless you were born with a golden tongue, the thought of giving a speech during a wedding may not exactly thrill you. But since this is one of the highlights of the reception, you want to get it right. More so, you want your speech to be fun and memorable. So how do you do that? The first thing of course is to learn what should be included in your speech.
The wedding host, usually the bride’s father, gives the first speech. The father will begin by talking about his daughter, who he has just given away to the groom. He will go on to welcome the groom into his family as well as the family of the groom. He will also thank everyone who was a part of the wedding, not only of the actual event but more importantly those involved in the planning and preparation.
The father will give special mention to relatives and friends who extended major help and traveled far to come to the wedding. He may also add funny anecdotes about the couple and their relationship. He will conclude with a toast wishing the couple happiness, good health, and a wonderful life together.
After the father of the bride, next in line to speak is the groom. This is the tradition. But modern weddings can also have the bride giving her own speech. If the bride is not giving a speech, the groom will speak on her behalf. The groom’s speech usually starts with anecdotes about himself and his wife, and their life together. He will shower her with sweet compliments.
The groom will continue by expressing gratitude to the wedding hosts, wedding party, and everyone who contributed in some way in making the event a big success. He will also thank all the guests who graced the wedding with their presence. It is also during this time that the groom will present any gifts for key participants such as the mothers of the bride and groom. The groom will also thank the best man and give a toast to the bridesmaids.
The final speech is given by the best man, and as such, it is his duty to wrap things up. Unlike the bride’s father and the groom, the best man can deliver a speech full of funny anecdotes about the bride and groom. The best man’s speech is quite tricky. He’s expected to tease and somewhat embarrass the couple a little with some roasting but he shouldn’t go overboard and upset them, their parents or conservative guests.
For example, the best man can lightly touch on the weird traits of the couple when they’re together or the embarrassing way that they met each other many years ago. But it would be best for him to skip details that are lurid or offensive. It’s not a good idea either to talk about either the groom’s or bride’s past relationships. After the fun part, comes the more serious part of the best man’s speech where he wishes the couple fruitful years ahead.
Whether you’re the bride’s father, the groom or the best man, make sure to plan your speech well, rehearse several times before the big day, and keep it short and sweet.