Not many people are experts in the art of public speaking so the thought of getting up in front of the Bride & Grooms wedding reception guests is pretty intimidating. Don’t worry; I have all the advice you need to prepare for making your speech and sounding great!

Who speaks and when?

Traditionally the Toastmaster or MC (master of ceremonies) will introduce the speeches at the end of the Wedding breakfast. The traditional, formal order of speakers is:

  • Father of the Bride
  • The Groom
  • The Best Man

If the bride, chief bridesmaid or any of the guests want to speak then that’s fine.

Most speeches are performed after the wedding breakfast, however, sometimes it’s a good idea to perform the speeches before the meal. This method is mainly to ensure that nervous speakers can get their speech over with and enjoy their meal. Also, it reduces the amount of alcohol consumed…especially by the Best Man!

Important Steps

My best advice is to not panic, careful planning will help you deliver the perfect speech!

  • If possible, visit the venue to get an idea of where you will be standing and the size of the room.
  • You will need to speak loud and CLEAR so practice speaking out loud.
  • Is the reception going to have a theme that you could refer to or even incorporate into your speech?
  • Are you responsible for presenting gifts to members of the Bridal party?
  • Find out a little about the guests and if there are any subjects you should mention or avoid.
  • How many guests are there? As a general rule, the more people present, the more formal the speech.

Who says what?

Here is a brief outline of the traditional order of speeches.

Father of the Bride

  • Thanks to the guests for coming and sharing in the wedding day.
  • Compliments his daughter and welcomes her new husband into the family.
  • Proposes a toast to the Bride and Groom.

Bridegroom

  • Thanks to the Father of the bride for his toast.
  • Thanks to the guests for attending and for their gifts.
  • Thanks, both sets of parents and (usually) presents a gift.
  • Compliments his Bride.
  • Thanks to his Best man.
  • Thanks and proposes a toast to the Bridesmaids and (usually) presents a gift.

Best Man

  • Thanks to the groom for his toast to the Bridesmaids.
  • Comments on the Bride and rips into the Groom.
  • Reads messages from cards, especially the absent friends/family.
  • Proposes a toast to the Bride and Groom.

Bride (optional)

  • Thanks to the guests for coming.
  • Thanks to her parents and bridesmaids
  • Compliments the Groom.
  • Proposes a toast.

Chief Bridesmaid

  • Thanks to the bride
  • Compliments the ushers
  • Proposes a toast.

Wrap-Up

So the main thing to remember is, that you are amongst friends and family so, relax! You are an integral part of the wedding celebration, for a brief moment, you are in control, so enjoy yourself!

I do hope you have found my guide to wedding speeches’ helpful!

The most important thing to remember is once you have booked me for your Wedding, I am there to offer assistance and guide you. It is my honour and duty to make sure that your wedding runs as smooth as silk.

To find out more, fill in my short contact form, call / SMS or WhatsApp me on 07860 872206 or email me directly at roger@theweddingguy.org.