Wedding Speeches
Tips on How to Write a Wedding
Speech
Wedding speeches are an essential part of any
wedding. However not all of us are used to making
speeches
in our everyday lives. It
is quite normal to get stuck on what to say on this important
day. The last thing you want is to mess up your own or
your best friend's wedding. So what should
you say? How do you make a toast? No matter
if you are the bride, groom, bestman, bridesmaid or the parent
of the new couple, you are likely be required to
make a speech. Therefore it is a good
idea to put in
some thoughts into the speech you are going to make. Here
are some basic ideas to get you started:
1. Consider to whom you are
toasting.
You can toast to whomever you want, of
course, but if the wedding is formal or traditional, there
might be some conventions you're not aware of. Ask around. Here
are some guidelines:
- best man toasts to the
bride
- maid of honor toasts to the
groom
- father of the bride toast to the
couple
- bride and groom toast to their parents
and guests
2.
Clarify your relationship to the
couple
Some people at the wedding might not know who
you are, so making this clear at the beginning will avoid any
confusion.
3. Give
Thanks
Show gratitude to whoever is hosting the
wedding, whether it's the parents of the bride or the couple
themselves. E.g. "Thank you for welcoming us to this happy
occasion, and sharing your joy with us
today."
4. Share an
Anecdote
Stories
of how various parties met are always popular, whether
you talk about how the bride and groom met or your first
time meeting either of them. Here are more
ideas:
- The first time the bride or groom told
you about meeting their partner.
- The first time you realized these people
were an important part of your life.
- A time you got through something
together, whether challenging or fun.
- The story you are looking forward to
telling their kids one day.
- The way you have seen the bride or groom
change for the better since they met.
- When you’re 90 and looking back, what
would you say of your friendship?
- Tell a story of some specific detail or
action that exemplifies why this person is special in this
world, and to you in particular.
- If you were given three wishes for the
couple, what would they be? Be careful with the use of
clichés here. Don’t use wishes you’ve heard
before.
- Tell about the time your friend saw you
through an embarrassing moment. (Careful. Consider the
audience).
- If it’s a second marriage and there are
children involved, consider a toast referencing the newly
created family.
5. Offer a
Compliment
Say something nice about the person (or
couple) you are toasting to. Although your intentions might be
good, don't go on and on about how great a person is; instead,
choose a few appreciate adjectives that go a long way (e.g.
"he's generous, intelligent, and kind").
6.
End the toast on a
positive note
Offer a wish, a traditional toast, or a
blessing. Here are some ideas:
- Here's to the groom, a man who keeps his
head though he loses his heart.
- May she share everything with her
husband, including the housework.
- My greatest wish for the two of you is
that through the years your love for each other will so
deepen and grow, that years from now you will look back on
this day, your wedding day, as the day you loved each other
the least.
- May 'for better or worse' be far better
than worse.
- Here's to the groom with bride so fair,
And here's to the bride with groom so
rare!
- May I see you grey, and combing your
grandchildren's hair.
- May you live each day like your last, and
live each night like your first.
- May you see each other through many dark
days, and make all the rest a little
brighter.
- To keep your marriage brimming, with love
in the wedding cup, whenever you're wrong, admit it;
whenever you're right, shut up.
- I would like to make a toast to lying,
stealing, cheating and drinking. If you're going to lie,
lie for a friend. If you're going to steal, steal a heart.
If your going to cheat, cheat death. And if you're going to
drink, drink with me.
6. Indicate
The Ending Of The Toast
Finish off with a phrase that's to be
repeated by the guests. For example: "Let us now toast the
happiness of Jill and Jack. To Jill and
Jack!"
Sample
Wedding Speech/Wedding Toast, Best Man to the
Bride
Good
evening, everybody. My name is Tim, and I've had the pleasure
of having Kevin as my closest friend for seven years. I'm
honored to be his best man today, and I'd like to offer a toast
to his beautiful bride, Alicia. I'm grateful for the
opportunity to be here to witness their union, and I'd like to
thank her parents, John and Alison, for their grace in
welcoming us tonight.
The first time Kevin told me he was seeing
Alicia, he didn't even have to tell me anything
about her--I knew
this girl was different. I could tell from the way his eyes lit
up when his phone rang, and it was her. Till that point, I'd
never seen him get that excited about anything except football!
Then...Kevin started changing. All of a sudden, he had a bounce in his
step, a twinkle in his eye, and grin on his face--and he always
offered me the last beer instead of hoarding it up for himself!
Since he started seeing Alicia, Kevin has been more
considerate, thoughtful and motivated than
ever.
Alicia, you
have deepened Kevin's appreciation for life in way I never
could've predicted. He is steadfast, honest and downright
good-looking, and you are his match in every way: dedicated,
genuine, and beautiful, inside and out. Thanks to your presence
in his life, Kevin is not only a better friend; he's a better
person all around.
Let's toast
to the health, happiness and future of this amazing bride. To
Alicia!
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