ARE YOU NERVOUS ABOUT DELIVERING A SPEECH ON YOUR WEDDING DAY? OUR HELPFUL GUIDE WILL REVEAL WHO SAYS WHAT WHEN, PLUS TIPS ON MAKING THE PERFECT TOAST TASTEFULLY.
As far as nerve-wracking moments go on your wedding day, making a speech runs a close second to walking up the aisle to say ‘I do’. For most people there is an inherent fear about public speaking no matter what the occasion is. Their head runs amok with ‘what ifs’, as in forgetting their lines, saying something stupid or getting overly emotional. However, there’s no need to lose any sleep over it because, with a little planning and forethought, speeches can be one of the most joyful and memorable moments at a wedding. They can set the mood and get the party really started with well-wishes for the newlyweds as well as a few pointed, though tasteful, stories about the bride and groom in their younger years. Key to avoid on such an occasion, however, are those notorious pitfalls witnessed at other people’s weddings, from the 20 minute sleeper speech to the truly tasteless and terrible toast! Current trends for wedding speeches are a lot more relaxed and informal than in previous years. You can decide when and where speeches happen on your wedding day, according to your desired schedule. Where speeches were once traditionally given at the end of the meal, it is now more common and preferred they are given at the start of the meal: guests are waiting to be served, so the toastmakers are conscious of keeping the proceedings short and snappy. It’s also their last official wedding duty before enjoying the rest of the evening.
To help take the fear out of preparing your speech, we offer a brief synopsis of the traditional order of speakers and what they are expected to say…
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
It’s common for the manager or another senior staff member at your reception venue to offer their services as ‘master of ceremonies’ during the reception, which basically means that they will introduce the speakers and make sure the microphone is switched on and passed to the right person. However, some couples prefer to have one of the bridal party acting as a master of ceremonies because it’s more personal and creates another role for a close friend or family member.
FATHER OF THE BRIDE
The father of the bride is usually first to speak and it’s his job to thank all the guests for coming. He then normally says a few proud words about his daughter, maybe with an anecdote or two thrown in, and welcomes his new son-in-law into the family before toasting the newlyweds.
Ronan McGrade Photography
GROOM
Any groom’s speech beginning with ‘on behalf of my wife and I…’ is guaranteed to get uproarious applause and should then proceed to thank the bride’s father for his speech. The groom will then say something about his blushing bride (cue more applause!) before thanking all those who have helped out with the wedding preparations, especially the couples’ parents and attendants – they are normally given small gifts at this stage. He should finish by toasting the bridesmaids, not forgetting to mention how lovely they look!
Ronan McGrade Photography
BEST MAN
The last and most eagerly awaited speech is that of the best man. He should begin by thanking the groom on behalf of the bridesmaids, before offering thanks to the happy couple from the other attendants. After that, he’s expected to deliver a humorous speech about the groom that will appeal to all tastes – not an easy task! He should aim to be entertaining without crossing the line into inappropriate territory, and should always finish by saying something genuine and heartfelt about the groom before proposing a final toast to the happy couple.
