How To Write a Father of the Bride’s Wedding Speech
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The Father of the Bride’s speech is given first before the Best Man and the Groom. The best man is usually primed for action and ready to give the blushing bridegroom a comedy roast to get everyone laughing (at the main man’s expense, its tradition). The groom will also try and get a few pre-emptive strikes in at his partner in crime before the onslaught begins. However, the father of the bride’s speech is often a bit dry, or worse, cheesy. But with a little help from our team of professional comedy writers, you can break with groan-worthy tradition and deliver a funny and original speech.
If you’ve never written a father of the bride’s speech before here are the golden rules of the father’s wedding toast.
Timing
The cardinal sin of wedding speeches is to drag it out too long. Even though you might well have laid out a great deal of money so that a crowd of hungry relatives you might not like and strangers you’ve never met before can have a free meal and party at your expense) try not to let your speech go on too long. The perfect length of a wedding speech is about 7 minutes.
Rehearse your speech allowed against the clock, to test just how long it’s running.
Jokes
While your speech will be more restrained than the Best Man’s that doesn’t mean it has to be too straight-faced. As you’ll be speaking first you have the opportunity to kick things off in style with some really well-aimed jokes of your own. Our Speech Builder has over 4,000 icebreakers, jokes, and quotes to get you started.
Is There Anything I Have To Include In My Speech?
Firstly, make sure you introduce yourself at the top of your speech. Along with all your family, there will be members of the groom’s family and the couple’s friends who might not know your name.
It is also traditional for the bride’s father to welcome all the guests to the wedding and thank them for coming, with a special mention to the groom’s parents and family.
Wedding Speech Toasts
The father of the bride is responsible for two key toasts at the end of his speech. The first is “To absent friends” or relatives. There may be key family members on both sides who might not be present or have passed away in the year preceding the wedding. Check with the groom prior to the wedding if there is anyone he’d like you to mention.
The second is to toast the newly-weds which will mark the end of your speech.
Don’t Forget The Groom… Or your wife!
Of course, there will be plenty you wish to say about/to your daughter but remember to include your new son-in-law in your speech. And don’t be afraid to throw a joke or two his way, it is a happy occasion after all.
Most importantly don’t forget to mention the bride’s mother, surprisingly it’s a mistake many fathers make and quickly come to regret.
Keep it light
You might have imagined giving a wedding speech ever since your daughter started bringing home serious boyfriends (the ones you “warmly” took to your den to show your gun) but try not to go overboard. It’s important you display some emotion but this isn’t the Oscars and no one wants to see you doing a Gwyneth Paltrow. If there are some things that are very personal or perhaps you don’t feel comfortable saying in front of a room of staring eyes then perhaps write a separate letter to your daughter which she can read on the day (preferably before her makeup has been applied so your tender words don’t result in a complete Alice Cooper makeover).
Enjoy!
The main thing though is to enjoy every minute of the big day, it will come and go in a flash so take time to soak up the occasion. And despite any nerves, you may feel, let yourself enjoy your speech. We have plenty of advice for nervous speakers and also some great jokes or kind words to include in your speech. So relax, let your pride shine through, and when the time’s right, wreak havoc on the dance floor!
One famous Speech You Should Not Try
Ladies and gentlemen, and friends of my daughter. There comes a time in every wedding reception when the man who paid for the damn thing is allowed to speak a word or two of his own. And I would like to speak much as my wife just sang in the service that we’ve all just enjoyed (???) with no real notes. Primarily I would like to take this opportunity, pissed as I may be, to say a word or two about Martin.
As far as I’m concerned, my daughter could not have chosen a more delightful, charming, witty, responsible, wealthy, let’s not deny it, well-placed, good-looking and fertile young man than Martin as her husband. And I, therefore, ask the question “Why the hell did she marry Gerald instead?”…
Because Gerald is the sort of man we used to describe at school as an utter spastic! If I may use a gardening simile here, if his entire family may be likened to a compost heap (and I think they can) then Gerald is the biggest weed growing out of it. Gerald is the sort of man people emigrate to avoid.
I remember the first time I met Gerald, I said to my wife (she’s the lovely woman propping up that horrendous old drunk of a mother of his) either this man is suffering from serious brain damage or the new vacuum cleaners just arrived.
As for his family, they are quite simply the most intolerable herd of steaming social animals that I have ever had the misfortune of turning my nose up to. I spurn you as I would spurn a rabid dog. I would like to propose a toast…
To the caterers. And to the pigeon who crapped on the groom’s family’s limousine at the church.
As for the rest of you around this table not directly related to me, you can sod off. I wouldn’t trust any of you to sit the right way on a toilet seat.
– Rowan Atkinson