Wedding speeches are a timeless tradition that remains relevant forever. You have people to celebrate with you and they must say nice things and give their best wishes. But for the sake of organization, it’s good to find out who gives speeches at a wedding.
Everyone can’t possibly come to the microphone. And that’s where we come in with ideas, tips, and examples of who says what, what they say, and who should never get the microphone. Follow this topic and arm yourself with relevant information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should all guests give speeches at weddings?
No, all guests cannot possibly give speeches because it will be a long, unending day. Keep the speeches among family and the wedding party.
Do bridesmaids give speeches?
Yes, bridesmaids give speeches, even though it is not mandatory. However, the speeches are very short, lasting four minutes at most.
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Who Usually Gives Speeches At A Wedding
The one who usually gives speeches at a wedding is the groom, the bride’s father, and the best man. However, couples have veered from the conventional way of doing things to include other important people which you will find below.
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Parents
As parents, share sweet memories of your child getting married, welcome your new in-law and share some anecdotes about the couple. Finish with good wishes and some words of wisdom.
Maid of honor
The maid of honor focuses on the bride with a heartfelt yet lighthearted and hopeful speech. She should also include the groom, especially if she is friends with him.
Best man
The best man is arguably the closest to the groom, so his job is to earnestly congratulate the groom and his new spouse. Also, he will tell funny and maybe decently embarrassing stories about the groom, then end with a toast.
Siblings
Siblings would express their excitement about the event. They will also share anecdotes about their brother or sister and welcome the new sibling. Siblings are also very good at sharing sweet stories and throwing jabs. Finish with best wishes for the couple.
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Other guests
Restrict this part to only the most important people in our lives, keep it short and make it mainly nest wishes.
Newlyweds
Speak from your heart, thank everyone for coming, say something nice about your new spouse, tell a sweet story and make a toast.
To be on the safe side, give your speeches after dinner because it could take quite a while. Also, the bride’s father goes first, followed by the best man, maid of honor, and then the groom. Keep each speech at three to five minutes maximum.
Welcome Toast: Who Traditionally Gives Speeches At A Wedding?
The person who traditionally gives speeches at a wedding is the host. The main idea of welcome toasts is to thank everyone for coming to celebrate with you while sharing your wishes on a glass of wine. The toasts could be upbeat, funny one-liners, or solemn. So to pull off the perfect toast, see some tips below.
- Pick up the microphone immediately everyone settles in the reception. This will capture the guest’s attention.
- Start by introducing yourself and state your relationship with the couple. Welcome the guests and thank them for coming to celebrate with the couple.
- Talk about the beautiful ambiance. Ask them to relax and enjoy themselves.
- Make a toast to them, wishing fun, happiness, and everything good.
- Make one or two jokes and keep it brief.
Who Can Toast At A Wedding?
The fathers of the couple would toast at the wedding followed by the maid of honor, the best man, and the couple. This toast is usually shared towards the end of the wedding when the guests are in a very celebratory mood. Here are some tips you can use to get the toasts started.
- Notify your speakers on time
Tel the speakers you have chosen about their duties on time. It is always best to include it in the wedding invite so that they can organize their thoughts and prepare. - Organize your speakers in succession
Curate the order of speakers and let them know who goes first and who follows. This move will help the speakers know when their time is close. - Work with a time limit
Intimate the guests on the time cap you set per speech so that the guests wouldn’t be bored. It will also help the speakers shave their speeches to fit. - Give your speakers a guideline
Have a general guideline set up for the speakers so that they work within the confines. You wouldn’t run the risk of someone sharing dark humor, speaking about the exes, or private jokes.
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Newlyweds Thank You Speeches: Inspirational Tips
It is the couple who gives wedding speeches at the reception, saying some thoughtful words to the guests. For what to say,
- Start by introducing yourself and thank them for attending your big day.
- Express how excited their presence makes you feel and how much their support means.
- Reference specific people who are pivotal to the success of your big day. They could be your parents, best man, maid of honor, and special guests.
- Make a wish for the guests and close with a toast.
When giving the speech, one person can present on behalf of two of you. However, if you choose to speak together, work as a team by alternating between paragraphs. Decide on who would make the toast on behalf of the couple.
Who Gives Speeches At Wedding Rehearsal Dinner
Rehearsal dinners are more relaxed than the actual wedding, so the floor is more open for speech. The person who gives speeches at the wedding rehearsal dinner is the host first, followed by everyone else, like the best man, groomsmen, maid of honor, bridesmaids, friends, and family.
Rehearsal dinners may be hosted by the bride or groom’s parents. In some cases, the couple pays for it. The overall speech time could take almost thirty minutes depending on how many volunteers. So keep each speech at a maximum of three minutes. Follow these tips for a winning speech.
- Personalize the speech by speaking from the heart after introducing yourself
- Say a personal experience or your favorite memory of the couple
- You can be spontaneous but we advise you to be prepared
- Finish with a funny line and a toast
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Who Should Not Speak At A Wedding?
There are people you should never allow to speak at your wedding for varying reasons. If you have an estranged parent, prevent them from making a speech at your wedding as it isn’t the place for reconciliations.
You may also have aunts who are vulgar or those who speak before they think. How about that uncle who is always at the bottom of a vodka bottle or friends who have a penchant for bringing up weird topics? These are the kinds of people not to allow because they could ruin your day in a twinkle.
Pull this off by creating a speaker list with a time frame that is not flexible. Let your emcee handle the speakers with strict instructions not to bend for anyone.
We have listed and discussed the person who gives speeches at a wedding, but it goes beyond that. In this post, you will find tips and ideas on how to pull off an unforgettable wedding speech, welcome toast, thank you speech, and more. Whether you are the couple, host, parents, family, friends, or wedding party, we’ve got you covered. Check this post and get inspired with our viable wedding speech tips.
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