Wedding Day Advice | Speeches

Let’s hear it, Pops
Helping you prepare the perfect wedding speech

Your little girl is getting married, which means that you have a lot on your mind. We’re sure that your speech is just one of many things that you have to prepare for ahead of the big day. That’s where we step in: just follow our simple guidelines, and your speech will be sorted. There you go: one less thing to worry about!

Traditionally, the father of the bride is the first speaker to be introduced at a wedding. Your daughter and her fiancé may have other ideas, though, so don’t be surprised if the order of speeches is altered a bit.

Before you begin, make sure you read our article on how to deliver a great wedding speech. This will guide you in the right direction as far as preparation and delivery go. As stressed in the article, don’t forget to confer with the other speakers and the MC a month or so before the wedding so that the content of the speeches don’t overlap.

Photo courtesy of Emin Kuliyev

And introducing…
The elements of the father of the bride’s speech

There are no hard and fast rules about exactly what you need to say or how it needs to be said. Ask your daughter if there is anything that she would like you to include, and don’t forget to practice your speech so that all you’ll need is a couple of key words on an index card. Here are a few points to consider.

Duration: 4-8 minutes (around 900 words)

Message: Words of love for your daughter; officially welcoming the groom to your family; congratulating the bride and groom

Tone: Sincere, warm and sentimental. The father of the bride’s speech is supposed to evoke a tear or two

Humour: Light and sparing, but recommended (consult our jokes and quotations article for some ideas)

Speech components:

• A light opener or introduction
• The main body
• A closing quotation, poem or statement
• Your toast to the bride and groom

Don’t forget to:

• Welcome the groom’s parents and distinguished guests by name
• Welcome other relatives, friends and other guests
• Thank everyone for coming, especially those who have travelled a long way
• Congratulate the newly married couple
• Tell the groom how happy you are to welcome him to your family
• Thank all those involved in the organisation of the wedding
• Mention how wonderful the wedding has been so far
• Deliver a sincere, heartfelt toast to the bride and groom at the end of your speech

When speaking about your daughter:

• Compliment the bride on how beautiful she looks
• Reflect on sweet or humorous aspects of her childhood
• Talk about her achievements, her finest attributes and maybe one or two of her quirks
• Discuss your feelings for her, how much she means to your family and what you’ve learned from her
• Relay any anecdotes about how she and the groom met and why they are so well-suited as a couple
• Give her and her husband some fatherly advice and pearls of wisdom pertaining to their future

Remember:

• You are also speaking on behalf of the bride’s mother, so include her in your speech whether she is there or not (especially if she has passed away)
• Decorum is key, so avoid dissolving into full-blown tears (you’ll thank us when you watch the video!)
• An outpouring of love, gratitude, sincerity and warmth is your main aim
• If you need further inspiration, search online for father of the bride’s wedding speech examples. Visit www.chargeyourglasses.com where you can build your speech line by line.

Addressing a large audience is never easy, but if you follow our guidelines and practice your speech a good few times, we know that you’re going to do just fine. Don’t forget that everyone is already feeling warm and fuzzy‚ your speech is just the cherry on top. Good luck and warm congratulations to the proud Dad!