While every wedding is different, the mother of the bride typically delivers their speech during the wedding reception following the father of the bride's speech. In some instances—whether the father is deceased or unable to attend—the mother of the bride will kick off the wedding toasts by going first.
A mother of the bride speech should be about six minutes long (eight allowing for laughter and ad libs) if you're standing in for the father of the bride. If you're both giving a speech, then you shouldn't go over five minutes each.
A mother of the bride speech should:
Pay tribute to the bride and share stories and memories of her from childhood and today. Talk about meeting their new husband or wife for the first time, getting to know them and welcoming them into the family. Offer wise and funny advice to the couple.
While the mother-of-the-bride doesn't typically give a toast at the wedding—that honor is often reserved for the father-of-the-bride—there are situations in which a mother may opt to raise her glass to the happy couple, such as when a father has passed away or in the case of a divorced household.
The mother of the bride is traditionally escorted by her son if she has one. Otherwise, any close male relative, the best man, or a groomsman walks with the mother of the bride during the procession.
The mother of the bride plays the role of hostess, meaning you should spend some time greeting guests during the reception. Although there are exceptions, other wedding-day duties may include sitting at the parents' table and dancing with the father of the bride to help warm up the dance floor.
Your speech on her wedding day should include telling your daughter how precious she still is to you despite her being all grown up and starting another chapter in her life. Supportive words from you also help your daughter build a good relationship with her parents–in–law.
Encourage her to always remember her “First Love” and to love Him with all of her heart, mind, soul, and strength. By loving the Lord first, she will be grounded and secure, able to love her husband as God designed. She won't be as tempted to expect her husband to fulfill what only the Lord can.
This is the traditional choice and gives the guy another few moments in the spotlight. If the bride has a stepmother, she would be escorted to her seat by a groomsman before the mother of the bride; the bride's mom should be the last person to be escorted down the aisle, just before the bridal party.
“Welcome to the most important day in the lives of [NAME] and [NAME].” “Today, promises have become permanent and friends have become family.” “Today is a celebration and we are here to celebrate with [NAME] and [NAME].” “Thank you for joining us today on such a wonderful occasion.”
You could express your gratitude for their unconditional love and support, acknowledge their hard work or appreciate their cooking, mention some values they've taught you to live by, or reminisce about some childhood memories that you'll cherish.
The bride and groom will dance first. This is the usual format. Then the parent dances with the couple - the father with the bride and the mother with the groom. The groom's father will then dance with the bride and the groom with the mother-in-law.
Mother of the Bride
Your mom will likely want to get her hair and makeup professionally done, so be sure that she is included as part of your hair stylist and makeup artist's schedules. Don't forget to take a few quiet moments among the craziness of your wedding morning to spend some private time with Mom.
Yes, it's customary for the couple to give gifts to the wedding party, including the MOB. Many brides give their mom a personal, sentimental gift before or after the ceremony as a token of their appreciation.
Kicking off the wedding speech order is the father of the bride speech. If the father of the bride isn't present, this can be done by a close family friend. The father of the bride should: Welcome the guests he is hosting and thank them for coming.
The Parents of the Bride and the Bride: The parents of the bride escort them down the aisle, with the father on the bride's left arm and her mother on the right.
From walking down the aisle first to last, the traditional order is: Mother of Bride, Mother of Groom, Grandparents of Bride, Grandparents of Groom, Groom, Officiant, the Wedding Party, Maid of Honor and Best Man, Ring Bearer, Flower Girl and lastly the Bride and her Father.
The bride's gown is usually in shades like ivory or champagne, so make sure that you don't choose any shade of white. If you want to wear neutral colors, go for off-white, beige, taupe, and grey, as they are a different shade from a traditional bridal gown.