The Best Man's Speech
A wedding speech is just one of the best man's many responsibilities, and these days it comes with a lot of pressure too. It's traditionally the last wedding speech, and people generally expect it to be funny. The best man's speech usually includes: Thanking the groom for his toasts.
You end your toast by asking everyone to raise their glasses and saying a charming, funny or meaningful sentiment out loud for everyone to echo – you'd usually end it with 'to the bride and groom/happy couple/newlyweds' or use their names, and the wedding party would say it back to you.
The groom's father is probably already aware that they should make a toast at the reception, but there are few other ways they can help the couple get ready for the big day and help it go smoothly when it arrives. In the past, it was traditional for the bride's parents to cover all costs associated with the wedding.
The father of the bride should traditionally thank guests for coming and participating in the wedding, thank anyone who has contributed to the cost of the wedding, compliments and praises the bride and welcomes the groom into the family and ends with a toast to the newlyweds.
What Should A Father Of The Bride Speech Include? A traditional father of the bride speech includes a few key elements such as welcoming the guests, anecdotes and compliments about your daughter, a welcome to your new son-in-law or daughter-in-law, words of advice and a toast to the new couple.
Traditionally the father of the bride speech includes a toast to the happy couple. The groom responds on behalf of his wife and toasts the bridesmaids. The best man replies on behalf of the bridesmaids and toasts the happy couple.
Usually, toasts end with some kind of wish for the future, such as “May you live for as long as you want, and never want for as long as you live!” If you find yourself at a lot of formal dinners, it can be wise to memorize a go-to toast or two, whether heartfelt (“May your house always be too small to hold all our ...
Traditionally, after the last song of the reception is played, guests usher the bride and groom off on their honeymoon. Since it is typically at night, sparklers, glow sticks, lanterns, and even fireworks are popular options to make this exit more formal and grand!
Whoever is hosting the event should speak first and should take the microphone as soon as guests have found their seats. This first toast is most often made by the parents (or father) of the bride and should combine both a toast to the happy couple and a welcome message to the guests.
Who gives a toast at a wedding? Your parents/parent figures, wedding party members, best friends, or close relatives are generally the ones who give speeches or readings throughout your wedding celebration, but ultimately, you can ask whoever you want if it will mean something to you.
The person proposing the toast stands, or raises a glass and asks for everyone's attention before launching into the toast. At the conclusion of the toast, everyone except the honoree(s) raises their glasses and drinks. The honoree acknowledges the toast with a smile or nod.
According to Croce, tradition dictates that there be no more than four speeches during a wedding reception.
Tradition states that the Wedding Speeches should be conducted after the meal and they essentially bring an end to the day's formalities at which point the party side of the day can begin. By serving the meal first it means your guests are finally being properly fed.
There's a simple formula to a good toast: Introduce yourself, tell a story, connect that story to the event and wrap it up (time to hit the dance floor!)
Don't even put your hand on your glass, much less drink. *Do not clink glasses, especially if there are more than four people involved. It's an old custom having to do with driving away evil spirits, and it's bad news for glassware. Simply lift your glass and say, “Hear, hear”, or “Cheers.”
#2 Don't stand on ceremony
The old fashioned, and more traditional way to introduce a toast is, “Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding for a toast to…” This is appropriate for a very formal wedding, but it is completely at odds with the tone of many wedding speeches.
Most wedding pronouncements end with the line, “You may now kiss the bride!” If that gives you the icks (and we totally get why it might), you don't have to include it. You can remove the line altogether or change it to: You may seal your promise/union/marriage with a kiss.
The wedding host (traditionally the father of the bride) toasts the couple. Other parental figures of the couple toast the couple. Other good times for toasts are before or after the first course is served or after the main course has been eaten.
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.