Traditionally, the order of wedding reception toasts goes like this: The best man toasts the bride. The maid/matron of honor toasts the groom. The wedding host/financier (traditionally the father of the bride) toasts the couple.
The first toast is customarily made by the best man. It's fine for this to be the only one offered, though other people will probably want to express their happiness for the newlyweds. After the best man, the maid of honor may offer a toast, too. 2.
Normally your best man is the 'master of ceremonies' at a wedding reception so the toasts start with the best man. If your Best Man is not up to the task, then think who should be given this role.
The Traditional Wedding Toasts
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 traditional wedding speech order goes father of the bride, groom, best man and other toasts. "In same-sex weddings, it is also common for both partners to speak but sometimes only one does," explains Marc.
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.
“To the bride and groom, may I wish you health, may I wish you happiness, may I wish you wealth – and everything else you could wish for.” “May your love always be added. May it never be subtracted. May your household multiply and may your hearts never be divided!”
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.
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.
From a performer's perspective the best time for wedding speeches will be at the end of the meal. (Just as an aside, if you'd like to have your crowd properly warmed up before the speeches, check out my Wedding Emcee page. All the best performers use a warm-up man!)
During the reception it is customary for the father of the bride to make a short speech, thanking the guests and those that have helped with the wedding planning, and talking a little about his daughter and new son-in-law. At the end of the speech the father of the bride usually proposes a toast to the happy couple.
Typically, the parents of the couple are the first to speak at either the rehearsal dinner or the wedding reception. If you're the first toast-maker of the night, this would be the time to welcome all of the guests to the reception or whichever event you are delivering the speech at.
Sequence of Dance Partners in Wedding
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.
The mother of the bride should avoid trying to control every aspect of the wedding, criticizing the bride's decisions, or creating unnecessary drama.
It's traditional to have a father of the bride speech, but that certainly doesn't mean that mums can't give speeches too! From offering marriage advice to revealing your daughter's embarrassing first celebrity crush, it's a wonderful opportunity to laugh, honour her and raise a toast to the couple's future.
"To my lovely daughter and her wonderful partner, it is an honor to be standing here as your mother on this special day. I have watched you both grow into loving, kind-hearted individuals, and I am grateful that you have found each other. I know that your future together will be full of love, joy, and laughter.
Traditionally, the father of the bride is the first to speak in the wedding speech sequence, especially if he has contributed financially to the wedding. The bride's father's speech should include; — A welcome to all the guests, and an expression of gratitude for their attendance and participation in the wedding.
What do you say in a wedding toast? If you are saying a wedding toast at the end of a speech, you should encourage the guests to raise their glasses to the happy couple and ask them to drink to something. It could be a funny, witty statement, or something more sentimental.
Traditionally, there's a father of the groom speech, as well. You'll want to keep your toast short and sweet, but be sure to tell your son how much you love them, address their new spouse, thank everyone for coming to the wedding, and offer some parting wisdom or advice for the newlyweds.
Don't have more than 5 people give toasts. Typically, it's father of the bride, a parent of the groom, Maid of Honor, and Best Man. Even though you want to hear all of the great things people have to say about you, there is nothing worse than never … ending … toasts!
While many experts will tell you to keep your talk to 3 minutes or less, Chertoff says the best wedding speeches usually last three to five minutes.