Speeches are a traditional part of every wedding, and are a perfect opportunity to make lasting memories. Many different members of the wedding party are expected to deliver a speech at the reception. Obviously, the father of the bride will have a few words to say, as will the best man, and at some weddings the bridesmaid and the father of the groom will be expected to deliver a speech. But it is the groom’s speech that will command the most attention, and it is important for the newly minted husband to be well prepared for his first public address to his new wife, his in-laws, and the assembled wedding guests. Writing and delivering a speech can be uncomfortable for many men, and it is with that thought in mind that we have prepared a few pointers to help grooms prepare their all important wedding speech.
Writing Your Wedding Speech
Many men are put off by the thought of delivering a speech at their wedding reception, but with a little preparation it can be easier than you may think. There are a few topics that should be covered in any wedding speech, and these can help form the bulk of your address to the wedding party and assembled guests. Use the following points as touchstones that should be covered in the groom’s speech.
- Thank the Father of the Bride – His speech will directly precede the groom’s speech, so it is appropriate to thank him for his remarks.
- Thank Your New In-Laws – It is appropriate to thank your wife’s family for welcoming you into their lives. Devote a few sentences to extolling the positive virtues of your wife’s family, and to compliment them on raising the fantastic woman you have been fortunate enough to meet and marry. Don’t forget your wife’s brothers and sisters, as they are now an important part of your new extended family.
- The Story of How Your Met Your Wife – This is a feature of every groom’s speech. Talk about how you and your wife met and fell in love. Talk about your first date, and feel free to add any humorous anecdotes as long as they do not reflect poorly on the bride or yourself.
- Thank Your Parents and Family – Take some time to speak about your own parents, and how they made you the type of man that was lucky enough to find the woman of your dreams. Don’t get too sentimental, but don’t be afraid to tug on your mother’s heart strings. If you have brothers and sisters, don’t forget to mention them. They were a big part of making you the man you are.
- Talk About Your Wife – This is the most important part of your speech, and you need to give it the right amount of attention. Speak from the heart, and talk about why you love her and why marrying her was the smartest decision you ever made. Sentimentality is fine, but don’t allow yourself to fall into the trap of sounding like a greeting card. Be honest, direct, and truthful.
- Thank the Wedding Party – Take some time to thank the people in the wedding party, including the bridesmaids and ushers, and thank the assembled guests for witnessing the happiest day of your life.
- Thank the Best Man – Finally, you want to thank your best man, both for his friendship and for all the help he’s given during the planning of your wedding. The best man’s speech follows directly from the groom’s speech, so it this is your moment to wrap up your remarks and hand the floor over to your best man.
These are the basic topics that should be covered in your wedding speech. Feel free to inject some humor into the proceedings, but keep it clean and unforced. Your wedding speech is not a stand up routine, so keep the jokes to a minimum. Finally, don’t be embarrassed to keep a printed copy of your speech handy. Wedding day nerves are normal, and there is no shame in referring to note cards to ensure that you don’t forget any important points.
Writing and delivering a speech can be intimidating for many people, but once you have an idea of what you want to talk about it is simply a matter of expressing yourself. Use these talking points as a rough guide to writing your speech, and you will find the process much easier than you may at first have thought.
