Junior Rasmussen
There are many traditions and expectations surrounding wedding speeches and toasts, but ultimately, there are no set rules and couples can choose to do what they want. The wedding speeches are usually given at the wedding reception, either before or after the meal. The father of the bride traditionally gives the first speech, welcoming guests and welcoming the groom to the family. The groom then gives a speech, thanking guests and family, and may also toast the bridesmaids. The best man then speaks, providing comedy and relaying messages from those who couldn't attend. The bride may also give a speech, as may the bridesmaids or maid of honour. The couple may also choose to give a joint thank-you speech.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who does the groom toast? | There is no set person for the groom to toast. The groom may toast the bridesmaids, the bride, or both the bride and groom as a couple. |
| Who else might the groom toast? | The groom may also toast the friend that introduced the couple, their parents/siblings, new in-laws, mentors, best man or maid of honour. |
| Who else might give a speech? | The father of the bride, the mother of the groom, the maid of honour, the bride herself, the best man, the chief bridesmaid, older relatives. |
| What might the groom say? | The groom may thank everyone for their help with the wedding, share the story of his relationship with the bride, thank the bridesmaids and present them with gifts, thank his parents, and thank and/or insult the best man. |
| When should toasts be given? | Toasts may be given before or after the meal at the wedding reception. They may also be given at the rehearsal dinner. |
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What You'll Learn
The groom toasts the bridesmaids
While there is no set tradition for wedding speeches, with couples encouraged to do things their own way, there are some conventions that are often followed. One of these is for the groom to give a speech in which he toasts the bridesmaids.
The groom's speech usually comes after that of the father of the bride, who traditionally toasts the couple. The groom will thank everyone for their help with the wedding, and may thank the bridesmaids for their role in the wedding party. He may also give gifts to the bridesmaids, and will often tell stories about his relationship with the bride.
The groom will also thank his parents and in-laws, and may thank the best man, before the best man replies with a speech of his own. The best man will then traditionally reply to the groom's toast to the bridesmaids.
While the groom toasts the bridesmaids, the bride may also give a speech. She may choose to thank her parents and in-laws, and give a message to her new husband.
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The groom thanks the father of the bride
The groom's speech is a great opportunity to thank the father of the bride for welcoming him into the family. It is also a chance to thank the bride's family, the bridesmaids, and, of course, the bride herself. The groom might share some words about how they first met, how much he loves her, and some highlights of their time together.
"To my new father-in-law, thank you for welcoming me into your family and for all you've done to make today possible. I know it's not always easy to see your little girl grow up and let her go, so I promise to always cherish and protect her. I am honoured to be a part of this family, and I look forward to creating many happy memories together."
The groom can also share a few words about the father of the bride's speech, if he has given one:
"I want to thank my father-in-law for his kind words and for welcoming me so warmly into the family. It means a lot to have your blessing and support as we start this new chapter of our lives together."
If the groom wants to add a touch of humour, he could say something like:
"To my new father-in-law, thank you for your wonderful speech and for sharing stories about my wife's childhood. I promise to always be there for her and to create new memories together as a family. And, of course, I will do my best to keep up with your tradition of family game nights, even if I always lose at trivia!"
"I want to thank my father-in-law, not only for his heartfelt speech but also for trusting me with his precious daughter's heart. I promise to always take care of it and to never forget our weekly father-in-law and son-in-law golf outings, even if I never beat your score!"
Remember, these are just examples, and the groom can personalise the speech to make it more meaningful and reflective of his relationship with his new father-in-law.
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The groom thanks everyone for coming
The groom is expected to give a speech at the wedding, in which he can choose to thank everyone for coming. While there is a traditional order of speakers, there are no set rules and the couple can decide the order of speeches and toasts.
The groom's speech usually follows that of the father of the bride, who traditionally welcomes the guests and thanks everyone for coming. The groom may also thank his parents for their help in organising the wedding, as well as the bridal party, groomsmen, ushers, pageboys, best man, and mothers of the bride and groom.
The groom may also thank his wife and share the story of their relationship, including how they first met and highlights of their time together. He may also give gifts to the bridal party and present flowers to the mothers.
The groom can also choose to thank specific groups of guests, such as friends and family from different eras of his life, and mention those who have travelled far. He can include a few jokes tailored to each group, but it is best to avoid inside jokes that others may not understand.
The groom's speech is also an opportunity to toast the bridesmaids, and he may give a thank-you gift to them as well.
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The groom toasts his new wife
There is no one way to structure a wedding, and couples can choose to do what they want. However, there is a traditional order to wedding speeches and toasts, which usually takes place at the wedding reception, either before or after the meal.
The groom's toast to his new wife is part of his speech, which traditionally comes after the father of the bride's speech. The groom will usually thank everyone for their help in organising the wedding and making it happen. He will thank his parents and the bride's parents, the bridal party, and the guests.
The groom will also share the story of his relationship with his new wife, including how they met, and some highlights of their time together. He might also talk about why he loves her and why he has married her. This is often an emotional part of the speech, and the groom might end with a toast to his new wife.
The groom's speech is followed by the best man's speech, which is traditionally more light-hearted and includes jokes and funny stories about the groom. The best man may also read out messages from people who could not attend the wedding.
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The groom toasts his in-laws
There is no set tradition for who the groom must toast during his wedding speech, and the happy couple should feel free to do what they want. However, there are some common themes in wedding speeches that the groom may choose to follow.
The groom will often thank everyone for their help in making the wedding happen, and he may thank the father of the bride for welcoming him into the family. The groom may also thank the bride's family, the bridesmaids, and the best man. He may also thank his parents for their help in organising the wedding, if applicable.
The groom will also likely share the story of his relationship with his bride, including how they first met, and some highlights of their time together. He may also talk about why he loves his wife and why he has married her.
In addition to the bride's family, the groom may also choose to toast his new in-laws, welcoming them into his family. He may also thank and toast any friends who introduced the couple, his parents and siblings, mentors, the maid of honour, and the best man.
The groom's speech usually comes after the father of the bride's speech and before the best man's speech.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the groom usually gives a speech at a wedding.
No, there are no set rules when it comes to wedding speeches. It is up to the couple to decide.
The groom usually toasts the bridesmaids and thanks everyone for their help in organising the wedding. He may also toast the friend that introduced him and his bride, their parents/siblings, new in-laws, best man or maid of honour.
The first speaker is usually the person who pays for the wedding, traditionally the father of the bride.
The groom thanks everyone for their help in making the wedding happen and shares the story of his relationship with his bride. He may also include a few jokes and roast the best man.
