Planning Ahead
“Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking…”
Father Of The Bride Speech
For many Irish fathers, the delight and excitement felt at the announcement of their daughters’ engagement is closely followed by a feeling of absolute dread at the prospect of having to make a speech on the day of the wedding.
While he is immensely proud of the beautiful young woman that he will walk down the aisle towards her husband-to-be, he cannot help but feel self-conscious and anxious. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Help is now at hand, with South East Wedding Magazine’s step-bystep guide to writing a Father of the Bride speech that will have them laughing, cheering, crying and calling for an encore…
The Father of the Bride speech is the keynote speech of the day. It is therefore appropriate that it should be, in turn both poignant and witty, and begin with a captivating opening. This could be a memory from the past, an achievement by his beautiful daughter, or an observation from the day itself. But, what next? Who should be mentioned and thanked, and most importantly, not left out!
Welcome the guests and thank them for taking the time to share in this special day. Welcome the groom and his family into your family. Speak of your love for, and your pride in, your daughter – and of course, mention how beautiful she looks
Mention your relationship with your new son-in-law, and how pleased you are that he is marrying your daughter
Mention the bridesmaids, thank them for the support they have given to your daughter and how lovely they look
It is also courteous to thank the clergyman/woman, or registrar. You should then speak about marriage itself and what it meansfor two people to commit themselves to each other.
It may go without saying, but embarrassing or ‘smutty’ remarks will not go down well. This means mentioning your daughter’s former boyfriends, or embarrassing members of either family is strictly out
of bounds!
You should try to end your speech by looking to the future. It is customary on such an occasion for the father of the bride to offer the newlyweds some profound advice, so something short, sweet and meaningful will provide a perfect conclusion.
Finally, wish your daughter and her new husband the very best of luck for a long and happy life, raise your glasses and drink a toast to the newlyweds - Cheers!
