The father of the bride speech is a highly anticipated part of a wedding reception where the father of the bride addresses the all the guests and offers words of congratulations, gratitude, and well wishes to the newlyweds. It’s no wonder that many fathers of the bride get a little nervous at the thought of delivering a speech to their nearest and dearest, so let’s have a closer look at all you need to know about writing and delivering a brilliant father of the bride speech.
What is a father of the bride’s speech?
The father of the bride speech typically is given after the wedding breakfast, and is a show of love for the bride, as well as giving words of advice to the couple. The father of the bride speech is often an important moment for the father to show his support and affection for his daughter, and to welcome the groom into the family. It also serves as an opportunity for the father to express his gratitude to the guests for their participation at the wedding.
How should I write the perfect father of the bride speech?
There are three key stages to crafting the perfect Father of the Bride speech – preparation, content and delivery and we are here to walk you through each step.
Preparing the father of the bride speech
Planning and preparation are crucial for delivering a successful father of the bride speech. It allows you to organise your thoughts and ideas, and to structure the speech in a way that flows naturally and makes sense to the audience. It also gives you the chance to tailor the speech to the audience, so that it is appropriate and relevant to the guests.
By taking the time to plan and prepare for the speech, you can ensure your words are well-received and that the speech is a memorable and meaningful part of the wedding celebration.
When it comes to researching and gathering information for your wedding day, let’s have a look at some tried and tested ways to help you begin your speech writing journey.
- Start early – The earlier you start preparing for your speech, the more time you’ll have to think about what you want to say and how you want to say it.
- Talk to your daughter – Your daughter will be a great source of inspiration and material for your speech. She can tell you about the special moments and memories she shares with you and her partner, and give you an insight into their relationship.
- Talk to your daughter’s spouse – It’s also a good idea to talk to your daughter’s partner and get to know them better. You could ask them about their thoughts on marriage, future plans with your daughter and what they love about her.
- Find wedding speech inspiration – Look back at old family albums, videos, and pictures: It can be a great source of inspiration for the speech and can even be incorporated into the speech itself.
- Check out other father of the bride speech examples – There are countless examples of father of the bride speeches that you can look at for inspiration, just be sure not to directly copy any work you find.
By doing this, you will be able to gather a wealth of material that you can use to craft a heartfelt speech that truly captures the love and affection you have for your daughter.
As the father of the bride, what should I include in my wedding speech?
It’s hard to know what should be included in a father of the bride speech but really, it is quite simple. There are a few things that you won’t want to miss and you’ll find that almost all speeches roughly follow the same format.
Most father of the bride speeches will include the following:
- Well wishes for the newlyweds – Start by congratulating the couple on their marriage.
- Personal anecdotes and memories – Share personal stories and memories of your daughter that show your guests more of her character and upbringing.
- Expressions of pride – Let your daughter know how proud you are of the person she has become and how much you love her.
- Welcome the groom into the family – Formally welcome the groom into your family, and express your happiness that he will be a part of your daughter’s life.
- Thank the guests – Show your gratitude to the guests for being a part of the special day.
- Offer words of advice or wisdom for the couple – Share any words of wisdom or advice you have for the couple as they begin their life together.
- Toast to the couple – End your speech by raising a toast to the couple and wishing them a lifetime of love with a toast.
Father of the bride speech examples
It’s important to make the father of the bride speech your own and not rely wholly on just one source of inspiration.
To get you started, here a few examples of quotes that you could include in your father of the bride speech
- “I’ve always known that my daughter would find someone special, but I never imagined she would find someone as wonderful as [partner’s name].”
- “I’m so grateful to have [partner’s name] as an in-law. He has not only won my daughter’s heart, but mine too.”
- “To my beautiful daughter, [bride’s name], I couldn’t be happier for you on your special day”.
- “You have grown into an amazing woman, and I am so proud of the person you have become.”
- “I want to welcome you to our family. You have brought so much love and happiness into our daughter’s life, and we are grateful to have you as part of our family.”
- “A wise man once said, ‘The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.’ And that is exactly how [bride’s name] and [partner’s name] make each other feel.”
Should I write a funny father of the bride speech?
Many people aren’t sure if they are expected to make a humorous father of the bride speech. Overall, the opinion is that It depends on your personal style and the tone of the wedding. Humour can be a great way to lighten the mood and make the speech more enjoyable for the audience, but it’s important to use it in a way that feels genuine and appropriate.
If you are naturally inclined to be a funny person, and you are comfortable with it, then you may want to include a touch of humour in your speech. You can still make your speech entertaining and engaging without using humour, by preparing, delivering and practising your speech well. In all, your speech should be tailored to your own style and should reflect your relationship with your daughter
Speech Delivery
Delivering your speech well shows your love and support for your daughter. The father of the bride speech is typically one of the first speeches of the reception, and it sets the tone for the rest of the event. A well-delivered speech can help to create a positive and excited atmosphere that will be enjoyed by all the guests.
Practise your father of the bride speech
Practicing your father of the bride speech is extremely important because it allows you to become more comfortable with the material and delivery of your speech. When you practice, you will be able to identify areas that need improvement and make necessary adjustments before the big day.
Beat the nerves
Giving any speech, especially at a big event like your daughters wedding, can be nerve-wracking, but there are some things you can do to help calm your nerves and deliver your speech with confidence.
- Prepare thoroughly: The more prepared you are, the more confident you will feel. Practise your speech out loud and in front of friends and family.
- Use positive visualisation: Close your eyes and picture yourself delivering your speech with confidence and ease. Imagine the guests clapping and enjoying your speech.
- Take deep breaths: Before you begin your speech, take a few deep breaths to help calm your nerves. This will also help to steady your voice and slow down your heart rate.
- Speak slowly: If you’re feeling nervous, it’s easy to rush through your speech. Speak slowly and clearly, and pause between sentences to give yourself time to gather your thoughts.
- Make eye contact: Make sure to make eye contact with different members of the audience. This will help to engage them and make them feel more included in your speech.
- Practice, practice, practice: Did we mention… practice?!
A well-written and well-delivered father of the bride speech can help to set the tone for the wedding, build a connection with the guests and make a lasting impression, so it’s worth putting the work in to ensure all goes well on the day. The key to success is preparation, practice and delivery. By using these tips, you’ll be able to deliver a heartfelt, meaningful and memorable father of the bride speech that will be cherished by all.
Need Tips & Advice?
If you are looking for advice on how to write a Father of the Bride speech, you’ve come to the right place. You are the Father of the Bride – your girl’s wedding day is such a special day! When you held your child for the first time all those years ago, did you picture this day?
Well now it’s here and as her father, you will (traditionally) be the first to stand up and speak in front of the guests. But don’t worry! Follow our carefully selected tips and deliver a father of the bride toast to remember! If your daughter is also making a speech, tell her to head over to our tips to the bride: writing your wedding speech!
1) Welcome the guests:
It is your job to welcome everyone to the reception and acknowledge all those who have financially contributed to the wedding (probably best not to mention actual sums!). It is also a good idea to give a special welcome to the guests who travelled a long distance to be there and thank them for participating in the celebration.
2) The thank you’s:
Thank everyone who helped put this wedding together, the ushers, the bridesmaids, even the staff! You can also thank the special people in your daughter’s life, who helped raise her and make her who she is today! Take a trip down memory lane and remember your loved ones. Find out more about your wedding team here!
3) Praise the bride:
We find that every father-daughter relationship is different, some are more humorous, with plenty of banter, others are more sentimental and this is exactly what should be reflected in the overall tone of your speech. This section will require the most planning, so separate it into sub-sections: talk about the stories from your daughter’s childhood, about her achievements in her personal, academic and professional lives. Lastly, tell her how proud you are of the woman she has become and how gorgeous she looks on her wedding day.
4) Welcome the new additions to your family:
You should also welcome the groom and his parents into your family. Many Fathers also take this opportunity to tell the groom what he has got himself into: this is the funny part of your speech, where you can joke about the bride. Talk about your daughter’s adorable little quirks and lighten the mood after the more emotional part of your speech.
We also think it’s a nice touch when the Father of the Bride talks about the groom – whether that be the first time you were introduced, or when the groom asked for your daughter’s hand in marriage, or just some funny moments or nice traits. Want to help your future son-in-law out? Send him our tips to the groom: writing your wedding speech!
5) A word of wisdom:
Finish with some advice to the newlyweds. This is a great time to mention your personal marriage experience and what you’ve learnt about love and family. If you don’t want to go down that route, then carefully chosen quotes about love and marriage can be just as effective. Whatever you decide to say, make sure to do so clearly and calmly, as the audience want to hear from you! We find that gesticulating when talking can ease the nerves too.
6) The toast:
End your speech by asking everyone in the room to stand up and toast the newlyweds!
And here is our Final Tip:
Don’t act the Alpha Male and threaten to hunt down the groom if he misbehaves! This never sounds as funny to the groom…
Sneaky tool: Calculate how long your speech will take to read – http://readtime.eu!
