Lets Get Started On Your Father Of The Bride Speech
A great Father of the Bride speech will leave your daughter beaming with pride.
Use the information above to plan, write and deliver a Father of the Bride speech that ticks all the right boxes and and makes you look like a total hero.
Get it right and youll help create the perfect wedding your daughter deserves and make happy memories thatll last a lifetime.
How Can You Avoid Getting Too Emotional
Even if youre not a particularly emotional person most of the time, you may be surprised by the strength of the feelings evoked by your daughter getting married.
So if youre worried about your emotions getting the better of you on the big day, here are a few things you can do to help keep them in check:
- Take a deep breath. If you feel your emotions starting to rise, stop and take a deep breath. That can often help to settle your feelings again.
- Acknowledge your feelings. Sometimes trying too hard to hide your emotions can make things worse. Theres nothing wrong with acknowledging your emotions when they arise, e.g., by saying I knew I wouldnt be able to get through this bit without blubbing.
- Write around the problem. If theres a part of your speech that you know is likely to trigger strong emotions, try rewriting it.
If unwanted tears are a worry for you, the Speak & Conquer website has an article full of tips on the subject.
You want your speech to strike the right tone, but sometimes the pitfalls arent 100% obvious. Here are some guidelines to help you avoid any awkward slip-ups.
Father Of The Bride Wedding Speech
Giving the speech is an honor, and traditionally your responsibility, but it can make you a little anxious if you are not well prepared. Figuring out what to say or how to present your wedding speech can be overwhelming, but as long as you are prepared, you have nothing to worry about.
The father of the brides speech is closely followed by the best mans and grooms, making it an endurance rather than enjoyment for most guests. However, you can put a little effort to ensure people remember your five minutes in the spotlight for the right reasons.
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What Should You Include In Your Speech
It doesn’t matter if you want to keep it short and simple or take full advantage of the spotlight either way, there are some essentials that should be included in your speech if you want to do it justice.
Introduce yourself, but don’t make it sound like you’re at an Alcoholics Anonymous gathering. Introduce yourself and make a joke to loosen up the situation.
Give a warm greeting to everyone there and express gratitude for their attendance. Make sure to give special thanks to the bride’s mum and the groom’s dad.
Your young girl has made you suffer, and now you may exact some measure of revenge. Share a hilarious memory from her younger years, or just let her know how proud you are of the woman she has become.
The bride’s family should formally welcome the groom into the family in whatever way the bride’s family deems fitting. You can talk about your first impressions of him or a time when you were really grateful to have him in your life.
If you are the most senior guest at the wedding, you have an opportunity to provide some parting advice with the newlyweds. Jokes about spouses, nuptials, and life in general are welcome here as long as they won’t make your own wife angry.
Lastly, have everyone stand and toast the newlyweds. Sure, the best man will do the same thing when he finishes his speech, but that’s how it’s always been done, so stick to tradition.
Use A Quote But Don’t Force It
This won’t necessarily work for all father of the bride speeches. But, if it feels natural to work a quote that particularly speaks to you in your toast, you shouldn’t feel like you have to shy away from it. It can be a sweet way to end your speech. Also, it doesn’t have to be some profound quote and this is what I mean about not forcing it. Don’t use a quote just for the sake of using one. But, if theres a quote that speaks to you on a personal level, it can be great. It doesnt have to be serious. If you and your daughter have a special bond over something, like, The Simpsons, a comedic quote can be great provided you deliver it with confidence.
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Add Humouronly Where Appropriate
Humour is an easy attention-grabber. However, it is not easy to inject humour seamlessly.
Not everyone has the talent for it. So, if you arent good at it, dont push it. You do not want to look like you are desperately trying to make people laugh.
If humour is not your forte, create a strong impression with a heart-warming speech. Should you decide to add a few jokes, be brief and discrete since you dont want to make anyone upset.
Top Tips For A Simple Father Of The Bride Speech
- Include a brilliant anecdote. “Embarrassing stories about the bride as a child go down well,” says Ben, so ask around your family for their best memories, and think about childhood nicknames. Are there any funny secrets you or she have been hiding? It could be time to reveal you knew exactly who scratched your car or stole that bottle of booze from the cabinet.
- Leave the big jokes to the best man and stick with short quips or one-liners.
- “If youre not a seasoned public speaker, practice is essential, as is a set of cue cards,” suggests Ben. “Weve seen very few Dads completely wing it and speak off the cuff successfully!” Rehearse your speech repeatedly, speak slowly and allow time for laughs.
- Avoid anything too embarrassing. Nows not the time for ex-boyfriends/girlfriends, crude jokes or any dirty laundry.
- Dont include anything negative about your daughter’s partner in the speech. Stick to praising your daughter and just say youre happy that their new husband or wife makes her happy.
If youre looking for more ideas for your speech, make sure to check out our father of the bride speech examples
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Start With Welcome And Thank You
The first thing you should do is acknowledge your guests and thank them for coming to this happy celebration. Your guests are the ones who fill the seats and fill the room . Without your guests, your beautiful daughter wouldnât have nearly as many people offering their love and support while she walked down the aisle.
Then again, you might not have such an anxiety attack if there werenât so many guests present. Fewer guests, fewer eyes on you! If youâre feeling nervous about speaking in public, make sure you practice, practice, practice. Out loud, too, because weâre pretty sure you wonât have an audience of telepathic guests. But you never know.
Personal Father Of The Bride Speech
I know youre all hungry so Ill make this quick! Im John, the father of the bride, and its my privilege to welcome you to the marriage of Laura and Chelsea today. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this day so memorable for them.
“Weve had guests come from as far as the US and Australia, so a huge thanks today for going that extra miles! Not everyone can be here today, of course, most of all Lauras sister in Paris whos eight months pregnant at the moment. She has sent you this little gift however to make her presence felt. Let us raise a glass to absent friends and family.
“Speaking of making your presence felt, I became aware from the moment we brought Laura home from the hospital that we had a lively girl on our hands. From that scene-stealing role as sheep three in the school nativity when she stole baby Jesus right from Marys hands to her winning goal in the Under 21s GB netball championships, shes always been star of the show. Its what we love about her, and today, theres no one who deserves our celebration more.
“Chelsea, weve immediately seen what an impact youve had on Laura. She radiates with happiness and its a pleasure to see what a kind, caring, genuine woman you are. Im so proud of both of you. May you all raise your glasses to the VIPs: Laura and Chelsea, heres to many happy years.
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Really Long Stories That Arent Very Important To The Event
We know. You have a lot of stories prepared up your sleeve. However, not all of them are wedding speech-worthy. It would be best if you just choose the cutest, or the funniest, or the most tear-jerking story out of your extensive pile. The others could wait until the next family dinner. You may also like tribute speech examples.
Never Drink Before A Speech
No one should give a speech while under the influence of alcohol. Because alcohol lowers inhibitions and self-control, you may wind up spilling the beans on some private family business. There’s a risk of injury if you trip over the microphone cable or a table leg. Don’t risk loose lips and spilt drinks by drinking beforehand.
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How To End Father Of The Bride Speech
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Please stand with me and raise your glass to toast the happy couple. has been the light of my life, and today I hand her over to . I know he will love and cherish her every bit as much as I do. Here is a toast to a happy and healthy life full of endless love and laughter!
Please join me in a toast to . , you have become like a son to me, and I am entrusting to you. Cherish every moment you have together. Let us all wish the happy couple a lifetime of joy!
When was only 13, she told me she wanted to marry . I watched them grow from carefree teenagers to loving and caring adults. Let us offer a toast to many years of wedded bliss!
When first showed up at our door, I couldnt have known he would be the one to steal my babys heart. But here we are today, and I couldnt be happier for them. Let us raise our glass to and wish them a lifetime of happiness!
Please join me as I raise my glass to the beautiful, kind, and loving couple. , we welcome you to our family and look forward to many years of holiday dinners, family vacations, and late-night phone calls. Cheers to !
We understand you must be all jittery about the father of the speech. However, you must follow the dos and donts mentioned in the next section, and you will be set for a heart-warming speech.
Father Of The Bride Iii
Today is easily one of the most important days in my life. Its the day when my beautiful, intelligent, compassionate daughter will finally tie the knot with a man who means the world to her and who has come to mean quite a bit to our family, too.
As a father, this day is both a joyous and a nerve-wracking occasion. Its joyous because my daughter is settling down and starting a family of her own. The very thought of that makes me feel good. And it is nerve-wracking because I am watching my daughter finally move onfinally separate from me and her mother and become an adult.
Sure. Shes grown up now, but it seems like only yesterday that she was
And it brings tears to my eyes whenever I think about how she used to
But Ill stop there. I dont want to get too emotional. Like I said, this day is joyous, but it is also sad for me.
Now, with that said, theres something you should know about my daughter: she never settles. No matter what shes doing in life and in relationships, she doesnt accept the minimum and move on. And thats exactly why I was so surprised when I had heard that she accepted engagement. < Pause for laughs> .
But in all seriousness, is a great guy. Over the years, my daughter has had a few boyfriends. Some bad, some good, but none stood out like . When I saw them together, I pretty quickly knew that what they had was for real.
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And Dont Forget The Son In Law Or Daughter In Law
Here, it is customary for the father of the bride to welcome the groom into his family, and to express his happiness at the new connection between the two families that the marriage will bring.
Talk about your first encounter with the groom. Even if the first impression was not positive, it may be fun to mention it, as long as you follow up with how fond of him you are now and say it
Depending on your relationship with your new son-in-law, its probably fine to poke fun at him, and to joke about what he is getting himself in for marrying your daughter.
Other anecdotes that work well include the first time you realised your daughter was in love with him and your reaction to their engagement.
Think of positive qualities about the groom that will make him a good husband and ways that he has made your daughter happy.
Complete Father Of The Bride Speech Examples
To give you some quick inspiration, heres a warm and witty Father of the Bride speech I wrote for an imaginary couple, Sarah and Scott.
If youre in the market for a very short blink and youll miss it Father of the Bride speech, the Confetti website has an example.
If youre hungry for more examples, the Hitched website also has a handy database of sample speeches uploaded by its readers.
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Examples Of Bride And Groom Toasts
When it comes to raising a toast to the Bride and Groom, you dont need to be particularly creative with your choice of words. Your aim is simply to clearly signpost the end of your speech and prompt the guests to raise their glasses.
Here are some simple ways to raise a toast:
- Finally, its my great pleasure to invite you all to stand and raise your glasses in a toast to our wonderful Bride and Groom!
- Ladies and gentlemen, will you please be upstanding and join me in a toast to the happy couple, Beccy and Simon, the Bride and Groom.
- Right, its time for me to stop talking and you lot to start drinking. So please raise your glasses and lets toast Mrs and Mr Simpson, the Bride and Groom!
- Before I hand over to my brand new son-in-law Simon, aka the Groom, please grab your glasses, get on your feet and lets toast the happy couple.
Once youve made your toast, its time to sit, turn your attention to the groom and let him take over the reins with his own speech.
Share Words Of Wisdom
Its traditional for you to offer some words of wisdom for the newlyweds. Youll be able to find some ideas online but a more personal approach is to draw from your own life experience.
Is there some genuine advice from your own relationship with your partner you could pass on to your daughter and her new husband?
You should also wish them health and happiness for the future.
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Mention His Exploits If You Wantaccomplishments In Business Academics Sports Etc
- Then, talk about how you feel about his choice of spouse
An example is:
Today, were the proudest parents ever and we feel so elated to see you getting married to this beautiful bride. That, to us, is a courageous and wise decision because being married to the one you really love is a very enriching experience.
That brings me to the question we often get asked the most
How Long Should The Father Of The Groom Speech Be?
Now, let me ask you this: do you like a long or short speech? I see you are rooting for something short and I couldnt agree with you more.
Ok, heres my candid opinion based on our findings here at standing ovation speeches.
A short speech will suffice if you want to give a simple and sweet speech which is something I always recommend.
There’s nothing wrong with delivering long speeches either. But ask yourself if you can hold the attention of the audience for a very long time. If you can’t, then please stick to something you are comfortable with.
Your goal should be to get the wedding attendees to enjoy your speech. That is what I recommend if you still want to take the long ”road.”
Two options come to mind:
Short Father Of The Bride Speech
While writing father of the bride speeches may not be a walk in the park, with the right sample father of the bride speeches to guide you, you are sure to succeed. Make your daughter proud on the most special day of her life.
Just like childbirth, marriage marks a new beginning. One that we are overjoyed to witness in our family. From the day you captured my heart as a newborn, to today when I walked you down the aisle, I have never stopped feeling grateful that you call me Papa. I hope that I have always lived up to your expectations, just as your husband will as you begin this journey together.
I am happy for the union of these two families as the and begin a brand new family of their own. And I am proud that my daughter has grown into this amazing woman and that she met a man who is just as amazing. I love you son. This is my wish that you build your lives together and enjoy a relationship like no other.
I offer you my warmest wishes and congratulations on this beautiful and joyous day. Please join me as we raise our glasses to the bride and groom. May your lives be filled with love and laughter always.
Here is an example of a father of the bride speech to help you with your preparations for your wedding speech.
Keep these tips for writing a father of the bride speeches when you are composing your own speech. Take the time to practice in front of your wife, a friend or even a camera. Just speak from the heart and you will be fine!
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