Father of the Bride Speech
Your daughter's wedding, where you will be expected to give the father of the bride speech, is a very important event in the life of you and your partner.
With many of your relatives and friends present, along with your new in-laws, you will want your wedding speech to be a success. But for most fathers giving a speech at their daughter's wedding is not exactly something they have done often before. It can be an unfamiliar, even uncomfortable, experience - you want to do it very well, but you are not quite sure how to go about it.
The bride's father, in most cultures, is traditionally the host for the reception after his daughter's wedding. While these days the father of the bride of not always expected to pay for all the costs of the reception as in the past, he is still expected to welcome the guests and act as the host.
He may also be expected to act as the wedding reception's master of ceremonies, though these days that role is not automatically assigned to the father of the bride. Sometimes a professional wedding MC is engaged, or a more common (and less expensive) approach is for a friend or family member with more public speaking experience or skills to stand in for the bride's father. Occasionally the best man may step into the MC's role.
The father of the bride usually gives the first speech of the wedding reception, and it marks the start of the reception. It is traditionally the host's welcoming speech, and typically ends in a toast to the newly wed couple, to place the attention of the guests firmly on the "stars" of the event.
Because he is giving the first speech, the father of the bride has a special responsibility for setting the atmosphere for the reception. He needs to "break the ice" and put people in a cheerful and friendly mood to enjoy meeting new people and having a fun time. A little humor, and some "small talk" about the wedding ceremony, a thanks to the the wedding celebrant, mention of the weather, how happy the couple look, a comment about the pretty bridesmaids, a reference to the venue for the reception, and so on, helps to get people involved and interested.
In welcoming the guests the father of the bride normally has to help the two groups of family and friends - one from the bride's side and the other from the groom's side - to get to know each other with some introductions. Often the leading members of the wedding party, usually seated with the wedding couple, are mentioned by name, especially the parents and grandparents present. An extra spark of interest, and perhaps a story or two, can be added by mentioning special guests, such as well known personalities or people who have traveled some distance to be present. It is customary for the host to thank all who have taken the trouble to be there to share the special day.
Some people important in the life of the wedding couple may not be present, for a range of reasons, such as ill health, other obligations, distance or even because they recently passed away. Mention is often made of them.
Some people may have made a special contribution to the wedding in some way, whether financially or in kind, such as arranging the flowers, icing the cake, and so forth. As host, the father of the bride will usually take a moment to acknowledge their contribution. Prior consultation and speech notes can be important to make sure nobody significant is overlooked!
It is a good idea to tell guests what to expect during the reception - it helps to put them at their ease, and builds some anticipation for the later events, such as the best man's speech and any special entertainment that may be planned.
Marriage traditionally marked the stage when a daughter left home. These days she will often have left home some time beforehand, but the wedding is still a time when fathers allow themselves to become a little sentimental about their daughter moving on to make a new life, a new home and a new family. There are not many occasions when a father can express his feelings about his daughter in public, and the father of the bride speech is one of them. It is also an opportunity for him to share some "inside" stories, and some good natured and tasteful humor, about his daughter growing up, and perhaps about the couple during their courting days.
The concluding toast to the newly wedded couple is traditionally spiced with a little humor or a witty play on words.
If you feel the need for a checklist of points to cover in your father of the bride speech, and suggestions of appropriate words to use - and maybe a few jokes and witty toasts - you are not alone. Fortunately, though few fathers have given a father of the bride speech very often, many fathers have been there before you. There are some great resources you can call on to allay your concerns, and get your speech preparation over and done with quickly and efficiently.
Here is a simple way you can make your speech preparation task easier on yourself.
You can download a package of 20 professionally prepared wedding speeches written just for the father of the bride - and 100 witty wedding toasts you can choose from.
In just a short time, following the step-by-step guide, you can prepare an impressive wedding speech and propose wedding toasts that cover all the important points that wedding etiquette demands of the father of the bride. And you can be confident there is the witty and entertaining content that will make your speech special and memorable for your daughter and her new partner, and the other guests.
You will also receive a guide to help you deliver your speech successfully, to make it an easy and worry-free experience.
You will also receive a guide to wedding etiquette and the role of the father of the bride; and how to handle the master of ceremonies role if you are called upon to help keep the wedding moving along.
Read more and download your copy, and free yourself from your concerns about how you will be able to contribute successfully on your daughter's wedding day:
Wedding Speeches For The Father Of The
Bride
See Also:
Wedding Speeches For The Best
Man
Wedding Speeches For The
Groom
Wedding Speeches For The Mother Of The
Bride
Wedding Speeches For The
Bride
Wedding Speeches For The Maid Of
Honor
The Wedding MC's Guide
Master Wedding Planning Guide
Secrets
Bachelor Party Planner
