Father of the Bride Speech Advice
The father of the bride speech traditionally is the first or one of the first speeches that is given. However, as wedding start to become more modern, couples are starting to use the father of the bride speech as a closer rather than an opener. Do whichever makes you and your daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law comfortable. Wherever your speech falls in the order of toasts, you’ll want to include the same basic elements such as welcoming the groom to the family and of course, gushing about how proud you are of your little girl and how happy you are for her. Here’s a basic rundown of things you may want to include in your father of the bride speech.
The Warm-Up
You’ll likely not want to start your speech gushing right off the bat. Using the first few moments of your speech to warm up the crowd and make small talk is a great way to set everyone at ease. You can comment on the weather and talk about how nice the ceremony was. Welcome the guests to the party and thank them for coming. Be sure to make particular mention of anyone who traveled a great distance to be there. It will make them feel honored and is a nice gesture when people have taken special effort to come and celebrate with you.
Welcoming the Groom and His Family
Part of your job as father of the bride is to welcome your new son-in-law to the family and also tell his family how happy you are that your kids brought all of you together and that you’re now all a part of each other’s lives. Making the groom’s family feel welcome is very important in easing everyone into the adjustment of having a new extended family. It’s also nice to mention to the groom’s parents how happy you are that your daughter found someone so kind and honest (or whatever character traits are most important to you), and that this is a reflection of the parents.
Reminisce on Past Times with Your Daughter
This is the easy part because you simply talk about all the things you will be thinking about that day. Talk about how you still remember bringing her home from the hospital like it was yesterday and go through your favorite memories with her throughout her childhood. Talk about how you’ve always only wanted her happiness, and you’re so glad she’s found it.
Look to the Future
Just as you looked back on the past, today is mostly a time for looking towards the future and it’s important to talk about this in your speech. You can joke about grandchildren or talk about how excited you are for them as they are about to share the very best times to come and are so happy you’ll be there for it all.
Finally….A Toast
Once everything has been said and you’ve welcomed all the appropriate people to your family and to the celebrations, (and maybe even teared up a bit!), it’s time for the toast. Raise your glass and announce that you like to sum it all up with a toast. Make the toast to the bride and groom and wish them love and happiness on this day that starts their lives together.
