Traditional Order of Wedding Toasts/Speeches

To ensure your speeches follow tradition it is important you get the order of toasts correct.  Here is a brief outline of the order, who toasts who and who says what.

1. The Father Of The Bride

• The Father of the Bride welcomes all the guests and thanks them for coming to celebrate his daughter’s wedding.

• Talks about his daughter’s skills, abilities, achievements and character.  It is a time for brief reminiscing and gentle teasing.
• Talks about his new son in law, first time they met, his skills, achievements and character.  Some gentle teasing can be adopted in respect of what he has taken on and what is expected of him now he has taken on the responsibility of his daughter!
• Toast the Bride and Groom wishing them every happiness.

2. The Bridegroom

• It is customary for the Bridegroom to begin his speech with “On behalf of my wife and I”
• The Bridegroom will thank the Bride’s Father for his daughter’s hand in marriage and (if appropriate) for providing a wonderful wedding/reception.
• Thank the guests for coming to share their day and for their gifts.
• Thank his wife for marrying him!
• Thank the bridesmaids for helping his wife during the months running up to the big day as well as the actual ceremony.  If gifts are being presented they can be given out here to the Bridesmaids as well as the Best Man, Ushers, both the Bride’s Mother and the Groom’s Mother.
• The Bridegroom will say a few words on how he met his wife, activities they share etc. with some gentle teasing but primarily this should be a sincere speech.
• Finally a toast to the Bridesmaids will finish his speech.

3. The Best Man

• Will speak on behalf of the Bridesmaids, Ushers and any other helpers of the wedding.
• Will thank the Groom for his toast.
• Toast the parents to add further thanks which the Bridegroom has already expressed.
• Will give his main speech where he will generally include how he knows the Groom and how his “wife” has helped him become the man he is today.  It is generally expected that the Best Man will insert some anecdotes and gentle teasing into his speech to make it amusing and memorable.
• If cards and telegrams have been received by people unable to attend the wedding the Best Man will read these out at this time.
• Finally the Best Man will ask everyone to toast the happy couple.