The Indecisive Bride’s Guide to Toasts & Speeches
Before the party starts, there is one major wedding ritual you should never waffle on: the speeches and toasts! For me, the most cherished part of my wedding day was listening to the collection of stories, blessings and hilarious memories from loved ones.
Keep in mind, behind every successful speech is proper planning. Be sure to set aside time for them in your evening schedule. Not sure about who should speak and when? No biggie, I’ve got you covered!
The main speakers should be your parents, the maid of honor, the best man, and the two of you. While there are different variations, this a solid order of speeches to follow:
The Welcome Toast
As soon as your guests are seated and settled, the first to speak after the MC introductions are generally the Parents of the Bride. It should be a happy toast to the couple, but also a warm welcome to the crowd.
If you’d like the Parents of the Groom to speak too, they can go straight after the parents of the bride. For same-sex weddings, the couple can decide which order they prefer.
The Prayer/Blessing
If you’d like someone to bless the meal, have them follow the parent speeches and do so before the dinner.
The Best Man and Maid of Honour’s Toasts
Traditionally, the best man will speak toward the end dinner, after entrées. This way there are no interruptions from servers and guests are still seated and engaged. The maid of honour toasts after the best man.
The Happy Couple’s Toast
As newlyweds, you can stand up and thank your parents, loved ones and guests for supporting you on this amazing day. You can speak right after your best man and maid of honour, or make a speech on your way to the cake cutting or first dance.
If well-organized and planned, toasts and speeches will be a highlight on your wedding day. Of course, there’s always the risk of being crucified by your maid of honour with embarrassing college stories, or gutted by your dad’s emotional words. Embrace it! That’s what makes a wedding moving and memorable.
