Speech Father of the Bride

Let me offer a few tips that I have learned from my years of coaching people with their Speech, father of the bride oriented.  First off, start your speech by talking about your daughter.  Some people make the mistake of starting on the topic of the groom or other family members.  This isn’t recommended, since it gives the impression that the speech is actually about them, which it isn’t.  It’s about your lovely daughter, on her most important and special day.

The entire day of her wedding, your daughter will be thinking about the magic and love involved between her, her new husband, your two families, and all their friends.  You, on the other hand, will likely be feeling a broad mix of emotional highs and lows throughout the day, including potentially being sad, nervous, yearning for something in your own life that the wedding reminded you of, and joy for your little girl.

Remember, quell the nervousness if it’s there (it likely will be).  When giving a speech, father of the groom delivered, show her your strength as her father.  With it, you will put her and the rest of the room at ease by showing your acceptance of the two of them and their union.

Now for the technical details… When your mission is putting on a great a speech, father of the bride style, think of combining the elements of story, cautious approval and love.  A great story is on when you tell the audience of a time your daughter learned something about life growing up (not something too embarrassing of course).  Think of something that made her into a better person, and feel free to weave a few of the unsuspecting incidences life throws at people that make them grow.  Something that your daughter learned through her curiosity, spirit of adventure, or growing into a woman.

Some examples I’ve seen from real life are:  when she got braces, when she learned what a caterpillar was, when she first learned what caring for the dog meant.  These are things that only you know.

An especially good way to wrap up a speech, father of the bride oriented, is to tell the audience the qualities your daughter took on as facets of her own personality as a result of the examples in the story.  Examples such as ability to love all people and things, curiosity that would make her a great scientist, acceptance of diversity, etc.

Now feel free to also now mention your acceptance of the groom, and what a fine young man you think he is.  You might explain to the audience how they met, and an entertaining story around that meeting, or something they did once in a relationship.  Feel free to poke fun at the groom, just slightly, about something he did that was amusing.  (Audiences are generally much more accepting of jokes aimed at the groom versus the bride.  This is because of the nature of this being her special day.  Although it is also extremely special to him, it is so in a different way for the groom.)  Finally, mention that you are proud of them both, and then consider finishing off the speech with a toast to them both.  For details of the exact mechanics of toasts, see the main page, which has a section at the top (2nd paragraph) about wedding toasts.