During the reception it is customary for the father of the bride to make a short speech, thanking the guests and those that have helped with the wedding planning, and talking a little about his daughter and new son-in-law. At the end of the speech the father of the bride usually proposes a toast to the happy couple.
Mention The Bride's Mother And New In-Laws
Even if you're divorced from her mother, a line or two acknowledging her part in your child's life will be very well appreciated.
The best man should also thank the groom for toasting the bridesmaids, and comment on the newlyweds, especially the groom. He should also read out any messages from absent friends and family, and end with a final toast to the happy couple.
Thank the father of the bride and introduce yourself. Thank guests again for coming briefly. Talk about the groom and share anecdotes and memories. Talk about his partner, meeting them for the first time and how happy your son is.
The traditional wedding speech order goes father of the bride, groom, best man and other toasts. "In same-sex weddings, it is also common for both partners to speak but sometimes only one does," explains Marc.
A groom's speech should focus on thanking everyone who has helped make the wedding day special including the mother and father of the bride (or equivalent), the guests, his own parents, the best man, the bridesmaids, ushers, and anyone else who has contributed to the wedding.
The father of the bride (or someone chosen to fulfill this role) traditionally gives a speech before the groom. Therefore, the first thing a groom should do is thank the previous speech giver on behalf of himself and his new bride or husband. The next thing to do is to thank all of your guests for coming.
He then thanks the guests, the bride's parents (if they're hosting the wedding), and his own parents and best man. He may say a few words about his beautiful new wife, and then – traditionally – finishes with a toast to the bridesmaids, although this is becoming less common and an alternative toast may be preferred.
Gush about the bride
Talk about how you felt when she was born, the first time a boy looked at her, or the day she got her first job. Mention what she does that makes you proud now and any relevant stories about her as an adult.
"A man of honor could be a family member, like a brother or cousin, but equally as often it's a close friend. It could also be teenage or adult sons, stepsons, nephews—any male figure that holds a special and significant role in the bride's life."
The maid, matron, or man of honor is the bride's right-hand person. Also known as the bride's honor attendant, this role is usually taken by a sibling or best friend. The role of matron is designated if the person in this role is married.
“Here's to the past, for all that you've learnt. Here's to the present, for all that you share. Here's to the future, for all that you've got to look forward to.” “A toast: may all sweethearts become married couples, and may all married couples remain sweethearts.”
A ring dish or jewelry box is a great wedding day gift. Many ring dishes and jewelry boxes can also be personalized with the bride's new name and wedding date to make it a keepsake she will never forget. If you want to give a really generous gift, you could gift a piece of jewelry with the ring dish or jewelry box.
While in some families and cultures, the parents do give a tangible gift to the bridal couple, other families and cultures feel the wedding itself is enough. This means it is completely your choice.
Traditionally, the best man purchases a gift from the couple's wedding registry or gives cash. However, if the best man would prefer to give a more creative or sentimental gift that' s not on the registry that he feels the couple would love, that's okay, too.
Who Is Usually the Best Man At A Wedding? The best man is often the closest friend of the groom (or a dear relative like a brother or father). There are no restrictions as to who you pick to be your best man.
The best man should be someone who holds a significant role in the groom's life, like a brother or best friend. They should also be dependable enough to commit to the duties required of the role.
Many weddings, for example, include a speech from the bride, maid of honour, and father of the groom. In the order of wedding speeches, these other ones usually come after the groom's speech and before the best man's speech, or after the best man's, it's totally up to you!
As a guide, here's a list of the expenses traditionally covered by the parents of the groom: the wedding rings, officiant's fee, marriage license, the bride's bouquet, boutonnieres and corsages for the immediate family, music (band/DJ), liquor at the reception and the honeymoon.
The maid of honour is traditionally seated to the left of the groom's father, with the bride's mother to his right. The groom is then seated between his bride and her father, with the groom's mother on his right and the best man next to her.
During a wedding ceremony the best man stands next to the groom, slightly behind him. This means that the four people present at the altar are the officiant (such as a civil celebrant, priest, rabbi, minister, or other religious figure), the bride, groom, and best man.