The father of the bride, the mother of the groom, the maid of honor, the best man, siblings, various friends and family: What do all these people have in common? Each of them may be called upon to give a wedding speech!
Just the word speech can send shivers down the spine of these individuals, especially at the thought of speaking in front of such an intimate audience at such a special occasion. Thankfully, you have complete freedom in choosing what type of speech you want to give and are comfortable giving. Look through these examples before you decide what type of wedding speech is for you!
Tear-jerker
One of the most classic wedding speeches is the heartfelt one. A heartfelt speech allows you to share your deep affection, an opportunity you regularly have. Tell the bride and groom how much you appreciate them. Reference very specific characteristics that you admire about them and share personal stories. Life is short, so confessing your love is always a good option.
Try to watch this father of the bride speech without crying:
Video source: youtube.com
Roast
A large number of the speeches at weddings are meaningful, beautiful, and serve to compliment the bride, the groom, and the beauty of their relationship. Stray from this trend and make your speech stand out by roasting the couple. Tease them for their quirks, make fun of each of their weakness, and let the sarcasm abound. Know your audience with this type of speech to avoid misunderstandings and hurt feelings.
Who better to give a roast than a brother of the groom:
Video source: youtube.com
Comedy
You can be funny without completely roasting the bride, groom, or both. Tell stories that exhibit the naïveté of their childhood, the awkwardness of their teenage years, and the mistakes of their young adulthood. This type of toast works for both the natural comedians and those who are nervous about standing in front of a large crowd.
The best men often have funny speeches, but what about the maid of honor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqM5KQ0jp1M
Video source: youtube.com
Advice
This is perfect if you are a married individual and can provide the couple with some real-life experience and advice. While you may feel ridiculing to give the couple advice on regular occasions, a wedding toast is the perfect excuse to share what you’ve learned through marriage. You can save them a lot of hardship by giving them a realistic, but encouraging, perspective on marriage.
Skip to 3:55 to hear what this mom has to say to her son and new daughter-in-law:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lw7KBBAiH8
Video source: youtube.com
Biblical
There’s no better source for wisdom and advice than the Bible. If you feel at a loss for the words to say, turn to the ultimate source of knowledge! Your effort to search through the Word to find these verses will be evident to the new couple, and you will provide them with a solid foundation upon which to build their marriage.
Check out which verses this older brother offered during his speech:
Video source: youtube.com
Musical
Maybe the thought of giving a speech terrifies you but you are completely comfortable singing in front of a large crowd. No problem! Sing an original song or cover a song that pertains to the occasion. You can make this performance funny, serious, or tear-jerking, but it is sure to be unforgettable!
Take a look at this groom’s funny parody set to the tune of Elton John’s Your Song:
Video source: youtube.com
Quotable
Another speech option for those at a loss for words is a quote speech. Reference memorable quotes from movies, books, poems, and songs to speak to represent your thoughts and feelings. These authors make a living out of putting words together beautifully, so you can trust them to help with your wedding speech. You can throw in a couple quotes here and there, base your speech on one quote, or construct your entire speech out of quotes.
This man actually titled his toast the “Best Man Movie Quote Speech”:
Video source: youtube.com
You should feel honored that the bride and groom want you to offer a few words at their wedding! By selected the right type of speech for your personality and occasion, your wedding speech can feel more like the honor that it is than a burden.
