Hiring a wedding speechwriter, or doing it with ToastDoctor

A good speechwriter is worth the money for some speeches. For most, the stories are the hard part, and you already have those. Here's how the two compare on cost, time and what you actually get, with the published prices we found.

A speechwriter is the better pick if

You want a person to interview you and ask the follow-up questions
The speech has to handle something painful, like a parent who died or a family rift, and you want an experienced writer's judgment on it
You'd like unlimited changes right up to the day
The wedding is weeks away and the budget is there

ToastDoctor is the better pick if

You have a draft, or the stories, and want it to land
The wedding is close and you can't wait a week
You'd rather spend $29 or $49 than $275 to $500
Several people are speaking and you want them all covered

Side by side

Price: A speechwriterAbout $275 to edit your draft and $450 to $500 to write one from scratch. In the UK, about £275 and £445.; ToastDoctorFree check. $29 rewrite, or $49 with the delivery pack.
Turnaround: A speechwriterAbout a week. Faster usually costs extra (one US writer lists a $250 rush fee).; ToastDoctorAbout a minute.
Who shapes it: A speechwriterA professional writer, usually after a questionnaire and a call.; ToastDoctorYou bring the stories. Our system shapes them under rules we wrote, and nothing is invented about the people in it.
Changes: A speechwriterOften unlimited until the wedding.; ToastDoctorOne free revision.
Refund: A speechwriterVaries. Some offer a guarantee; many don't publish one.; ToastDoctorFull refund within seven days, for any reason.
Delivery help: A speechwriterLive coaching is usually extra, around £225 to £295 an hour in the UK.; ToastDoctorFree teleprompter and practice coach. Cue cards and a marked-up copy in the $49 pack.
Several speakers: A speechwriterPriced per speech.; ToastDoctor$99 covers four speeches at one wedding, and the Speech Hub is free.

Compared on	A speechwriter	ToastDoctor
Price	About $275 to edit your draft and $450 to $500 to write one from scratch. In the UK, about £275 and £445.	Free check. $29 rewrite, or $49 with the delivery pack.
Turnaround	About a week. Faster usually costs extra (one US writer lists a $250 rush fee).	About a minute.
Who shapes it	A professional writer, usually after a questionnaire and a call.	You bring the stories. Our system shapes them under rules we wrote, and nothing is invented about the people in it.
Changes	Often unlimited until the wedding.	One free revision.
Refund	Varies. Some offer a guarantee; many don't publish one.	Full refund within seven days, for any reason.
Delivery help	Live coaching is usually extra, around £225 to £295 an hour in the UK.	Free teleprompter and practice coach. Cue cards and a marked-up copy in the $49 pack.
Several speakers	Priced per speech.	$99 covers four speeches at one wedding, and the Speech Hub is free.

Prices as published when we checked in October 2026. They change, so check before you buy.

Where a speechwriter does better

A real conversation

A writer can hear you tell a story badly and spot the good part you skipped. A questionnaire and a call draw out things you wouldn't think to type.

Hard situations

A speech that has to mention a death, a divorce or an estranged parent needs judgment about what to leave out. An experienced writer has made those calls before.

No limit on changes

Most bespoke packages let you keep asking for edits until the day. Ours includes one revision.

Where ToastDoctor does better

You find out what you need first

The free check tells you what already works, what to cut and how long it runs. Plenty of drafts need an afternoon of your own edits, not a $450 invoice.

Time

Most speeches get written in the last two weeks. A rewrite in a minute and a practice coach the same night beats a one-week queue.

The whole wedding party

Four speeches cost $99 with the Party Pass, and the free Speech Hub lets the couple see who's ready and how long everyone is planning to talk.

Or use both

Run the free check before you hire anyone. If you still want a writer, take the check with you: it shows them what's working and saves a round of edits.

See where your speech stands, free

Paste your draft and get a grade, the lines that land, what to cut and how long it runs. About half a minute, no account.

Check my speech Start from a blank page

Questions

How much does a wedding speechwriter cost?

The published prices we found in October 2026 ran about $275 to edit a draft you've written and $450 to $500 to write one from scratch, with rush fees on top for a speech needed within a few days. UK writers charged about £275 to edit and £445 for bespoke writing. Marketplace freelancers can be cheaper.

Is it embarrassing to hire someone to write your wedding speech?

No. People have hired speechwriters for a long time, and the stories in it are still yours. The thing guests notice is a speech that doesn't sound like the person giving it, however it was written.

Will a ToastDoctor rewrite sound like me?

It keeps your lines that land word for word and builds the rest from your own stories. If a line still isn't you, the free revision fixes it, and if the whole thing isn't, you get a full refund within seven days.