Examples
147 wedding speech examples, by role.
Full speeches for every role and tone, each with a note on why it works, plus every example from the guides. The names are made up. The shapes are yours to borrow.
The library: 80 full speeches
Pick your role and the tone you want, and read the whole speech on its own page.
80 speeches
- Friend or guest · Heartfelt · 3 minBilingual Wedding Toast from the Bride's SisterThe bride's older sister speaks to a room where the groom's family speaks Spanish, and switches languages for the lines meant for themGood evening. I'm Oriana, the older sister, by four years, which Eulalia will tell you does not count anymore and I will tell you counts forever. When I left for college in Ohio, Eulalia was fourteen. We were close, but we were sisters, so we had never once said so.
- Friend or guest · Short · 2 minDestination Wedding Welcome ToastThe bride's mother gives a welcome toast at the first-night dinner of a destination wedding in CroatiaGood evening, everybody. I'm Helena, Yael's mother. Before anything else, thank you for coming all this way. Some of you flew eleven hours to be here. My mother is eighty-four and changed planes in Frankfurt to be here tonight, and she would like you all to know she did it without a wheelchair.
- Friend or guest · Heartfelt · 3 minGroom's Second Wedding Speech, With His KidsA groom marrying for the second time speaks with his two children from his first marriage standing in the wedding party, and addresses each by nameThank you all for being here. I'm Hieronymus, and I'm the groom, which I was told I would get to say exactly once tonight, so I am saying it now. Most of you know this is not my first time standing at one of these.
- Friend or guest · Short · 1.5 minHost's Welcome Wedding Toast Before DinnerThe couple's close friend, who officiated an hour earlier, welcomes the room and gives the first toast before dinner is servedGood evening, everyone, and welcome. I'm Wilder. An hour ago I was the one in the robe up front. Now I am the one standing between you and dinner, and I can feel it.
- Friend or guest · Short · 2 minRehearsal Dinner Toast From the Bride's Best FriendThe bride's best friend, who isn't speaking at the reception, tells a lighter story at the rehearsal dinner the night beforeHi, everyone. I'm Tova. Zuzana and I have been friends since seventh grade, and I am not giving a speech tomorrow, which is why I get to tell this one tonight. At the reception there will be a grandmother in the front row. This room is just us.
- Friend or guest · Short · 2 minRehearsal Dinner Wedding Toast From an UncleThe groom's uncle gives the family toast at the rehearsal dinner the night before, with one story from the summer the groom was twelveHello, everybody. I'm Cosimo, Alaric's uncle, his mother's younger brother, and the family has agreed I can go tonight so that tomorrow belongs to the professionals. The summer Alaric was twelve, he spent in my garage in Tacoma.
- Friend or guest · Heartfelt · 3 minToast for a Parent's Second Marriage, From Their DaughterAn adult daughter toasts her divorced mom's second marriage, welcoming her new stepdad at the receptionHi, everyone. I'm Coral, Aurelia's daughter. My brother Marlon is the one at table four pretending he isn't already crying. He asked me to do this, which was smart of him. My parents split up when I was nine and Marlon was six.
- Friend or guest · Short · 1.5 minWedding Toast From a CoworkerA coworker who knows the bride only from the office is asked to say a few words at a small weddingHi, everyone. I'm Barnabas. I should say up front that I know Gilda from work, and only from work. We've sat about four feet apart in the claims office at Lakeview Mutual for five years. I've never seen her house. I have watched her eat the same turkey sandwich roughly twelve hundred times.
- Friend or guest · Short · 1.5 minWedding Toast From a FriendA former roommate gives a short toast at the reception, with one small story about the bride that shows how she pays attention to peopleHi, everyone. I'm Merritt. Xanthe and I shared a fourth-floor walkup on Garfield Street for three years, and I was the one who left the dishes. I would like that on the record before anyone asks. Here is the thing about Xanthe.
- Friend or guest · Short · 2 minWedding Toast From a GodparentThe bride's godfather gives a short toast at the reception about a birthday tradition they've kept since she was fiveHello, everyone. I'm Gareth. I've been Briar's godfather since she was three weeks old, when her parents stood me up at the front of a church in a borrowed tie and asked me to promise things I didn't fully understand. I've tried to keep them anyway.
- Friend or guest · Short · 1.5 minWedding Toast from a Last-Minute Plus-OneA plus-one at a twenty-two person wedding is asked to say a few words with no notice, having met the couple three timesHi. I'm Honora. I am here as the date of Iolanthe's cousin, which means I have met the two of you a total of three times, one of which was an hour ago in the parking lot, and now I have a microphone. I want to be honest about that.
- Friend or guest · Short · 1.5 minWedding Toast From the Groom's BossThe owner of the small company the groom has worked at since he was twenty-two gives a short toast, using one thing from work that shows his character rather than his jobHi, everyone. I'm Nerys. I own the landscaping company Lucius has worked for since he was twenty-two, which makes me his boss, which is not a word he has ever used. "The person I report to" is as far as he will go.
- Friend or guest · Short · 1.5 minWedding Toast From the OfficiantA friend who officiated the ceremony gives a short toast at the reception without repeating what he said at the altarHi, everyone. I'm Ruairi. An hour ago I married these two. I got ordained online in March. It took four minutes, it was free, and I printed the certificate at the public library. No one at the library asked a single question, which I think about a lot. I already said the official words.
- Best Man · Heartfelt · 3.5 minBest Man Speech After the Groom Lost His DadBest man for a college roommate whose father died two years before the wedding; the speech names him once and moves onGood evening. I'm Lazlo, the best man. Fitzgerald and I were assigned the same freshman dorm room at Pitt, and he spent the first night labeling the shelves. His side, my side. I have been living on my side of his labels ever since. I want to tell you about a porch.
- Best Man · Heartfelt · 3.5 minBest Man Speech for a Best FriendBest friends since their early twenties; the groom showed up uninvited when the best man's father had a strokeHi, everyone. I'm Lyle. Osman and I met when we were twenty-two, in the back room of a bike shop, arguing about whether you can patch a flat with a dollar bill. You can. He still says you can't. That was eleven years ago.
- Best Man · Funny · 4 minBest Man Speech for a Childhood FriendBest man for a friend since second grade; the groom is the careful one, the speaker is notGood evening. I'm Caius, the best man. Aurelio and I met in the second grade when his family moved in across the street, and within a week his mother had told my mother that I was "a lot." She was right, and Aurelio has been cleaning up after that fact ever since.
- Best Man · Heartfelt · 4 minBest Man Speech for a College RoommateBest man for a college roommate; one freshman-year story that still describes the groom twelve years laterHi, everyone. I'm Godfrey. Emilio and I were assigned to each other in August of 2012, room 311, third floor of the oldest dorm on campus, the one with the radiator that clanked all night. The housing office put us together at random.
- Best Man · Funny · 3.5 minBest Man Speech for a Coworker Turned FriendBest man for a coworker who became a close friend; they met on the night shift at a bad hotel, and the groom is marrying a manGood evening. I'm Halle, and I am the best man. Marlowe asked, I said yes, and we agreed not to make it a thing, so that is the last you will hear about it. Marlowe and I met in the summer of 2015 at the front desk of a hotel on the airport road.
- Best Man · Heartfelt · 3 minBest Man Speech for a Groom in His FiftiesBest man for a lifelong friend marrying in his fifties; the speaker watched him wait for the right person without ever pretending the wait was the planGood evening. I'm Cornelius. Linus and I met in September of 1996, in the parking lot of a hardware store, when he helped me tie a ladder to the roof of a car that had no roof rack.
- Best Man · Funny · 3.5 minBest Man Speech for a Twin BrotherThe groom's identical twin is best man; the mix-up jokes run out and lead to the bride, who has never once gotten them wrongHi, everyone. I'm Fenn, Marek's twin brother. If you congratulated me during cocktail hour, thank you. I accepted on his behalf. And to the woman by the bar who asked about the honeymoon, I told you Portugal. I have no idea where they're going. Please don't send a postcard.
- Best Man · Heartfelt · 3.5 minBest Man Speech for a Younger BrotherOlder brother as best man for his younger brother, built around one childhood memory and one thing he saw the bride doHi, everyone. I'm Nils, Ike's older brother. I'm told it's traditional for the best man to embarrass the groom. I've had twenty-nine years to collect material, and I'm going to waste almost all of it. When I was fifteen I had a paper route.
- Best Man · Short · 2.5 minBest Man Speech for an Older BrotherYounger brother as best man for his older brother; one childhood memory does all the workHi, everyone. I'm Ansel, Stellan's little brother, and I have been following him around since 1998. He is the only person in this room who has never once told me to stop. One memory, and then I will let you eat.
- Best Man · Short · 2 minBest Man Speech When You Barely Know the BrideChildhood friend of the groom who lives out of state and has only met the bride a handful of timesHi, everyone. I'm Obinna. Calloway and I have been friends since we were eleven, when he lent me his bike and I brought it back with a flat. He still brings that up. I want to be honest with Astrid's side of the room. I have met Astrid four times.
- Best Man · Funny · 3 minFunny Best Man Speech for a CousinCousins who spent every childhood summer together at their grandparents' house, now one is best man for the otherHi, everyone. I'm Pablo, Sol's cousin. Our moms are sisters, which meant that every summer from the time we were six, they drove us out to our grandparents' place outside Las Cruces and left us there until school started. Our grandfather had one rule: be home when the porch light comes on.
- Best Man · Funny · 3.5 minJoint Best Man Speech for Two Best MenTwo best men, a childhood friend and a coworker, who barely knew each other before the wedding, giving one speech together at a two-groom weddingXavi: Hi, everyone. I'm Xavi. Conrad and I go back to second grade, when we sat next to each other on the number 14 bus. Or I did. He usually missed it. Jarrah: And I'm Jarrah. I've sat next to Conrad at work for six years.
- Best Man · Short · 2 minShort Funny Best Man SpeechCollege best friend giving a quick, mostly funny speech at a two-groom wedding, with one sincere momentGood evening, everyone. I'm Zane. I've been Mack's best friend since freshman year of college, when he color-coded our shared mini fridge. Mack likes a plan. For our first camping trip, he brought a color-coded itinerary.
- Best Woman · Funny · 3.5 minBest Woman Speech for the Groom's Best FriendThe groom's best friend since freshman year is a woman; she deals with the best woman title in one line and gets on with the speechGood evening. I'm Quintessa, and yes, I'm the best woman. Raphael picked me over six perfectly good men, and I'd like to point out that I'm the only one of them who has never asked him to help me move. That's the whole explanation. Moving on.
- Best Woman · Heartfelt · 3 minBest Woman Speech From the Groom's SisterThe groom's older sister stands up as his best woman; he is a quiet man who shows love in small, repeated waysHi, everyone. I'm Wilda, Ivo's big sister. When he asked me to be his best woman, I said yes before he finished the sentence, which he will tell you is a habit of mine. I'm five years older, so for a lot of his childhood I was in charge when our parents worked late.
- Father of the Bride · Heartfelt · 3.5 minFather of the Bride Speech for a Quiet DadA quiet father who leaves the talking to his wife is speaking because his daughter asked, and uses one drive to say what he never hasGood evening. I'm Wystan, Sabine's father. Most of you know I don't say much. Ulyana does the talking in our house, and she does it well, so I've never needed to. Tonight I'm going to say a little more than usual. Sabine asked. That's the whole reason. Welcome, all of you.
- Father of the Bride · Heartfelt · 3 minFather of the Bride Speech for Divorced ParentsA divorced father speaks for his daughter; he thanks her mother by name in one sentence and keeps the rest about KalindaGood evening, everyone. I'm Bartek, Kalinda's dad. Thank you for coming, and thank you especially to the ones who drove down from Duluth in that weather, which Kalinda planned for, because of course she did. Here is the thing about my daughter. When she was eleven, she asked for a raise in her allowance.
- Father of the Bride · Heartfelt · 3.5 minFather of the Bride Speech for Two BridesA father whose daughter is marrying a woman tells one story from her childhood and one from the first weekend her bride stayed at the houseGood evening, everybody. I'm Lowell, Fern's dad. My wife and I want to thank you all for being here, and a special thank you to Isla's mother and grandmother, who flew in on Thursday and have already reorganized our kitchen. It's better. We're not changing it back.
- Father of the Bride · Heartfelt · 3.5 minFather of the Bride Speech From a WidowerA father whose wife died when their daughter was fourteen wants to honor her without turning the toast into a eulogyGood evening. I'm Yosef, Tamar's father. Thank you all for coming. Kai's family came from Sacramento and from Osaka, and his grandmother made the trip at eighty-six, which puts the rest of us to shame. We're very glad to have you at our table. In our house, Friday night dinner was never optional.
- Father of the Bride · Funny · 4 minFather of the Bride Speech: The Garage DoorA father with a dry streak who makes the cost joke once, on purpose, then tells one story about his daughter's stubbornness that still describes herGood evening, everyone. I'm Ferdinand, Romilly's dad. On behalf of Annick and me, welcome. I was told by three separate people that I am not allowed to make a joke about what tonight cost, so I'll only say that the florist and I are now on a first-name basis, and move on.
- Father of the Bride · Formal · 2.5 minFather of the Bride Speech: The Host's WelcomeThe host of a large formal wedding gives the first toast: welcomes the room, thanks the travelers and the other family, and tells one memory about his daughterGood evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Fitzroy, Honor's father. On behalf of my wife Lisette and myself, welcome to our daughter's wedding. We are very glad you are here. A few people deserve thanks before anything else.
- Father of the Bride · Short · 2 minShort Father of the Bride SpeechA father who wants to say one true thing and sit down tells the story of his daughter's first job and what he saw the groom do on a cold morningEvening, everyone. I'm Torin, Clio's dad. My wife and I are so glad you're here, and we want to thank Jago's parents for raising a son we would have picked ourselves if anyone had asked us. I have one memory. When Clio was fifteen she got her first job, the 5 a.m.
- Father of the Bride · Heartfelt · 3.5 minStepfather of the Bride SpeechA stepfather who arrived when the bride was fourteen and wasn't wanted speaks with her father in the room, and has to honor both men without making it awkwardHi, everyone. I'm Magnus. I'm Frida's stepfather, and for about a year of her life I was "Mom's husband," said in a tone I won't try to imitate in front of her new in-laws. I married Ulla when Frida was fourteen. Frida did not ask for me.
- Father of the Groom · Heartfelt · 3 minFather of the Groom Rehearsal Dinner SpeechFather of the groom hosting the rehearsal dinner, giving the bride's family a real welcome before he gets to his sonGood evening, everyone. I'm Teodoro, Florian's father. Rosamund and I are so glad you're here, and we're glad you found the place, since the sign out front has said "Grand Opening" since 2011. Dorit and Atticus.
- Father of the Groom · Funny · 3 minFather of the Groom Speech for the Serious SonFather of the groom at the reception, where the son is the serious one and the father is the one who lost every argumentHi, everyone. I'm Benedikt, Dashiell's dad. Petronella and Zephyr have already welcomed you all, and they did it with better posture than I'm going to manage, so I'll just say thank you both, and thank you for Clementine. Adaline and I have gained a daughter and, judging by the seating chart, about forty cousins.
- Father of the Groom · Heartfelt · 3.5 minFather of the Groom Speech, Given TogetherThe groom's father and mother giving one speech together, alternating paragraphs, each with a different half of the same storyArmand: Good evening. I'm Armand, Bruno's father, and this is Esperanza, his mother. We're doing this together because in thirty years we have never once agreed on how a story about Bruno goes, and we decided you should hear both versions. Esperanza: Bruno talked late.
- Father of the Groom · Short · 2 minShort Father of the Groom SpeechA father of the groom who wants to thank the hosts, tell one story about his son, and sit downGood evening. I'm Saul, Crispin's father. My wife and I want to thank Hollie's parents for this beautiful day, and for welcoming our whole loud family into theirs. One story about my son.
- Grandparent · Heartfelt · 2.5 minWedding Toast From a GrandfatherA grandfather married fifty-six years, whose wife died two winters ago, toasts his granddaughter with a house rule the couple kept and what he saw the groom doEvening, everyone. I'm Aldous, Juno's grandfather. I was married to her grandmother Fiadh for fifty-six years. She died two winters ago, and she would have loved tonight, mostly because she'd have been right about the flowers. Fiadh and I had one rule in our house, and we kept it the whole time.
- Grandparent · Short · 2 minWedding Toast From a GrandmotherAn eighty-four-year-old grandmother toasts her granddaughter with a memory from a two-week summer visit, and welcomes the groom with something she saw in her own kitchenGood evening. I'm Dorothea, Beatriz's grandmother, and I am eighty-four, so I have been asked to sit while I say this. I will stand for the toast. Nobody has stopped me yet. When Beatriz was ten, she stayed with me for two weeks in July while her parents moved house.
- Maid of Honor · Funny · 3 minFunny Matron of Honor SpeechMarried matron of honor for her best friend, a lifelong planner; she pointedly declines to hand out marriage adviceGood evening. I'm Bess, and I've been Mae's best friend since college. Tonight I'm her matron of honor, which is the title they give you once you're married. I looked it up. It makes me sound like I run a boarding school and confiscate radios.
- Maid of Honor · Funny · 3.5 minJoint Speech From Two Maids of HonorTwo maids of honor, the bride's sister and her college best friend, give one speech together and keep competing over who knows the bride betterSeren: Hi, everyone. I'm Seren, Yara's sister. Neve: And I'm Neve, Yara's best friend from college. Seren: We're both maids of honor. Yara could not choose between us, which is fine. It was an easy choice, and she made the wrong one. Neve: We agreed to share this speech fairly.
- Maid of Honor · Funny · 4 minMaid of Honor Speech for a Best Friend Since SchoolMaid of honor for a best friend since sixth grade; the bride wins every argument, and the groom is the first person who never arguedHi, everyone. I'm Sidonie, the maid of honor. Verity and I met in sixth grade at Fairmont Middle School, in the back row of Mrs. Hadley's science class, where she corrected my spelling of "volcano" before she told me her name.
- Maid of Honor · Heartfelt · 4 minMaid of Honor Speech for a Childhood Best FriendMaid of honor for a friend she has known since they were five; the bride is marrying a womanHi, everyone. I'm Pia. I met Winnie on the first day of kindergarten, which was twenty-six years ago, and I've been thinking about how to fit that into four minutes. I can't.
- Maid of Honor · Short · 2.5 minMaid of Honor Speech for a CousinA cousin as maid of honor, picked on the grandmother's orders; one lake-house tradition explains the bride in under three minutesHi, everyone. I'm Kerensa, Isolde's cousin, and I'm the maid of honor because our grandmother Paz told her to pick me, and nobody in this family has ever said no to Paz.
- Maid of Honor · Heartfelt · 3.5 minMaid of Honor Speech for a Friend Met as AdultsMaid of honor for a friend she met at twenty-nine at the back of a running club; they have no childhood stories, only SaturdaysHi, everyone. I'm Malin, and I have been Devika's best friend for six years, which I realize is not very long. I've heard a lot of maid of honor speeches that start in kindergarten. I didn't know Devika in kindergarten. I didn't know her in college.
- Maid of Honor · Heartfelt · 3.5 minMaid of Honor Speech for a Long-Distance Best FriendMaid of honor whose best friend moved to Melbourne nine years ago; they have been sixteen hours apart ever sinceHi, everyone. I'm Kaia. Reva and I met in seventh grade, in her grandmother's kitchen, where we were both being taught to make parathas and both doing it badly. We were inseparable for eleven years.
- Maid of Honor · Funny · 3 minMaid of Honor Speech for a Work FriendMaid of honor for a friend she met at a new-hire orientation five years ago; the bride is the office floor warden who takes it completely seriouslyHi, everyone. I'm Signe, the maid of honor. Margit and I met five years ago on the same first day at Hollis and Grant, in a new-hire orientation where she raised her hand to point out that the fire-exit map on the slide was upside down.
- Maid of Honor · Funny · 3.5 minMaid of Honor Speech for a Younger SisterOlder sister as maid of honor for the younger sister who copied everything she did, from bangs to restaurant ordersHi, everyone. I'm Stella, Daisy's older sister. Three years older, which in our house meant a three-year head start on everything, and Daisy spent her whole childhood trying to close the gap by doing exactly what I did, about four minutes after I did it. I got bangs in fourth grade.
- Maid of Honor · Heartfelt · 4 minMaid of Honor Speech for a Younger SisterOlder sister as maid of honor for her younger sister, who is marrying a woman; the speaker admits she was the one who did not write backGood evening. I'm Sigrid, Maeve's older sister by five years, which means I spent most of her childhood telling her she was too young for whatever I was doing. She came anyway. She always came anyway, and tonight I want to tell you about the time that mattered most.
- Maid of Honor · Funny · 3.5 minMaid of Honor Speech for an Older SisterYounger sister as maid of honor for the bossy older sister who ran her childhood, down to the minuteHi, everyone. I'm Zinnia, Bettina's little sister. She is four years older than me, and for the first twelve years of my life she was also my supervisor. I never applied for the position. She just hired me.
- Maid of Honor · Heartfelt · 3.5 minMatron of Honor Speech, Returning the FavorA married matron of honor speaking for the friend who was her maid of honor six years ago, and who sewed her into her wedding dressGood evening. I'm Tuva, the matron of honor, and the "matron" part is Elsbeth's fault, because six years ago she stood next to me at my wedding, and tonight I get to return the favor. Here is what she did that day, and I have never told this story in public.
- Maid of Honor · Short · 2 minShort Maid of Honor Speech for a Best FriendMaid of honor for her college roommate, who is marrying a woman; one story, one turn, one toast, done in two minutesHi, everyone. I'm Lumi. Alba and I met at nineteen, when we were assigned a dorm room with one window that never closed all the way. I have one story. Sophomore year, in February, the heat in our building broke for nine days. Alba decided we were not going to be miserable about it.
- Man of Honor · Heartfelt · 3.5 minMan of Honor Speech, the Bride's Best FriendThe bride's best friend is a man; the bride is marrying a woman, and he speaks for the bride's sideHi, everyone. I'm Percival, the man of honor. Delphi tried "bridesman" for a week, then "best person," and then she looked at me and said, "You're the man of honor. Don't make it weird." So I won't. Delphi and I met at nineteen, working the four a.m.
- Mother of the Bride · Funny · 3 minFunny Mother of the Bride SpeechA deadpan mother of the bride who would rather be funny than sentimental, with one sincere moment she clearly meansGood evening. I'm Tessa, Poppy's mother. My husband asked me to keep it clean, and Poppy asked me to keep it under three minutes, so I'll be doing one of those. Thank you all for coming.
- Mother of the Bride · Funny · 3 minMother of the Bride Speech for Two BridesA mother with a dry sense of humor speaks at her daughter's wedding to a woman, and lets a childhood board game do the workGood evening. I'm Honor, Lyra's mother. Lyra asked me to be funny tonight, and I told her I'd do my best, and she said, "No, Mom, actually funny," so you'll have to decide. I want to tell you about the rules.
- Mother of the Bride · Heartfelt · 3.5 minMother of the Bride Speech, Hosting AloneA mother who raised her daughter alone is hosting alone, and uses one week from 2008 to show who her daughter is and to welcome the man who noticed the screen doorGood evening, everyone. I'm Xiomara, Leontine's mother. It's just me up here tonight, which is how it has been in our house since Leontine was four, and I want to say up front that we did fine. Better than fine. Look at her. Welcome, all of you.
- Mother of the Bride · Formal · 2.5 minMother of the Bride Welcome SpeechThe hosting mother opens the reception for her daughter and her daughter's wife: thanks the guests and staff, welcomes the other family, and shares one memoryLadies and gentlemen, good evening, and welcome. I'm Wendeline, Aurelie's mother. On behalf of my husband Corin and myself, thank you for joining us tonight to celebrate Aurelie and Keturah. A few thanks are in order.
- Mother of the Groom · Heartfelt · 3 minMother of the Groom Speech for a Slow StartMother of the groom welcoming a daughter-in-law she was slow to warm to, with the daughter-in-law's blessing to tell the truth about itGood evening. I'm Svea, Quentin's mother, and I'm going to tell you something Lavinia already knows, because she and I talked it through on a Tuesday in October two years ago, in my kitchen, and we agreed I could say it tonight. I was not an easy person to win over.
- Mother of the Groom · Funny · 3 minMother of the Groom Speech for Two GroomsMother of the groom at a two-groom wedding, telling the story of the first time her son brought his partner homeHi, everyone. I'm Imelda, Ezio's mom. I want to tell you about the first time he brought Amadeo home, because Amadeo has asked me not to, and I'm his mother-in-law now, so there's very little he can do about it. It was a Sunday in March, three years ago.
- Mother of the Groom · Heartfelt · 3 minMother of the Groom Speech Welcoming the BrideA mother of the groom who liked the bride from the first afternoon wants to tell her exactly when and whyGood evening, everyone. I'm Carina, Edwin's mother. Thank you all for coming, and thank you to Jade's parents, who have made us feel at home since the very first phone call. I liked Jade before I really knew her. I can tell you the exact minute.
- Mother of the Groom · Short · 2 minShort Mother of the Groom SpeechA mother whose son is marrying at forty-seven tells one story about his apartment and welcomes the bride with something she noticed before anyone told herHi, everyone. I'm Cressida, Cosmo's mother. I have waited forty-seven years to give this speech, so I've had plenty of time to rehearse. If it sounds polished, that's why. Cosmo has lived in the same apartment on Fulton for nineteen years. It is a nice apartment.
- Sibling · Funny · 3 minBrother of the Bride SpeechThe bride's younger brother, not in the wedding party, asked by his sister to say a few words at the receptionHi, everybody. I'm Kaz, Ida's younger brother. Ida asked me to say a few words. She said "a few" twice on the phone, and then she texted it to me, so I'm going to try. When Ida was eleven, she got a label maker for her birthday.
- Sibling · Heartfelt · 3.5 minBrother of the Bride Speech, Raised by GrandmaThe bride's younger brother speaks at her wedding; the two of them were raised by their grandmother, who is in the roomHi, everyone. I'm Tiernan, Anneliese's younger brother. There are two of us, and there was one grandmother, and she's sitting at table two in the blue, so I'm going to speak clearly and keep my elbows off this podium. Our grandmother Ursula raised us from the time I was four and Anneliese was nine.
- Sibling · Funny · 3.5 minBrother of the Groom SpeechThe groom's younger brother, not the best man, asked by the bride to say a few words at the receptionHi, everybody. I'm Kester, Josiah's younger brother. I am not the best man. That job went to his college roommate, which is fair, because I would have used the time to settle some things from 2011.
- Sibling · Short · 2.5 minSibling Wedding Speech, Youngest of FourThe youngest of four siblings gives one short speech on behalf of all of them at the oldest brother's weddingHi, everyone. I'm Carmela, the youngest of the four of us. Viggo is the oldest, then Lorimer, then Benedicta, then me. The three of them voted that I should do this. I'd like to think it's because I'm the best speaker.
- Sibling · Heartfelt · 3 minSister of the Bride Speech, Not Maid of HonorThe bride's younger sister, not the maid of honor, speaks at the reception about growing apart as kids and close as adultsHi, everyone. I'm Folasade, Yetunde's younger sister. Her maid of honor already spoke, and she was wonderful, and I am going to be shorter and probably cry more. I have to start with something true, which is that for most of our childhood, Yetunde and I did not like each other very much.
- Sibling · Funny · 3.5 minSister of the Groom Speech, a Few WordsThe groom's older sister, not in the wedding party, asked to say a few words at her brother's weddingHi, everyone. I'm Octavia, Auden's older sister. I am not the maid of honor, I did not plan anything, and nobody checked this speech, which tells you how much this family trusts me. Mirabel asked me to say a few words.
- Sibling · Heartfelt · 3 minSister of the Groom Speech, Not in the Wedding PartyThe groom's older sister, not in the wedding party, speaks at the reception at her brother's requestGood evening, everyone. I'm Aila, Lev's older sister. I'm not in the wedding party. I'm the one in the third row who started crying during the processional, before anyone had actually walked anywhere. Lev asked if I'd say something tonight anyway, and I said yes before he finished the question.
- The Couple · Funny · 3 minBride Speech Given Solo With Dry HumorThe bride speaks alone because the groom handed her the microphone, with a specific thank-you for each set of parents.Hi. I'm Guinevere, the bride. Jovan is not speaking tonight. He said, and I'm quoting, "You're better at it," which is the first argument he has conceded in four years, and he did it in front of two hundred witnesses, so it counts. Thank you all for coming.
- The Couple · Heartfelt · 3 minBride Speech to Her ParentsThe bride gives her own speech, spending most of it thanking her parents through one habit they never explained, then turns to her husbandHi, everyone. I'm Isaura, and I'm the one in the dress, so I get to talk for a minute. Haruto and I want to thank all of you for coming, some of you from very far away.
- The Couple · Short · 2 minCouple's Thank-You Speech for a Small WeddingThe couple thanks all ten guests at a small backyard wedding by name, each for the specific thing they did to make the day happen.Roscoe: We're twelve people in a backyard, so we're going to go around it once. Hedvig, it's your backyard. Thank you for saying yes before we'd finished asking, and for mowing it twice this week. Ariadne: The chairs came out of my dad's garage on Thursday.
- The Couple · Short · 2.5 minGroom Speech at a Two-Groom WeddingOne groom speaks for both at a two-groom wedding, and the story is about his husband and his quiet father fixing a fence together.Hi, everyone. I'm Darragh. Evander asked me to speak for both of us tonight, which is also how we handle the cable company, the landlord, and his aunt. So this is from both of us, and if I get anything wrong he'll correct me in the car. Thank you for coming.
- The Couple · Heartfelt · 3 minGroom Speech With a Toast to the GuestsThe groom speaks alone, thanks both families, and ends by toasting the guests instead of the couple.Good evening. I'm Horatio, and as of about four o'clock this afternoon I'm Mireya's husband, which I have practiced in the mirror and still can't say without grinning. Thank you all for being here.
- The Couple · Funny · 3 minGroom Speech With Funny Thank-YousAn older groom at the reception who wants the thank-yous quick and light so he has room for one real story about his wifeHi, everyone. I'm Harlan, and as of about two hours ago, I'm Loretta's husband. I'm sixty-four years old and I was nervous enough this morning to put my shirt on inside out, so let's get the thank-yous done while I still have my nerve.
- The Couple · Heartfelt · 3 minJoint Thank-You Speech From the CoupleThe couple speaks together, alternating lines, to thank their parents and friends and to tell one story each about the otherRaffi: Good evening, everyone. We decided to do this together because every time one of us tried to write it alone, we ended up asking the other one what we actually thought. Lulu: First, thank you for coming. Some of you drove four hours.
- The Couple · Funny · 3.5 minJoint Wedding Speech From the CoupleThe couple speaks together, trading paragraphs, and cannot agree on whether they first met at a laundromat or a birthday dinner.Leander: Hi, everyone. We're doing this together because we were told one speech from the couple is plenty, and we couldn't agree on who should give it. This is a theme. Katarina: Thank you all for being here.
- The Couple · Short · 2 minShort Groom SpeechA groom who wants to thank everyone, say one true thing about his wife, and sit down in under two minutesHi, everyone. I'm Rowan, and I'm going to get through a few thank-yous before I lose my nerve. Mom and Dad, thank you for everything, including this morning, when Dad checked that the rings were in my pocket at four separate red lights.
More examples, inside the guides
Each guide has two to four full speeches for its situation. The opening lines are here, the whole speech one click away.
Best Man speeches
Older brother, funny and warm (about four minutes)
426 words · about 3.5 minutes
Good evening, everyone. I'm Mateo, Nico's older brother. For the first nine years of his life I was his hero, and for the next twenty I was the guy who borrowed his car. Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. I'm going to be careful.
Why it works: the older brother makes himself the villain, which is the safest teasing with parents in the room. The story still describes the groom today, and the toast calls back to the tape.
Read the full speech in Best Man Speech for Your BrotherYounger brother, groom marrying a man (about four minutes)
360 words · about 3 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Isaiah, Andre's little brother. I'm thirty-one, I have a mortgage, and I'm still the little brother. That's how it works. Andre has gone first at almost everything in my life, and because he went first, I usually got the easier version. Here's one. When Andre was nineteen and I was fifteen, he taught me to drive.
Why it works: the confession to Dad has tiny stakes, so the parents get to laugh. The brother line is a thank-you only a younger brother could give, and the road trip sets up the toast.
Read the full speech in Best Man Speech for Your BrotherStepbrother, short and sincere (about two and a half minutes)
286 words · about 2 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Cole. Jesse and I became brothers when I was thirteen and he was twelve, at a much smaller wedding than this one, in our grandmother's backyard, with a sheet cake. I'll be honest. I didn't want a brother. I'd been an only child for thirteen years and I was good at it.
Why it works: it handles a blended family with one story instead of a family tree, and honors both parents without making them the subject. The toast echoes the first toast in the story.
Read the full speech in Best Man Speech for Your BrotherBest friend, funny and warm (about four minutes)
464 words · about 3.5 minutes
Good evening, everyone. I'm Dan. Marcus and I met in seventh grade when we were assigned lockers next to each other, and I have been standing slightly to his left ever since. Tonight is no different, except that this time he asked me to.
Why it works: one story, told with specifics, that ends with the groom looking good. The turn uses a concrete before-and-after detail instead of a speech about love. The partner is addressed directly. The toast is one line.
Read the full speech in How to Write a Best Man SpeechBrother, sincere with one laugh (about four minutes)
401 words · about 3 minutes
Hi everyone. I'm Owen, and I'm the older brother, which means I have been there for every single day of Theo's life. I would like to say that gives me plenty of material, but the truth is that most of it is stories about me being awful to him, and I have decided tonight is not the night.
Why it works: a brother's speech has a built-in advantage, which is history, and this one uses it without trying to cover everything. It trusts one memory. The humor is gentle and self-aware. It still does all three jobs.
Read the full speech in How to Write a Best Man SpeechShort and safe, for the nervous best man (about two and a half minutes)
223 words · about a minute and a half
Hello everyone. I'm Chris, the best man, and I want to say up front that I am not a public speaker. Jamie knows this. He asked me anyway, which tells you either how much he trusts me or how few other friends he has.
Why it works: if public speaking terrifies you, this is the speech. It is short, it is honest about being short, and it still does all three jobs. There is one laugh, and it is at the speaker's expense, which is the safest laugh in the room.
Read the full speech in How to Write a Best Man Speech
Maid of Honor speeches
Older sister, close since childhood (about four minutes)
461 words · about 3.5 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Rosa, Lena's older sister. For thirty-one years I have been the person Lena calls when she needs someone to tell her she's right. Tonight she has handed me a microphone instead, which I think is a test. There is one summer that explains my sister. She was seven.
Why it works: the story is something only a sister could have seen, and it still describes the bride. The humor comes from true details. The turn is one specific observation. The partner is addressed directly and the toast ties back to the story.
Read the full speech in Maid of Honor Speech for Your SisterYounger sister, not always close (about three and a half minutes)
449 words · about 3.5 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Tasha, Claire's younger sister. For those keeping score, that's younger by three years, which Claire has brought up at every opportunity since I was born. I want to be honest with you, because Claire would know if I weren't. We were not close growing up. We fought about everything.
Why it works: it is honest about the years they fought, which makes the memory of becoming close land harder. The humor is self-aware. The partner gets a specific observation and the sister hands over the job out loud.
Read the full speech in Maid of Honor Speech for Your SisterFor a sister (about four minutes)
447 words · about 3.5 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Maya, the older sister, and I have been giving Nina unsolicited advice for thirty-one years. Tonight is the first time she has handed me a microphone to do it, so I intend to make the most of it. I want to tell you about the summer Nina was seven.
Why it works: a sister's speech has the deepest well of material and the highest risk of drowning in it. This one picks a single childhood memory and lets it carry the whole speech, including the toast. The turn is one concrete observation. The partner gets addressed directly and warmly.
Read the full speech in Maid of Honor Speech ExamplesFor a childhood best friend (about four minutes)
429 words · about 3.5 minutes
Good evening. I'm Priya. Sofia and I met on the first day of fourth grade, when she walked up to me at recess, informed me that we were going to be best friends, and then walked away before I could respond. That was twenty-two years ago. I am still not sure I ever formally agreed.
Why it works: twenty years of friendship compressed into one story, chosen because it shows the bride's character rather than the friendship's history. The humor is affectionate and specific. The speech makes a point of not being about the speaker.
Read the full speech in Maid of Honor Speech ExamplesFunny, with a real ending (about four minutes)
426 words · about 3.5 minutes
Hello, everyone. I'm Rachel, the maid of honor, and I want to start by saying that Claire told me this speech should be "short, classy, and not too much." So I want to apologize to Claire in advance, because I only heard "short." Here are three things you need to know about Claire.
Why it works: the laughs come from specific, affectionate details, not from jokes. Every hit has a turn that lands somewhere kind. The speech spends its last minute being sincere, which is what makes the funny part feel generous rather than sharp.
Read the full speech in Maid of Honor Speech ExamplesShort, for the nervous speaker (about two minutes)
238 words · about 2 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Hannah, Lauren's maid of honor. I am not a public speaker, and Lauren knows that, which is why she gave me the slot right before dinner. Nobody here wants me to go long, least of all me. I want to say one thing about Lauren.
Why it works: this is the speech for someone who dreads the microphone. It is short on purpose and says so. It still does the three jobs: one true thing about the bride, a direct word to the partner, and a clean toast. Nobody in the room will feel shortchanged.
Read the full speech in Maid of Honor Speech ExamplesFor a friend you met as an adult (about three and a half minutes)
386 words · about 3 minutes
Good evening. I'm Tess. Unlike some maids of honor, I cannot tell you what Amara was like as a child, because I met her four years ago, in a conference room, on the worst day of a project neither of us wanted to be on. So this speech is not about who she has always been.
Why it works: not every maid of honor has known the bride since childhood, and this speech does not pretend otherwise. It turns a shorter friendship into an advantage by describing the bride the way a newcomer sees her. It is honest about its own vantage point, which makes everything else in it more believable.
Read the full speech in Maid of Honor Speech Examples
Father of the Bride speeches
Traditional and warm (about three and a half minutes)
386 words · about 3 minutes
Good evening, everyone. I'm Michael, Sarah's father. On behalf of Karen and me, welcome, and thank you for being here tonight. A lot of you traveled a long way for this, and some of you have been part of Sarah's life since before she could walk. We're grateful for all of it.
Why it works: one memory, told with detail, that still describes the bride today. The welcome to the groom is specific and generous and gets real time. The thank-yous are short and the toast echoes the memory.
Read the full speech in How to Write a Father of the Bride SpeechShort, with a laugh, for a father who does not love a microphone (about two and a half minutes)
248 words · about 2 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Ray, Emma's dad. Emma told me to keep this under three minutes, which is the first time in twenty-six years she has asked me to talk less, so I'm going to honor it. Welcome, all of you.
Why it works: it is honest about being short and still does all four jobs. The humor is gentle and mostly at the speaker's own expense. The welcome to the partner is brief but specific, and the toast is one clean line.
Read the full speech in How to Write a Father of the Bride Speech
Mother of the Bride speeches
Warm, with one memory (about three minutes)
289 words · about 2 minutes
Good evening, everyone. I'm Carol, Hannah's mother. Thank you all for being here, and thank you especially to the ones who drove through last night's weather to make it. We noticed. I have one story about Hannah, and I think it tells you who she is.
Why it works: one story, told with detail, that still describes the bride today. The partner gets real time and a specific observation. The toast echoes the memory. Nothing in it needs the room to know the family.
Read the full speech in Mother of the Bride SpeechShort, for a mother who does not love a microphone (about two minutes)
198 words · about a minute and a half
Hi, everyone. I'm Denise, Priya's mom. Priya asked me to keep this short, and for once in my life I'm going to do what she says. Here is the thing about my daughter. She has never once walked past someone who looked lost. Not in an airport, not in a grocery store, not on the street.
Why it works: it is honest about being short and still does all three jobs. One quality shown through one small moment, a direct and specific word to the partner, a clean toast. The humor is gentle and at nobody's expense.
Read the full speech in Mother of the Bride Speech
Father of the Groom speeches
Rehearsal dinner, hosting, his only speech of the weekend (about three minutes)
336 words · about 2.5 minutes
Good evening, everyone. I'm Luis, Mateo's father. Rosa and I are so glad you're here. Some of you drove nine hours today, and one of you did it with my mother in the passenger seat, so you've earned this dinner. Nora and Patrick.
Why it works: the other family gets real time before the son does. One story with a point, then the plain sentence most fathers skip. The partner gets something only this father could know, and the toast echoes the story.
Read the full speech in Father of the Groom SpeechThe reception, after the other family's welcome (about two minutes)
262 words · about 2 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Dennis, Aaron's dad. Jamal's mother has already welcomed you all better than I could, so I'll just say this. Yvonne and Curtis, thank you for having us, and thank you for Jamal. Our family got bigger this year, and a lot better at dancing.
Why it works: it skips the welcome the room already heard. The only person teased in the story is the speaker. The partner gets a specific observation and a callback, and the toast is short enough to repeat.
Read the full speech in Father of the Groom SpeechRehearsal dinner, a father whose wife has passed (about two and a half minutes)
323 words · about 2.5 minutes
Good evening. I'm Chidi, Daniel's father. Thank you all for coming tonight, and especially the Chen family, who flew in from Vancouver this morning and have been very gracious about a dinner that started forty minutes late. That was me.
Why it works: the groom's mother is named early, with one true detail, and the speech carries on instead of stopping there. The story shows the son's character in a single scene, and the partner section calls back to it. The toast stays on the couple.
Read the full speech in Father of the Groom Speech
Mother of the Groom speeches
Hosting the rehearsal dinner (about two and a half minutes)
308 words · about 2.5 minutes
Good evening, everyone. I'm Teresa, Mateo's mother, and on behalf of Luis and me, welcome. Some of you came from three time zones away to eat chicken in a room with bad acoustics, and we are so grateful. Linda and Doug, thank you. For Grace, first of all.
Why it works: it does the host's jobs first and fast, including a real thank-you to the bride's parents that puts both families on the same footing. One short story about the son, a specific moment with the bride that echoes it, and a line that names the handover worry and sets it down.
Read the full speech in Mother of the Groom SpeechAt the reception, two grooms (about three minutes)
307 words · about 2.5 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Joan, Danny's mom. Danny asked me to be quick, and Hiroshi and Emiko already said half of what I wanted to say, and better. Danny has read the last page of every book first since he was seven. I used to find him in bed with a brand-new library book, flipped to the end.
Why it works: the story is about who the son is, and the partner section pays it off without a word of handover. The other family is honored by sharing, not competing. The toast is a callback the room can hear coming and still enjoy.
Read the full speech in Mother of the Groom SpeechShort, with a parent who has passed (about two minutes)
219 words · about a minute and a half
Good evening. I'm Rosalind, Jordan's mother. I am not a speech person, so I'm going to say three things and sit down. The first is about the watch on Jordan's wrist. It was his father's.
Why it works: the late father is named once, early, through an object everyone can see, and then the speech moves on. The welcome to the bride is specific and tender. It is short and still does every job.
Read the full speech in Mother of the Groom Speech
The couple
The groom alone (about three minutes)
290 words · about 2 minutes
On behalf of my wife and me, and I'm going to need a minute to get used to saying that, thank you all for being here tonight. Some of you flew in. Some of you drove through that storm this morning. We noticed, and we're grateful. To my parents, Diane and Rob.
Why it works: the thank-yous are specific and short, both families get a real sentence, and the wedding party gets a group thanks with one line for the best man. The partner section is one concrete detail turned into a promise, and the toast echoes it.
Read the full speech in How to Write a Groom SpeechThe couple, speaking together (about three and a half minutes)
368 words · about 3 minutes
Alex: Hi, everyone. We're going to do this together, partly because we do most things together and partly because neither of us wanted to do it alone. Thank you all for being here. We know what it took for some of you to get here, and we won't forget it.
Why it works: each partner takes whole sections instead of trading lines, so it reads as two short speeches that fit together. Each thanks the other's parents, which lands better than thanking your own. They close with one line each to the other, and one shared toast.
Read the full speech in How to Write a Groom Speech
Sibling speeches
Sister of the groom, older sibling (about two and a half minutes)
344 words · about 2.5 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Rosa, Mateo's older sister. I have known him his entire life, and I have been blamed for most of it. Mateo asked me to say a few words, and his exact instruction was "keep it shorter than Danny's." Danny, I've heard yours. That will not be hard.
Why it works: the embarrassing story is family lore from childhood, and it ends with the groom looking good. The welcome to Lauren uses one observed detail that echoes the story, then makes the sibling welcome concrete. It nods to the best man instead of competing with him.
Read the full speech in Sibling Wedding Speech for a Brother or SisterBrother of the bride, alongside a friend as maid of honor (about two and a half minutes)
373 words · about 3 minutes
Good evening. I'm Kwame, Ama's little brother. I'm six foot three, and she still calls me little, so I've stopped fighting it. Nicole just told you about Ama the friend. I want to tell you about Ama the big sister, which is a slightly different person, and a lot louder.
Why it works: it names the maid of honor's territory and steps around it, so the two speeches fit together. The story is one family moment with a clear point, the welcome to Jess echoes it, and the sibling welcome is three specific things instead of a sentence about family.
Read the full speech in Sibling Wedding Speech for a Brother or SisterYoungest sibling, speaking for the others (about two minutes)
260 words · about 2 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Jun, Kevin's youngest brother. There are three of us. Kevin is the oldest, Daniel is in the middle, and Daniel asked me to do this because he says I cry less than he does. We'll see. When you're the youngest, your oldest brother is basically a weather system.
Why it works: the youngest's view gives it a story nobody else in the room has, carried by one funny detail. It speaks for all the siblings in a line instead of passing the microphone around, and it welcomes Alicia into the sibling set with specifics.
Read the full speech in Sibling Wedding Speech for a Brother or Sister
Rehearsal dinner toasts
The groom's parents, hosting (about two minutes)
216 words · about a minute and a half
Good evening, everyone, and welcome. I'm Rob, Sam's dad, and this is Diane, and we are so glad you're all here. Some of you flew in this afternoon and came straight from the airport, and we can tell, and we love you for it. To Anjali and Vikram, thank you. For Priya, first of all.
Why it works: it does the host's jobs in order and briefly. One line about the son, not a story. The bride gets spoken to directly with something specific. The other family is thanked by name. The toast is one sentence.
Read the full speech in Rehearsal Dinner ToastA sibling, not speaking at the wedding (about forty seconds)
83 words · about a minute
Hi, I'm Lena, Priya's younger sister. I'm not giving a speech tomorrow, so I get forty seconds tonight, and I'm going to use them on one thing. Sam, the first time you came to our house, Priya was late, as she is to everything, and you spent the twenty minutes talking to our grandmother in the kitchen.
Why it works: one observation, specific and true, and a toast. No story, no structure, no attempt to compete with tomorrow's speeches. This is the right size for everyone who is not hosting.
Read the full speech in Rehearsal Dinner ToastThe couple, closing the toasts (about a minute)
101 words · about a minute
We'll keep this short, because everyone before us was kind enough to. Mom, Dad, thank you for tonight. For the room, for the food, and for not telling the story about the couch, which we both know you considered.
Why it works: a thank-you to the hosts and the room, one line each, and a glass raised to everyone else for a change. It ends the toasts cleanly and hands the night back to dinner.
Read the full speech in Rehearsal Dinner Toast
Engagement party toasts
Engagement Party Welcome Speech: What to Say (5 Examples)
The couple together (about 90 seconds)
190 words · about a minute and a half
Leila: Hi, everyone. Can we borrow you for one minute? Then you can go back to the food. Tom: First, thank you for coming. Some of you crossed the street and some of you crossed the country. Aunt Farah, you took two flights and a bus to be here, and we're not going to get over that.
Why it works: the lines alternate in short turns, so neither partner is left standing silent. Every job gets done once: travelers, hosts, the two sides, one honest line, and where the food is.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party Welcome SpeechOne partner speaking for both (about 90 seconds)
184 words · about a minute and a half
Good evening, everyone. I'm Andre, the one who gets to marry Daniel. Thank you all for coming. A special thank you to my grandmother, who drove four hours from Savannah and has already told me the music is too loud.
Why it works: he says who he is in one line, thanks the hosts with one specific detail, and uses his one true thing to show the room who his fiance is. The guests learn something about Daniel without a long story.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party Welcome SpeechA best friend hosting (about 90 seconds)
184 words · about a minute and a half
Okay, everybody, if I could have you for one minute. Hi. I'm Mei. I've been Carmen's best friend since we were fourteen, and this is my apartment, so if you break something, I know your name. Thank you all for coming.
Why it works: she introduces herself, names who traveled from both sides, and tells each group where to find the other. Her one true thing is a single line the bride once said, and she sets up the speakers who follow.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party Welcome SpeechA sibling hosting (about 90 seconds)
177 words · about a minute and a half
Hi, everyone. Hello. I'm Kofi, Abena's older brother, and my wife Lydia and I are your hosts tonight. Shoes are optional, the dog is friendly, and the good chairs have already been claimed by the aunties. Thank you for coming, all of you. Uncle Kwame flew in from Accra this week, and we are honored.
Why it works: a brother has decades of material and uses one small observation instead. He welcomes the other family by name and tells his own side exactly where to find them.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party Welcome SpeechVery short, for a backyard or a bar (about one minute)
146 words · about a minute
Hey, everybody. Up here. One minute, I promise. For anyone I haven't met yet, I'm Jess, and that's Rosa at the end of the bar, pretending she didn't know I was going to do this. Thank you for coming out tonight.
Why it works: it is casual without skipping a job. Two travelers named, one easy opening question for strangers, one true line, and a clear statement that there is no schedule.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party Welcome Speech
Engagement Party Speech for Parents (With 4 Examples)
Father of the bride-to-be, hosting (about 100 seconds)
218 words · about a minute and a half
Good evening, everyone. I'm Tom, Maya's dad. Elaine and I are glad you're all in our backyard, and gladder that the rain held off. Before anything else, I want to welcome two people. Rosa and Luis, Daniel's parents, drove up from Tucson yesterday. Until last night we had only met on a phone screen, which doesn't count.
Why it works: the other parents are welcomed before the daughter is mentioned, which tells both families what the evening is for. He says out loud that the big story is waiting for the wedding. The fiancé gets one specific, slightly funny detail and a plain welcome.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party Speech for ParentsMother of the groom-to-be, replying to the hosts (about 100 seconds)
225 words · about a minute and a half
Hello, everyone. I'm Ngozi, Chidi's mother. First, thank you to Pat and Jim for having all of us tonight. Jim, you told me this would be "a few people and some snacks." I have counted sixty people and a carving station, so now I know how your family uses the word "few." I will be short.
Why it works: she is a guest, so she thanks the hosts first and by name. The teasing is aimed at the hosts' generosity and at her own family, never at the bride-to-be. The welcome to her future daughter-in-law rests on one real detail.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party Speech for ParentsFather of the groom-to-be, two grooms (about 100 seconds)
219 words · about a minute and a half
Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Hiro, Kenji's father. Thank you for coming, and thank you to Kenji's sister, Emi, who did the flowers and would like you to notice them. I want to start with Will's family.
Why it works: it is the same toast any parent would give, with no special framing. The other family is welcomed first, including a grandfather. A quiet father says one honest thing about his son and one specific thing about his son's fiancé, and stops.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party Speech for ParentsJoint toast by two parents, hosting together (about 100 seconds)
212 words · about a minute and a half
Anita: Good evening, everyone. I'm Anita, and this is my husband, Raj. We're Leela's parents. We agreed to do this together so that neither of us could go on too long. Raj: She means me. Anita: I do. First, to Ruth and Alan, Jonah's parents, who flew in from Chicago this morning.
Why it works: the handoffs are short and planned, so it sounds like a couple talking and not two speeches stapled together. Each parent has one job. They name the story they are holding for the wedding, and they say the final toast together.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party Speech for Parents
Engagement Party Toast: What to Say (With 6 Examples)
Best friend (about 80 seconds)
178 words · about a minute and a half
Can I borrow everybody for one minute? Thank you. I'm Tasha. Maya and I have been best friends since we were fourteen, which means I have personally reviewed everyone she has ever dated. I'd like the record to show I was not consulted about Jordan.
Why it works: one tiny, checkable detail (the coffee) carries the whole toast, and it is about both of them. She says out loud that the good stories are being saved, which is funny and true.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party ToastSibling (about 75 seconds)
159 words · about a minute
Hi, everyone. If we haven't met, I'm Luis, Mateo's big brother, and I'm the only thing standing between you and the food. Growing up, Mateo did not share. Not his bike, not his headphones, not a single french fry. Our mother can confirm this.
Why it works: the teasing is about a harmless childhood habit, and it turns into the proof that this relationship is different. He speaks to the other side of the room directly, which is the job nobody else is doing.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party ToastFuture maid of honor (about 75 seconds)
160 words · about a minute
Hello, hello. Kitchen people, that means you too. I'm Chloe. I was Nadia's college roommate, and as of three weeks ago I'm her maid of honor, a job I accepted before she finished the question. I have a very good story about the night Nadia met Will.
Why it works: she names the big story, refuses to tell it, and gives the room something smaller that is just as revealing. The invitation to the other side makes her useful to the party, not just the toast.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party ToastGrandparent (about 70 seconds)
145 words · about a minute
Good evening. I'm Frank, Danielle's grandfather, and at eighty-four I've earned the right to do this sitting down. I was married to Danielle's grandmother, Rose, for fifty-one years. I asked her on a Tuesday, in her mother's kitchen, with no ring, because I couldn't wait until Saturday.
Why it works: a grandparent is the one person in the room who can talk about fifty years of marriage without it sounding like a lecture, and he still declines to give advice. The late grandmother is named once, warmly, and the toast moves on.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party ToastCoworker or newer friend (about 70 seconds)
153 words · about a minute
Hi, everyone. I'm Dev. I sit across from Grace at work, so I'm the newest friend in this room by about ten years, and I have met Tomas exactly three times. Here's what I know from three times. The first time, he had driven forty minutes to bring Grace the laptop charger she left at home.
Why it works: he is honest about how little history he has and turns it into the structure. Three meetings, three specific things. Nothing is faked, and the fiance he barely knows still gets most of the toast.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party ToastThe very short version (30 to 40 seconds)
100 words · about a minute
Everybody, can I have thirty seconds? Thank you. I'm Pete. I live next door to Rina and Caleb. Last summer I watched these two carry a couch up three flights of stairs.
Why it works: it does all four jobs in about a hundred words. One picture, both names twice, done. This is the one to use when nobody planned a toast and the moment needs one.
Read the full speech in Engagement Party Toast
Any speaker, and the hard situations
How to Give a Wedding Speech When You're Nervous
A sister's toast for someone who dreads the microphone (about 90 seconds)
150 words · about a minute
Hi, everyone. I'm Nia. Tamara is my big sister. I'm not a speech person, so I wrote this down. When I was nine, I was scared of the dark. Tamara was twelve. Every night, she left her bedroom door open. And every night, she said the same thing. "I'm right here." She never teased me about it. Not once.
Why it works: Why it's easy to say: no sentence runs past fifteen words, the story has one setting and one line of dialogue, and the toast repeats the story's phrase so the ending is almost impossible to forget. The only names are ones the speaker says every day.
Read the full speech in How to Give a Wedding Speech When You're NervousA best friend's toast with one small joke (about 90 seconds)
170 words · about a minute and a half
Good evening. I'm Sam. Andre and I have been friends since we were eleven. Andre asked me to keep this under two minutes. I timed it. We're fine. Here's what you need to know about Andre. He is always early. Not on time. Early. In twenty years, I have never once beaten him anywhere.
Why it works: Why it's easy to say: the one joke, about the security footage, is a throwaway, so if it gets silence the next sentence carries on without it. The whole story turns on one plain contrast, early versus late, which is very hard to lose your place in.
Read the full speech in How to Give a Wedding Speech When You're Nervous
How to Write a Wedding Speech With ChatGPT (and Sound Human)
Best man, funny and warm (about three minutes)
280 words · about 2 minutes
Good evening, everyone. I'm Cormac. Lukas and I shared a dorm room our first year of college, a room so small we had to take turns standing up. In our second year, Lukas decided to learn to cut hair. Nobody asked him to.
Why it works: the haircut story came out of the interview. It ends with the groom looking good, points to a real person in the room, and the toast calls back to it.
Read the full speech in How to Write a Wedding Speech With ChatGPTMaid of honor for two brides (about three minutes)
261 words · about 2 minutes
Hi, everyone. I'm Shira. Roz and I met on the first day of seventh grade when she corrected the spelling on my name tag. She was right, and I've been letting her correct me ever since. There's one thing you need to know about Roz. She writes thank-you notes. Real ones. Paper, stamp, handwriting you could frame.
Why it works: the speaker checked it against her own voice memos, so the jokes have her rhythm. One habit carries the speech, and the partner gets a moment that mirrors it.
Read the full speech in How to Write a Wedding Speech With ChatGPTFather of the bride, short and sincere (about two minutes)
215 words · about a minute and a half
Good evening. I'm Arturo, Isadora's father. Thank you all for coming, and thank you to Rohan's family for welcoming ours so completely this year. When Izzy was eight, our toaster burned one side of every slice. I was going to throw it out. She asked if she could have it first.
Why it works: an AI outline, a draft in his own words, then a cut of a fifth. One childhood memory, a partner welcomed for something specific, and a toast that ties them together.
Read the full speech in How to Write a Wedding Speech With ChatGPT
Short Wedding Toasts: 16 Examples That Take Under a Minute
For a close friend (about 45 seconds)
96 words · about a minute
Hi, everyone. I'm Dev, and I was Jordan's roommate for three years and his emergency contact for ten. The first time I met Mei, the three of us went out to dinner, and halfway through she was telling a long story and Jordan was holding her coffee so she could talk with both hands.
Why it works: one tiny observed moment, a jab at the groom that turns into a compliment, and a callback at the end.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFor a college friend (about 40 seconds)
87 words · about a minute
Hi, I'm Lauren. Aisha and I met in an 8 a.m. statistics class that we both nearly failed. Aisha has always been the friend who remembers. Your mom's surgery date. The name of your first dog. The thing you said you wanted to try three years ago.
Why it works: one quality, three quick proofs, then the partner shown to have it too.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFor the friend who introduced them (about 50 seconds)
100 words · about a minute
Good evening. I'm Marcus, and I'm the reason these two met, which I'll be bringing up at every anniversary. In my defense, I didn't plan it. I asked Tomás to help me move a couch, and I asked Rachel because she owned a truck. The couch got stuck in the stairwell for forty minutes.
Why it works: the how-they-met story in a few sentences, with the joke on the speaker.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFor an aunt or uncle (about 50 seconds)
102 words · about a minute
Hello, everyone. I'm Teresa, Nadia's aunt, which means I was holding her before she could hold her own head up. At every family party, Nadia was the kid who went around making sure the little cousins had a plate. She was eight. She'd come back to the adults' table and report who had eaten and who was faking.
Why it works: a childhood habit that still fits her, matched to something the partner did tonight.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFor a brother or sister who isn't the main speaker (about 35 seconds)
69 words · about a minute
Hi, I'm Chris, Elena's little brother. The maid of honor got the long speech. I got forty seconds, which is fair. Growing up, Elena stayed up with me before every big test, quizzing me at the kitchen table until midnight. She didn't have to. She just thought nobody should be nervous alone.
Why it works: it owns being the short speech, then gives the partner one specific thank-you.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFor a grandparent (about 40 seconds)
83 words · about a minute
I'm Hiroshi, Emi's grandfather. At my age I've learned that the short speeches are the ones people remember, so this is one of those. I've been married fifty-two years, and here is all I know. It's the small kindnesses, every day, that hold it together. Emi, Ben, I've seen you do the small ones.
Why it works: the one speaker who has earned advice, and he ties it to two things he has seen.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFor a coworker (about 35 seconds)
77 words · about a minute
Hi, everyone. I'm Dana. I've sat next to Luis at work for four years, which means I know more about this wedding than anyone should. I heard every vendor call. I saw every spreadsheet.
Why it works: it uses the view only a coworker has. One daily habit beats any adjective.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFor a boss or manager (about 35 seconds)
78 words · about a minute
Good evening. I'm Patricia, and I've had the good luck to be Kayla's manager for the last three years. At work, Kayla is the person everyone calls when something goes wrong, because she stays calm and she fixes it. I've met Andre exactly twice before tonight, and both times he was the calmest person in the room too.
Why it works: professional, praises something real, and keeps the partner part light.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFunny, for a friend of the couple (about 35 seconds)
78 words · about a minute
Hi, I'm Ben, and I've known Sophie and Raj since they were just friends, which lasted about two and a half years longer than anyone believed. We all knew. Their friends knew. Their coworkers knew. Raj's mother knew, and told me so at a barbecue. The only two people who didn't know were Sophie and Raj.
Why it works: the joke is on everyone, nobody is embarrassed, and it ends warm.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFunny, about a competitive couple (about 45 seconds)
94 words · about a minute
Hi, I'm Kim. I've played board games with Ana and Will every Friday for five years, so I've seen them at their best and very much at their worst. These two are the most competitive people I've ever met. They once played a game of Scrabble until two in the morning because neither would accept the dictionary.
Why it works: it teases a shared habit, not one person, and the turn makes it a compliment.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsSentimental, for a lifelong friend (about 50 seconds)
108 words · about a minute
Hi, everyone. I'm Jess. I've been Claire's friend since we were five, long enough that our mothers still mix up our names. When I lost my job at twenty-four, Claire came over every night for a month. Some nights we talked. Most nights we watched bad TV. She never once tried to fix it. She just showed up.
Why it works: her kindness, then her partner doing the same for her. The match carries the emotion.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsSentimental, for a couple who waited (about 40 seconds)
82 words · about a minute
Good evening. I'm Femi, Tunde's oldest friend. For three years, Tunde and Grace lived on two different continents. I know, because I drove him to the airport more times than I can count, and I picked him up again, and the ride home was always quiet.
Why it works: the speaker's small role carries the story, so the three-word wish lands.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFor a courthouse wedding dinner (about 40 seconds)
84 words · about a minute
I'll stand up for this, even though there are nine of us and the waiter is pretending not to listen. I'm Rosa, and I was one of the two witnesses this afternoon, which means my name is on the paperwork next to theirs. I've signed a lot of things in my life, mostly leases and things I didn't read.
Why it works: it fits the size of the room and uses the speaker's real role as witness.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFor a parent at a family-only dinner (about 35 seconds)
69 words · about a minute
I'm not going to make a speech. There are twelve of us, and we all know each other too well for that. I'll just say this. Lily, when you were little, you used to set an extra place at the table for whoever might turn up. Usually it was nobody. Tonight somebody is sitting in that seat for good.
Why it works: everyone knows the speaker, so it skips the intro and goes straight to the welcome.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFor a second marriage, from a friend (about 35 seconds)
75 words · about a minute
Hi, I'm Pam. Linda and I go back thirty years, through a lot of chapters, and I've been beside her for most of them. I'll keep it simple. Since Gary came along, Linda laughs with her whole face. She has started taking the vacations she used to only plan. She stopped apologizing for things that aren't her fault.
Why it works: it shows what changed without pointing at the past. No previous marriage, no 'finally.'
Read the full speech in Short Wedding ToastsFor a second marriage, from an adult child (about 45 seconds)
92 words · about a minute
Hi, everyone. I'm Michael, Ruth's son. When Mom told us she was getting married again at seventy-one, my sister and I had a lot of questions. Walter answered every one of them by showing up. He came to my daughter's recitals. He learned how Mom takes her tea, which is complicated.
Why it works: honest that the kids had questions, then answered with specifics and a plain welcome.
Read the full speech in Short Wedding Toasts
How to Use an Example Without Sounding Like One
Every speech on this page is the same shape underneath: who you are, one story that shows who the person is, the partner by name, a toast. The story is the part you cannot borrow, because it is the part that is only true of them. So read a few examples for your role, notice where the story sits and how long it runs, and then write your own in that slot. If you want the shape with blanks already marked, the wedding speech templates do that, and the free opening lines generator gives you a first line with the names in.
When your draft exists, the free speech check reads it the way a room would: what lands, what to cut, how long it runs. And if you would rather start from questions than from a blank page, the draft builder asks six and writes the first version.
Questions
Can I use one of these wedding speech examples as my own?
Use the shape, not the sentences. Every example is built from one specific story about a made-up couple, and the room can tell when a story is borrowed. Take the structure, the order of the parts, and the way each one turns from a joke to something kind, then put your own detail in each slot.
How long should a wedding speech be?
Three to five minutes, and four is the sweet spot for the best man and maid of honor. At a wedding pace of about 130 words a minute, that is 400 to 650 words. Parents run a little shorter, the couple's thank-you shorter still, and a toast at a rehearsal dinner or engagement party is a minute or two.
Are these speeches written by AI?
No. They were written by hand for the guides, each one for a specific role and situation, with a note on why it works. The names are placeholders.
What is the difference between a wedding speech and a toast?
A speech is three to five minutes with a story in the middle. A toast is the last thirty seconds of it, or, at a rehearsal dinner or engagement party, the whole thing: who you are, one true thing, both names, glasses up. The short examples on this page are toasts.
How do I know if my speech is any good?
Read it out loud to one person who knows the couple but is not in the wedding party, and time it. Or paste it into the free speech check on this site, which grades it, names the lines that land and the ones to cut, and tells you how long it runs.