Free tool

Find the first line of your wedding speech.

Pick your role and the kind of speech, add the names, and get five opening lines built the way good ones are built: who you are, then something only true of them. Each one has a highlighted part for the detail only you know. No sign-up, nothing uploaded, no waiting.

What Makes an Opening Line Work

Every good wedding speech opener does two things in the first twenty seconds. It says who you are, and it says something that could only be true of the person you are speaking about. That is the whole trick. The lines above are built on it, which is why each one has a blank for you: the opener is not finished until the true thing is in it.

The other rule: the laugh has to land somewhere kind. A teasing line with a warm turn is a compliment wearing a joke. A teasing line with no turn is just an insult at a wedding. Every funny opener here has the turn built in, so the room laughs with the groom, the bride, or your sister, never at them.

Openers to Retire

“For those who don’t know me.” The most common first line at weddings, and the guests hear it as a speech that has not started yet. Say your name and your connection in one plain sentence.
“The dictionary defines marriage as.” A definition tells the room nothing about these two people. Show the word instead.
“I’ll keep this short.” Promising to be short does not make a speech shorter, and the guests have learned that it usually means the opposite.
“I’m not much of a public speaker.” The room knows. Saying it makes them nervous for you, which is the opposite of what you want in the first ten seconds.
Anything about exes, the bachelor party, or drinking. They hint at a story, refuse to tell it, and make the other family go quiet.
“He’s punching above his weight.” A template, not a joke. The thing the groom actually did last summer is a joke.

If your draft already has a few of these in it, the Cliché Detector finds them all in a second, with a better move for each.

Opening Lines by Role

A funny one, a heartfelt one, and a plain one for each speaker, with example names filled in. Every blank is a place for your own detail.

Best Man

In the [number] years I've known Marcus, he has been on time to exactly one thing, and we're all sitting in it.
There's a version of Marcus that only shows up when Elena walks into the room. I've known him [number] years, and it's my favorite version.
I'm Dan, and I have the honor of being Marcus's best man. I want to tell you one story, and then I'd like you to raise a glass.

Maid of Honor

[Number] years ago, Nadia told me she would never [dance in public, own a couch, move to the suburbs]. I'd like everyone to take a look at her now.
The night Nadia came home from her first date with Will, she called me and said, "[what she said]." I've been waiting to give this speech ever since.
Hi, everyone. I'm Chloe. Nadia and I have been friends for [number] years, and I have three minutes to tell you why.

Father of the Bride

For [number] years, when the phone rang it was Maya needing something. About [a year] ago the calls changed. Now she calls to tell us what Daniel said. We love it. We do miss being needed.
For about a year now, when Maya calls home, she sounds like someone with nowhere else to be. Daniel, that's when we knew.
Good evening, everyone. I'm Tom, Maya's dad. On behalf of both families, welcome, and thank you for being here.

Mother of the Bride

When Maya was [age], she told us she was going to marry [the dog, a firefighter, nobody at all]. Daniel, you were not the first choice, but you are by far the best one.
Maya, when you were [age], you [small true memory]. I've thought about that all week, because you are still exactly that person.
Good evening. My name is Elaine. I'd like to say a few words about my daughter, and then a few about the person she married today.

Father of the Groom

Good evening. I'm Hiro, Kenji's dad, and I've been given [three] minutes. Kenji knows I have never said anything in [three] minutes, so we'll all find out together.
I'm Hiro, and being Kenji's dad is the best job I've ever had. I'm not retiring today. I'm just getting a very good colleague.
I'm Hiro, Kenji's dad. Some of you traveled a long way to be here, and it means a great deal to our family.

Mother of the Groom

I'm Chidi's mom, so I've been giving him advice for [number] years, and he has taken about [two] pieces of it. Claire was not my idea. Claire is better than any idea I had.
Claire, the first time you came to our home, you [one specific thing]. We've been glad to have you at our table ever since, and as of today the seat is permanent.
Welcome, everyone. I'm Ngozi. Today Chidi married Claire, and I'd like to tell you why that makes me so happy.

Bride or Groom

My wife and I want to thank you all for coming. I've waited [number] months to say "my wife," so expect to hear it a lot tonight.
Before anything else: Leila, you look [the word you actually want to use]. I've been trying not to stare all day, and I've failed.
On behalf of my wife and me, thank you all for being here. It means more than we know how to say.

Sibling

Growing up, Mateo did not share. Not [a bike], not [headphones], not a single [french fry]. So when I saw Andrew [wearing his sweatshirt, eating off his plate], I called our [mom, dad] and said, "This is the one."
I had Mateo to myself for [number] years. Andrew, I'm glad you're the one I'm sharing him with.
I'm Luis, Mateo's [brother, sister]. On behalf of our family: Andrew, welcome. We've been ready for a while.

Friend

Tomas, before I say anything about Grace, I want to thank you. Since you came along, she [returns calls, owns real furniture, arrives on time]. The rest of us had given up.
I've stood next to Grace at [a graduation, a funeral, a finish line]. Standing next to her today is the easiest one yet.
Good evening. I'm Dev. If you remember one thing from this speech, make it this: [the one thing you want the room to know about her].

For the whole speech after the first line, start with the guides: the best man speech, these maid of honor speech examples, the father of the bride speech, and more funny best man openers with the shapes behind them. When the draft exists, the free speech check tells you whether the opener lands.

Questions

How should you start a wedding speech?

Say who you are and your connection to the couple in one sentence, then say something that could only be true of them. Those two things, inside the first twenty seconds, are the whole job of an opener. A joke is welcome but not required.

What is a good opening line for a best man speech?

A specific, affectionate detail about the groom, said right after your name. "In the twenty years I've known Theo, he has been on time to exactly one thing, and we're all sitting in it." It is funny because it is true, and the room can tell.

What should you not say at the start of a wedding speech?

"For those who don't know me," "the dictionary defines," "I'll keep this short," and anything about being nervous. The room has heard every one of them, and none of them are about the couple. Skip jokes about exes, the bachelor party, and the groom punching above his weight too.

Should a maid of honor speech start with a joke?

It can, as long as the joke is about the bride and lands somewhere kind. A teasing line with a warm turn gets a laugh and a smile. If you would rather not open funny, a plain line about the first time you saw her with her partner works just as well.

How does the father of the bride start his speech?

As the host, with a welcome. Thank the guests, especially anyone who traveled, welcome the other family by name, and then turn to your daughter. The welcome settles the room before the emotional part starts.

Are these opening lines written by AI?

No. The lines are written by hand and the tool fills in the names you give it. The highlighted part of each line is for you: a real detail only you know. Without one, it is a template, and the guests can tell the difference.

6 funny openers for the best man