Tradition has it that the father of the groom is an honoured guest at a wedding.
He has no responsibilities except to be pleasant and enjoy himself. So while the father of the bride may wax lyrical about his daughter he is not expected to speak about his son. Most of them, though, like to say a few words about the boy who has now become a man.
If he is speaking the father of the groom’s speech should be short and simple and come from the heart. Basically all he has to do is to welcome the bride and her family into his.
Other than that though he may feel like telling a few tales about his son’s wayward youth and how much he has improved since his new bride has taken him in hand. He will, of course, mention her beauty and what a lovely person she is. He might like to mention how good it is to see so many family members and friends on such a special day. He will leave it to the father of the bride or the best man to toast the happy pair but he should take the opportunity to end his speech with a relevant blessing or good luck wish. The father of the groom deserves his say. After all, without him there would be no groom!

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Being a best man may be a privilege but it can also be nerve-wracking. After all sharing in the groom’s bachelor adventures does not qualify you as an M.C.
The best man is, you see, the M.C. at most weddings. Besides remembering the ring and ensuring the groom is on time he also has to see the big day runs smoothly. Added to that he is expected to give a warm and witty speech that is also sincere.
So he needs to do his homework. He needs a best man’s plan that helps him ensure that there are no hitches to mar the big day. He has to arrange transport, ensure the guests are all happy and make sure the couple make their honeymoon getaway safely. Naturally too he will look after the bridesmaids and respond to the groom’s toast to them. Above all his speech should reflect well on the groom, compliment the bride and make all the guests feel an essential part of the big occasion.
The secret then, if you want to be a superb best man, is to adapt the scouting motto of “Be prepared” and ensure that the day goes according to plan.

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Choosing a wedding gift can be difficult. Many couples choose to have a bridal registry with a big store which can, of course, ensure that you buy something they actually want.
If you have been asked to speak at the wedding, though, you can ensure that your gift of speech is very personal and will be treasured for life.
If you are the best much you will know about the groom but may not know much about his bride. So if you want your speech to be special the first thing to do is to do your homework. Naturally you will discover any story about the courtship but you must do more. Speak to the bride’s mother, sister or best friend and find out what she loves and hates. Ask for treasured memories of childhood. Speak to the groom’s people too and find out childhood stories and fantasies. Did they have invisible friends? Do they love The Beatles?  Did they have a teddy bear that went everywhere with them? Find out about their secret dreams and wishes and give a brilliant best man’s speech by painting a picture of the groom who ran away from home when he was five, insisted on eating beans at every meal and helps out at the local homeless shelter. Speak about his kindness and his wonderful sense of humour. Speak too about his parents and his family life. In other words know your subject and his bride.
Whether you are speaking as a father of the bride or as the mother of the groom ensure that your speech is personal and loving and shows the couple in a wonderful light. They will love you for it and they will remember your speech when the flowers are dead and the cake well eaten.

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Has it ever occurred to you that there are links between weddings and the seasons? A spring wedding, like the season itself is about growth and a new beginning. The flowers on the altar will probably be spring flowers such as daffodils and the day will be filled with promise.
Roses, though, are more likely to be used in a summer wedding and the photographs will probably be taken in beautiful garden settings. The sunshine will add to the occasion and everything will be bright and cheerful and happy. The couple’s joy is reflected in the summer season.
Autumn weddings are more likely to be windswept occasions. The bridesmaids may be wearing the colours of autumn and the wedding bower may be decorated with golden leaves. The smell of chrysanthemums will fill the church and the wedding photographs may show a veil blowing in the wind… Like the harvest itself the wedding will reflect the bounty of nature and promise fulfilled.
Winter brides often choose Christmas weddings and such weddings are likely to feature furry capes and ice cold diamonds. The bride’s bouquet may include rich berries and the wedding location is likely to be decorated with traditional holly and ivy. It’s appropriate that the season of caring and sharing should be the one chosen to celebrate marriage which is ultimately about loving one another.

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Most of us love our parents but how many of us express that love? Yet your father’s birthday, your step-mother’s birthday or your mother’s retirement are ideal days on which to say a few loving words. In fact any family occasion such as a family re-union gives you an opportunity to express your feelings for them. Weddings, of course, being the sentimental occasions they are, are the ideal time to thank them for all they have done for you. So whether you are the groom or the bride make it their big day too by expressing how much they mean to you. This also applies of course if you are the best man who is son of the groom or indeed the son of the bride. Finally, if you have not told them you love them before they die a thoughtful eulogy for mother or appreciative eulogy for father will be a fitting tribute to well loved parents.

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Whether you are giving a graduation speech, a wedding speech or a persuasive speech you should always speak with sincerity. You must believe in what you are saying. So if you cannot say the bride’s mother has been caring you might, with truth, be able to mention the fact that she had an excellent eye for colour or was a great cook, talents which her daughter has obviously inherited. If you believe that graduates are in for a tough time because of an economic recession you should not say everything in the garden looks rosy. Instead your speech as a Dean should offer suggestions on how to overcome the recession. If you are giving a persuasive speech you should choose a topic in which you believe. If you are anti abortion for instance that should shine through your speech.

So be honest and be sincere and your audience will respect you for it.

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The lead up to a wedding is usually a very busy time. By the time the wedding rehearsal dinner comes around people are often worrying about what they will say on the big day itself… They forget that the wedding rehearsal dinner sets the tone for the wedding. As it is the groom’s parents who often hosts the dinner the father of the groom, or indeed the mother of the groom, may take this opportunity in his speech to make everyone of the bridal party happy and relaxed in each others’ company. Of course someone else, such as the bride’s parents who may host this less formal occasion. Whoever does it, though, it is the ideal time to wish the couple well on their wedding day. Unlike on the wedding day there is no set formula for the speeches and so the speeches can be very intimidate or very light-hearted in tone. The whole idea is that you say what you would say if you were with a group of very close friends.

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Not everyone has a formal wedding and not everyone has formal wedding speeches. Some couples want a more casual approach and invite only close friends or peers to their wedding. Their speeches may be more light-hearted than say a speech by the father of the bride. Nonetheless a good friend will want the couple to have an enjoyable day and they will know them well enough to be able to speak from the heart. Being of the same age group they will usually have shared experiences to recall and might jokingly speak of a vacation spent together or of shared events on a college campus. Nonetheless the peer of the bride or the peer of the groom should, whatever incidents he or she may recall, still express that age old sentiments of wishing the couple every happiness. After all that’s what friends do.

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A wedding speech should express the same sentiments whether it’s a formal function being held in the Ritz or a family affair in the bride or the groom’s home. At a more formal function the father of the bride, the father of the groom and the best man usually speak. At a more informal wedding, however, a brother of the bride or her bridesmaid may speak or even a friend of the family. The speeches should emphasise the good wishes of those present for the happy couple and express the belief that they are ideally suited to one another. The speaker should mention an incident about the bride or groom which would personalise the speech. Above all the speech should be light-hearted and sincere. A wedding, whatever its size, is a happy occasion and the wedding speech or toast should emphasise that.

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The father of the groom’s speech is , like the icing on a cake, an optional extra. Tradition has it that he is simply the guest of honour at the wedding of his son. Nonetheless most fathers of the groom like to convey their best wishes to their sons on such an important day. If they choose to speak they like to convey their thanks to the hosts and to welcome their new daughter in law into the family. Some story of a childhood incident or a foible of the groom’s will add to the speech. Unlike the father of the bride it is not his place to toast the happy couple. Instead he should finalise his speech by wishing the couple well with a wedding blessing or perhaps an old Irish toast. Like most extras the father of the groom’s speech will, properly prepared, add that little something to make the wedding day even more special.

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