How to structure a wedding speech
How to structure a wedding speech in five parts: welcome, who you are, stories, a heartfelt moment and the toast. A simple template for any role.
A good wedding speech has five parts: a short welcome and thank-you, who you are, two or three stories about the couple, a sincere moment, and a toast. Aim for five to eight minutes, which is about 700 to 1,000 words.
The five-part structure
- Opening: thank the hosts and guests, and get an early, gentle laugh
- Who you are: your connection to the couple, in a sentence or two
- Stories: two or three short stories that show who they are
- The sincere bit: what they mean to you and to each other
- The toast: ask everyone to stand and raise a glass
Getting the stories right
One good story beats five one-liners. Pick stories that show character: kindness, loyalty, how they met, a disaster they survived together. Keep each one under a minute, and make sure it ends with a point, not just a punchline.
Before you include a story, ask yourself: would the couple’s grandparents be comfortable hearing it? If not, cut it.
Differences by role
The father of the bride traditionally welcomes guests and speaks about his daughter. The groom thanks everyone and speaks about his partner. The best man or maid of honour brings the humour. These traditions are flexible, and many couples now mix them up.
Practise out loud
Read the speech aloud at least five times. Time it. Mark where you will pause. Print it in large type or on cue cards, and never read it from your phone.
