Write A Bride’s Father Speech Perfectly

Wondering how to write a bride’s father speech perfectly? Your daughter is just about to walk down the aisle adorned in the best wedding dress. It is a special day, not only for her, but also for you as her father. She has just requested you to present a speech as her father, which is one of the traditional father of the bride’s duties. You feel honored, but at the same time, a bit apprehensive.

You feel that the father of the bride toast has to be a perfect one, just the way she has floored you on several occasions in her life. Traditionally, as the father of the bride, your speech will start the wedding celebrations or end the wedding reception toasts, and thus, all eyes will be on you.

As the father of the bride, you have a unique perspective about her. It doesn’t matter if you are full of ideas or blank on how to go about the speech. Generally, it is challenging to sit down and come up with how to write a father of the bride speech. Check these tips on how to write a bride’s father speech perfectly!

• Start your speech with thanksgiving

Just like with any other wedding toast, it is essential to start your speech by introducing yourself and giving everyone thanks for whatever they have done in your introductory sentences. Many bride’s father speeches thank the guests for coming to attend the wedding, as well as those who were instrumental in planning for the wedding, which might include the spouse. You have to introduce yourself as the bride’s father and be free to crack jokes about yourself. You can make a dad’s pun or a joke if that is your true style. However, don’t force anything as it might just go wrong.

• Mention loved ones that you remember

If it is okay with you, mention members of the family who might be absent physically at the father of the bride toast. If the mother is long dead, you can quote something that shows that you remember her and how she would have been happy to attend this particular wedding. It is possible to keep it sweet and simple. It is not a must you include those who are no longer present. However, it might be an excellent way of including them in your daughter’s wedding, depending on how special they were to her.

• Share great and special memories you had with your daughter as a child

Unless her mother and older siblings will be giving a speech also, you have a lot of memories to include in your speech as the father of the bride. From the time in her life when most of those present didn’t know she existed. People at weddings like hearing about the childhood stories about the couple. Thus, you will need to capitalize on it. It can be embarrassing or sentimental. So ensure that it is not too embarrassing! Remember it is her day to be happy, and on top of the moon, don’t spoil it for her.

• Talk about your acquired in-laws

Though your daughter is your light, you have now acquired a new son in your life through your daughter. Please address her spouse directly in your father of the bride speech. Thank him together with his parents for making your daughter happy. It is a part which is dependent on you. So, depending on the relationship with your new in-laws, you can include it or leave it out.

Utilize your father of the bride speech to talk about the first time you met your son in law. If you are close to your daughter, she might have called you after their first date. What was your reaction? Has there been a time in your life when you were happy to have them around you? It might be funny or sentimental, but it has to be genuine regardless of what you exactly felt.

Maybe during a family vacation, your car broke, and your son in law utilized his handy skill to fix it. Thus, you appreciated their presence. It is a funny story, but in the end, it might lead to your son in law feel genuinely appreciated. Most of all, they have made your daughter happy. Thus, make sure your expression of gratitude and a warm welcome to the family is well received.

• Give the newlyweds some advice

Your age makes you wiser in matters of marriage.  So if it is okay with you, give the newlyweds some advice towards enjoying a happy marriage. Or talk about happiness in their future life together during your father of the bride speech.  Whether you are divorced, married, or single and happy, it doesn’t matter. If you are not comfortable offering advice, then you should not force yourself.

If you are still married, share with them the secret. It can be in the form of a joke, but avoid tropes that are sexy. If you decide to tell them a joke such as all married men have the same boss, are overused and tired, it might not be encouraging to the newlyweds. If, for sure, you have genuine advice to them, offer it even if you are not married. It would help if you did not make jokes about the divorce rate. It will definitely ensure awkwardness to everyone present.

• Use quotes, but avoid forcing them

In most instances, quotes might not work for a father of the bride speech. But if you are used to giving quotes in your speech, and it flows seamlessly, you should not shy away from using it. It might even be a great way of ending your father of the bride speech.

It is not a must that it be a profound quote. That is why you don’t have to force it.  You don’t have to use a quote for the sake of it. But if you have a quote that speaks to you in a personal way, it can be great to incorporate it into your father of the bride speech. It does not have to be dangerous.

The above makes it easy to writ a bride’s father speech perfectly. For other types of speeches and other tips, check out The Ultimate Bride’s Survival Guide.

 

Header Image Credit: @dianaelanaphotos and @lynnleephotography