Getting Married.....

[verytalldave]

No, not me.........lol ! ! !

Daughter number one is tying the knot on the same day as the royal wedding.
A rather posh do no less.
Morning suits all round and the venue is a lovely country manor.
Fingers crossed for a fine day.
Will post a few photos after the event, just so you can have a chuckle at my expense.

All I have to do now is write my speech.
Any ideas ? ? ?
Sensible ones preferably..................

 

[whitenemesis]

Just wing it on the day. You know your daughter and you know your son-in-law to be, just welcome him to the family and then add some amusing anecdotes from their time together so far. A prepared speech can sound so stiff ....

Seemed to work ok for me the last couple of times

 

[tpwuk]

Could always open your speech with a good old favourite line.....

"This isn't the first time today I've stood up from a warm seat with a sheet of paper in my hand!"

 

[MarriedBlonde]

I made the mistake of prep'ing for my speach at my wedding, went through it in my head using the notes I made. Came to give the speach on the day and I lost my notes.

Mind went completely blankl. Couldn't remeber any of it.

So I say just wing it

J.

 

[Mr E]

Short.

Unembarrassing.

 

[stevieb15]

Sorry to disagree with the previous responders but the old saying is never more true than when public speaking is involved, "fail to prepare, prepare to fail"
If you want something that will say all you want then roughly an hours preparation for each minute you're planning to be on your feet, if you're looking for something rambling and probably misses out some of the important things you really want to say to your daughter and son in law and all the assembled guests, then wing it.
Remember you're not a professional comedian, so a couple of witty anecdote' is fine but 30 minutes of stand up probably won't quite hit the spot, whenever I speak I always prepare and deliver the first line parrot fashion, nothing worse than getting up and stumbling and mumbling at the very beginning, once you've lost 'em you've lost 'em.
Every one will be looking forward to what you've got to say and will want you to do well, and its probably best to drink as much as you like when you've sat down and as little as possible before you stand up!
Good luck and have a great day.

 

[E CLASS]

I would definitely prepare;

Either write a speech or write prompts to allow you to freestyle each section.

Remember to thank people that need to be thanked.

Lastly don't wing it on the day - unless you are a seasoned pro you'll make a pig of it, you'll forget things, repeat yourself and waffle - you'll not be thanked for that.

Have a gear day I love a good wedding.

ps: easy does it on the bubbly before you speak!

 

[whitenemesis]

For formal speaking I would say stevieb15 is spot on but this is a wedding speech, to an audience of family and friends. The last thing one wants is to across as some pompous ****!
It's you daughter's wedding, you're expected to be emotional and involved, not cold, dispassionate, sounding like a police officer giving evidence (and unless you do a lot of public speaking, you will if you over prepare!).

Your family and friends know you, just speak up and go for it.

Have fun!

 

[Satch]

Unless you are happy speaking in public keep to the basic requirements written down on a small card as a prompt and talk around it.

1. Thank the guests for pitching up, even though you have no idea who they are and care even less.

2. Thank anyone else who has been stuxxx... kind enough to pay for part of the bash

3. Daughter: customary expressions of pride etc

4. New son-in-law: welcome to family.

5 Welcome his parents to your newly extended family(even if not applicable)

6. Talk a little bit about daughter, childhood, achievements, etc but nothing toe curling

7. Propose a toast to the bride and groom, best wishes for future etc

Sit down and have a drink. 3 minutes max.

Be honest: how many Weddings have you been to and heard the FoB drone on or tell terrible jokes and wish he would just shut up? Yes, quite right!

 

[tpwuk]

I was at a wedding just last Saturday. The FoB speech was short and quick. All he did was thank the guests for turning up, and then passed over to the groom by saying, "along with all the my financial responsibilities for my daughter, I will now hand you over to the groom!"

 

[crockers]

When I did mine for my god daughter as her father was unwilling to speak in public - I prepared, but just popped a few notes onto a card to cover off the topics.

As for jokes - I think one or two one liners are ok - but not a whole routine.

My advice for all wedding speeches is to pitch it at the grandparents. That way no-on gets offended.

But too prepared can sound very wooden.

 

[300CE]

Hi Dave, i've been best man a couple of times and got married 5 years ago - this website was invaluable as it has a huge amount of speeches that grooms/fathers of the bride/best men have uploaded.

Shows exactly how it should be set out, who you should thank etc and you can also pinch a few of the one liners to put in as well:

Father Of The Bride/Groom Example Wedding Speeches

 

[BradRWills]

Please please please try and liaise with the best man. I was best man at my best friends wedding - and when I stood up, the Father of the Bride had already done 4 of my 1 liners. Fortunately I'm a fairly competent public speaker, and managed to blag it - but there's nothing worse than having to hurry things together in your mind because someone has nicked all of your gags!

 

[Londonscottish]

Unless you are happy speaking in public keep to the basic requirements written down on a small card as a prompt and talk around it.

1. Thank the guests for pitching up, even though you have no idea who they are and care even less.

2. Thank anyone else who has been stuxxx... kind enough to pay for part of the bash

3. Daughter: customary expressions of pride etc

4. New son-in-law: welcome to family.

5 Welcome his parents to your newly extended family(even if not applicable)

6. Talk a little bit about daughter, childhood, achievements, etc but nothing toe curling

7. Propose a toast to the bride and groom, best wishes for future etc

Sit down and have a drink. 3 minutes max.

Be honest: how many Weddings have you been to and heard the FoB drone on or tell terrible jokes and wish he would just shut up? Yes, quite right!

Good advice - I'd take this approach if I were in the hotseat.

 

[corned]

The last wedding I attended (not my own), the speeches were truly terrible. Both FoB and BM prepared every word, and rigidly stuck to the script. As wooden as you could ever hope to see. Everyone was shuffling uncomfortably in their seats and an audible sigh of relief - from the audience - prevailed when it was all over.

My advice? Just jot down a few bullet points covering the important bits you wish to mention. No more than 6 to 8, IMO. That will act as a suitable aide memoir and the speech will flow naturally as a result.

 

[MarriedBlonde]

The last wedding I attended (not my own), the speeches were truly terrible. Both FoB and BM prepared every word, and rigidly stuck to the script. As wooden as you could ever hope to see. Everyone was shuffling uncomfortably in their seats and an audible sigh of relief - from the audience - prevailed when it was all over.

Same as the last one I went too, awful.

 

[trapperjohn]

I used "flash cards" as prompts. Make sure you do all the correct "thank yous" as FoB. There are lists in all the regular Wedding mags.
If you are using a "toast master" (we did and he was invaluable in the "little things") draw on his experience. Ask the bride if there is anything she would like included in your speech? Nothing was required. I did not let her see the notes before hand though. Its fair to say she was a little apprehensive of what her Dad would come up with. Just a few short jokes were included but none at her cost.

I also said how proud their passed over Grandparents would be to share this day. But worry not they are here in "attendant hover" That was unexpected by the guests and commented on very positively. The bride was very close to her Grandma and appreciated that thought very much. Its a truely great day as FoB and myself and my daughter had a great time. Until she was danced off by her hubby.

The flash cards and the "posh pen" I wrote them with are hidden away for my daughter to find "after I'm gone" with a note to tell her how much I love her and how great the day was.

 

[verytalldave]

Some excellent advice and some lovely sentiments as well.

You lot are truly something else.

Thank you.

 

[st13phil]

The flash cards and the "posh pen" I wrote them with are hidden away for my daughter to find "after I'm gone" with a note to tell her how much I love her and how great the day was.

What a brilliant thing to do. You old softy...

Back to VTD's question:

Personally, unless you have good timing I'd be wary of delivering any gags. With only one or two minor exceptions, most one liners I've heard at weddings are truly cringeworthy and only serve to illicit embarrassed polite laughter. Aim to thank everyone who should be thanked and remind everyone just how special your daughter (and, because she chose him, your new son-in-law) is. Prepare just enough that you don't fluff saying what you want to say, but not so much that it comes across as a stilted monologue. Keep it short, say it from the heart and everyone will love it.

 

[SilverSaloon]

going only from my "groom's speech", i'd say write one so you know what you are going to say, but then have prompts written down but just try to fill in the blanks.

i revised my speech and kept more or less to the letter.

it depends on how nervous about public speaking you are, if your not then go for it without too much prep, but you need to know more or less what you want to talk about.

also, dont speak for too long. not too short, but also not too long.