Order of Wedding Speaches??

Sneachta patrol

Hi Guys,
Looking for a bit of last minute advice. I'm Best Man for my younger brothers wedding at the weekend. Were trying to keep the whole day as natural and informal as possible. I'm just trying to get the correct order for the speaches, so we don't step on anyones toes. Any input would be appreciated. Tks.

Clareman

It all depends who wants to speak and how many bridesmaid's/groomsmen there are, but the usual running order would be something along the lines of........

Father of the Bride - welcome everyone
Farther of the Groom - welcome the Bride into the family
Groom - Thank his wife, everyone that helped.
Bestman - Thank everyone that wasn't thanked yet, toast the bridesmaids, etc., etc

Formal decorum for speeches would be that as the Father of the Bride is paying for the show, he welcomes everyone and as the Bestman is hosting the show, he finishes the speeches off, as times have changed and the hotel helps out more and more this is no longer the way so it can be a lot easier and laid back, but I would try to get the Bride's side to speak first, then the Groom, then the Bride's, etc. etc., don't forget that some people will be frozen in terror at the thought of speaking in public, others will love it, some Brides will want to speak, others won't

Saint Sonner

Just following up on this I have duties coming up soon too - If the priest wanted to say a few words where would you fit him in?

Toots

What I've seen at a lot of weddings would be the best man is MC and kind of introduces everyone, so you could have the best man get up, say something like hope you're all enjoying the meal, etc and then introduce each person as they get up to have their speech. If it were me I'd stick the priest in either before the father of the bride and father of the groom, or else after the dads and before the groom and best man do their speeches.

Peregrinus

Traditional order is this:

Father of the Bride makes a speech welcoming the guests (he is nominally the host of the wedding reception) and concluding with a toast to The Happy Couple.

Groom replies on behalf of the couple, and concludes with a toast to The Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids, being but women, are presumed to be unable to speak in public and therefore best man replies on their behalf.

Traditionally, nobody from the groom's family speaks (apart from the groom himself); they are guests at this function.

Of course, the tradition and the assumptions which underlie it are not very realistic in this day and age, so it's perfectly accceptable to depart from the tradition in any way, shape or form that you like. Generally guests have a limited tolerance for speeches, though, so don't multiply them unnecessarily.

As for the priest, whether he wants to speak is not really the issue. The issue is whether you want him to speak. If you do, then he can speak anywhere, but it's quite common for him to combine a short address with saying grace before the meal.

Boots234

Would the priest usually say grace after the meal also?

Peregrinus

Not in my experience. After the speeches and the cake things tend to break up a bit with people who have finished their cake wandering over to other tables to speak to friends, others drifting off to the bar, etc.

Saint Sonner

Thanks for all the input. Theres a groomsman who wants to say a few words so where does he fit I was thinking on the following order:

Father of Bride
Father of Groom
Groomsman
Groom
Best Man (me)

Or should the groomsman come after the groom?

homemadecider

Saint Sonner wrote: »

Thanks for all the input. Theres a groomsman who wants to say a few words so where does he fit I was thinking on the following order:

Father of Bride
Father of Groom
Groomsman
Groom
Best Man (me)

Or should the groomsman come after the groom?

Are no women invited to speak?

YossiA

My advice is have speeches before the meal, takes slit of the pressure off you.

homemadecider wrote: »

Are no women invited to speak?

PCros

homemadecider wrote: »

Are no women invited to speak?

Typically no, but the order of speeches as outlined above is only a suggestion.

Bridesmaids and Brides etc are more than welcome to speak if they wish to but most tend not to.