Tips for the Father of the Bride Speech

At most weddings you will be the one to kick off the wedding speeches. So it is your responsibility to deliver an entertaining speech to get your guests attention and keep them interested.

Tip 1
Have a great opening line to pull in your audience and have them listening to every word you say. This may mean having a funny opening line or an emotionally charged opener. Whatever it is, practice it well and know it by heart, so you can deliver it confidently on the day.

Tip 2
The length of your speech should be about a couple of minutes. You don't want to be less than one minute and no longer than five minutes.

Tip 3
If you don't feel confident delivering a funny speech, then your speech could have more of a sincere tone. Emotional, heartfelt words can be just as effective as humorous stories and anecdotes. Don't feel pressured to be funny, as often the best man speech will have a light hearted tone with plenty of humor. And it's nice to have a mix of speeches with some being funny and some more serious.

Tip 4
Remember to thank people who helped organize the wedding.

Tip 5
Finish your speech with a toast to the bride and groom. Wish them happiness, health and success. Like your opening line, you want to know your toast by heart. So practice it well so you can deliver it with confidence.

Tip 6
Have good eye contact with your audience and with the bride and groom. You want to make all your guests and the bridal party feel included in your speech. Avoid focusing on one spot or looking down at your notes.

Tip 7
Allow plenty of time to write and practice your speech. Rehearse your speech with some friends or family to see how they react. If they don't smile or get teary-eyed when they are supposed to, then you still have time to make changes. Get their honest feedback and ask if they have any suggestions for your speech.

Tip 8
You can share some childhood stories about your daughter and talk about how proud you are of her. Talk about the groom, what your first impressions of him were and welcome him to your family.

Tip 9
As an icebreaker you could make a joke about your nerves, this will get the audience laughing and help you relax. If you miss a line or mess it up, just apologize, laugh it off and move on. If you appear flustered or nervous it makes the audience feel more uncomfortable.

Tip 10
Even though making a speech is nerve wracking, try to be as relaxed as possible and smile at your audience. If you can appear confident and relaxed then your guests will feel relaxed too.

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