In the traditional line-up of wedding speeches, yours will come first and will be the warm-up for the others. Therefore, it\u2019s important you help your fellow speech givers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To help you write the perfect Father of the Bride speech, we\u2019ve compiled a helpful list of things to mention. We\u2019ve spoken to some speechwriting pros to give you expert advice to remember when toasting your daughter and new son-in-law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most people in the room may know who you are, especially if you walked the bride down the aisle. Therefore, don\u2019t make your introduction too robotic. If you say something like, \u201cHi, everyone, I\u2019m Robert, and I\u2019m Anna\u2019s dad,\u201d you will sound like you\u2019re in an AA meeting. Make it conversational and be friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t start with a joke, though, says Robin of The Wedding Speech Guru<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe first line needs to be said with confidence and it could be anything, but I advise people against coming up with a gag is because it devalues the rest of the speech. For a Father of the Bride speech to be successful, it needs to be authentic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This will likely be done by all the speakers after you, but that shouldn\u2019t stop you from saying it as well. In fact, especially if you and the bride\u2019s mother are the hosts, yours might be the most important welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to your daughter that everyone in attendance is there, and it should be to you as well! So take a brief moment to welcome them and to thank them for coming along. Many Fathers of the Bride thank those from furthest afield, for example guests who have flown in from Australia. Decide how you want to welcome everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today is about her, and your speech should be about her, too. Don\u2019t be afraid to roast her (a little bit), especially if she made you pay for the wedding! But, believe it or not, no one wants to hear stories about her running around naked as a kid. There\u2019s a fine line between making light fun of her and embarrassing her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen it before,\u201d says Adam of Adaptable Speechwriting<\/a>, \u201cand what a dad may find funny can sometimes rub people up the wrong way and is not worth the risk.\u201d Robin agrees, and even goes on to say that, \u201cAnything that might embarrass her is strictly off-limits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make gentle jabs at her teenage years or her poor taste in music when she was younger. But, if there\u2019s one thing that all of the speechwriters we interviewed agree on, it\u2019s this: do not mention ex-boyfriends.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Your Father of the Bride speech is the ideal moment to formally welcome your daughter\u2019s new husband to the family. And, perhaps more importantly, it\u2019s the time to put aside any negative feelings you may have about him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you two have a good relationship, some light joking here may be appropriate. If not, then take advice from Eddie of Custom Speechwriting<\/a>. \u201cWedding toasts should be truthful but they don\u2019t need to tell all of the truth,\u201d Eddie says. \u201cThe Father of the Bride in this situation should focus on the positive aspects of the new son-in-law; if that\u2019s challenging, he should ask his daughter what she sees in him and what he does to make her happy. Use those reasons to talk about why they will be a great couple.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your daughter has just married this man, therefore let bygones be bygones and accept he is part of your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether or not you and the Mother of the Bride are still together, taking the time to acknowledge her and the hand she had in raising your daughter is gracious and goes a long way. <\/strong>You may also wish to thank her for the part she played in organising the wedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to acknowledging the groom\u2019s parents, think short and sweet, especially if you don\u2019t know them very well. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s just best to acknowledge the fact they don\u2019t know each other too well, it can also be an opportunity to say something warming towards them and get some form of a relationship going,\u201d says Adam (Adaptable Speechwriting). Use this as an opportunity to start building bridges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you are typically the oldest of the traditional speakers, it\u2019s up to you to impart some wisdom and marital advice. This could be a good opportunity for a joke at the expense of your other half (if you\u2019re confident it\u2019ll go down well). But, above all, keep it appropriate!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moreover, remember not to get too intense. This isn\u2019t The Godfather and\nyou\u2019re not Don Corleone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finish up with a toast to the newlyweds and to their happiness. Keep it simple and loving. This should be the easiest part of your Father of the Bride speech! Be genuine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yours is the first of the speeches, so, as important as your speech is, keep it short. The guests will know that yours is just the first speech of several so might get fidgety. This is especially true if speeches come before the wedding breakfast! Brevity is bound to earn you praise, so try to stick to around 5-7 minutes. Time yourself beforehand just to make sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And even if you are, this isn\u2019t the time for a set. Cracking jokes is a great way to loosen up your audience and to put everyone in a good mood, but don\u2019t let that pressure you into being funny. Nobody wants to hear a string of bad dad jokes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eddie from Custom Speechwriting adds: \u201cLight-hearted jokes are fine and are welcome in wedding toasts\u2026 However, keep in mind that everyone in your audience is an amateur videographer with the aid of their smartphones. Make sure that you are willing to have anything you say recorded and uploaded to YouTube for the near eternity of the internet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We understand that the day will take its toll on you emotionally. However, blubbing your way through your speech might make your daughter worry that she\u2019s made a mistake! Instead, we recommend that you practice your speech. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Robin (The Wedding Speech Guru) is in firm agreement here: \u201cMake sure you say your speech out loud 10-15 times,\u201d he advises. \u201cJust reading it through isn\u2019t good enough. Create prompt cards or print the speech, but in a way that\u2019s visually memorable so if you\u2019ve gone through it a lot, you should know it almost by heart and you can just glance at it and remember it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your daughter\nand her new husband are the stars of the show today. Make your Father of the Bride\nspeech about them; praise them, make little jabs at them, and wish\nthem well. Do those things\nand you can\u2019t go too wrong.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy absolute number one rule is breathing techniques,\u201d says Adam (Adaptable Speechwriting). <\/strong>\u201cTake a deep breath between points\u2026It feels about four times as long when you\u2019re stood there than what the audience will feel so take your time it won\u2019t be noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMake sure you have a glass of champagne to toast with and a glass of\nwater in front of you,\u201d Robin (The Wedding Speech Guru) advises nervous\nspeakers. \u201cIn advance of the speech, make sure you talk to as many guests as\npossible\u2026It means that the people you\u2019re talking to have a vested interest in the\nsuccess of your speech and it\u2019s much less scary if you\u2019re\nlooking out at faces you know. Lastly, smile!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, if you remember nothing else, try to at least remember your last line. Remembering your intended last line will stop you from awkwardly tailing off and works as a mental chequered flag that you\u2019ll be able to jump to in case you really blank. It\u2019s a handy tip that all professional speakers use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, we hope that, after reading this, you are feeling more confident now about your speech. We have helpful advice for the Best Man<\/a> and Groom<\/a>, too. Good luck!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dads, it\u2019s the article you\u2019ve been waiting for! Your little girl is getting married and, as tradition dictates, she\u2019ll be looking to you at the reception to give a Father of the Bride speech worthy of your love for her and which will contribute to the overall success of her big day. So, no pressure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":30335,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[173,1798],"tags":[1950,1646,262,1297,264,794,482],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Father](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.theweddingsecret.co.uk\/magazine\/planning\/Speeches\/Father-of-the-Bride\/Penny_Young_Photography.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe\nStructure<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Introduce yourself<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"Father](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.theweddingsecret.co.uk\/magazine\/planning\/Speeches\/Father-of-the-Bride\/Rebecca-Faith.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWelcome everyone<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"Father](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.theweddingsecret.co.uk\/magazine\/planning\/Speeches\/Father-of-the-Bride\/Jenny-Hardy.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nYour daughter<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"Father](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.theweddingsecret.co.uk\/magazine\/planning\/Speeches\/Father-of-the-Bride\/Martin-Dabek-Photography.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nYour son-in-law<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"Father](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.theweddingsecret.co.uk\/magazine\/planning\/Speeches\/Father-of-the-Bride\/Rich-Howman.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe bride\u2019s mother and your new in-laws<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"Father](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.theweddingsecret.co.uk\/magazine\/planning\/Speeches\/Father-of-the-Bride\/Paul-Keppel-Photography.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWisdom for the newlyweds<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"Father](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.theweddingsecret.co.uk\/magazine\/planning\/Speeches\/Father-of-the-Bride\/Ryan-Goold.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nA toast<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Top Tips<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Timing<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re not a stand-up comedian<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"Father](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.theweddingsecret.co.uk\/magazine\/planning\/Speeches\/Father-of-the-Bride\/judith-parkyn-photography.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat to do if you get emotional<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"Father](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.theweddingsecret.co.uk\/magazine\/planning\/Speeches\/Father-of-the-Bride\/Susie-Mackie.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThis isn\u2019t about you<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
And if you get nervous\u2026<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"Father](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.theweddingsecret.co.uk\/magazine\/planning\/Speeches\/Father-of-the-Bride\/HimandHer.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Photo](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.theweddingsecret.co.uk\/magazine\/planning\/Speeches\/Father-of-the-Bride\/Stylish.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n