Wedding Speeches and Wedding Toasts Made Simple

    The style of wedding speeches varied widely by country. For example, in ancient Egypt, blessings and offerings to the Gods were given as part of wedding ceremonies.  These blessings and offerings functioned much like the wedding speeches of today. In Europe, the fathers of Brides and Grooms usually spoke at weddings. In Great Britain mothers give wedding day blessings as well as toasts at the receptions and ceremonies.

    Some past wedding traditions didn’t involve the Bride and Groom at all. Celebrations were still a part of the wedding reception but these celebrations were generally not focused on the married couple; rather, these celebrations were a time and place for the wedding guests to enjoy themselves.  There was less focus on the wedding party and speeches took second place or were nonexistent.  For example, the Maid of Honor and the Bridesmaids traditionally didn't deliver a speech at all. 

    The onset of the 20th century changed many wedding traditions and added some new ones. Today it is common for the entire wedding party to give speeches to the Bride, Groom, and parents of the Bride and Groom.  After these main speeches have taken place other guests may choose to come up to the microphone or head table to deliver a speech of their own.

     Wedding speeches have also changed in tone and content from past years.  While in the past serious blessings were bestowed on the couple as part of the wedding speeches, today speeches can seem positively flippant by comparison.  These days, many successful wedding speeches contain humor and some level of teasing towards the wedding couple.  Rather than simply giving blessings many speech givers at weddings are expected to reminisce and comment on the couple as well as to propose a toast and offer good wishes to the Bridal pair. 
   
    This new set of loose rules has many would-be wedding speech givers more nervous than ever. It’s not always possible to tell what humor, if any, is appropriate and will be appreciated by all the guests attending the wedding.  With more choices than ever many people who wish to give a speech at a wedding end up feeling confused and completely unsure of how to proceed.  In the following pages you will learn all you need to know to write a speech that is appropriate will be received with applause.