If you have read our Ultimate Guide To Writing & Delivering A Great Wedding Speech or Toast post, then you know that adding a little bit of humor can really help break the ice and calm your nerves. If you are drowning in the sea of wedding speech examples online and need help writing a speech that you can be proud of- you’re in the right place.
The key to delivering a great wedding speech is how it begins and ends. So today, we’ve rounded up some great opening lines that will have the guests praising your witty wordsmithing. And the great news is these can work for any type of wedding speech (Father of the Bride, Best Man, Groom, and more).
How you open your wedding speech is critical because you only have 30 seconds to capture the guests’ attention and intrigue them enough to listen. Kicking off your wedding speech with one of these gems, and you’ll have a terrific speech.
Image Source: Shutterstock.comSpice Up The Introduction
Ditch the old boring introduction “For those who don’t know me; I am – blah, blah, blah” by adding a little spice and humor. Here are a few examples.
“Hi, Ladies & gentlemen. If you’re in this room tonight and don’t know me, you’re probably at the wrong wedding. I am, of course, [NAME] I’ve been [GROOM’S NAME] wingman for 25 years.”
“Hello and welcome to this evening’s reception, [BRIDE’S NAME]; YOU truly are MY biggest fan. Wait, that didn’t come outright. As I was saying….”
Address the Nerves
We know delivering a speech in front of a crowd of people has a way of bringing on nerves, anxiety, and downright fear for many. The fact that you are nervous can be a great way to open your wedding speech while also helping you to relax.
“Good evening, everyone. I am [NAME], I am the best man this evening and must say – I’m pretty nervous up here. So, I will rely on that expert advice of “picture the crowd naked” to get over it. And I must say…bridesmaids, you look incredible this evening.”
Add a Little Humor; Corny Jokes Are OK
Pretty sure most will agree that there is no better way to start a wedding speech than a well-delivered joke. But when deciding which jokes you can include, make sure to consider your audience. One of the biggest wedding speech gaffes you could make is to offend the Mr. & Mrs. or the guests, so keep it PG. With that said, if you can get them to laugh in the first 30 seconds, you’re going to kill the speech.
“Hello, I’m the father of the bride [NAME]. This entire day has been beautiful, romantic, and emotional so far. In fact, I’m getting emotional. The wedding cake has me in TIERS. (looking at a 3-tiered cake).”
Image Source: Shutterstock.comDeliver a Hilarious Joke With a Straight Face
Saying something downright hilarious and absurd with a straight face will always get the crowd to laugh (and sometimes cheer). If you can pull this off, you’re on your way to an unforgettable wedding speech.
“As Abraham Lincoln once said, [say something outrageous than Lincoln never said—an inspirational quote, movie line, piece of advice, etc.] … and that’s what brings us all together tonight to celebrate [COUPLE’S NAMES].” (source)
“Thank you all for joining us here to celebrate the joining of two beautiful souls. I promise my toast is going to be like a mini-skirt, long enough to cover the goods but short enough to hold your attention.”
History in the Making
Here’s a simple and funny opening line that is appropriate for any presenter and any type of wedding.
“Family and friends, today we are witnessing a unique event in history – it’s the first, and probably the last time anyone will trust me to give a speech!”
Add Something Funny About The Previous Speech
Ok, hear us out on this one because this could really turn disastrous. If you are not first in the speech order, your opening line can be to say something funny about the previous presenter or speech. Just make sure it is not derogatory or insulting. Keep it clean, or you’ll make a few enemies. Here’s a great way to do it!
“I just want to start by congratulating (PREVIOUS PRESENTERS NAME) on their incredible wedding speech tonight. I knew that speech would be hard to follow and I was right; I couldn’t follow a word of it.”
Relationship Advice
“I’d like to begin my speech this evening by giving the happy couple some relationship advice. Unfortunately, I’m single and spend the majority of my time dressing my dog in cute outfits and trying to get their photos viral on Instagram.”
Just Be Yourself
The pressure is undoubtedly on when you have been asked to present a wedding speech. And while you may be tempted to WOW the guests and couple with witty jokes and charming sentiments, the best advice is just to be yourself. And you can even use this as your opening line. Here’s how.
“(NAME) knows that I’m am incredibly nervous about this speech, so they gave me some great advice. They said, ‘Don’t try to be too witty, charming, or intellectual… just be yourself!'”
We hope that you enjoyed this guide to the best wedding speech opening lines. If you need more guidance on wedding speech examples or wedding toast inspiration, we have you covered. Visit our Complete Guide To Wedding Speeches & Toasts. You’ll be writing a killer wedding speech in no time.