Once the ceremony is over, it’s time to turn up the volume and get the party started (see our wedding music guide when you’re ready to rock out). But before anyone can hit the dance floor, there are some things to tackle – the speeches.
Wedding Speech Order
Wedding toasts are a big part of a wedding and generally take place just before or after dinner. And while there are no hard and fast rules to the order that they are presented, there is a specific order if you want to follow tradition.
Photo Credit: Adobe stock photoTraditional Wedding Speech Order
Here’s the ultimate guide to the traditional wedding speech order.
- MC
- Father of the Bride
- Groom
- Best Man
Alternative Wedding Speech Order
There’s nothing stopping you from customizing your speech lineup, such as the below lineup:
- Father of the Bride
- Groom
- Bride
- Maid of Honor & Bridesmaids
- Best Man
The Main Speakers at Every Wedding
The MC
Generally, the first person to speak at a wedding reception will be the Master of Ceremonies or MC. They typically say a few congratulatory words to the newlyweds and then let you know how the reception will flow. They are also the person that will introduce each person that will be presenting a wedding speech.
Read more: MC speech guide.
Father of the Bride
Wedding speech traditions generally have the first toast presented by the host of the event (the person paying the bill). At many weddings, this role lies in the bride’s parents’ hands, so naturally, the Bride’s Father presents his toast first.
Read more: Father of the Bride Speech Guide with Examples.
Photo Credit: Adobe stock photoGroom
Next, the groom will speak and thank the bride’s parents, maybe say a few words about the bridal parties, thanks to the vendors, says thank you to the guests and for their gifts and of course, his beautiful new spouse.
Read more: Groom Speech Guide with Examples.
Best Man
The best man’s speech is almost always the last speech and usually follows the groom. His speech will generally include some funny stories about the groom; he’ll thank the groom, gift praises to the couple, read messages from people who couldn’t make it, and give one last toast to the couple.
Read more: Best Man Speech Guide with Examples.
Closing Thoughts on Your Wedding Speech Order
The best man speech is usually the last wedding speech, although, in modern times, others are now stepping up to toast the newlyweds. You may see the bride giving an address, the Maid of Honor, Father of the groom, and even some special guest speakers.
The key to successful toasts at your wedding is to set an order, make sure everyone knows it, and is ready to speak when it’s their turn.
And remember this, your wedding day is just that – your day. Feel free to mix up the speeches’ order, change who is giving toasts, or skip them altogether. Your wedding can be as unique as your personalities and love story. 