writing a grooms wedding speech

Hollie is a lifestyle journalist with over ten years’ experience working in the wedding industry as Lifestyle Editor for You & Your Wedding magazine Also a Regional Editor for Muddy Stilettos, Hollie has written for Square Meal magazine, Family History Monthly, BBC History magazine and Homes & Antiques. In her spare time you can find Hollie in a dance studio practising ballet…

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Everything to Know About Your Groom Speech: Tips, Advice, and Examples

All you need is 15 minutes to prepare.

Photo by Chi-Chi Ari

In This Article

While it’s not a steadfast requirement, a groom's speech adds a powerful pre or post-dinner touch to the wedding if you address the crowd for a few short minutes. I’m confident that when you finish this article, you’ll actually WANT to say a few words.

Meet the Expert

Pete Honsberger has been a serial groomsman, speaker, and wedding toast advisor for most of his adult life. When it comes to wedding toasts, he's seen just about everything.

As a guy who grabbed the mic at my own wedding, and who has spent years cultivating wedding speech stories for my book Wedding Toasts 101: The Guide to the Perfect Wedding Speech , I can honestly say that it’s a beautiful moment and one you won’t want to skip.

And here’s the best part: Reading this is the only major preparation you’ll need to complete. So follow me and let’s set you up for success!

Groom Speech Tips

You only need a few minutes to prepare, and about two minutes to deliver your speech . This is your chance to recognize the hard work that others (and you) have put into this amazing day, to thank everyone for giving you the gifts of their time (and money, haha!), and to add another twinkle in your love’s eyes.

My advice? Keep it brief, but make it count. From my experience and those that I’ve witnessed, it’s so worth it.

Groom Speech Preparation

In my experience, you won’t need more than 15 minutes to complete all the steps in advance. Just be sure to have a tidbit for each and you’ll look like a pro. Most importantly, you’ll show the crowd, your family, and your partner that you genuinely appreciate them.

On the big day, it's customary to give your speech either right before or right after dinner is served. You'll want to speak to your planner in advance about fitting your toast into the reception timeline , but once it's go-time, simply gesture for a microphone and ask for the guests’ attention.

Groom Speech Template

To begin, simply prepare these five steps.

Step 1: Give Thanks

Regardless of wedding size, you’ve had people traveling distances and giving their time to be in attendance. Most (and hopefully all) have brought you gifts , many of the pieces of green paper that will serve you very well as you start your new life. And even more than that, they deemed you important enough to spend a day of their lives participating in your celebration.

Any and all of these efforts deserve a huge thanks. Now’s your chance to share that gratitude with everyone directly. In spite of our best efforts, my wife and I were not able to physically speak to every one of our 284 guests during our 2018 wedding. You likely won’t either, so use this opportunity to address everyone at once, and don’t forget to put some emotion on display.

For example, a simple way to thank everyone would be to say:

"The only thing I want to say is WOW. People have told me this would be the best day of my life, and I can honestly say it’s true, because of all of you (pointing at the crowd), and especially you (pointing at your partner). I cannot thank you all enough for being here."

You may choose to keep it even more simple, perhaps something like:

"I’m a lucky guy. To have friends like you, family like the [your last name]s, in-laws like the [in-laws’ last name]s, and a wife like [name of your partner] is all I could ever ask for. Thank you to everyone…and don’t let me down on the dance floor."

Whatever you do, make sure to show love and respect for your in-laws. Whether they contributed $1 or $100,000 to the wedding, remember that you’re marrying them as well as your partner.

Step 2: Give One Compliment to Your Partner

At its root, this person is what your wedding day is all about. Cue up a classy and perhaps playful compliment about their dress or tux, the work they did to make the day possible, their patience in dealing with you, their resilience in wedding planning while you were out of town on a business trip, or simply their unwavering love throughout a challenging process.

If you’re currently planning your wedding, you know exactly what I mean by “challenging process.” With so much to do and so many decisions to be made, there’s no way it could have gotten done without your better half.

Tell them this publicly. You only need one or two lines to share your appreciation and to make their eyes sparkle and their face blush with slightly embarrassed happiness.

For example:

“[Name of your partner], I’ll never forget seeing you walk down the aisle today. You are beautiful in more ways than I can count.”

If you know your partner would prefer something playful/funny, you can put on a very serious face and then say something like:

“[Name of your partner], you must be a parking ticket because you have FINE written all over you right now!”

Then pause for the inevitable roar in the room.

Step 3: Recall One Memory

You don’t have a lot of time for this, so pick out one noteworthy anecdote or short memory from your relationship, from the wedding planning process , or from your interactions with their family and friends. Share your most compelling and enthusiastic version of that story and you’ll delight the whole crowd.

You may have already been through the best man and maid of honor toasts , so this is your chance to toss in your two cents. The people don’t need a whole nickel here, so to speak, just two cents will do. Keep it short and sweet, and be sure to share something that hasn’t already been said.

“When [name of partner] and I first met, we talked for hours until our friends all wanted to leave. I started to panic since I didn’t want to stop getting to know them. So I suggested we keep the party going by getting some pizza while everyone else went home. We’re only here tonight because my [husband or wife] likes pizza!”

Here’s another idea:

“When I first met my father-in-law, he asked me what my intentions were with his daughter. I told him it was to treat her like a queen no matter where the relationship went. That’s what I said out loud. What I really meant was, ‘my intentions are to survive through this meal’. But I’ve made it this far!”

Step 4: Share One Reception Comment

Whether it’s about the dinner being currently served, the signature cocktail available at the bar, the DJ/band, or the overall atmosphere in the reception hall, pull out one comment to share aloud related to the evening’s experience.

The purpose of this is to connect the whole room with your vision for the night. If you want the dance floor absolutely packed, speak it into existence. If you have a specially requested song you want to tease, mention it here.

For example, my wedding included a Serbian dance called the “Kolo” in the middle of the reception. This was an opportunity for me to speak to that contingent of guests, to let them know that we would be participating in that tradition. For the uninitiated in that culture, it was an invitation to learn something new in a fun way. The pictures of that dance speak for themselves—a joyous mixture of great and horrible Kolo dancing from guests of several different backgrounds having fun together.

Maybe your reception comment is about a special treat that someone’s grandmother has added to the dessert table. Or maybe the décor was chosen for a personal reason. Heck, this is even an opportunity to explain the table favors and how you want people to enjoy them.

“You might notice the noise-makers in the middle of your table right now. And you might be wondering why those are there. All I can say is to put one in your pocket now and trust me. You’ll know when it’s time to use them.”

Step 5: Give Thanks Again

One more round of thanks will put a bow on your short, sweet, and powerful groom toast. If there’s anyone you forgot to thank the first time, now’s your chance. For your new spouse, their family, and yours, this is one more well-deserved shout-out to them.

It may be in your favor to mention the priest or officiant of the wedding, as well as the staff who is working hard to make the reception flawless and fun for the guests. A half-joking “please give an extra scoop of the mac & cheese to Uncle John and pour the drinks strong for my college friends” will earn you a good-hearted chuckle as you wrap things up.

You’re welcome to ask people to raise a glass to share a toast. May I suggest, however, that the toast is to your partner, your families, and all of the friends here tonight.

What to Know About Virtual Toasts

If the wedding was unexpectedly modified, made virtual , or downsized due to conditions outside of your control, then attendees have gone through even more to be present. If they are attending via Zoom or live stream , they’re sending the message that they’ll be there for you even if they can’t enjoy the open bar (which, let’s be honest, is a sacrifice).

At my brother’s wedding in the summer of 2020, a party of 200 was reduced to about 50. Those who attended went to great lengths to still be there amidst uncertainty. So many would-be-guests showed their love in different ways, like commenting/making song requests on the live stream, pre-recording messages of congratulations for the couple, replicating the reception in their own homes by dressing up to dance in their living rooms and so many others. While it should have been sad to have loved ones miss out in-person, the creativity and support were overwhelming and absolutely unforgettable.

Remember this when preparing your speech and adjust steps one, four, and five accordingly. After all, your goal is to connect with everyone on Zoom just as you want to connect with every guest in the room.

Congrats! Now that you've mastered your toast, feel free to share the below link with your best man to ensure that his speech is just as impactful.

Groom Speech Tips

Groom Speech Dos and Don'ts

The Great Groom Speech Template

Groom wedding toast ideas, the best groom speech examples.

Wedding Party & Reception

Groom Speech Wedding Templates And Ideas

phuket_wedding_planner via Instagram

Everyone wants to hear the groom say something at the wedding because he’s the man of the hour. For this reason, you must make the opportunity count. While it’s easy to celebrate the good fortune of finding your beloved, giving a speech is a different matter.

Ironically, brides are always prepared, but grooms often leave the speech at the last minute, probably from panic. So whether you’re shy, confused about what to do, or don’t have the time to whip up something, we’ve got you covered. See our Post for the best groom wedding speech tips and ideas ever.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should the groom say in his speech.

Well, below is a list to guide you on giving a great groom speech.

When should the groom give his speech?

A groom’s speech is a great way to express his gratitude and love for his partner on their wedding day. It is typically given after the bride’s speech, and is usually followed by the best man’s speech. The groom should give his speech when all of the formalities of the wedding ceremony have been completed, and all of the guests are gathered in one place. This will ensure that everyone can hear his words and appreciate them fully.

How Long Should A Groom’s Speech Be?

groom speech bride great crying bridesmaids

emiliobphotography via Instagram

Many grooms are spontaneous, but overall you have about ten minutes to prepare the speech and three minutes to deliver it. The guests are also settled and very attentive to you before or after the meal. So here’s how to write a groom‘s speech that wins every time.

A lot of grooms always get confused when trying to write a speech for their wedding. Days before the wedding, they go into a fit of panic because they know absolutely nothing to write. While writing such speech, you are conscious about the introduction, body, and conclusion. You want to catch the guests at the beginning of your speech, keep them interested and close off to a magnetic finishing.

Other things to consider are the length of speech, speech structure, word usage and time spent. All these done in the right format will help you pull off a great groom speech. We did a lot of findings and consultation on what best obtains and captures everyone. As such, we have come up with some groom speech tips to help you shine. With these speech tips and the right emotions, your message will hit its target right in the heart.

The speech tips below are simple, concise and will give answers to all your questions.

Groom Speech Dos and Don’ts

kreativwedding via Instagram

To avoid a wedding speech disaster, there are some things to do and not to do. Things that one would often times not give much thought to but they mean a lot. These dos and don’ts can make or mar your wedding day.

A perfect speech will give you unending applause from everyone. But a bad speech? The disasters are too much to mention. You will have in-laws getting pissed at you, the bridesmaids coming for your head. Your best man gunning to have you quartered and your wife preparing to give you hell.

Let us not talk about the guests who may start exiting your wedding venue in their numbers.

Don’ts

Here’s a groom speech template that will help you create a winning speech with ease.

The groom’s wedding toast is quite numerous, most of which he will give as he makes his speech. For every stage he concludes in his speech, there is a toast. A toast to the father-in-law, to his best man, to the bridesmaids, to the guests present, and many more. The most important toast is to his wife and both of them as a couple.

This is a form of honor and acknowledgment to everyone present and in his life. The groom has the choice to either make each toast while giving his wedding speech or make it all at once after giving his speech. We make toasts before taking the drinks anyway.

To the father of the bride

“Let us toast to my father in law for raising and giving me this beautiful woman. For being a wonderful father to her, although I’m taking over. For accepting me as a son……. “

To the best man

“To my right-hand man for being there all the way. For taking time off work to make all things ready for my big day. For all the sacrifices you made from way back until now. For being my best friend in the real sense and too many more years as friends…..a toast to my best man (insert name)”

Toast To the guests

“A toast to you wonderful people. You are all amazing. Thanks for being here today and sharing in our joy. To many more years of celebration and happiness………. “

To the bride

“Whoever thought this angelic beauty seated here will be mine? Let’s all make a toast to my heartthrob, whose smile lightens my world. A toast to you baby, for all you are, for all you’ll be. To us, to life, to our love, to your happiness, too many blissful years with me, to our future, to forever…………”

As against the best man speech which focuses more on the groom, the speech of the groom is for everyone, his bride inclusive. As a result, a groom’s speech is either light-hearted, funny, or witty. It has no blueprint or strict rules but two elements are ever-present regardless of what kind of speech it is – emotion and sincerity!

It is a special day and a lot of people made the day possible. In his speech, he will thank everyone and even those absent. He will salute his new father-in-law, the bridesmaids, the maid of honor, and even the bride’s mother.

He will thank his groomsmen and especially his best man for holding him up all the way. The highlight of this speech is when he would make a wedding toast to his beloved, with so much love in his eyes thanking her for coming into his life. He’d tell his love story and show his optimism and willingness to be her husband.

My speech today will be like a mini-skirt. Long enough to cover the essentials and short enough to hold your attention. Apparently, it’s my job to do all the thank you’s, so on behalf of my lovely new wife and I, the biggest thank-you goes to all of you for coming. The day would not have been the same without you and neither would my bank balance! But on a serious note, it is lovely to see so many of you here. Particularly those of you who have had to travel many miles. Amy and I would like to thank our parents for all the love and support both emotional and financial they have given us. And a special thank-you to Vanessa who is responsible for making our fantastic wedding cake. Sharon, Sue, Vanessa, Ray, Steve We’d also like to thank Darren for his services as the best man today and of course our ushers. You’ve all done a grand job. Darren, Mark, Jon, Jim, Adam That brings me onto our bridesmaids. Thank you all for your help and for being there for Amy through the ups and downs of wedding planning! I’m sure everyone will agree that you all look stunning today. Nina, Laura, Charlotte, Kirsty, Fiona, Lillie, Jordan, and Emily. Finally, I would personally like to thank my lovely wife, Amy, for having me as her husband! I read somewhere that “You don’t marry the person you can live with, you marry the person you cannot live without”. Well, we’ve lived together for five years and I know I’ve married the right person. I’m so glad I can at last call you my wife. Now all that remains is for me to say please enjoy the rest of the day…… and mine’s a foster!

………..Good evening ladies, gentlemen, family, and friends. First of all, I must say a big “thank you” to Colin for his kind words. His speech was so good, he’s going to do mine for me too. As many of you will know, I am of the shy retiring type that likes to keep quiet and keep my opinions to myself, therefore you can understand my nervousness at standing up here in front of all of you making a speech. And as many of you will also know, I’m also a compulsive liar, but I am still nervous, that bit is true. I have been fearful of this bit for weeks, and as you can imagine, this isn’t the first time today I have arisen from a warm seat with a piece of paper in my hand. I read while researching wedding speeches that a good speech has a good beginning and a good ending. But the best speech of all is one that keeps these close together. So I will try and keep this as short as possible and will try my best not to do a “Gwinny” with my list of thanks. Firstly I would like to thank any Rangers fans for still being here and not walking out at 4.30 as usual. Pause for cheers But then again, I don’t think we’re friends with any of them anyway. I would like to thank my parents, Ian and Margaret for all the help they have given me over the years, if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be here now. So, Helen, if it doesn’t work out you know who to blame. I would also like to thank Helen’s parents, Colin and Sandra, for making me feel like the son they never wanted, sorry the son they never had, right from day 2. Day 1 was a bit rough, but hey, they’re over it now……….

……….You are all aware of our problems over the last few years and one of my biggest worries, especially when I was “down South”, so to speak, was that my two children, Michelle and Nick would go off the rails. I’m pleased to say that they didn’t and they’ve both made us so proud of their achievements so I’d like to propose my toast to them….Michelle and Nick. Very few of you will know, but I am an erstwhile poet when the mood takes me. Anita has always complained that I have never written a poem for her, so I will today amend that omission. It’s called Wedding Day…………

………..On behalf of Julia and myself, or should I say on behalf of my wife and me, we would like to thank everyone for coming today. Everyone has traveled in some way to be here and share this special day with us and we’re delighted to see you all. A special thank-you goes out to those of you who have traveled a greater number of miles to be here today. It’s quite humbling to realize that you’re friends and family that care so much and are willing to travel all that way to share in your special day. Thank you for your cards, kind thoughts and of course all your wedding gifts. They’re all greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, there are two people who can’t be here today, my Dad and my granddad so, it would mean a lot to me if you would all stand for a toast in their memory – To Billy McCleery and James Harrison Snr…………

………….On a serious note, I’d firstly like to say a big thank you to my new Dad Dave. I’m proud to be his son-in-law and hope I can live up to his expectations, which should be easy, compared to his other son Mick! But let us not take this Father, Son thing too seriously, as I’m not into 10-mile runs before breakfast like you were in the Paras. Both Sharon and I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone for coming here today and sharing this special occasion with us. Especially those who brought expensive presents. Its much appreciated! Thank you to Edwin and Elsa, Margaret and Linda and many others who have traveled a long way to be here. It’s certainly a long way from Brighouse! We hope you all enjoy the day, have fun, relax and be merry…………….

Groom Rehearsal Dinner Speech

Congratulations on your upcoming rehearsal dinner speech! Here are three tips to help you write a memorable and meaningful speech:

Here’s an example of a groom rehearsal dinner speech that incorporates these three tips:

Good evening everyone, and thank you for joining us on this special night. I want to start by thanking our parents, who have been there for us every step of the way. Your love and support mean the world to us. I also want to thank our friends and family who have traveled from near and far to be here with us. We feel incredibly blessed to have you in our lives. As we sit here tonight, I can’t help but reflect on how lucky I am to have found my soulmate in [bride’s name]. I knew from the moment I met her that she was the one for me. Her kindness, intelligence, and beauty continue to amaze me every day. [Optional: insert a personal anecdote here] [Optional: insert a joke or humorous story here] As we prepare to start this new chapter of our lives together, I am filled with gratitude and joy. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us. Thank you all again for being here tonight. Let’s raise a glass to love, laughter, and happily ever after!

The groom’s speech is one of the most anticipated speeches at a wedding. It doesn’t need such long preparation but could flop if you don’t get the hang of it. Give the best groom speech ever with the tips, ideas, and templates we’ve curated in this post. Speak from the heart, let your love shine, add some humor and you’re home free.