Groom, Best Man, Father of the Bride – Who Says What?
The Wedding Reception, originally called the Wedding Breakfast, was originally a way of celebrating the marriage and the joining of the two families. The usual format is a greeting and drinks on arrival, then a meal, several speeches, and the cutting of the cake. There may then be a less-formal celebration such as a dance or disco. But wait! What did I mean by “several speeches”? Who makes a speech? What should you say? And in what order should the speeches be? Giving a speech is high on many peoples’ “must avoid” lists, but because the speeches are such a central part of the wedding reception you have to make sure you get it right! The first point to make here is that the order of speeches at a wedding reception is tradition, and not the law! Use the order I describe here as guidance for what often happens, but you do not have to stick to it. What you do have to do is decide well in advance who is going to make a speech, and what order they are going to be in. And make sure they all k
