The father of the bride has a special place in wedding etiquette. Not only does he give the bride away during the wedding ceremony but he also traditionally hosts the wedding reception that follows. The father of the bride speech and toast to the bride and groom is usually one of the highlights of the formalities of the reception. Now having said that, traditional and formal wedding etiquette have been displaced by informality and flexibility in all but high society weddings. Today’s weddings are usually arranged by the couple themselves, rather than by the bride’s parents as was the case in earlier times. The bride and groom will often decide how they would like their wedding ceremony to proceed.

The father of the bride, as the host, traditionally gives the first speech and concludes with a toast to the bride and groom. The bridegroom replies and toasts the bridesmaids. The best man relies on behalf of the bridesmaids, and offers a toast to the parents of the bride and groom. As the host, the father of the bride would usually take the opportunity to welcome the guests and acknowledge those who made a special effort to attend, and mention those unable to be present. Some thanks will usually be extended to those who made a special contribution to the wedding in some way, such as helping with flowers or the wedding cake. The groom’s family is traditionally acknowledged in the bride’s father’s speech.

The more emotional and heartfelt part of the speech comes in the personal words directed to the bride and groom, perhaps mixed in with some entertaining stories and humor. Most fathers make a point of speaking also on behalf of the bride’s mother. The speech concludes with a toast to the bride and groom, inviting everyone to raise their glasses and drink a toast to the future health and happiness of the newly weds. Usually the toast is expressed with a succinct message delivered with a touch of poetry. The first speech and the toast to the bride and groom is sometimes given instead by an old family friend or by a master of ceremonies, or toastmaster. Sometimes the best man acts as the toastmaster and gives this first speech. It may be that the father of the bride is absent or unwell, or perhaps not a confident public speaker.

Tags : Society Weddings, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Etiquette