Wedding Are you writing your Parents/Host speech?

[miraclesrule]

Or are you letting them do it without input? I have been to some weddings where the parents droned on and on and I just knew everyone was yawwwwwnnnnn.

I have to start writing my speech for my daughter''s wedding and I haven''t been able to focus on putting anything together.

The last wedding I went to the Dad''s speech went on forever ....like when she born, then when she was two....and then she was four....

That isn''t going to happen with my speech, because I like light and humorous. I do want to acknowledge all of the people who were instrumental in helping me raise her who will be in attendence. Because I was a single mother, there were a few key other mothers who did all the things that I couldn''t. They basically helped me raise her by picking her up from school, having a place to be after school, driving her around, feeding her when I was stuck at work or at school at night.

Aside from that part of my speech, I don''t have much else. I need some inspiration. Does anyone have any suggestions, or remember any touching topics that you had at your wedding or that you witnessed in another one? The only really great speech I heard recently was given by the brides Dad who was funny, loving and especially touching when it came to the groom.

Eh, if you think of anything, feel free to chime in.

 

[sap483]

My mom wrote her own speech on behalf of her and my dad without any input from me. It was so beautiful and made me tear up. It wasn''t long- and besides thanking everyone for coming said something to the effect that she remembered the day I was born and couldn''t believe I was already getting married, how she was proud of my accomplishments and she welcomed my DH into the family. It was very sweet and very her. From what I''ve read here, I have no doubt that your speech will be sweet because it''s obvious how much you love your little girl, but also humorous because you have a fantastic sense of humor- it will be very reflective of you!

 

[KimberlyH]

My dad gave the toast at our wedding (we had no bridal party and he was the only one to speak). He kept it short, sweet, and light, and it was really touching. He didn''t talk about the past, just how glad he was that his daughter had met her match, and then somehow incorporated that both his daughters had chosen the perfect husbands for them, and how glad he is to have J as part of our family. I was really glad that he said something nice about my BIL too, because they didn''t have a wedding and my sisters'' husband is awesome. I need to transfer our wedding video from the little tape to a big tape or DVD so I can actually watch it (almost 2 years later, shame on me!), so my memory is a bit fuzzy, I just remember it being really nice, and focused on the joining of our lives as as opposed to my past.

 

[portia]

Hmmm... did we attend the same wedding? LOL!! I went to one about a month ago and the father''s speech was a ''This is you life'' 20-25 minute speech. It was kind of sad because the guests (400 of ''em!) got really bored and weren''t paying attention. I think the best speech was given by the two best men. They did a good job, but all the speeches together were about 45 minutes long.

I think a 3 minute speech is perfect. My dad''s speech at our wedding was short, but very touching. He didn''t need any input from me. I really wish we had it on video, but we had a really small wedding and no videographer. Unfortunately, I can''t remember *exactly* what he said, but I remember him talking about us finding each other, how we celebrate our lives together each day, kindred spirits and welcomed DH into the family... it was so sweet!

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

I think the two key elements are that you love your daughter and you love the man she is marrying. I always feel something is missing when the people giving speeches only talk about the person they are related to instead of the two as a couple.

You could always bring a slideshow of the dress alteration pictures and bring a laser pointer for a 20 minute presentation on the ups and downs of wedding planning

 

[swimmer]

Miracles,
I'm certain your speech was perfection, but this is an interesting question you asked. DH and I were at a wedding last winter where the Bestman's toast referenced his own failing marriage, (we assume his wife was the scarlet faced woman sitting next to him, or perhaps his date for the evening?) and it just droned on and on. You could have heard a pin drop. My FIL really concerned me, he wanted to roast us. A wedding a few years ago, the FoG delivered his son's resume, in depth. Embarrassing for all. I had my sil read her dad's just in case and promised to do the same for her in the future. He is an economics professor who thinks he is hysterically funny. What did they say in Wedding Crashers? Keep it touching, don't go for funny, go for the heart.

 

[miraclesrule]

I hear you swimmer!! I even felt really bad for a friend who''s priest went on and on and on about his own health scares and brush with death and his illness. He talked about death for 20 minutes, we were mortified for the bride.

I never did get a chance to write a speech. I don''t even know what I said. I do recall leaving out her DH''s name specifically, but did talk about how much I adored the family she was marrying into. Their sense of humor, strong family values etc.

I started the speech by telling everyone that I was so sorry I didn''t get a chance to write a speech, but I was pre-occupied with ensuring that *bride* looked amazing. Everyone clapped and cheered at this point. I thanked all of the people who help me, as a single mother, raise my daughter.

Mine was short and sweet. I didn''t want too many photos of my sweaty dancing queen face.

The MOH made an adorable poem that was funny, heartwarming and brought most of us to tears.

 

[miraclesrule]

Date: 8/4/2008 2:45:02 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady
The only people who did speeches at our wedding were Steve, the Best Man and the MOH.. (I didn''t even get my two cents in). I cannot IMAGINE what would have been said had my in laws been allowed to speak. At that time she still was saying DH was making a huge mistake by marrying me.

You know, it still hurts knowing she had such ugly feelings about me.

Does she still? Or is she now longer among the living?

That does hurt. Of all the people that one would hope has good feelings about you, it is the Mother of the Man you love. I can only imagine what my daughters DH was going through when he thought I didn''t like him, before I ever even met him. Which sort of preventing us from ever knowing each other. We only really got to know each other well, during the wedding planning process.

I think that the NOG did want to say something, but nobody really offered her the opportunity. We all love each other, even more so after the "incident" with my brother.

I think some speeches are good. But they have to be good speeches. Why didn''t you speak at your wedding? Nothing? You didn''t say anything in response to your DH''s speech?