If you want to know how to write a flawless father of the bride speech for your daughter on her wedding day, here’s your ultimate guide to father of the bride speech tips, examples and advice.

Father of the Bride Speech Guide

The traditional running order of wedding speeches typically involves the father of the bride presenting his speech first at the wedding reception, followed by the groom and then the best man speech. With this order, the father of the bride speech is typically seen as the warm up act.

The father of the bride speech usually begins by thanking the wedding guests for attending and acknowledging his daughter’s new parents-in-law whilst welcoming his new son or daughter-in-law to the family.

The father of the bride is usually seen as a bit of a warm-up act, and something to be heart-warming rather than funny like the best man speech. However, with a little effort you can make sure your father of the bride speech and moment in the spotlight is something to be remembered.

How to Write a Father of the Bride Speech

If you’re struggling to write your father of the bride speech, we’ve got you covered. We’ve teamed up with The Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa’s wedding coordinator Liz Ballinger, for the best father of the bride speech tips and advice.

What to Include in Your Father of the Bride Speech

Whether it’s short and sweet or a moment to enjoy the spotlight, your father of the bride speech needs to contain some basic elements. That’s if it is to be in keeping with tradition. Here’s a simple father of the bride speech template to follow…

Father of the Bride Speech Template

Father of the Bride Introduction

You need to introduce yourself, but it doesn’t have to be reminiscent of an AA meeting. Tell them your name and maybe crack a small joke to make yourself feel relaxed.

The Welcome

Make a formal welcome to everyone, and thank them for coming. Try to also mention the bride’s mother and the groom’s parents too.

Your Daughter

She’s made you pay for it and now’s your chance to get a little of your own back on her. Recall a funny anecdote or simply tell her how proud you are of the woman she’s become. This is her big day, so say something memorable and touching.

Rather than just say that you love your daughter, talk about the times that you’ve felt proud of her. Reference the moments that stand out and show how much she means to you.

Tell the guests about how you secretly cried after she left for University, explain how you couldn’t eat for a month whilst she backpacked through Asia. Or confess that you still worry about her if she hasn’t texted you that day. We guarantee there will be tears.

Your Son-in-law

Formally welcome the groom to your family. You can mention how you felt about him when you first met him, or a moment when you’ve been particularly glad he’s around. Try to be positive about the future and moving forward with him as a family member.

Parting Wisdom

As the elder speaker at the wedding, you should impart some of your wisdom to the happy couple. This could be about maintaining a healthy marriage or living a happy life. This is also a good place to throw in some jokes, however, err on the side of tasteful. You don’t want to upset anyone.

The Father of the Bride Toast

Finish up by asking everyone to stand and raise a glass to the happy couple. The best man will do something similar at the end of his speech too, but it’s the traditional way to close yours.

Father of the Bride Speech Advice

The biggest trap fathers fall into is thinking they need to thank people – that’s actually the groom’s job. That said, it pays to briefly mention the wedding guests and your daughter’s new in-laws. You should also acknowledge the role the bride’s mother has had in her upbringing.

If you’ve split up from your daughter’s mother and you both have new partners, the politics of your speech can be more complex. Of course, the situation is the hardest for your daughter, so even if the relationship between you and your ex is strained, try to be generous in your acknowledgement of your daughter’s mum and step-dad.

Do not get sucked into thanking the venue, the caterers or wedding guest who’ve travelled far. It’s not your day and, quite frankly, too many thank yous becomes boring. Remember the bridesmaids will be thanked by the groom (and maybe even the best man) so keep your gratitude succinct (and dance with them later).

How long should a father of the bride speech be?

A good father of the bride speech should be for about six minutes so aim for that. Remember no one ever witnessed a speech and said ‘if only it was longer’. Even if you feel you have loads of great material, be strict with yourself. Even Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address was only 272 words long!

Father of the Bride Speech Examples

These father of the bride speech examples are sure to bring a tear to the eye, for all the right reasons…

The Devoted Dad Speech

We love this amazing poem from father of the bride, Tom – it’s not easy to write a wedding speech that’s funny, touching and rhymes but he achieves just that.

We recommend you put the subtitles on in this video to truly appreciate his wonderful words.

Our favourite moments are Tom’s beautiful dedication to his wife and the mother of the bride. You can find this around five minutes in, and his general advice for newlywed couples at the nine-minute mark.

For more wedding speech inspiration, check out our round-up of the best wedding speeches ever.

Father of the Bride Speech Rules

Fathers of the brides are no longer shackled by out-dated etiquette but there’s certainly more pressure on you dads to be funny. Here, the Speechy experts reveal the new father of the bride speech rules you need to follow…

Do Your Research

Gather your intel and call in back up. Get other family members round a table and brainstorm. Think about the great (and funny) times you’ve shared with your daughter. Think about her why she makes you laugh. We guarantee your daughter’s siblings will be a great source of material, as well as her mum.

It’s also worth asking your daughter to give you the low-down on who exactly is coming to the wedding. If you know her yoga buddies and the groom’s rugby mates will be there, it’s easier for you to select your stories and tailor your humour to suit.

Of course, increasingly there are guests who have English as their second language so be conscious not to alienate them with a speech full of wordplay.

Cut the Clichés

All dads think their daughters are ‘talented’ and ‘beautiful’ so think about the unique qualities which make your girl a little bit wonderful.

No one wants a list of her career achievements or a rundown of her educational qualifications; they want recognition of the character traits which make her a great friend. Whether she’s gobby, a bit ditzy, or just a little bit nutty, celebrate your daughter for the awesome individual she is rather an idealised version of her.

Do not Mention Money

Do NOT mention any financial contribution you’ve made towards the wedding – even in jest.

Remember the Groom

Yes, your speech is all about your daughter but remember to be nice about her bloke too. Even if there are subtle reservations lurking in your soul, today is a day to celebrate his attributes, whatever they may be. Feel free to do a bit of gentle teasing (especially when you talk about your first encounter with him) but make sure it’s delivered with warmth.

Be Funny

These days, all speeches need to be entertaining and funny. You don’t have the-best-man-pressure but you still need to be making everyone chuckle from the get-go.

Of course being funny is not about finding wedding gags on Google. Being funny is about finding the right things to tease your daughter and son-in-law about – whether it’s their love of quinoa (and not knowing how to pronounce it), their unhealthy addiction to Game of Thrones or their inability to do any DIY without calling you first.

Tips for Making Your Father of the Bride Speech Funny

The father of the bride might be a gentleman, but that doesn’t mean the father of the bride speech has to be dull. Here are some top tips to make your father of the bride speech funny…

Timing is Everything

Fathers of the bride have been known to drone on for some time. However, to keep things fun, engaging aim for a speech that lasts around six to seven minutes. Also read your speech through at your normal speaking pace to gauge how long this really is.

Keep it Clean

Jokes are a great way to break the ice and loosen up the crowd. However, don’t be too focused on being funny. You’re the elder statesman of the speakers today, so you can afford to be a bit more conservative with your words.

That doesn’t mean you have to be dull though. A few jibes at the expense of the wedding or your daughter’s love of spending are fine, just don’t cut too close to the bone. Leave it to the best man to really roast up the groom, and focus on welcoming your new son-in-law to the family.

Hold on to Your Emotions

This is such a big occasion for you and all your family, it can be easy to get caught up in the emotion of it all. Do you best to keep things light and happy, as nobody likes to see a grown man in tears. If there are some things you would like to say to your daughter, have a quiet word with her before you walk the aisle.

The Last Word

Ask any public speaker what their biggest fear is and they’ll often say it’s losing their place. Fumbling over your words and getting lost is nothing to be ashamed of, provided you can make a recovery.

Take your speech on cue cards with bullet-pointed reminders of what you want to talk about. This will give you a more natural delivery and will save you fluttering to find your place.

If you do get stuck, use a moment to clear your throat, take a drink of water or give your daughter a kiss. These moments might seem a lifetime to you but will feel like a natural pause to your audience.

This will also give you the breathing space you need to get things back on track. Take your time, don’t panic and try to enjoy your moment of fame.

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