Bride Speech: A Guide to Planning and Delivering Your Perfect Speech

Brides - it's your turn to take the mic! Traditionally, wedding speeches and toasts were typically reserved for the groom, father of the bride and best man. But modern weddings have seen a welcome shift in this tradition, giving brides a well-deserved opportunity to take centre stage. This change ensures that both partners have an equal opportunity to express their own words of love.

In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about planning and delivering the perfect bride speech. We'll provide real examples of our favourite speeches too, and answer all the big questions.

It may come as no surprise that the answer is a resounding YES. Brides have every right to take the spotlight to share their thoughts and emotions. After all, it's your wedding day too!

However, it's equally important to emphasise that the decision to give a speech should be entirely up to you. There should be no pressure or expectation to speak if you don't feel comfortable doing so. Your wedding day should reflect your desires and preferences as a couple.

Planning a wedding speech requires a bit of preparation. The key is to start early. We recommend beginning no later than a month before your wedding day to give you time to brainstorm ideas, jot down thoughts, and carefully craft your speech. Put aside time each week to gradually work on your bride's speech instead of rushing it in one go.

A great tip is to practise your speech before bedtime - experts suggest this is the optimal time for your brain to absorb information, making memorisation easier.

Infusing a theme into your bride's speech can add an extra layer of entertainment! You might want to reflect on your journey as a couple, highlighting key milestones and moments that have bought you together. Some popular themes include:

• Reflecting on your journey as a couple: This could involve highlighting key milestones and moments that have brought you together, such as your first date, your engagement, or the birth of your children.
• Embrace shared passions: If you and your partner share a common interest, such as travel, sports, or music, you could incorporate this into your speech.
• Turn your speech into a song: If you have a good singing voice, you could write a song about your love for your partner and perform it for your guests.
• Celebrate your differences: Instead of focusing on the things you have in common, you could talk about the things that make you different and how these differences have enriched your relationship.
• Involve the audience in interactive elements: This could involve asking your guests questions, playing games, or giving them a challenge.

If you're not sure where to start, you could work with your partner to create a joint speech. This is another great way to tell your unique story in an entertaining way.

The best part about a bridal speech is that it's all up to you! There are no strict traditions or expectations, so you can decide when it feels right to share your thoughts. You might want to consider going early, before the other wedding toasts.

If you're feeling a little nervous, just remember you're speaking to the most supportive audience you'll ever have - they're all there for YOU! So, take a deep breath, relax, and truly enjoy the moment. It's your time to shine! You've got this.

As the saying goes, keep it short and sweet. Our top tip is to jot down all your thoughts and then edit and trim any unnecessary bits. A perfect duration for the bride’s speech is about 6 minutes, which translates to around 900 words. That's just enough time to share your heartfelt sentiments without dragging it out. If you're unsure about any jokes, ask a friend to sense-check them.

The key is practice, practice, practice! Rehearse your speech multiple times before the big day so that you feel completely comfortable delivering it. You've got all the tools you need, and remember - you're speaking from the heart - so you can't go wrong!

The bride's speech is an opportunity to express your feelings. There are no strict rules or templates to follow, allowing you to make it uniquely your own! However, if you're finding it a bit difficult to begin, here's a helpful template to get you started!

• Welcome Your Guests⁠: Begin your speech by welcoming your wonderful wedding guests and thanking them for celebrating your big day with you.
• Thank the VIPs: ⁠Let your bridal party and anyone involved in the build-up to your wedding know how much their support is appreciated. 
• Share a Unique Story: Next, share a unique story about your relationship! Be genuine and honest, avoiding cliches or generic statements. You can add humour, keep it witty, or go full-nerd. Speak from the heart and show off your personality!
• Connect the Story to Your Wedding Day: To wrap it all up, find a way to connect the story to your wedding day. For example, if you first bonded over a shared love for climbing, connect this theme to your wedding by saying how excited you are to conquer the world together.
• Close With a Toast: ⁠Conclude your speech with a heartfelt toast to celebrate love and happiness. Raise a glass to everything that lies ahead! And not just for the two of you but for all those there to witness and support you!

So now, based on the template shared above, let's give this wedding speech thing a go!

Bride Speech Example
"Hello everyone! Thank you so much for being here today. It really means the world to us both.

So, I know it's not tradition for the bride to make a speech. But I've spent the last six months planning this day, and I have a whole lot to say about it. I won't bore you with the details, but I wanted to say a MASSIVE thank you to those who've helped along the way. Everyone, please raise a glass to my bridesmaids and family for being the best crew a girl could ask for. I couldn't have done it without you.

To my partner in crime, James: I can't believe we're finally married! It feels like just yesterday we were talking on Hinge. I'm still ashamed to say I found your profile picture funny. To give you all context, it was James in a field with two calves, with the quote "I've been told I have great calves." Astonishingly bad, still to this day.

Since then, James has brought so much more to my life than Dad Jokes. James, you have supported, encouraged, and pushed me outside my comfort zone - in all the best ways. We have gone white water rafting in Mexico and wild camping in Scotland. We've also had our fair share of playing charades with locals, getting many things lost in translation - like accidentally eating fried tarantulas (I could have done without that).

Please join me in raising a glass to my husband! James, you make life everything but boring. I can't wait to see what adventures we have together in the years to come. To all our guests, thank you for coming to celebrate our special day. We know many of you have travelled far, and we're so grateful to have you here with us.

Cheers!"

Now you have all the tools you need to create a killer bride speech! Just remember, there's no one right way to write one. Keep it short and sweet, practice when you can, and most importantly, speak from your heart. Your big day is already all about love, and your speech will make it even more special.