The wedding reception is not entirely about eating, drinking, and celebrating a wonderful occasion. It’s also a great opportunity for the special honorees involve to “thank” the people who have made the celebration successful. It is a fact that wedding receptions can’t do without speeches, from the bride’s father to the groom, to the best man and the maid of honor, speeches may seem endless.

But if there’s one person that guests will be expecting to provide a great speech, is the groom. The groom is one of the most significant persons of the occasion, and all eyes will be on him once he delivers his speech. Although the groom may not consider the speech a “major responsibility” for the day, he is still expected to deliver something cheerful, interesting, and unforgettable –with all the sincere “thanking” for all those who’ve made their wedding possible.

When To Speak

A groom’s speech usually follows after the bride’s father makes his speech; which is the tricky part as he may have left people awe-inspired with his fascinating speech. On the other hand, the bride’s father may have delivered a “not so” entertaining speech and left people uninterestedly talking with each other; again, the challenge lies on the thirty-seconds that you need to refocus their attention on your speech. Make use of these seconds sensibly, or the speech falls flat even before it has properly started.

Keeping It Short

Groom speeches must be kept short. It is unavoidable that you may be speaking after a number of people have said their “piece” and it may get monotonous for the guests. Thus, groom wedding speeches should generally be a maximum of five minutes that includes thanking everyone and making a good impression, not to mention leaving a smile on everybody’s face.

The key is getting directly to the point, adding a little humor, blending words straight from the heart, and presto! – You have an excellent groom’s speech.

Groom Speech Ingredients

So what goes into your speech? There are a number of people that you’ll want to mention in your speech; and it will help if you write them down to avoid forgetting. These include the parents of the bride, your parents, the bridesmaids and groomsmen, your best man, and most significantly –your bride. Other people can be added to your list, but these are the “must have” people on the list.

The “No-No” In A Groom’s Speech

Although it will be expected that you’ll be adding a little humor about the best man, avoid using politics, religious preaching, and vulgarity in your speech. The speech should be tasteful for all those present. Keep in mind that some of the guests, such as children, must not heart about wild nights in a “Las Vegas nightclub” during the college years.

Additionally, it is impolite to thank people for the money they’ve spent for the celebration. However, it’s essential to emphasize that their generosity is very much appreciated. The risk of too many “thank you’s” is possible, so try to avoid it –one way of breaking the endless list of thank-you is with humor or “looking back”.

Quick Helpful Tips

Try to connect parts of the speech so it has a smooth flow of thoughts. Being nervous will be normal, but planning ahead of time and practicing a little will help you get ready for a great delivery. Never take your speech for granted; remember, this is your special day too so make it memorable for you, your bride, and everyone else present.

Groom’s speeches are traditions that wedding receptions can’t do without. After all, you’re now the “man of the house”, so it’s just right to let everyone know sincerely how thankful you are for the new “title” and for your bride.