The Best Father of the Groom Speech Examples

father of the groom speech examples

Being asked to deliver a father of the groom speech is an honour, but it can also be a daunting task. It’s your opportunity to express your love, share memories, and offer heartfelt advice to your son and his new spouse. To ensure that your speech stands out and resonates with the audience, we have compiled a comprehensive guide with tips and examples to help you craft the best father of the groom speech.

Including one of the best father of the groom speeches we’ve ever captured!

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One of the Best Father of the Groom Speeches Ever

Incredibly touching words from father to son

How do you start a father of the groom speech?

Before you embark on the journey of writing your father of the groom speech, it’s essential to take a moment to consider a few key factors. By keeping these considerations in mind, you can ensure that your speech reflects your heartfelt sentiments, resonates with the audience, and creates a memorable moment for your son’s special day.

So, let’s explore what to consider before you even start crafting your speech:

  1. Reflect on Your Relationship: Take a stroll down memory lane and reflect on your relationship with your son. Consider the special moments you’ve shared, the challenges you’ve overcome together, and the unique bond you’ve built. This reflection will help you infuse your speech with genuine emotions and personal anecdotes that truly capture the essence of your relationship.

  2. Understand the Audience: Consider the diverse audience that will be present at the wedding. Think about the mix of family members, friends, and acquaintances who will be listening to your speech. Tailor your content to resonate with this varied audience, ensuring that your words are relatable, inclusive, and can be appreciated by all.

  3. Tone and Atmosphere: Think about the overall tone and atmosphere you want to set with your speech. Do you envision a lighthearted and humorous speech that will have the crowd in stitches? Or perhaps a sentimental and heartfelt speech that will bring tears to everyone’s eyes? Understanding the desired tone will help you craft the appropriate content and strike the right emotional chords.

  4. Structure and Organization: Consider the structure and organization of your speech. It’s important to have a clear beginning, middle, and end that flows seamlessly. Create an outline to guide your thoughts and ensure that your speech follows a logical progression. This will help you convey your message effectively and keep the audience engaged throughout.

  5. Personalization and Authenticity: Infuse your speech with personalization and authenticity. Your son and his partner will appreciate hearing your genuine thoughts, memories, and wishes. Avoid generic or clichéd phrases and instead focus on sharing unique stories, heartfelt insights, and personalized messages that reflect your relationship with your son.

  6. Time Management: Lastly, consider the allocated time for your speech. Understand the schedule of events and how your speech fits within the overall timeline. Aim for a duration of around 5 to 7 minutes, ensuring that your speech is neither too short nor too long. Practice delivering your speech while timing yourself to make necessary adjustments and keep it within the desired timeframe.

Related: The Best Parents of the Groom Speech Examples

What should the father of the groom say in his speech?

Finding just the right words to convey your thoughts and feelings can be tough especially when you’re speaking about and directly to your son.

You want to express your love and pride for your son, welcome his new spouse into your family, and wish them a happy and successful marriage. But how do you do that in a way that is memorable, meaningful, and entertaining?

Here are some tips and examples on how to write a father of the groom speech that will amaze the wedding guests and make your son proud.

  1. Start with an introduction: Introduce yourself and your relation to the couple, and thank the guests for coming. Keep it simple and avoid unnecessary details. For example, “Hello, everyone. I’m Adam Smith and I’m the proud father of the groom.”

  2. Share a few short stories: Share two to three short stories about your son that showcase his positive traits, such as his kindness, humour, intelligence, or passion. Make sure the stories are relevant to the occasion and have a point.

    For example, “When my son was young he would spend hours outside, looking for bugs and other creatures. As he grew up, he became more interested in science and technology. He would spend hours tinkering with computers and other gadgets. Now, as I look at him today, I see a man who is still curious and still loves to explore. He has found someone who shares his passions, and I know that they will have a wonderful life together.”

  3. Recognize your son’s new spouse: Say something nice about your son’s new spouse and what you appreciate or admire about them. You can also share a story about how they met or how they complement each other.

    “When Liam introduced us to Kristy we were smitten by her beauty, but it’s not the beauty on the outside. She is just an amazing woman. She’s brought so much happiness into Liam’s life.”

  4. Welcome them into your family: Express your joy and gratitude for welcoming your son’s new spouse into your family. You can also mention their parents and thank them for raising such an amazing person.

  5. Share well wishes: Give some advice or your wishes for the couple’s future together. You can also use a quote or a proverb that reflects your sentiments.

  6. Offer some advice: As the father of the groom, you have some wisdom and experience to share with the couple. You can offer some advice on how to make their marriage work, how to deal with challenges, or how to achieve their goals. You can also use a quote or a proverb that reflects your advice.

    For example, “If I could offer any advice, just cherish the love you have for each other and never give up on each other. No matter what challenges arise during your life together. Support each other and keep that bond going.”

  7. Close with a toast: End your speech with a strong last line that summarizes your message and invites the guests to join you in raising a glass to the couple.

    For example, “To my son and his beautiful bride/handsome groom/wonderful spouse: may you have a lifetime of happiness and love together. Cheers!”
father of the groom speech examples
A groom reacts to his father's wedding speech at Maleny Manor.


In the video above the father of the groom, Paul, hits on several of these tips and in this portion of his speech he gives the perfect example of how this can all tie together. He brought his son Liam to tears by sharing a story, complimented his new daughter-in-law, Kristy, gave the couple some advice for their future together, and toasted the couple to finish.


Related: The Best Father of the Bride Speech Examples

How long is the father of the groom speech?

Generally, a father of the groom speech should last between 5 to 7 minutes. This timeframe allows you to express your love, share anecdotes, offer advice, and propose a heart-warming toast without testing the limits of your guests’ attention spans. Remember, brevity is the soul of wit, and it also applies to wedding speeches!

Within this time frame, you can craft a memorable and impactful speech that captures the essence of your relationship with your son and warmly welcomes his new partner into your family. It’s important to consider the overall flow of the wedding reception and respect the schedule of events. By keeping your speech concise yet meaningful, you ensure that the focus remains on the celebration as a whole.

To ensure you stay within the recommended time frame, it’s helpful to practice your speech beforehand. Time yourself as you deliver it, making any necessary adjustments to keep it within the desired duration. This practice also allows you to fine-tune your delivery, ensuring a confident and polished performance on the big day.

Remember, quality over quantity! It’s better to leave your guests wanting more rather than longing for the speech to end. So, craft a speech that’s heartfelt, entertaining, and concise—keeping your audience captivated and your son’s wedding reception running smoothly.

An example of a short and sweet father of the groom speech

Writing a short speech as the father of the groom does not mean that you are less sincere. It means that you can express your emotions and thoughts clearly and concisely, without rambling or repeating yourself.

Kevin nails his father of the groom speech in the video example above. He shared some funny and touching stories about his son’s childhood, his first impression of the bride, and his hopes and wishes for the newlyweds. He also welcomed the bride into the family and gave them some advice as a couple.

His speech was only 2 minutes long, but it was full of emotion and sentiment.

Other FAQs

Yes, it is okay for someone to speak on behalf of the father of the groom at a wedding reception. There are a few reasons why this might be the case:

  • The father of the groom may be unable to attend the wedding due to illness, travel, or other reasons.
  • The father of the groom may not be comfortable giving a speech.
  • The couple may want someone else to speak on behalf of the father of the groom to share special memories or stories about him.

If the father of the groom is unable to attend the wedding, the couple should choose someone who is close to him and who knows him well. This could be a sibling, a close friend, or even the groom himself.

The person who speaks on behalf of the father of the groom should be prepared to share stories and memories about him that will make the guests laugh and cry. They should also offer their congratulations to the couple and wish them a lifetime of happiness.

Traditionally, the father of the bride speaks first at a wedding reception, followed by the father of the groom, the maid of honour, the best man, and finally the groom. However, this is just a tradition, and couples are free to choose the order of their wedding speeches however they like.

If you are planning a wedding, you and your partner should decide on the order of your wedding speeches together. There is no right or wrong answer, and the most important thing is that you choose an order that you are both comfortable with.

Here are some other factors to consider when choosing the order of your wedding speeches:

  • The relationship between the speakers and the couple. For example, if the father of the groom is not close to the bride, it might be better for him to speak later in the evening.
  • The length of the speeches. If you have a lot of speakers, you might want to have the shorter speeches first so that the guests don’t get bored.
  • The flow of the evening. You want to make sure that the speeches are evenly spaced out and that there is a good balance between funny and serious speeches.

Ultimately, the most important thing is that you choose an order that you and your partner are happy with. The order of the speeches is just one small detail of your wedding day, but it can make a big difference in the overall experience.

Yes, it is absolutely okay for a father of the groom to read his speech at a wedding. In fact, many people find it more comfortable and reassuring to have a written speech that they can refer to during the momentous occasion. Reading a prepared speech ensures that you don’t forget any important points and helps you stay focused and organized.

Yes, the mother of the groom can give a speech at the wedding reception. Traditionally, the mother of the groom gives her speech at the rehearsal dinner, but it is becoming increasingly common for her to give a speech at the reception as well.


We hope this article has helped you prepare for your son’s wedding day and given you some inspiration for your father of the groom speech. Remember, the most important thing is to speak from your heart and express your love and pride for your son and his new spouse. You don’t have to be a professional speaker or a comedian to deliver a great speech. Just be yourself and enjoy the moment.

If you’re looking for a wedding videographer who can capture your son’s special day beautifully and memorably, look no further than Motion Art. We are experts in creating stunning videos that tell the story of his wedding day that your family, and future generations, will cherish for years to come.

Contact us today and let us know how we can help you make your son’s wedding day unforgettable. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Photos in this article by Ben & Hope Photography

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