It is your daughter’s wedding day and your little girl will no longer have the last name that you gave her years before. This time can be hard for any man, and your daughter’s wedding day means the world to her so you don’t want to mess up. Although for many men making a father of the bride speech can be very stressful, there are a few things that you can keep in mind when preparing the speech to ensure that there won’t be a dry eye in the room, and you will once again win the favor of your daughter’s eye. Always remember to begin the speech by congratulating the newly wed couple on their union, no matter if you approve or not. Second, create a brief overview of your daughter’s life through your eyes focusing on pivotal moments in her life and what that meant to you. Finally, end the speech by again congratulating the two on their wedding day and wishing them the best in their new beginning.
The Introduction: Congratulations
Although some fathers may not be so quick to congratulate their daughters on her choice of life partners, one should keep in mind that there was a reason that she picked him. Also, try not to think about him as a replacement for you. Just because she is getting married does not mean that she does not value your opinion. Once you have come to terms with those facts, it is time to start preparing for your speech. As a first priority, make sure you congratulate both the bride, your daughter, and the groom, now legally your son. Do not make the speech entirely one-sided although the majority of focus should be on her. A great way to start may be with a sentence such as: When a man becomes a father, the last thing he thinks about is giving away his precious baby girl although deep in his heart, he knows that day will eventually come. This lets your daughter know that you do feel a sense of regret that you will no longer be the dominant male focus in her life although you understand that she is an adult, and you stand behind her decisions no matter what they may be. Second, let the groom know that you approve of his stature and believe he will do all that he can do create a loving environment for your daughter and a future family. After the introduction, you will then transition into a short speech about your daughter and your lives together as both a family as well as the father/daughter relationship.
Body: Reliving the Past
A very common beginning to the start of the body is to reflect on the first time you laid eyes on your daughter. What feelings were going through your mind? Remember, fear and doubt are traits of everyone. It is okay to let your daughter, and the audience, know that this could have been the happiest but scariest moment of your life. This will relay to both your daughter, the audience, and the groom that you were overjoyed that she was brought into the world but scared at the possible mistakes you may make as she grows. After you have given a brief synopsis of the birth and bringing her into the household, focus on a few points in her life that are noteworthy. Her first words, the first day of school, or the first father/daughter outing are all good points to start. Briefly run through her life up until she met her potential life partner. Keep this detailed but brief. Two to three minutes is more than ample.
Closing: Again, Congratulations
After you have touched on the high points of your daughters life, bring the speech to a close. At the end, you want to congratulate the new couple again. By doing so, you are reaffirming not only your confidence in your daughter’s choice, but you are demonstrating your confidence in the groom as well.