Preparing and delivering wedding vows can be a daunting task for brides and grooms, but a perfect father-of-the-bride speech is no less scary. Here is everything you need to know about how to write that very speech to make yourself and your daughter proud.

Welcoming and Thanking the Guests

If you’re the first toast-maker of the wedding reception, it’s better to start your speech by welcoming the wedding guests. Express your sincere gratitude to them for attending the event to bless the nuptials, especially if someone is coming from far. Don’t forget to specifically thank your daughter’s new in-laws and family members for their kindness, appreciation, and contributions.

A Day for Memories

Nothing works better in a father of the bride’s speech than a few heartfelt anecdotes. It’s really special for any girl to revisit her life on her wedding day through the eyes of her beloved dad. So choose some special warm memories from your daughter’s childhood and the funny ones from adolescence trials to share with the guests. However, try to avoid getting stuck entirely in the past.

Expressing Your Love and Pride

No day is better than your daughter’s wedding to tell your baby girl just how much she means to you. Express your love to your daughter in your speech and also tell her how much you cherish and treasure your relationship together. Also, mention some big achievements or proud moments from your daughter’s life and express your pride and joy over them.

Acknowledging and Blessing Your Daughter’s New Spouse

You may be the bride’s father, but the wedding day is not all about your daughter! So don’t forget to acknowledge your daughter’s new spouse and welcome them into your family. Also, include in your speech the specialty of the person that convinced you to bestow your treasured daughter to them. Express that this new relationship means a lot to you and give the couple your blessing for their shared future and next chapter of life.

Give Some Parting Wisdom

Including some pearls of wisdom in your speech can never go wrong on your daughter’s wedding day. This is the pinnacle of all the dad-talk times you’ve been through, so be sure to relish the moment fully! This can become very special for the happy couple. Lastly, don’t be shy about embracing your emotions and put up a stoic façade. Instead, admitting that it’s hard for you to let your baby girl go surely will make for a memorable touching moment.

To everyone, even those who haven’t been through it yet, a wedding reception is the celebration that follows the wedding ceremony. Full of traditions and rituals, receptions celebrate the new family with music, dancing, good food, and many toasts. So, how did they come to be? Let’s see!

The Origin of the Wedding Reception

The word “reception” literally means to receive something. In terms of weddings, it is the moment the newlyweds receive their friends and family for the first time as a married couple, and likewise, their loved ones receive them into their community. Up until World War II, wedding receptions were a very straightforward celebration. They typically took place in the bride’s home, and it was her family’s financial state that dictated the style of the ceremony. Wealthier families would host balls, while middle-class families often resolved to afternoon luncheons.

It was during the 1950s when things began to scale up with the increased popularity of dance halls, which gradually became a go-to wedding venue for many. The couple was no longer limited to the number of people their homes could accommodate, so guest lists began to grow. Nowadays, the average American wedding has 131 guests.

Not All Traditions Survived the Test of Time

Back in the day, whenever the reception was held, it was a must that the newlyweds, hosts, and parents would stand in a receiving line to greet every guest. Today, it’s much more common for the DJ or wedding band to introduce the married couple and start the celebration party. That’s not the only change, however. Many couples choose to streamline their wedding day by holding the religious ceremony and the reception at the same place, instead of making everyone go to several locations.

Dancing and entertainment have also seen a shift in recent years. Modern receptions often include professional dancers and musicians hired to provide additional entertainment for the guests.