An engagement speech is a short speech given at an engagement party to celebrate the upcoming marriage of a couple. It is usually hosted by the bride or groom or a close friend or family member. The purpose is to wish the couple well, followed by a toast.
After a couple gets engaged, friends and family members come together at a party to celebrate their happy news. There’s food, there’s drinks, there’s socializing, and, not surprisingly, there’s an engagement speech.
Many couples have this party several months after their official engagement, so the focus is on celebrating rather than making a surprise announcement.
This party is the first of a series of wedding parties that will often include wedding showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and then finally, the wedding day. Unless the couple is planning a long engagement, they may skip this party and focus on planning the wedding.
What Is The Purpose Of An Engagement Speech?
Often, someone will make speeches at an engagement party to share the joy of the bride and groom-to-be. Family members and close friends share stories and express their happiness for the couple.
Who Does A Speech At An Engagement Party?
The person delivering the engagement speech depends on the happy couple’s preferences. Traditionally, the parents of the bride host the event. If this is the case, the bride-to-be’s mother or father might offer a speech and toast.
As it becomes increasingly more common for the bride and groom to finance their wedding festivities, some couples give their engagement speeches. The groom might share with those in attendance the happy moment when he dropped to one knee saying, “Marry me?” to his beloved. Of course, the bride can also speak, whether it is thanking people for coming, sharing their love story, or introducing her bridal party members.
Members of the wedding party, called bridesmaids or groomsmen, also can speak. The groom’s best man and the bride’s best friend, a matron or maid of honor, can offer well wishes at the engagement party.
How Long Is An Engagement Speech?
Most speeches at an engagement party or wedding are 2-5 minutes long. These are informal speeches meant to tug at the heartstrings rather than formal speeches intended to inform the audience.
What Do You Say In An Engagement Toast?
An engagement toast is a tiny little speech. When offering up a toast to someone, the person says some kind words about the individual being celebrated and asks others to raise their glass. A toast is a lovely way to celebrate a special couple.
How Do You Congratulate The Bride And Groom?
There are many ways to congratulate your loved ones when they wed, whether as part of a great speech, a wedding toast, or a note on a card.
- A drink to the bride and groom. May you live a long, happy life together!
- Congratulations on your engagement!
- Next year can’t come quickly enough. Congrats on your upcoming wedding!
- Super excited to share on your big day!
- This is big news! Congrats on your engagement!
- We are so happy to hear you exchange your “I Dos.”
What Do I Say At Your Son Or Daughter’s Engagement Party?
Whether you are the bride’s father or mother or the groom’s parents, the most important thing is to speak from the heart. Nobody is expecting you to be an expert public speaker. Thoughts on what to say:
- Best Wishes: An obvious tip is to offer your best wishes to the newly engaged couple.
- Expressing Happiness: Telling the future bride and groom and everyone attending the party how thrilled you are with the news is a beautiful sentiment to share at an engagement party.
- Joining the Family: Remember you are not losing a son or daughter; you are gaining one! Express how happy you are to your child’s significant other joining the family. You can even mention your child’s new in-laws as a new part of your extended family.
- Looking Ahead: Discuss how excited you are as you look ahead to the wedding but also years beyond that as you watch the couple grow together.
- Sharing Stories: Sometimes, sharing some fun stories about your child growing up is fun. Did your little girl like to stomp around in mom’s high heels? Did she talk about getting married someday? Telling stories like these can add a nice touch to an engagement speech.
Template For Writing An Engagement Speech
Anyone familiar with speech writing will tell you that you need three basic components, an introduction, the body of your speech, and a conclusion.
Introduction
The intro explains who you are and your connection to the bride and groom. For example, the bride’s father will have a different frame of reference than the best man. Explaining your role is helpful to those in attendance. How will you engage the audience in your speech? One can do that by telling a cute story or sharing a quote.
Body
Next comes what you most want to say to the happy couple. The bride’s best friend might share stories about the couple’s courtship. You can expect to hear at least one childhood story in a mother or father-of-the-bride speech. Feel free to talk briefly; remember, these speeches can be short. Share a fun or touching story and a quote, then move on to the well wishes.
Wishing the couple the best as they begin wedding planning should follow. You should also express your desire for them to have a lovely engagement as they move toward their big day.
Conclusion
Wrapping up the speech may happen with an engagement toast. Pull your thoughts together and invite others to raise a glass to the happy couple. There! You did it!