Mature Bride Speech

Some of us find the love of our life later in life.

We might spend decades building kick-ass careers and fulfilling friendships rather than dwell on finding ‘the one’. Sometimes first or subsequent marriages don’t work out, but hopeless romantics get back on the horse and go in for another round of wedding bells. This time without the puff sleeve dress and the perm.

Of course, it could be that we’re simply too busy bringing up kids, working, and muddling through life to get round to marrying the person who’s been our spouse for decades, just without the paperwork.

Whatever YOUR reasons for being a more ‘mature’ bride, this is your moment and we are here for it!

Here’s how to write a great speech to deliver at your wedding.

(*Of course, if you’re looking for more than inspiration, check out our bespoke speech writing service. The Speechy team are award-winning TV scriptwriters by trade and we’ve worked with hundreds of brides around the world to craft speeches that are as unique as their love stories) 

The recipe for every great speech is a sense of humour, simplicity, a little truth serum (applied to entertain rather than shock or offend) and avoiding cliché at all costs.

Until very recently, bride speeches were nowhere near as common as they are now. So it’s entirely likely this is your first go at one. Don’t stress – many studies suggest women get more confident as they age, reaching peak self-esteem at 60! So as an older bride, you’ve definitely got this.

A mature bride speech follows exactly the same principles as a younger bride speech so check out our advice and etiquette guide. Simply apply more wisdom, insight, and knowing humour throughout!

Of course, depending on your life leading up to this wedding, there may be a few more considerations….

If you have children from your previous relationship, it’s nice to include them in your speech, or ask them to get involved in the day by giving a reading or a speech of their own.

However, apart from potentially including a line to acknowledge significant life events that came before, there’s no reason why a second marriage speech should be any different to any other bride speech.

Simply…

• Welcome everyone there
• Pay a heartfelt tribute to your partner, including some witty anecdotes, and…
• Once you’ve got everyone smiling with your best material, thank the special people in your life
• Propose a unique toast that says something about you two as a couple, rather than going along with stuffy tradition

No matter how many times you’ve given a wedding speech before, this one is a unique opportunity to celebrate your partner and tell them how much they mean to you! So with that in mind…

These days, most people are realistic enough to accept that some marriages just don’t work out. So even if you’re speaking in front of the same people who watched you declare undying love at your previous wedding, don’t worry about explaining ANYTHING. Life happens.

If you do feel that your marriage history is an elephant in the room that needs to be addressed, you may be tempted to send yourself up from the outset with a line such as ‘I

should be good at this…’ but be aware that the edgy humour in this approach isn’t always well received. You could risk alienating your new partner’s friends and family.

By all means, go for it if you can read your audience and know your partner is thick-skinned enough to smile through allusions to your exes. But move on swiftly and avoid going into specifics!

Also, if your children are present, consider their reaction when making humorous references to divorce. This applies to other parts of your speech too. Phrases like ‘I’ve never known a love like this before’ can sound a little harsh to young ears. Besides, it’s a cliché. Do better.

Obviously, this may be an emotional moment for you, no matter how much time has passed since you lost your previous partner. You also have the feelings of your family to consider, so may worry about celebrating new love without acknowledging the person you loved and lost.

Making time to pay a personal tribute to your previous spouse, perhaps with your

children, in advance of the wedding can allow you to move forward with more assurance. Our Dearly Departed Guide offers advice for this.

The wedding day itself may bring back memories from your previous wedding. Try and anticipate having these feelings and make a close friend aware ahead of time that you may need their support.

You may want to pay a small, heartfelt tribute to your previous partner in your speech. An acknowledgment that they’d have wanted you to have another chance at love and happiness is fine. It’s also perfectly acceptable – and encouraged – to bring humour into the suggestion that they’d definitely approve of your new partner. Something like ‘especially as they’re both silly enough to support Leeds United’ can diffuse tension and bring together a difficult to explain blend of sadness, love and warmth.

Of course, you don’t have to mention your previous partner in the speech at all, and should not feel guilty for not wishing to or feeling unable to do so. Today is about celebrating a new love story.

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