Mother of the Groom – The Rules
1 – INDULGE IN MEMORIES
Writing your mother of the groom speech is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s your chance to dig out the old photos, memory boxes and school reports and get properly nostalgic. Indulge!
But as well as a trip down memory lane, use this time to dig up the evidence. How do the childhood artefacts relate to the man he is today? Were their early indications he’d be an engineer? Or were his teachers completely wrong about him?
He’ll love the surprising insights you can reveal, as will the guests!
2 – DON’T FORGET HIS PARTNER
Yes, there will be so much to say about your son but don’t forget the other half of the happy couple!
Whereas a father-of-the-bride may make fun of the groom in their speech, it’s not as common for anyone to make fun of the bride on ‘her big day’. Avoid this at all costs unless you’re sure they’re up for a laugh and won’t be offended. And if you have any doubt, don’t. Your son’s worked very hard to get this wife and, if you scare her off, another one may not be around for a while.
If it’s a same-sex marriage your new son-in-law may be up for a little more ribbing. Completely sexist but we’ve generally found this to still be the case.
2 – BE FUNNY
All wedding speeches should contain an element of humour, not just the best man’s.
No one is expecting you to be a stand-up comedian so just be yourself. Avoid any ‘wedding jokes’ you’ve found on Google and instead rely on all the real, authentic stories that will make your speech memorable and meaningful.
Remember the adage ‘it’s funny because it’s true’. Pinpoint the things that make your son unique. What are his quirks? His guilty pleasures? What is he obsessed by?
Read our blog How To Be Funny if you need more advice.
3 – KEEP IT SHORT
You’ll amaze yourself with just how much material you find once you get started on your speech but remember, brevity is the soul of wit, so be selective and keep your speech to less than six minutes.
When you’ve written your first draft, set yourself a challenge to edit it in half. Stories, jokes and speeches are all better if they’re punchy.
4 – PREPARE TO DELIVER
No matter how good your speech is, it won’t sound great if you rush through it. So take your time, look at the audience and don’t mumble into the mic. If you’re not a confident speaker, read our How To Deliver Like A Pro for lots of easy, take-home tips. As ex-BBC producers and directors, we know the tricks of the presenting trade.
And that’s it! Check out the Speechy blog for lots more information and tips, but most importantly – enjoy delivering the speech.
Ultimately, whatever you end up saying, your son will be proud of you and everyone there will be wanting you to smash it!