Putting up with a person for 40 years is like getting to the last hole in golf; exhausting, but still fills you with an immense sense of pride and happiness.
Whether you’re celebrating your partner or your parents’ love and devotion, there is nothing more personal and poignant than a ruby anniversary speech that honours the relationship. A speech says so much more than a bunch of flowers.
Use your speech as an opportunity to remind people that modern-day love doesn’t have to be a series of ghosting and Netflix and chills. It can just be two people who know each other’s quirks and foibles and still rather like them four decades later. That, to us, is what romance really is.
Of course, putting the poignancy of a long-lasting marriage into words may seem like a daunting task, but Speechy is here to help you create a heart-warming and humorous ruby anniversary speech.
Keep it less than ten minutes: Aim for between five and eight minutes ideally. Long enough to say something meaningful and entertaining – without anyone getting bored.
Get reminiscent: Dig out the best of forty years’ worth of memories. Hunting through the old photo albums will help you hunt out the highlights.
Keep it personal: Shout out the person you’re honouring and the qualities that have made this marriage last. A high tolerance threshold perhaps?
Crack a joke: Laughter is always the best medicine.
It takes a village: Thank those who have helped support this magical marriage.
End with something sweet: Wrap up with a few words of sentimentality.
Get reminiscent
The most memorable of speeches include stories. Real-life anecdotes connect people and engage an audience in a way that adjectives just don’t.
Rather than describing your partner as ‘fun’, recount the times they’ve taken you out of your comfort zone. Or, if your parents were always ‘passionate about their views’, tell everyone about the time security were almost called in a Marks and Spencer’s cafe when they started debating what sort of mustard should be used when making Welsh Rarebit.
A few revelations and confessions also go down well. People love to be surprised so have a think about fun facts you can reveal about the relationship that everyone thinks they know so well. Cast your mind back to the beginning of the relationship and throw in a reminder about how your partner/parent ran round town for half an hour just to get a pen and paper for their other half’s landline.
Keep it personal
Whether you’re writing this speech for your partner or your parents, make sure you say more than the usual cliches and platitudes about love and marriage.
A person’s individual characteristics and weird quirks are what keeps a healthy marriage alive, so take a moment to acknowledge a few of your favourites.
It may be that your wife still has an unhealthy obsession with stuffed toys (that’s what the secret wardrobe is for…) or perhaps your Dad is secretly the biggest neighbourhood gossip. Being able to comfortably tease each other will just prove to the room how much love you two truly have.
Crack a joke
Whilst there’s no doubt you’ll want to include a lot of compassion and sentiment throughout your speech, ensure there’s also many opportunities to get a laugh out of the room too.
You’ll be surprised how easy it is to incorporate a few laughs when speaking openly about the person you’re honouring. When mentioning their little quirks and traits, feel free to slightly exaggerate and add some proof to provoke them, but make sure you aren’t overstepping the line between funny and just outright offensive.
Don’t resort to any generic line from the internet and aimlessly scouring Google for another generic anniversary joke. Plagiarism is never acceptable – though quoting from other clever or funny people is. Check out our favourite Anniversary Quotes to get an idea of what might work for you.
If you’re really struggling, self-deprecating humour will always go down a treat if you’re half of this happy couple. No doubt your partner will have a never-ending list of things you do that have made them secretly question the past forty years.
It takes a village
Your marriage may only consist of two people on paper, but there would have been those special people who have showed you love and support over the years.
Be it your children who have added so much laughter to your life together, or your best friend’s shoulder that saw many tears from your first few ‘debates’, ensure your favourite people are shouted out and appreciated.
End with something sweet
If each joke has been well received and both partners still have their wedding bands on, wrap up with a few words of sentimentality.
Remind the room how important your partner/parents are, take one more look back on everything that’s been achieved as a team in forty years.
Raise a toast to many more years of love and creating happy memories.
How speechy can help you
Get in touch if you want to find out more about how we work, the services we offer, and The Speechy team are comedy scriptwriters by trade and romantics at heart.
Between us all here at Speechy, our expertise ranges from:
Decades writing for TV; writing for Radio 4’s The New’s Quiz and CBBC’s BAFTA winning Horrible Histories
A panelist & comedian on BBC Scotland’s Breaking the News
Ghost-writing for globally renewed comedians
One book – The Modern Couple’s Guide to Wedding Speeches ‘A wonderful book for couples who want to prepare a memorable speech and create something personalised for such a special occasion. Eleonora Tucci – Weddings & Honeymoon Media.
