(*Of course, if you’re looking for more than ‘advice’, check out all the different ways the Speechy team can help you write & deliver a great speech. Or check out our new AI-powered team member, SpeechyAI.)
It’s difficult to know how to write a wedding speech that pays tribute to an absent loved one without inadvertently turning it into a eulogy. Remember, however, an emotional outpouring is not the purpose of your speech.
Of course, you want to publicly acknowledge their absence but please don’t put yourself in the position of giving a speech where you get overly emotional and have to stop.
Everyone understands there is someone important missing and there are ways to paying tribute to a loved one whilst still ensuring your speech is joyful. The key is to think of ways to remember them with a smile.
Here are some ideas to consider…
If the person in question is a close relative or has recently died, pay a more substantial tribute to them in the week leading up to the wedding. This could be over a dinner with friends and family or it could just be a more casual visit to a place that meant something to you both.
This is a time to wallow in your favourite memories of them as well as imagine what they would have loved about your wedding day had they been there. Here, tears and emotions are able to flow, meaning on the day, your loved one’s absence won’t feel quite so alien.
On the actual day, friends & family will want to remember your loved one with a smile on their face, so think of nice touches people will associate with them. For example…
You could acknowledge your loved one in the Order of Service. For example…
‘James and Victoria are so pleased you could join them in this special place on this special day. Of course, there are some very special people who can’t be with us today but Vicky’s father is certainly in our hearts and we’re sure he will be looking down on us today and joining in the fun.’
Rather than sombre or sad, our advice is to be creative and thoughtful.
There’s a range of wedding favours you can buy that will donate to a charity on behalf of you and your guests.
It’s a great way to remember a loved one in a truly meaningful way… 15 Charitable Wedding Favours
When it comes to mentioning your loved ones within the speech, keep your tributes towards the end so you don’t get choked up too soon. If you feel that you are about to cry, try looking upwards. It is said to be physically impossible to cry if you are looking up.
Of course, everyone will understand if you do.
We loved this article from Vanity Fair outlining how Prince William and Kate paid tribute to Princess Diana on their wedding day.
Some really inspiring and thoughtful ideas. And here’s another article about how Harry and Meghan paid tribute to Diana on their day.
The Speechy team are TV-trained scriptwriters/comedians by trade & we’ve helped 1,000s of speakers around the world deliver their dream speech.
Our advice has been quoted everywhere from The New York Times to Grazia and from Forbes to The Observer. Our founder has also featured on the BBC Sounds’ Best Men podcast with Jason Manford and written ‘The Modern Couple’s Guide to Wedding Speeches’, published by Little, Brown.
