Gay Groom
Your Groom Speech
Writing your groom speech needs a bit more thought than your straight counterpart. Namely, how do you avoid tedious repetition of the same classic anecdotes and necessary thank yous if your husband’s also giving a speech?
Of course, if you’re the only one delivering a speech then that has its own pressures! Entertaining a crowd, ticking off the ‘to dos’ and dropping a lovebomb on your partner – all without resorting to cliches, googled gags or old fashioned speech etiquette.
As BBC trained TV scriptwriters, the Speechy team specialise in creating amazing moments. Here’s our guide to nailing your speech…
*Of course, if you’re looking for a bit more than ‘advice’, check out our groom speech template (specially designed for blokes marrying blokes), speech edit service or our bespoke speech writing service. We’re rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot for a reason.
Who's doing what?
The first thing to think about is how you and your groom are going to divide speech duty. It might just be one of you addressing your guests (though it seems like a missed opportunity) or you could both give a speech. The other option is a joint speech (we LOVE em!), and you can find out more about joint speeches here.
Let’s assume you’re both delivering speeches; it makes sense to ensure you’re not doubling up. Sure, you’ll each want to thank both sets of parents but only one of you gets to tell the story where you both accidentally got locked in that bar.
Think about how to schedule the speeches. If you have more than three, consider having one after each course of the wedding dinner or even saving one till the evening do (though that’s a risky strategy if there’s a free bar).
Gay Wedding Speech Etiquette
Don’t get tied down with traditional etiquette. A lot of it is outdated.
Tailor your style to fit with the scene you’ve set. Have you invited a lot of older relatives who expect a certain level of decorum or just a dozen of your Pacha amigos who want Jagger Bombs on tap? Maybe you’ve splashed out on a stately manor or gone urban in the Gherkin (see Attitude’s alternative wedding guide if you’re interested in that one) – just make sure your words reflect the wedding you’ve created.
The thank yous are, of course, important and can ensure a lifetime of love from the in-laws (or years of deep & brooding resentment). The groom traditionally thanks…
- everyone for coming
- his parents
- the in-laws
- his best man or woman & ushers/bridesmaids
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Of course, there may be others you want to mention (children you share or step-children?) but resist the urge to read out half the guest list. Nothing kills off a speech quicker than a tedious thank you list.
The groom traditionally ends his speech with a toast to the bridesmaids, but we think this is a missed opportunity (and you might not have any anyway). Toast something meaningful to you and your groom; something that will get everyone smiling. It could simply be a toast to ‘a lifetime of dancing on tables’.
You can check out what other speakers at your wedding are expected to do in Confetti’s Full Etiquette Guide. Only necessary for the swotty sort!
Five speech rules
A heart-warming tribute to your fella should be the focus of your speech but remember every groom is handsome, kind and generally amaaazing.
Cut the cliches and concentrate on what makes your man unique.
Avoid words like ‘soulmate’ or ‘beautiful’, anything that’s overused. Nail his individual and quirky characteristics.
Is he a library-lover, a technology fiend, a total foodie? Is he ‘Canal Street’s answer to Jay-Z’ or ‘the only man to still smell lovely after four days at Glastonbury’?
Yes, the expectation may be on the best man, but all wedding speeches should make people laugh.
Of course, being funny isn’t about finding good jokes on the internet (if only it were that easy) but instead making witty observations about your relationship.
So, conduct a courtship-autopsy; what have you done together, what do you argue about, what frustrates you about each other, what seems to be a regular theme in your relationship? See what you can have fun with.
Check out our tongue in cheek Boris Johnson groom speech spoof to get a sense of our humour. Remember the adage ‘it’s funny because it’s true’. More advice on our How To Be Funny Blog.
Right, this is the important bit. Your speech should tell a story.
Yes, it’s made up of lots of different elements, but it needs to hook people in from the beginning, establish a theme and carry that through to an almighty climax.
One basic example was a groom who considered himself lucky; he talked about the quirks of fate that got him to the altar and ended his speech by toasting a ‘lifetime of luck and love’ before encouraging his guests to look under their napkins where he’d left them all a scratch card.
Find out #whatsyourstoryÂ
You’re aiming for about eight to ten minutes (ten allowing for laughter and ad-libs).
Remember no one ever listened to a wedding speech and said ‘if only it were longer’.
Even if you think you have a wealth of material, be strict with yourself and practise how long it takes you to deliver your speech.
Even Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address was only 272 words, so there’s no excuse for an overly long speech.
Once you write your first draft, edit it down to half the length. It will make it better.
It’s blooming obvious, we all know it’s a gay wedding – there’s no poor woman dressed as a meringue!
Don’t feel you need to make jokes about two grooms, that would be catering to an old-school audience and the joke’s too obvious anyway.
Everyone just wants to know why you two love each other so keep your speech simple, sincere and sweet – rather than turning it into a same-sex sermon.
Weddingwire wrote a good article about the meaningful ways you can acknowledge your wedding is a same-sex one, like ensuring your venue is genuinely LGTBQ-friendly.
Speech Do's
Start writing your speech
Obvious but honestly, ideas will keep popping into your head once you kick off.
Make the thanks yous meaningful
Don’t just talk about what people have contributed to the wedding, thank them for what they’ve contributed to your life
Keep the thank yous concise
No one deserves more attention than your husband. 50 words max to anyone else!
Practise your speech and film it on your phone
Watch it back, promise yourself you’ll do something about your gut and spot where your speech can be improved.
Use witty wedding quotes
Plagiarism ain’t cool but using quotes is a great way to super-charge your speech with romance or humour. Get inspired by our Quote Guide.
Speech Don'ts
Don't thank the caterers or the venue
It’s unnecessary.
Don't resort to clichés
Yes you can thank your in-laws for ‘raising such a wonderful son’ but try to make it personal too. Thank your mother in law for the extra inch added to your waistline since you first sampled her Yorkshire puddings.
Don't ignore the feedback of friends
It’s always worth testing your speech out on a mate but this also means you have to listen to them. If someone doesn’t get a joke, don’t waste your time explaining it as you won’t be able to do that on the day.
Don't talk over laughter
You’ve worked hard for those laughs – don’t rush them. Always wait until your guests have settled down before continuing with your speech.
Don't get overly soppy
Get the balance right between sweet and just showing off. Leave the pet names at home and keep anything too gushing for the bedroom.
Gay Groom Speech - let us help you!
Work with us and deliver a speech that will knock your groom’s socks off.
We offer a DELIGHT GUARANTEE on all our bespoke services so there’s no reason not to exploit us.
And, of course, in the world of Zoom, Whatsapp and Death Wish Coffee, we work with clients around the world.
