This week we’ve been thinking a lot about the speeches. Mostly because with 8months to go to our wedding I’m already crapping myself about mine, particularly after my best man revealed he’s already started on his! So after bringing you our top speech tips earlier in the week a question arose: whilst the best-man’s speech is traditionally expected to be funny, cheeky and designed to leave the groom without a shred of dignity, what’s the correct tone for the Grooms’ speech?
Should it be a rip-roaring comedy showdown between groom and best man? Or should the groom use the occasion to publicly declare his love for his bride? I sense a fight coming on!!
In the red corner, defending sentimentality’s honour, she still wears a Care Bears t-shirt to bed and once cried at an episode of Scooby Doo, It’s Dom “The Tog” Bride (she would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for those pesky kids!)
In the blue corner, fighting it out for the comedy stylings, he can’t tell a joke to save his life but has made tea for Alan Carr, it’s Matt “The Gormless” Groom
Contenders Ready? Gladiators Ready? 3…2…1… (err….sound of whistle)
Dom: Weddings are all about the emotion. It’s so sweet when a groom talks about how much he loves his new wife in front of everyone!
Matt: But you get the emotion all day! The speeches are a chance to start cutting loose and get everyone ready for the fun part of the evening!
D: Are you saying that most of our wedding day isn’t going to be fun???!!!
M: No of course not! I meant…I just mean that it’s the less formal bi… I love you, next point.
D: Humph!… Anyway the best man’s speech is there for the comedy and the father of the bride’s speech is often funny; the grooms’ speech should be about thanking everyone
and talking about what the day means to the couple.
M: We guys aren’t always great at talking about our emotions and doing it to a room full of people would be incredibly embarrassing!!
D: But that’s the point: openly declaring your love for one another to everyone you know is amazing and the wedding day is surely the day to do that.
M: But you’ve already spent the morning declaring your love for each other: you’ve just agreed to spend the rest of your lives with one another! If you want to make more of a personal declaration then why not write your own vows? Surely the guests have got the point by the time of the speeches!?
D:A good emotional speech can bring a tear to everyone’s eyes!
M: A good comedy speech can put the whole room into hysterics!
D: It’s really hard to be funny in a speech and get that tone right, isn’t it easier to just thank everyone including your bride and let the best-man bring the house down?
M: That might be easier, but the grooms speech is a great chance to make light of the whole thing and entertain the guests! It can also set the tone for the best-man speech and help to make the whole thing more entertaining.
D: The grooms speech is the climax of what is a serious and sentimental day, trying to make it too funny can ruin the mood.
M: Done right, the humour can still portray your emotions whilst not making the guests uncomfortable by getting too heavy.
D: I know of several weddings where the groom has written a poem or sung a song to his bride and it’s just incredibly beautiful.
M: Songs and poems are a great idea, but they can also contain humour and remain beautiful!
D: You’re going to make fun of me aren’t you!
M: Wouldn’t dream of it
FINAL REMARKS:
D: You don’t often see men talking openly about their feelings and when they do so on their wedding day it’s really beautiful and guaranteed to bring tears to everyone’s eyes. It’s probably the only time they will ever speak in that way in public and when you see the bride’s reaction it’s amazing, a perfect moment.
M: A wedding is an intense, emotional day. The guests have seen you exchanging your vows, saying “I do” and sharing your love for all to see all day. By the time of the speeches people are looking for some light relief; they’ve just enjoyed (or are about to enjoy) a nice meal and they want to get into the mood for the party, its fine to drop in a few emotional sentiments but it’s not the time to get too heavy!
So there you have it: Sentiment Vs Comedy – who will win the debate? Let us know what you think in our comments section below! Now as they say, always leave them laughing:
A bride walks into a bar… (Evil stare) … a VERY PRETTY bride walks into the bar and the barman says…(More evil staring) that he loves her very much? (Raised eyebrows) Think that’s my cue to go do the washing up!
I have to say I’m up for the sentimental on this one – the Father of the bride does life advice, the best man does funny and the groom should tie the two together with a does of heartfelt thanks and love.