Father of the Bride

We've had posts about the Maid/Matron of Honour, The Best Man, Bridesmaids and the Mother of the Bride, but have yet to cover the Father of the Bride.

The Father of the Bride is usually the most important man in a Bride's life, next to her future husband. He is the man that will walk her down the aisle and 'give her away' to the Groom. He typically offers a toast at the reception and can give a speech if he so desires.

What should The Father of the Bride say to his daughter, future son-in-law and guests?

Here are some topics to touch on:

Welcome - The Father of the Bride usually speaks first, or is the second to speak after the MC or the Best Man speech. He should welcome guests to the wedding and thank out of town guests for joining in the celebration. He should thank people that made the day possible and participating in the planning process and the overall upbringing of the Bride.

Ceremony - He should mention the union that took place at the ceremony and the love his daughter and the groom share for one another. A nice quote, bible verse or song lyric can help with expressing any emotions he may wish to share.

The Bride - The Father of the Bride should talk about the Bride, how proud he is of her and provide a few fun facts about her. Keep this brief as not many people care to hear long winded stories of her childhood like losing her first tooth, her awkward teenage years or the troubles she got into during College. Talk about some of her talents, skills and accomplishments, but keep it short and sweet.

Their Relationship - Mention the relationship between the Bride and Groom. How they met, how he felt when he knew his little girl was in love and his hopes for them for their future together.

The Groom - Welcome him to your family and provide him with a few tips and advice like family traditions, etc. You can poke a little fun at him if you have a good relationship with him, but keep it classy.  You don't want to embarrass him or your daughter. Be sure to make him feel special and accepted.

Wise Words/Toast - End your speech with a few relationship lessons and wise words. Offer an example from  your relationship with her mother if it's a healthy one. Tell them about your hopes, dreams and wishes for them and your excitement of what lies ahead for them as a family.

The Father of the Bride is an important role in a wedding, so be sure to take it seriously, but have fun with it as well. Weddings are an emotional day, so be sure to cherish every moment.

*Photo by Angela Devries Photography from the wedding of Natalie & Jason

Let's hear it for the boys!

Boys will be boys....there's no doubt about it. You may think that your Groom is totally into planning the wedding with you - and he might be, maybe. But I bet you, he's just enjoying seeing you happy planning the wedding of your dreams. What he's really looking forward to (besides being your Hubs of course) is the Stag...or Bachelor Party.

As his wife-to-be, you should understand and respect that your man and his buds will want a night out to celebrate. Getting married is not always all about the Bride despite popular belief.
Sorry ladies.

This Labour Day weekend I was at Darien Lake for a concert and saw this wedding party out celebrating the Groom. They were having a great time - good, clean fun. Not all Bachelor Parties are what we think they are - there's no need for them all to be like the Hangover movie.

Many clients of mine have opted to have a Bachelor Party that's tailored to them and their likes/hobbies, and less to what's expected.

Typically the Best Man plans and hosts the event, but oftentimes the Groom will be involved.

Maybe Groomie wants to go golfing and end the day with a steak dinner, or maybe he wants to go skydiving because he knows you'll never do it with him, or maybe he just wants to have a poker night with some pals. No matter what your fiance wants to do, this is his "last hurrah" per say. Let's let him enjoy it.

If he and his wedding party are unsure what to do - they should head on over to TheManRegistry.com and The Groom Says for guy advice, tips and ideas. Or maybe he knows exactly how he wants to party and all he needs to do is get himself and his wedding party some t-shirts.

Choosing your Master of Ceremonies

You've announced your engagement, you've set your wedding date, you've found your dress, you've ordered your cake, flowers and transportation, you've made your guest list, and now all you need to do is make it all come together on one day - one big day - one day that will be considered the most important day of your life.

You have the starring role on that day, you're like celebrities actually.
Your Wedding Planner is your Director, Producer, Stylist, Engineer and even your Therapist - but who is the Conductor? Who announces you and your wedding party and who ties all of the various elements of the evening together?
Who has this honour? Your MC!

Choosing an MC is sometimes an easy task, and other times it can be daunting for the couple. Who do you know that likes to talk in front of a crowd, but isn't a class clown or major attention seeker? Who knows you well enough to be able to tell stories about you individually and as a couple? Who can work well with your Wedding Planner to ensure proper timing and execution of the many event logistics? Your MC!

Suggestions for whom to pick as MC are typically the Best Man, a close friend or a family member. To learn more about choosing and or being a Wedding MC you should read the book "The Wedding MC" by Tom Haibeck, or talk to your Wedding Planner.

Your Wedding Planner should meet your MC prior to your wedding day, most likely at the rehearsal if not before. The two of them will work together during the wedding reception in regards to timing. Almost 95% of the time the set timeline/agenda for the reception changes based on food preparation, service and consumption, guests arriving late and speeches going over or under time. Your MC should be able to 'roll with the punches' and be able to maintain a sense of professionalism (a.k.a maturity) as the night unfolds.

Your MC should have fun, and aim to keep the celebration exciting, positive and memorable. They should try to engage guests in interaction, and strive to make sure everyone is having a fabulous time.




What does an MC 'typically' do?
- Requests the guests to take their seats if needed
- Announces the wedding party & the Mr & Mrs.
- Welcomes your guests and introducing him or her self
- Toasts the couple (if desired)
- Says Grace (or introduces the person saying a blessing)
- Announces the dinner (in most cases only if a buffet)
- Thanks the catering staff on behalf of the couple after dinner
- Presents the "kissing game" to your guests
- Makes jokes and announcements throughout the evening
- Introduces special guests for their speeches
- Announces other events throughout the evening (first dance, cutting of the cake, late night buffet, bouquet toss, etc)

As the Bride & Groom, you should meet with your MC throughout your planning process, keeping them involved and up to date with your plans, ideas and hopes for the evening. Feel free to give your MC guidelines in regards to the content they wish to share with your guests and feel free to ask them to read what they have prepared. Most Brides do not like surprises on the day they've taken months to plan to perfection. :)


Being an MC is an honour, and officially makes them part of the "Wedding Party".