25 Wedding Welcome Speeches That Actually Sound Like You

Hi, Friend! Jen Glantz her. I’m a bestselling author, the first ever bridesmaid for hire and have been hired by hundreds of brides all over the world. Let’s talk about wedding welcome speech examples.

I saw a stat recently that made me laugh, and then immediately panic for every client I’ve ever worked with. Apparently, about 20% of your guests are just thinking about the open bar while you’re holding the microphone. I’ve been there—standing at a friend’s reception, hands shaking, realizing that the longer I rambled, the longer I was keeping people from their dinner.

Here’s the struggle: you want to say something meaningful, but you also want to be the person who kicks off the party, not the one who drags it down. That’s what this guide is for. I’ve pulled together the best scripts for 2026 to help you grab that mic with confidence. Whether you’re looking for a tear-jerker or just a quick “Cheers, let’s eat,” you’ll find it here.

Write a wedding welcome speech that actually sounds like you

Quick Resources

Wedding Welcome Speech Generator
All Wedding Tools

In a Rush? (The TL;DR)

Don’t have time to read the whole thing? Here is the cheat sheet. If you’re scribbling your speech on a napkin right now, just remember these five things:

• Sound like yourself: Don’t try to sound like a poet if you’re usually the class clown. If it feels forced to write it, it’ll feel forced to hear it.

• Read the room: A black-tie ballroom needs a different energy than a pizza truck in the backyard.

• Keep it short: You are the only thing standing between the guests and the appetizers. Be the hero—be brief.

• Do the boring stuff quickly: Get the announcements (shuttles, unplugged rules) out of the way fast.

• Be real: In 2026, nobody wants a stiff, rehearsed performance. They just want to connect with you.

Before You Write: The Vibe Check

Before you pick a script, take a second to think about the logistics. Weddings have changed a lot—we aren’t stuck with the rigid traditions of the past. You need to match your words to the reality of the room you’re standing in.

If you’re trying to figure out where this fits in the timeline, a quick look at a wedding speech guide can help so you don’t accidentally repeat what the Best Man is planning to say ten minutes later.

Match your welcome speech to your wedding vibe with the Wedding Welcome Speech Generator

Who is holding the mic?

It used to be the Father of the Bride’s job, plain and simple. Not anymore. Now, it might be the couple, both sets of parents, or even a hype-man friend. The most important thing is that the speech sounds like the person giving it.

What’s the atmosphere?

Are we talking tuxedos or bare feet? A formal speech works for a ballroom, but if you’re in a barn, you can loosen the tie a bit. Your speech sets the thermostat for the room. If you’re stiff and nervous, the room feels tense. If you’re warm and relaxed, everyone else exhales.

The Vibe	Your Style	What to Say	Please Don’t…
Black Tie	Polite & Polished	Thank the hosts, mention family legacy, raise a glass.	Use inside jokes nobody gets or ramble on.
Backyard / Casual	Warm & Chill	Jokes, “it takes a village,” quick logistics.	Read off a crumpled piece of paper like a robot.
Destination	Grateful	Acknowledge the travel! Give vacation tips.	Forget to thank people for spending money to get there.
Micro-Wedding	Raw & Real	Eye contact, deep connection.	Use generic clichés. You know everyone there—speak to them.

Not sure which style fits your wedding? Try the Wedding Welcome Speech Generator

The “Housekeeping” (Make it painless)

Sometimes the welcome speech is actually just a nice way of telling people where the bathrooms are. You might need to mention the shuttle schedule or remind people to put their phones away. The trick is to weave it in so it doesn’t sound like a flight safety demonstration.

Turn logistics into a smooth welcome speech with our Wedding Welcome Speech Generator

Try the “Smooth Pivot”
Don’t just list rules. Wrap them in gratitude.

Don’t say: “Turn off phones. Bathroom is on the left. Shuttle is at 10.”
Do say: “We want you to be fully present with us, so let’s keep the phones in our pockets and let the photographer do the work. And since we want you to enjoy the open bar safely, the shuttles start running at 10 PM!”

Short vs. Sweet

The “Welcome” isn’t the main event. It’s the appetizer. The golden rule? Be concise. Acknowledge everyone, say thank you, and let them eat.

Speeches by The Couple

It’s becoming super popular for the newlyweds to grab the mic themselves. It’s a great way to break the ice and show your guests that you’re ready to hang out with them.

1. The “Team Effort”

Perfect for DIY weddings or when your friends helped set up.

• Script: “Hi everyone! We just wanted to grab the mic for a minute before the chaos begins. Looking around this room, we see more than friends and family; we see the village that built us. Thank you for the advice, the late-night calls, and for helping us tie 150 ribbons on favors last night. We love you. Eat, drink, and dance!”

2. The “Long Distance” Hug

Use this if a lot of people flew in to see you.

• Script: “Welcome! We know that for many of you, getting here involved planes, trains, and a lot of traffic. It means the world to us that you paused your lives to celebrate ours. We promise to make the jet lag worth it. Thank you for being here.”

3. The “Let’s Get This Party Started”

For when you just want to hit the dance floor.

• Script: “Okay, the hard part is over—we’re married! Now comes the fun part. We have an open bar, a great band, and a request: we want to see every single one of you on the dance floor at least once. Time to make some memories. Cheers!”

4. The “Micro-Wedding” Thank You

Best for intimate groups under 50 people.

• Script: “Thank you all for coming. We decided to keep this circle small because we wanted to look out and see only the people who truly shaped who we are. You are our favorite people in the world. Thank you for sharing this dinner with us.”

5. The “We’re Already Married” Intro

For a reception that happens after a private elopement.

• Script: “As many of you know, we officially tied the knot privately last month. But a marriage is a community event, and we couldn’t let the year pass without celebrating with the people we love most. Thanks for coming to our ‘Happily Ever After’ party!”

Speeches by The Parents

Whether it’s the Father of the Bride or a joint effort, these scripts balance respect with warmth. If you’re nervous, you can always lean on some wedding speech templates, but try to add your own flavor.

Scenario	Who Speaks?	Focus	Time Limit
Traditional	Father of the Bride	Welcoming guests, praising the couple.	3-5 Mins
Modern	Both Sets of Parents	Unity, shared joy, mutual welcoming.	2-4 Mins
Solo Parent	Mom or Dad	Pride, welcoming the new in-law.	2-3 Mins
The Couple	Newlyweds	“Let’s party!”	1-2 Mins

6. Traditional Father of the Bride

Classic, polite, and safe.

• Script: “Good evening. On behalf of my wife and [Partner’s Parents’ Names], I welcome you all to this celebration. Seeing my daughter so happy today is the greatest gift I could ask for. Please enjoy the meal, and thank you for being part of this special day.”

7. The Modern Joint Welcome

Great for showing family unity (and splitting the speaking duties).

• Script: “Hello everyone. We are [Name] and [Name], representing both the Smith and Jones families. We are so thrilled to merge our families today. We’ve loved getting to know [Partner] and seeing how much they love [Child]. Welcome to the family!”

8. Mother of the Groom/Bride

Emotional and sweet.

• Script: “I’m [Name], [Groom/Bride]’s mom. I’ve spent years wondering who my child would end up with, and I can honestly say I couldn’t have picked a better partner than [Partner]. Thank you all for coming to witness this joy.”

9. The “New Family Member”

Warm and welcoming to the in-laws.

• Script: “I have the privilege of welcoming you all, but mostly, I have the privilege of welcoming [Partner] into our clan. You’ve survived the planning process, so you’re officially one of us now. Time to eat!”

10. The Nostalgic Parent

Best for a rehearsal dinner where you have more time.

• Script: “I remember holding [Child] when they were born, wondering what their wedding day would look like. I never imagined it would be this beautiful, mostly because I didn’t know [Partner] yet. Thank you all for being part of their story.”

Funny & Lighthearted Options

Humor is the absolute best way to stop the room from feeling stiff. If you can make them laugh, they’re on your side. Check out some short funny wedding speeches for inspo, or try these.

Create a funny, crowd-warming welcome speech in minutes

11. The “Finally!” (Long Engagement)

For the couple that took their sweet time.

• Script: “Welcome! I know, I know… you thought this day would never come. Neither did we! But we finally made it down the aisle. Thank you for your patience and for sticking with us through the longest engagement in history. Drink up, you’ve earned it!”

12. The “Free Drinks” Icebreaker

Sets a fun, low-pressure vibe immediately.

• Script: “Welcome to our wedding! The ceremony was for us, but this party is for you. We have plenty of food and an open bar, so if you don’t have a good time, that’s officially not our fault. Cheers!”

13. The “Logistics Manager” Joke

For the partner who didn’t care about the color palette.

• Script: “Hi everyone. [Partner] planned this beautiful aesthetic, and I was in charge of the ice. So if you like the decor, tell them. If you like the cold drinks, you can thank me. Enjoy the night!”

14. The “I Promised to Be Brief”

Your hungry guests will love you for this one.

• Script: “I was told I have two minutes before the appetizers come out, and I am not going to be the guy standing between you and the crab cakes. Thank you for coming, we love you, please enjoy the food!”

Destination & Weekend Wedding Scripts

If people took days off work to celebrate with you, you need to acknowledge that effort.

15. The “Thanks for Traveling”

Essential for destination weddings.

• Script: “We are so humbled that you traveled all the way to [Location] for us. We know it takes time and money to be here, and we don’t take that lightly. We hope you fall in love with this place just like we did.”

16. The Welcome Party (Night Before)

Builds the hype for the next day.

• Script: “Welcome to the weekend! Tonight is just a warm-up. Grab a drink, say hello to someone you don’t know, and get some rest, because tomorrow we require your best dance moves.”

17. The “Vacation Mode” Kickoff

Encourage everyone to unplug.

• Script: “You guys made it! For the next 48 hours, work doesn’t exist. The only emails you need to check are… actually, don’t check any. We are on island time now. Thank you for celebrating with us.”

18. The Sunday Brunch Send-Off

A gentle goodbye for the hungover crowd.

• Script: “Good morning, everyone. We know some of you are moving a little slower today—sign of a good night! Thank you for closing out the weekend with us. Safe travels home.”

Short, Sweet, & Functional Toasts

Sometimes you just need to get the job done so the band can start.

19. The 30-Second Toast

The ultimate minimalist speech.

• Script: “To our friends who traveled, our family who supported us, and the vendors who made this happen: Thank you. We are the luckiest people in the world tonight. Cheers!”

20. The “Unplugged” Reminder

Polite but firm.

• Script: “Welcome! Before we start dinner, we just want to remind you that we have amazing photographers capturing tonight. So please, keep your phones in your pockets and just enjoy the moment with us.”

21. The “Dinner is Served” Segue

Pure logistics.

• Script: “We are so happy you are here. We aren’t going to keep you waiting—the buffet is officially open, starting with Table 1. Please enjoy!”

22. The “Rain Plan” Pivot

Diffuses the awkwardness of bad weather.

• Script: “Well, we planned for everything except the rain, but as they say, a wet knot is harder to untie! Thank you for being such good sports and moving inside with us. Time to get cozy and celebrate.”

Modern & Unconventional Ideas

Weddings in 2026 are breaking the rules. If you want to try something different, go for it.

23. The “Cocktail Hour” Roaming Welcome

No mic needed. Just walk around.

• Script: (No microphone) *The couple moves from group to group.* “Hi guys! So glad you’re here. Make sure you try the sliders. Thanks for coming!”

24. The Hype Speech

Let a loud friend do the work for you.

• Script: “I’m [Name], the Best Man/Maid of Honor. The couple is busy taking photos, but they asked me to welcome you. You guys look amazing. Grab a drink, find your seat, and get ready for their grand entrance in 10 minutes!”

25. The Tribute

Acknowledging loss without bringing down the party.

• Script: “Welcome, everyone. As we look around, we are filled with joy, but we also hold space for those who couldn’t be here today. We know [Name] is here in spirit. We will celebrate with enough joy for them, too.”

How to Speak Without Freaking Out

Reading these examples is easy. Standing up in front of 150 people is hard. Public speaking scares almost everyone, so if your heart is racing, you’re normal. But you don’t have to suffer through it.

Knowing a few common wedding toast mistakes can save you from rambling, but mostly, you just need to breathe.

The Fear	The Fix
“I’ll forget my lines.”	Don’t memorize it word-for-word. Use bullet points on a card.
“My hands will shake.”	Hold the mic with one hand and a heavy glass (or the podium) with the other.
“I’m going to cry.”	Pause. Sip water. It’s a wedding—emotion is actually a good thing.
“It will be boring.”	Keep it under 3 minutes. Zero people have ever complained about a speech being “too short.”

Need a little help?

I offer AI-enhanced wedding tools and professional speech writing services. I can take your scattered thoughts and memories and turn them into a polished toast that sounds exactly like you—just… smoother.

Quick Tip: The “Grounding” Trick
If you feel panic rising right before you grab the mic, try this:

1. Plant your feet: Stand shoulder-width apart.

2. Find a friendly face: Don’t look at the whole crowd. Lock eyes with the bride, groom, or your partner.

3. Drop your shoulders: We hunch when we’re nervous. Drop them two inches.

4. Start loud: Speak your first sentence louder than you think you need to. It tricks your brain into feeling confident.

Maid of Honor Coaching

If you’re the friend tasked with the speech and you’re dreading it, I offer coaching to help you crush it. We’ll work together to get rid of the “umms” and the shaking hands so you look like a pro.

The “Professional” Speaker

Sometimes, you just want to enjoy your own wedding. As a professional bridesmaid, I can step in as the point person, handling the logistics and even the microphone if needed. That way, your family can focus on the champagne, not the crowd control.

Get Help With Your Speech Today

Final Thoughts

You have the scripts, the tips, and the strategy. Now, just pick the one that feels right. Don’t overthink it. Your guests are there because they love you, not because they are grading your public speaking skills. Take a deep breath, speak from the heart, and then get off the stage and enjoy your party.