Sample Wedding Speeches

Ladies and gentlemen, for those who don't know me, I'm James, Mark's brother and the best man. I've known Mark his entire life—well, technically, I've known him since I was two, but those first two years are a bit hazy for me anyway.

Growing up with Mark, I quickly learned he was the kind of person who was determined to do things his own way. I remember when he was seven, he insisted on making his own lunch for school. Mom was thrilled until she discovered he'd packed a sandwich consisting of chocolate spread, potato chips, and gummy bears. His argument? "It has all the food groups: chocolate comes from beans, potato is a vegetable, and gummy bears have fruit flavoring." His creativity was evident from an early age, even if his nutrition knowledge wasn't.

When Mark met Emma four years ago, I knew immediately she was different. For starters, she laughed at his jokes—not just the good ones, ALL of them. Clearly a woman with incredible patience. But more importantly, I saw how he looked at her—the same way he used to look at the dessert menu before the main course even arrived.

In all seriousness, though, watching their relationship develop has been a privilege. Emma, you've brought out the very best in my brother. Before you, his idea of romance was remembering to text back within the same day. Now he's planning candlelit dinners and remembering anniversaries without setting calendar reminders.

I've never seen Mark so happy, so centered, and so ready for the next chapter of his life. Emma, thank you for loving my brother exactly as he is—questionable sandwich-making skills and all.

Mark, I've looked up to you my entire life—not just because you're two inches taller. You've taught me about loyalty, perseverance, and now, love. If I'm lucky enough to find someone who looks at me the way Emma looks at you, I'll consider myself blessed.

So please join me in raising a glass to Mark and Emma. May your marriage be filled with laughter, may you always find your way back to each other after arguments about whose turn it is to do the dishes, and may you build a life together that's even more beautiful than today.

To Mark and Emma!

Family, friends, and honored guests, good evening. I'm Robert, Sarah's father, and I want to thank you all for being here to celebrate Sarah and Daniel's special day.

They say a father's job is to raise his daughter to be the woman who makes him obsolete. If that's true, then today, with a heart full of both pride and a touch of sadness, I can say "mission accomplished."

Sarah, from the moment I first held you, impossibly small and perfect in my arms, I knew my life had changed forever. I remember driving you home from the hospital, going five miles under the speed limit, much to the annoyance of every car behind us. Your mother kept telling me to speed up, but how could I? The most precious cargo in the world was in our car.

As you grew, you filled our home with curiosity and laughter. I still have the drawing you made when you were six—a stick figure family where, for some reason, I was significantly shorter than the dog. Your perspective may have been questionable, but your sense of humor was already perfectly intact.

I've watched you grow from a little girl who needed me to check for monsters under the bed into an incredible woman who faces life's real challenges with courage and grace. Through every scraped knee, every heartbreak, every triumph and setback, I've been there, sometimes to catch you, but more often just to cheer you on as you caught yourself.

Daniel, the day Sarah brought you home, I'll admit, I was prepared not to like you. It's a father's prerogative. But as I've gotten to know you, I've seen the way you look at my daughter—with the same wonder and admiration that I've had for her all these years. I've seen how you support her dreams, how you make her laugh when she's determined to stay angry, how you've become her partner in every sense of the word. I couldn't have chosen better for her myself.

Today, I'm not losing a daughter—I'm gaining a son. And Sarah, while you may not need me to chase away the monsters anymore, I want you to know that I will always be here, standing quietly in your corner, bursting with pride.

So, it is with a full heart that I ask everyone to raise their glasses to Sarah and Daniel. May your marriage be strong enough to endure life's challenges and tender enough to enjoy its blessings. May you build a life together filled with love, compassion, and understanding—the same gifts you've already given each other.

To Sarah and Daniel!

Good evening, everyone. For those who don't know me, I'm Jennifer, Lauren's sister and proud maid of honor.

Lauren and I shared a bedroom for 18 years. That's roughly 6,500 nights of her borrowing my clothes without asking, stealing my makeup, and talking in her sleep about the most random things. I once recorded her having a full conversation with her pillow about why penguins can't fly. Blackmail material I've kept for exactly this moment.

But we also shared 18 years of late-night talks about our dreams, wiping each other's tears after disappointments, and laughing until our stomachs hurt. For all the times she drove me crazy, there were a thousand more where she was my best friend and greatest supporter.

When Lauren met Michael during her second year of college, she called me that very night. I remember her exact words: "Jen, I met someone tonight, and I have this weird feeling that he's going to be really important in my life." Turns out, her intuition was spot on—though I credit that to our grandmother's psychic abilities she always claimed we inherited.

Michael, over the past five years, I've watched you become part of our family. I've seen the way you've loved my sister—not just on her easy days, but on her difficult ones too. The day she got rejected from her dream job, you showed up with her favorite takeout and a plan to help her redraft her resume. When our grandmother passed away last year, you were a steady presence for all of us. You don't just love the polished, perfect version of Lauren that the world sees; you love the real, complex, occasionally dramatic person that only her family knows. For that, I'm eternally grateful.

Lauren, my sister, my friend—seeing you so happy makes my heart full. You've grown into an incredible woman, and while I'd like to take credit for at least some of that, the truth is you've always known exactly who you are and what you want. Your kindness, your determination, and your ability to find joy in the smallest moments are qualities I've always admired. Michael is lucky to have you, and I think he knows it.

So please join me in raising a glass to Lauren and Michael. May your marriage be as strong as your Wi-Fi connection, may your love story be as epic as your Spotify playlists, and may you always be each other's favorite person to come home to.

To Lauren and Michael!