Writing a genuinely entertaining wedding speech can be tough. If you get it right, it will leave guests in fits of giggles and ensure your speech is a memorable highlight of the big day. But if you get it wrong, you might be left with crickets chirping and awkward glances all around.

Though writing a funny wedding speech can feel like a daunting task, we’re here to reassure you that all it takes is the right structure, a few well-timed jokes, and a lot of love to write a funny wedding speech!

So, whether you’re the father of the bride, groom, best man, maid of honour, or a non-traditional speech-maker, we’re here to guide you in crafting a funny wedding speech that strikes the perfect balance between humour and sentiment. Read on to learn the structure and some top tips.

What is a funny wedding speech?

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A funny wedding speech is a speech given during a wedding reception with the intention of making the guests laugh. To make your wedding speech funny, you can include jokes, anecdotes about the newlyweds, funny quotes or poems, or even use light-hearted teasing. Remember, any teasing should always be in good faith and with the express permission of the couple.

The best thing about funny wedding speeches is that they’re generally short – it can be difficult to write a long wedding speech with good comedic timing. Plus, a short wedding speech tends to hold the audience’s attention better and leave a lasting impression. Try to keep a funny wedding speech between 3-5 minutes long and focus on the quality of stories over the quantity of stories.

For more information, check out our post on how long a wedding speech should be.

How should you structure a funny wedding speech?

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Introduction

The first step of any good wedding speech should always be an introduction. Standing up and letting everyone know who you are and your role in the wedding will help you feel more confident and open up the speech in a professional way.

You might also consider explaining your relationship to the couple while slipping in a joke or two. For example:

“Hey, everyone. My name is Sophie, the bride’s much, much younger sister”.

“Hi guys, thanks for joining us here today. I’m Jack, the best man and worst influence here today!”

Remember, any jokes should always be tasteful and appropriate for the guests. If you’re unsure, run the jokes you’re considering telling past the couple first to get their approval. This way, you can change your speech accordingly before the big day, and no one will be offended!

Tasteful jokes and one-liners

You can then move on to including some funny jokes and one-liners into your speech. These can be related to love, marriage, or even your relationship to the couple. Humour should be light-hearted, which means no making fun of anything personal or crossing any boundaries.

Pay close attention to your comedic timing, as well as allow time in between the jokes for people to laugh. Otherwise, they might miss the next joke, which could derail your speech!

Funny anecdotes

You should then move on to sharing a funny story about the newlyweds. You’re in the unique position of being a pivotal person in their life. As a result, you’ll have a ton of funny stories or entertaining anecdotes to draw upon. This is your chance to highlight the couple’s true personality and show them the moments that have defined your relationship.

Sentimental memories

Once the laughs have come to a natural end, it’s time to close the speech with some special and sentimental memories that you’ve shared with the couple. For example, the first time you met your bestie’s new partner, a story about how the couple met and the role you played, or even a heartwarming story from their wedding planning.

Whatever you choose to share, it should be a loving and sentimental moment that naturally follows the laughter and highlights how special this day is.

Toast

No good speech is complete without a toast. The final step of your speech-making should be to raise your glass of fizz high, make one final wish or blessing to the couple, and ask the guests to join you in a toast.

Top tips for writing a funny wedding speech

If you’re not sure, then don’t say it

Knowing your audience is a crucial part of writing a funny wedding speech. Consider what types of jokes are appropriate for your guests. For example, are there a lot of elderly family members attending, or is it a service bound by religion? If so, you may want to omit the more risqué or edgy humour.

Remember, if you’re not sure whether a joke will land as intended, it’s better not to say it.

Practice makes perfect

Practicing your speech ahead of the big day will help you feel more confident and prepared. Try practicing in front of a mirror, with a trusted friend, or even by recording yourself to watch back. Though this may feel uncomfortable, it’s a great way to work on comedic timing and understand how your speech will come across to audiences.

Consider your role in the wedding

The role you play in the wedding will change the nature of your speech. For example:

Funny maid of honour speeches usually include stories about wedding planning, hen-do shenanigans, and stories about the bride.
Funny bridesmaid speeches will also include hen-do tales and stories about the bride. However, they will probably place less emphasis on wedding planning as bridesmaids aren’t usually involved in that.
Funny best man speeches might include light-hearted teasing, stag-do stories, or any anecdotes from how you met the groom.
Funny father of the bride speeches are a great opportunity to let the groom know exactly what he’s in for! For example, how untidy the bride is, how moody she is in the morning, or any other quirks.

Have a backup plan

If things start going wrong or the jokes aren’t landing the way you expected, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan. This could mean writing a second short, non-funny speech to fall back on in case your first speech goes pear-shaped.

The bottom line on funny wedding speeches

Writing a funny wedding speech is no simple task. You need to consider comedic timing, the appropriateness of jokes, the length of the speech, and your relationship to the bride or groom. But when done right, funny wedding speeches are a fantastic way to add joy and laughter to the celebration while celebrating the couple’s love. If well-executed, they can become a special and memorable part of the big day. That’s why being well-prepared is essential.

However, writing a funny wedding speech isn’t just about making people laugh. It’s also about highlighting the special relationship you share with the couple, having fun, and reminding the guests about the little quirks that make everyone love the newlyweds so much.

If you’re struggling with where to start, we have a ton of examples of fun and interesting wedding speeches, including the traditional groom’s speech or best man’s speech, plus guidance on writing a short speech if you’re looking to keep it brief. There’s no time like the present, so get started on writing your funny wedding speech today!