How To Write A Mother Of The Groom Speech Toast
A mother of the groom wedding speech is a heartfelt love letter from the groom’s mother to her son, shared publicly with wedding guests on his special day.
An amazing mother of the groom speech is the best gift any mom can give her son because it is like a priceless heirloom woven from threads of love, pride, and devotion that comes from the depth of a mother’s heart.
Such a wedding speech can either be delivered off-the-cuff or meticulously prepared. However, a few mothers though, who are gifted with words and charisma can deliver a fun and heartfelt mother of the groom speech on the fly.
As a professional mother of the groom speech writer, I know how hard it is for most mothers to string their thoughts and ideas together into a truly lovely and heartfelt mother of the groom speech.
After all, writing and delivering wedding speeches isn’t something we do on a regular basis. But, I believe your mother of the groom speech should be the talk of the wedding reception and beyond.
To help you achieve this, I will guide you through everything you need to know about writing and delivering an amazing mother of the groom speech.
Whether you are concerned about your writing skills or nervous about facing the crowd, this comprehensive guide will boost your confidence, equip you with proven tips, ideas, and examples, to help you write the best ever mother of the groom speech without sweating like a bull in a china shop.
OK. I know what you are thinking. How do I write and deliver a mother of the groom speech that will leave your family and friends cheering for more?
Well, in this comprehensive guide, I will share the secrets to crafting a speech that will leave your family and friends in awe. Here is a snapshot of what you will discover in this detailed guide.
- Does The Mother Of The Groom Give A Wedding Speech?
- How To Calm Your Nerves And Speak With Flair And Confidence
- When Does The Mother Of The Groom Give A Speech?
- How Long Should My Mother Of The Groom Speech Be?
- Mother Of The Groom Speech Ideas
- How To Start Your Mother Of The Groom Speech
- Mother Of The Groom Speech Examples
- How To Write Your Mother Of The Groom Speech
- Story Of The Accidental Orator: How A Nervous And Clueless Mom Gave The Best Speech Ever Without Being A Greater Writer or Speaker And How You Can Do The Same
Now that we have covered the steps outlined in this guide, let’s dive in and take a closer look at:
Does The Mother Of The Groom Give A Wedding Speech?
That’s a question I often get asked a lot by mothers who reach out to me when they are asked by their sons to give mother of groom wedding speeches.
I have lost count of the number of inquiries that have reached my inbox about that question. Well, these mothers are not alone and many other moms have expressed similar sentiments on popular online platforms like Quora and Reddit.
Please see screenshot below.
Here’s my professional take on that:
During Abraham Lincoln’s era, the groom’s mother wasn’t allowed to speak. But, how times have changed and so many moms are opting to deliver fun and heartfelt mother of the groom speeches on their son’s wedding day.
This pictorial data from Semrush confirms the growing number of mothers seeking help with their mother of the groom speeches within a given a period: the volume and keywords section confirm this.
Why You Should Give A Mother Of The Groom Speech
I have helped countless moms write and deliver very beautiful mother of the groom speeches and have seen the benefits of doing that.
Well, here are three compelling reasons to honor your son’s request for a great mother of the groom wedding speech.
- Your mother of the groom speech is a wonderful opportunity to make your son feel special, loved and appreciated.
- It affords you the chance to welcome your new daughter-in-law and her family into yours with open arms and hearts.
- You are able to share personal anecdotes and stories that showcase your son’s personality, making the wedding more intimate and meaningful
So, if you ask me, I would say: ''Go for it by all means!''
This comes next:
How To Calm Your Nerves And Deliver Your Mother Of The Groom Speech With Absolute Flair And Confidence
Does your heart miss a beat when you think about how your speech will be received by your family and friends?
If you do, then you are nervous about how your speech will go. Believe it or not, everyone feels quite nervous prior to any speaking engagement.
You can tell from the picture below that Obama’s speech writer is not even spared from this feeling before he speaks before an audience.
So, it’s necessarily a bad thing per se. What do you with those nerves and how you respond to it will determine how well your speech will received.
You are probably nervous due to one or more of the following reasons:
- You have told yourself many times that you hate public speaking.
- You have been wrongfully judged. Family and friends have told you that you are not good enough. That’s something you have come to accept and believe about yourself.
- You have probably flunked many speaking opportunities on numerous occasions when you were asked to speak in public.
- You lack a certain skill or expertise. For example, if you are a new driver, you will likely feel a bit faint whenever you are behind the wheel. Similarly, you will feel quite uneasy when you are about to write the speech or grab the microphone because that is something you are not used to doing on a daily basis. Got the picture?
All those factors explain why you feel like a fish in a frying pan. But, there’s hope.
Guess what? You first have to build yourself confidence before you write and deliver your speech with clarity and confidence in a way that will make you the star of the show!
So, what can you do about it? The good news is that it doesn’t take a lot to get past your nerves and deliver your speech the way you want it to be.
Here are three easy to follow steps that can make all the difference between your feeling of inadequacy and achieving your dream of making your son proud with touching words.
- First, you can get help by reaching out to me and I will help you write and deliver a speech that is unique, beautiful, memorable, and sounds just like you.
- Second, write your script. Then, revise it and practice your speech in front of a mirror or spouse to get honest feedback. Make your speech short by centering on the main topics. Then, practice out loud to get familiar with your script. Obama even practices his speech. So, who are you not to do that?
- Third, visualize your success. In your mind’s eye, keep dreaming about every one applauding you and keep holding that positive image and your fears will be kept at bay.
By the way, here’s a great video I found about how to calm your nerves so you have peace of mind before you speak.
Let’s move forward to…
When Does The Mother Of The Groom Give A Speech?
Your mother of the groom speech can be delivered at either the rehearsal dinner or wedding reception or both depending on your preferences.
Here’s what I found on several reputable wedding websites regarding the order of speeches:
Just consider this view from the hitch studio:
Here is another view point from the brides.com website:
As you can see from the facts, there are divergent views on this topic as there are many facets to that question. I would say that when the mother of the groom speaks largely depends on where the wedding reception or rehearsal dinner is being held, and the wedding couple’s program outline.
For example, if your son is getting married to a British in the United Kingdom, when you speak will differ from a location in The United States or New Zealand. That’s because variations in wedding protocols are due to cultural differences.
That being said; modern couples often have unique preferences. So, it’s best to ask the bride and groom when you will be speaking. This allows you to prepare well ahead of time.
This is the next step to cover:
How Long Should My Mother Of The Groom Wedding Speech Be?
Most mothers have this unhealthy obsession about the length of their mother of the groom speeches, as many believe their mother of the groom speech should be short and not exceed five minutes.
From a professional standpoint, I think that is needless. Having written both long and short mother of the groom speeches, I can tell you for sure that what really matters is how sweet and engaging your mother of the groom speech is.
Having said that, a few factors might underpin how long or short your toast turns out to be. They include the following:
- The number of speakers at the wedding: If there are several speakers, then you have to keep it short so others can equally take their turns. Just do it your own way if you are the only speaker. Remember to keep it engaging and relatable else you will bore them to death even if your speech is as short as a good joke.
- Your son’s preference: When your son asks you to speak for certain duration of time, just honor his request and don’t go overboard.
- Your storyline: It can be quite tempting to cram tons of memories into your mother of the groom speech. However, if you have been asked to keep it brief, stick to the main stories. On the other hand, if there are no time restrictions, feel free to speak your heart out. Either way, remember to keep it entertaining to keep your family and friends itching for more.
All that aside, the average time of most mother of the groom speeches I have written and heard hovers around 7 minutes.
That brings us to the next chapter:
Mother Of The Groom Speech Ideas
There’s no magic formula for delivering an amazing mother of the groom speech. It takes some thought and effort. Just like a any creative project, great presentations are rooted in good preparation and planning.
As a wedding speech writer, I always take time to think through things before putting pen to paper. And I am not alone. Artists, writers, poets, comedians, you name it. We all collect ideas before we create. So, do the same and you will well be on your way to crafting a great mother of the groom wedding speech.
Collecting ideas for your mother of the groom speech is essential for these reasons:
- It saves you time and reduce stress when writing your wedding speech for your son and daughter-in-law
- It helps you create a clear outline for your mother of the groom speech.
- It helps you organize your thoughts and memories in a very logical manner.
It is said ideas are everywhere. But, when it comes to mother of the groom speeches, the best ideas are actually close to home. They are in your head, the groom’s father’s head, in the minds of his siblings, and extended family members who played significant role in his life.
So, what do we call these ideas? M-e-m-o-r-i-e-s! Memories!
Those memories in your head you wish to share should be fun, evoke emotions, and resonate with the audience, bringing joy and happiness to the wedding guests.
Below are four simple ways to generate ideas for your mother of the groom speech.
- Think about your favorite moments with the groom, from childhood to adulthood and write down ideas that come to you. If your memory is not so great, you can leaf through your family photo albums and you will thank me later when your family and friends applaud you for giving a fun and heartfelt mother of the groom wedding speech.
- You can also reach out to relatives, his dad, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and close friends who the groom very well. Ask them to share their favorite memories, stories, or qualities about him. Again, you have to write them down as their stories will help uncover happy moments you might have forgotten. Their insights will also provide a more complete picture of the groom’s life, personality, and journey.
- Think about his passions, hobbies, interests, exploits. You can use these as inspiration for stories or anecdotes that not only showcase his personality but also made you feel proud to be his mom.
- Take a mental trip to when he was in school or joined a sports or drama club. Was there a time he put happy smiles on your face or filled your heart with pride? Those memories can become precious anecdotes to share in your speech.
- Reflect on the times when your family was growing and life got busier. Ask yourself: What did my son do to make mothering easier for me during those chaotic but loving moments? Did he stand by you throughout a period of sickness, loneliness, or depression offering words of comfort, hope, and love? Those moments can be become powerful and emotional anecdotes in your mother of the groom speech.
I am sure those reflections have helped you come up with some good memories for your speech. Have you jotted them down?
Ok, great. We will use those ideas for an important aspect of this post.
Let’s look at this vital next step:
How To Start Your Mother Of The Groom Speech
So many wedding speech writers start their speeches with quotes, stories, anecdotes, songs, or words of gratitude, to name just but a few. While there’s nothing absolutely wrong with that approach, I think to differently whenever I am asked that question.
For me, the writing process is similar to watching a hairdresser style the bride’s hair. It’s a deliberate, step-by-step process that makes the writing clearer and more effective. You start with a foundation and build on it to get your desired results.
Start by asking yourself these questions to set a firm foundation for your speech.
- How long or short would you like your speech to last? I talked about it earlier so I don’t need to go into that again.
- You should decide on a speech style that strongly resonates with your personality rather than trying to impress your guests with something that is not your strong suit.
Let me explain. For example, if you love to make people laugh, you should think of making a funny mother of the groom speech.
Similarly, if you are a very sensitive person, you can do a heartfelt or emotional mother of the groom speech.
That brings me to my next point, which is closely related to my views on speech styles.
- Watch YouTube videos that match your chosen speech style to get ideas and inspiration for writing your mother of the groom speech.
For example, if you are considering making a hilarious mother of the groom speech, you can pick up great ideas from this hilarious toast.
To make your remarks touching, you can watch this video and write down thoughts and ideas that come to mind.
With the foundation laid, it’s time to start building. The first step is to study…
Mother Of The Groom Speech Examples
There are three fundamental reasons for studying well-written mother of the groom speeches prior to writing your mother of the groom speech about your son and daughter-in-law on their wedding day.
First, studying them gives you an idea of how to structure your speech.
Second, studying them can provide inspiration and ideas for your mother of the groom so you can create a unique and lovely message.
Third, if gives you a fair understanding of what to say and what not to say in your mother of the groom speech.
Below are some examples you can learn from and apply to your own writing.
Mother Of The Groom Speech Examples: Funny
Good evening everyone. I am Andrea’s mom and my name is Elizabeth. I would like to tell you a little story about my son.
As a little boy, Andrea was a bundle of energy. He was daring, adventurous, and very caring. There was never a dull moment in our house when he was around. We affectionately called him the ‘’washing machine guy’’ and I will share why soon.
Andrea loved playing in mud pies and building sand castles. Once, he climbed onto our balcony, tied a cloth to the railing, and attempted to fly. He landed safely on both feet…twice. However, his third attempt ended with a splat in a muddy patch he thought was dry.
Andrea rushed inside and left a trail of muddy footprints leading to our brand-new Jacuzzi, where he tried to wash off. His younger brother, who had been promised first dibs on the Jacuzzi was outraged. He ran to this father’s bedroom, woke him up, and said, ‘’ Dad, Andrea has ruined the Jacuzzi.’’
Andrea’s dad was not so pleased. He stormed into the bathroom to find him covered in mud, and playing in the Jacuzzi like it was his playground.
His dad decided to teach him a lesson. He went outside to fetch his water hose, but the little boy had other plans. When his dad came back, he had vanished and his dad was left wondering where he’d gone.
The he heard noise coming from the washing machine. Can you guess what happened next? Andrea’s dad tried to open the machine but it wouldn’t budge.
He suspected Andrea might be inside. And sure enough, when he hid in the bathroom and waited, Andréa emerged from the washing machine, looking like muddy, tired rat!
His dad grabbed the showerhead, shouting, ‘’ I have got you’’ and sprayed water all over him.
His little brother chimed in, ‘’ Dad, why not kick the washing machine guy out of the house? ‘’
From then on, the nickname stuck. Even in school, friends, and teachers heard the story and whenever Andrea did something silly (which was often) they would tease him with the nickname.
Before long, the whole neighborhood knew about the ‘’washing machine guy’’. Friends would knock on our door, asking to meet the legendary trouble maker.
Today, the infamous washing machine guy is getting married to Mary, a lady Andrea’s friends like to call ‘’The washing machine lady. Who would have thought that the little boy who once his in the washing machine would grow up to find his perfect match.
I couldn’t be proud that he’s found someone who loves him as much as we do. Mary is kind, loving, caring, and compassionate and I am very confident that she will love and care for my son until the end of time.
Now, my advice to the happy couple will be to love each other, respect each other, be patient with each other, and forgive each other. That has helped my husband and I weather the storms of marriage and it will do them a lot of good in the long run.
God bless you both. Cheers!
Mother Of The Groom Examples: Heartfelt
Good evening and it gives me so much joy to see the happy couple surrounded by family and friends on this very special day. For those of you who don’t know me, I am Sarah, proud mother of the groom.
Steve has always been a caring son. At just five years old, he told us that he would be a nurse and his compassionate nature was evident in the way he loved and cared for others.
Growing up in a small neighborhood where everyone knew each other like family. Steve would often knock on doors and ask about his friends ‘well-being on weekends.
Whether he was caring for his toy puppies and fowls in the hen coop on our farm or simply showing kindness to those around him, he did it all with immense love and passion.
One particular incident stands out in my mind. After I tipped and feel, suffering a sprained ankle that landed me in the emergency room, Steve visited me daily with his dad. He would check my pulse with his makeshift wooden stethoscope and assure me that he would continue to care for me until I recovered. He even said that he wanted to become a doctor someday.
As his mother, I can say that having Steve as my son has been the greatest gift of my life. I love him to the moon and back and I couldn’t be prouder of the compassionate and caring individual he’s become. I am equally delighted that he is found a loving and caring partner in Stephanie.
To Stephanie and Steve, I offer these words of love and wisdom: love each other unconditionally, hold on to each other through life’s ups and downs, and stand by each other always. We love you both and pray that God blesses your marriage with joy, happiness and peace.
We love you both. Cheers to a loving and happy marriage.
Now, this is what you have been waiting for:
How To Write Your Mother Of The Groom Speech
Three steps are involved in the writing process:
- Writing the speech itself
- Editing and proofreading
- Practicing your speech before the wedding day
Let’s dive right in by looking at the first bullet point:
- Writing your mother of the groom speech
There are two ways to go about this:
First, you can simply model your speech after one of those examples I shared with you above.
Alternatively, you can create a simple outline to help you organize your thoughts in a very logical order and make your writing so much easier.
Here’s a simple outline based on the speech templates I shared.
- Welcome remarks and greetings
- Thank you message
- Short-self introduction
- Start with a hook
- Talk about your son
- Talk about your daughter-in-law
- End your mother of the groom speech on a memorable note
After crafting an outline, you need to back each point with the right ideas and anecdotes. Let’s explore how to do that with some examples.
- Welcome remarks and greetings
You can even write that in your sleep, right? Lol
Below are examples of welcome remarks for a wedding reception and a rehearsal dinner.
Rehearsal dinner:
Hello everyone. I'd like to personally thank each and every one of you for being here tonight at this rehearsal dinner. It’s a special night for us to come together, share some laughter, and prepare our hearts for tomorrow’s big celebration.
Wedding reception: Can you please write a short welcome remark example for the wedding reception? Just give it a try and you will soon be patting yourself on the back.
- Thank you message
Your son’s life today is a result of the support, help and sacrifices of living family and friends and those who have gone ahead of you. So, why not take a moment to acknowledge and thank friends and family who were there for you at every turn.
Start by writing down their names and what you would like to tell them.
Here are some people you can add to your gratitude list: The groom’s father, his grandparents, aunts and nephews, etc.
Here’s an example to help you come up with some words of gratitude.
I have to acknowledge Kathy, a dear family friend who helped us so much when my son was in high school.
Let me ask you this: Who would you like to give a special shout to in your mother of the groom speech?
- Short-self introduction
For those of you who don’t know me, I am Sarah, proud mother of the groom.
- Start With A Hook
The hook is the opening statement that draws people into your speech. A hook is a brief, attention-grabbing statement that sparks interest in your speech.
Here are three ways of starting on a captivating note.
First, you can start with a little story like this one:
Steve has always been a caring son. At just five years old, he told us that he would be a nurse and his compassionate nature was evident in the way he loved and cared for others. Growing up in a small neighborhood where everyone knew each other like family.
Second, you can start with a love or marriage quotes. Any of these quotes will work.
- To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.” —Mark Twain
- “A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short.” —André Maurois
- Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” —Maya Angelou
- Marriage is the highest state of friendship. If happy, it lessens our cares by dividing them, at the same time that it doubles our pleasures by mutual participation.” —Samuel Richardson
- Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” —Lao Tzu
Third, you can break out into a song or make your entire speech like a song if you are musically gifted. Here’s an example:
- Talk About Your Son
Do you remember what I told you to do when we got to the section about generating ideas for your mother of the groom speech? It comes in handy here.
So, what would you like to say about your son? You have several stories in your mind, right? Write several of them down and pick one or two memories that really stand out.
- Talk About Your Daughter-In-Law
Here are some pointers to help you write about the bride:
- You can talk about her beautiful qualities and how they complement your sons
- You can talk about the joy she brings to your son and your own heart
- You can talk about a memorable story
Here’s where it gets a bit tricky: If you don’t really know her, just say that your son obviously love her and you are confident that she will be a great wife and mom.