How long should a groom speech be?

About 4 to 6 minutes. If there are many speeches, aim for four and keep the thank-yous tight.

Who does the groom thank first?

Usually the previous speaker, then the guests, then both sets of parents. Adjust the order to your family and tradition.

Should the groom be funny?

A little, if it comes naturally. The groom's speech works best as the sincere one, with the best man bringing most of the jokes.

What if my partner is also giving a speech?

Split the thanks so you don't repeat each other: for example, each thanks your own family and friends. See the bride speech guide.

Do I have to toast the bridesmaids?

Only if it's your tradition. Many grooms toast their new spouse, the families or all the guests instead.

What Should the Groom Say in His Wedding Speech? Examples

What the groom's speech is for

The best man is there to entertain. The parents are there to welcome. The groom's speech does two things nobody else can: thank people on behalf of the couple, and say something true to your partner in front of everyone you both love. Most groom speeches spend too long on the first and too little on the second.

The thank-you order

This order is common at many weddings. Adjust it to your families and traditions, and agree with your partner if you're both speaking.

Order	Who	What to say
1	The previous speaker	A short, warm response to what they said
2	The guests	Thanks for coming, especially those who travelled far
3	Your partner's parents	Thanks for welcoming you, and for raising your partner
4	Your own parents	Thanks for everything, with one specific memory
5	Anyone else who helped	Paid, baked, drove, organised. Group them
6	The wedding party	Best man, groomsmen, bridesmaids, by name or as a group
7	Anyone missing	One brief line for those who have died or couldn't come
8	Your partner	The heart of the speech
9	The toast	To your partner, to the wedding party or to the guests, as is your tradition

In some traditions the groom's toast is to the bridesmaids or the wedding party; in others it's to his new spouse or to the families. Pick the one that fits your wedding.

Example lines for each thank-you

These are made-up examples. Swap in your own names and details.

Responding to the previous speaker:

"Thank you, Richard, for that welcome, and for not mentioning what I wore the first time I met you. I'm grateful."

The guests:

"Thank you all for coming. Some of you have flown in from Singapore and Lagos, and some of you drove forty minutes and still arrived late. We're thrilled you're all here."

Your partner's parents:

"Richard and Anne, thank you for welcoming me into your family from the first Sunday lunch, and for raising the most generous person I know. I promise to look after her, and to keep losing to Anne at Scrabble."

Your own parents:

"Mum, Dad: thank you for every early morning drive to football, and for teaching me that you show love by turning up. I've tried to do that for Emma, and I learned it from you."

The wedding party:

"To Sam, my best man, who has spent twenty years making me look sensible by comparison. To Jake and Tom, who got me here on time. And to Emma's bridesmaids, who got her here looking like that. Thank you."

Anyone missing:

"My grandad isn't here today. He'd have been the first on the dance floor, and he'd have told everyone he taught me everything. He'd be right."

Words to your partner

This is the part people remember. Write it first, then fit the thank-yous around it. A few guidelines:

Speak to them, not about them. Turn and say their name.
Be specific. One moment when you knew, or one thing they do that nobody else sees.
Keep it short. Five or six sentences said slowly mean more than two minutes of adjectives.

Example (made up):

"Emma. The night we met, you spent twenty minutes helping a stranger find her lost phone, and missed the last train home. I thought, I want to be around someone who does that. Four years later, you still do it every day: for your patients, for your friends, for me. Thank you for marrying me. I will spend the rest of my life trying to deserve it."

A 5-minute timing plan

Section	Time
Opening and response to the previous speaker	30 seconds
Guests and parents	90 seconds
Helpers and wedding party	60 seconds
Anyone missing	15 seconds
Words to your partner	60–90 seconds
Toast	15 seconds

That's about 650 words at a steady pace. You can check your draft with the speech length calculator.

Mistakes grooms make

Mistake	What happens	Instead
Turning it into a stand-up set	Steals the best man's role; the sincere part feels thin	One or two light lines, then sincerity
Thanking every supplier by name	The room tunes out	One line for "everyone who made today happen"
Forgetting the partner's parents	Hurt feelings for years	Put them on a card at the top
Saying "my wife and I" before you're used to it, then stumbling	Nerves show on the first line	Rehearse your first sentence until it's automatic
Speaking to the room during the part for your partner	It loses intimacy	Turn and look at them

Delivering it

Most grooms read from cards, and that's expected. Put the thank-you list on its own card so you can glance at names without losing your place. Hold the words to your partner in your head if you can, because looking up for that part matters. If your voice catches, pause and smile; it's the most natural moment of the night.

Practise it out loud at least five times, once in front of someone who hasn't heard it. If you don't want to spoil it for anyone, you can rehearse with Speaking Coach in the app and see where you rushed or paused too long. Our guide to giving a toast covers how to raise the glass cleanly.