Wedding Speech Opening Lines

“I've known [Name] for fifteen years, and in that time I've seen him do a lot of brave things. Standing up here is probably top three.”

“When [Name] asked me to be his best man, I was honored. Then I remembered everything I know about him, and I got a little nervous for him.”

“I was told to keep this short. [Name] also told me he was going to the gym every day this year. So I think we both know how this is going to go.”

“Good evening. For those who don't know me, I'm [Your Name], [Name]'s best man and, as of about an hour ago, the only person here who's heard these stories before.”

“I Googled 'best man speech tips' last night. The first result said 'be yourself.' The second said 'keep it short.' I can do one of those.”

“[Name] once told me he knew [Partner] was the one because she laughed at a joke nobody else thought was funny. That's when I knew too.”

“If you'd told me ten years ago that [Name] would be the first of us to get married, I would have asked what you were drinking. And then I would have asked for some.”

“I've been [Name]'s friend long enough to know exactly which stories I'm allowed to tell tonight. There are three. He's getting off easy.”

“My name is [Your Name]. I'm [Name]'s best man, and if you're wondering how I got the job, the short answer is: nobody else wanted to give a speech.”

“A few months ago [Name] called me and said, 'I need you to do something for me.' I said yes before he finished the sentence. That's the kind of friend he is. It's also why I'm standing here with index cards and sweaty palms.”

“When [Name] asked me to be her maid of honor, I said yes immediately. Then I went home and Googled 'how to give a maid of honor speech.'”

“I have known [Name] since we were eleven years old. I have seen her at her best, at her worst, and at approximately 2 a.m. on New Year's Eve 2018. She is exactly who she appears to be today, just in a better dress.”

“I've given a lot of toasts in my life. Birthday toasts, graduation toasts, a toast at my cousin's going-away party that I'd rather not revisit. But I've never meant one as much as this.”

“[Name] told me to keep this under three minutes. I have 47 stories and exactly no self-control, so we'll see how that goes.”

“I promised myself I wouldn't cry during this speech. So if my voice starts shaking, just pretend it's allergies.”

“[Name] and I have been friends for so long that I genuinely cannot remember a version of my life without her in it. I tried once. It was boring.”

“The first thing [Name] told me about [Partner] was that he remembered what she ordered on their first date. She texted me the next morning: 'I think this one's different.' She was right.”

“For anyone who doesn't know me, I'm [Your Name]. I'm the one [Name] calls at midnight when she needs to talk something through. Tonight, I finally get to talk back.”

“I was going to open with a quote about love, but [Name] would have seen right through that. So instead, I'll start with the truth: I am so proud of her.”

“I have been rehearsing this in front of my bathroom mirror for two weeks. My roommate now knows your entire love story and sends her congratulations.”

“I've been practicing this speech for twenty-six years. I still don't think I'm ready.”

“When [Name] was eight years old, she told me she was going to marry someone who was kind, funny, and made really good pasta. Two out of three isn't bad.”

“Every father thinks his daughter is remarkable. I happen to be right.”

“I've been told that fathers of the bride tend to cry during their speech. I want to assure everyone that I have absolutely no intention of doing that. I'd also like to apologize in advance.”

“People keep asking me if I'm ready for today. The honest answer is: I've been ready for her to be happy. I just wasn't ready for how fast it would arrive.”

“I had a whole speech written. Then I watched [Name] walk down the aisle, and I threw out the first paragraph. You'll just get the honest version.”

“When [Name] first brought [Partner] home for dinner, he offered to do the dishes. I turned to my wife and said, 'I like this one.' I still do.”

“[Name] was the kind of kid who asked 'why' about everything. Now she's marrying someone who actually has good answers. I couldn't have planned it better.”

“I'm not the sentimental type. Ask anyone. But today I'm making an exception, because my daughter deserves at least one speech from her dad that isn't about checking the tire pressure.”

“A friend told me the father of the bride speech should be short and memorable. I'll do my best on both counts, but [Name] has given me twenty-seven years of material.”

“I've rehearsed this speech at least thirty times. Standing here right now, looking at [Name], I can't remember a single word of it. Which is probably how it should be.”

“When I met [Name], I didn't know what to say. That has not been a problem since.”

“I'm not much for public speaking. [Name] is aware of this. She married me anyway, which tells you everything you need to know about her.”

“Someone told me to start with a joke to settle the nerves. But honestly, I'd rather just start by saying: I'm the luckiest person in this room today.”

“I had a plan for today. Stay calm, don't trip, say something meaningful. I've already failed at one of those, so let's see how the rest goes.”

“[Name]'s father asked me what my intentions were. I said: to make her laugh every day and never let her assemble furniture alone. I plan to keep both promises.”

“I wrote this speech on the back of a napkin at our favorite restaurant. It felt right. That's the place where I first realized I was going to marry her.”

“I want to say something to [Name] that I've never said in front of this many people. Actually, I've never said anything in front of this many people. So here goes.”

“Before I met [Name], I thought I was pretty good on my own. Turns out I was just getting by. She showed me the difference.”

“My best man told me to picture everyone in their underwear to calm down. I tried it. It did not help. So instead I'm just going to look at [Name] and say what I mean.”

“There is something about watching your daughter become exactly who you always hoped she would be that makes it very difficult to speak. Bear with me.”

“I have a lot of material on [Name]. Twenty-eight years of it. I've agreed to use only the appropriate parts tonight.”

“I wrote this speech, rewrote it, and then rewrote it again. Every version started with: I am so proud of you. So that's where I'll begin.”

“When [Name] was little, she used to ask me, 'Am I brave?' The answer was always yes. Looking at her today, it still is.”

“I was not going to cry. I practiced this in the car. I practiced it in the shower. Then I saw [Name] in that dress and all bets were off.”

“There's no manual for watching your daughter fall in love. You just watch. You hope. And then one day, someone walks into her life and you think: yes. That's the one.”

“People say you don't lose a daughter at a wedding, you gain a son. I'd just like to say: [Partner], I hope you like being texted daily.”

“[Name] once told me she wanted to marry someone who made ordinary days feel good. Not grand gestures, just good mornings and long walks. She found that.”

“My daughter has always known exactly who she is. That used to worry me. Now I realize it just meant she was waiting for someone who saw it too.”

“I could fill this entire evening with stories about [Name]. Her first steps, her first heartbreak, the time she tried to bake me a birthday cake and set off the smoke alarm. But tonight, I just want to say one thing.”

“I didn't believe in the idea of a person who makes everything better just by being in the room. Then I met you.”

“I've thought about what to say today for a long time. Every version I wrote started the same way: with how lucky I am. So let me just start there.”

“I'm not going to promise you perfection. But I will promise you this: I will always try. Every single day, I will try.”

“You are the first person I want to tell good news to. You are also the first person I want to sit with when the news isn't good. That's how I knew.”

“I rehearsed this a hundred times and it never sounded right. Then I realized it's not supposed to sound polished. It's supposed to sound like me, talking to you.”

“Before you, I used to think love was about finding someone who completes you. Now I think it's about finding someone who sees you clearly and stays anyway.”

“I fell in love with you on a Tuesday. Nothing remarkable happened. You just handed me a coffee and said something that made me laugh, and I thought: oh. There you are.”

“I'm not great with words. You know that better than anyone. But I wanted to say this out loud, in front of everyone we love, so there's no question about how I feel.”

“People keep asking me if I'm nervous. I'm not nervous about marrying you. I'm nervous about saying something that actually captures what you mean to me. Those are very different things.”

“When I imagine the future, you're in every version of it. The quiet mornings, the hard days, the ordinary afternoons. I choose all of it, with you.”