TL;DR
- Short means short: anything under 3 minutes, which is roughly 400 words or fewer read aloud.
- Formula: who you are, one specific story or observation, one wish for the couple, a toast.
- 20 examples: grouped by speaker, each labelled with an approximate word count and speaking time.
- Swap in your details: names, places and stories in the examples are placeholders. Your own specifics are what make it land.
- Rehearse with a timer: nerves, laughs and pauses add time, so aim for the lower end.
A short wedding speech runs anywhere from 30 seconds to three minutes and does four things: says who you are, shares one true detail about the couple, wishes them well and raises a glass. Below are 20 original examples grouped by speaker, each with an approximate word count and speaking time so you can pick one that fits your slot.
Short speeches are often the best speeches of the night. They leave the room wanting more, they keep dinner on schedule, and they force you to choose the one story that matters. If you are the third or fourth speaker, a tight two minutes will be very welcome.
How long is a 3-minute speech?
One Melbourne MC puts a three-minute speech at about 400 words and five minutes at about 700, read aloud unhurried with pauses for laughs (Melbourne Cityside Celebrant). That works out to roughly 130 to 140 words a minute. The timings below assume a relaxed pace of about 130 words a minute. Time yourself, because everyone is different.
| Target time | Approximate words | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 minute | 120 to 140 | A toast, a sibling, a joint parent add-on |
| 2 minutes | 250 to 280 | Parents, groom or bride when several people are speaking |
| 3 minutes | 380 to 400 | Best man, maid of honour, father of the bride |
The short speech formula
- Who you are (one sentence). “For those who don’t know me, I’m Priya’s older brother.”
- One story or observation (most of your time). Specific beats general: a place, a moment, a line someone said.
- One wish for the couple’s future.
- The toast. Ask everyone to raise a glass and say exactly what you are toasting.
Cut everything else. If you are not sure which order you are speaking in, check our wedding speech order guide.
Father of the bride
1. The classic welcome
About 115 words, roughly 50 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Good evening everyone. I’m Michael, Chloe’s dad, and on behalf of Chloe’s mum, Anne, and me, welcome. Thank you for being here, and a special welcome to James’s family, who as of today are officially stuck with us.
When Chloe was five, she announced she would only marry someone who could beat her at Uno. Years of practice at our kitchen table meant nobody ever could. Then James came along. He didn’t beat her at Uno. He just let her win, every time, with a straight face. I knew right then he understood her completely.
James, welcome to the family. Chloe, we are so proud of you.
Please raise your glasses: to Chloe and James.”
2. The proud and practical dad
About 305 words, roughly 2 minutes 20 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Hello everyone. I’m Tony, the father of the bride, and I’ve been told I have three minutes, so I’ve timed this with the oven timer, the way Sophia’s mum times my barbecues.
On behalf of Rosa and me, welcome. Thank you for coming, especially those of you who flew in from Brisbane and Adelaide, and our cousins who came all the way from Italy and have been awake since roughly Tuesday.
Sophia, you have always known exactly what you want. At eight, you wanted a puppy and wrote me a business plan. It had a budget, a feeding roster and a section titled ‘Risks’, which listed ‘Dad says no’. At sixteen, you wanted a car and got a part-time job at the bakery to pay for half. At twenty-two, you wanted to move to London for a year, and you went, and you rang home every Sunday so your mother could sleep. At twenty-nine, you wanted Nick, and honestly, that was your best decision yet.
Your mum and I have watched you work for everything you have. You never expected anything to be handed to you. So when you brought Nick home, we knew you had thought about it properly.
Nick, you are calm, you are generous, and you are patient with all of us, which in this family is a superpower. Thank you for loving my daughter the way you do.
To Nick’s parents, Maria and Peter: thank you for raising such a good man, and for welcoming us so warmly. I suspect our Christmas lunches are about to get much longer.
And to everyone here, thank you for coming and for all the love you’ve shown these two.
Please stand and raise a glass. To Sophia and Nick: may you always want the same things, and may you always get them together.”
3. The emotional short toast
About 70 words, roughly 30 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Good evening. I’m Raj, Anika’s father. I wrote a much longer speech, then realised everything I wanted to say fits in one sentence: Anika, you have made me proud every single day of your life, and today most of all.
Dev, from the first dinner you came to, you treated us like family. Thank you for making my daughter so happy.
Please join me in raising your glasses to Anika and Dev.”
Mother of the bride
4. The warm welcome from mum
About 115 words, roughly 50 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Hello everyone. I’m Linda, Grace’s mum. I promised Grace I wouldn’t cry, so let’s see how far I get.
Grace, from the moment you arrived you have filled our house with noise, music and far too many shoes. You are brave, funny and kinder than you know. I have loved watching you grow into the woman standing here today.
Ben, I knew you were the one when Grace rang me after your first date and talked for forty-five minutes. Grace has never talked to me for forty-five minutes about anything. Welcome to the family. We are so lucky to have you.
Please raise your glasses to Grace and Ben, and to a lifetime of long phone calls.”
5. Mum’s short and sweet blessing
About 40 words, roughly 20 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Good evening everyone. I’m Mei, Jasmine’s mother. My wish for you both is simple: be patient with each other, laugh every day, and never go to bed without saying goodnight. Jasmine and Aaron, I love you both. To Jasmine and Aaron.”
Parents of the groom
6. Father of the groom welcome
About 115 words, roughly 50 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Good evening everyone. I’m Steve, Tom’s dad. I won’t keep you long, because I can smell the main course.
Tom has always been the kid who fixed things. Broken bikes, broken toasters, and once, memorably, a broken lawnmower that he fixed so well it started mowing on its own. Not ideal for the garden bed, but very impressive.
Hannah, you’re the first person I’ve seen Tom stop fixing things for, just so he can sit with you. That tells me everything. Welcome to our family.
And to Hannah’s parents, Kerry and Paul, thank you for this wonderful day and for sharing your daughter with us.
Please raise your glasses to Tom and Hannah.”
7. A joint speech from the groom’s parents
About 110 words, roughly 50 seconds at a relaxed pace.
Dad: “Hello everyone. We’re Chris and Debbie, Josh’s parents. We decided to do this together so neither of us could tell the embarrassing stories without supervision.”
Mum: “Josh, you were the most curious little boy. You asked ‘why’ about everything, all day, every day. It was exhausting. It also turned you into the thoughtful, interested man who listens properly to the people he loves.”
Dad: “Ellie, we’ve watched Josh light up around you. You’re clever, you’re warm and you laugh at his jokes, which takes real commitment. We are so happy you’re part of our family.”
Mum: “To Ellie’s family, thank you for welcoming us so generously today.”
Both: “Please raise your glasses. To Josh and Ellie!”
The groom
8. The groom who wants it short
About 110 words, roughly 50 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Good evening everyone, and thank you for being here. I’ve been told the groom’s speech is the one people listen to least, so I’ll make it count.
Thank you to Mum and Dad for everything, and to Leanne and Mark for raising the most remarkable woman I know and trusting me with her. Thank you to my groomsmen for getting me here on time, and to our suppliers for making today look this good.
Olivia, you walked down that aisle today and I forgot every word I’d planned. I love you. You are my favourite person and my best decision.
Everyone, please raise a glass to my wife, Olivia.”
9. The groom’s full thank-you
About 290 words, roughly 2 minutes 10 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Hi everyone. On behalf of my wife and me, and yes, that’s the first time I’ve said that, thank you all for coming. Whether you came from across town or across the world, it means a lot that you’re here.
To my parents: thank you for every lift to footy training, every packed lunch and every bit of advice I didn’t take at the time and wish I had.
To Ruby’s parents, Sue and Andrew: thank you for welcoming me into your family and for today, which has been beyond anything we imagined.
To my best man, Liam, and the groomsmen: thank you for the support, the bucks weekend I mostly remember, and for whatever you’ve already said tonight. I’ve apologised to my grandmother in advance.
To Ruby’s bridesmaids, thank you for looking after her this morning and for keeping the group chat to a manageable four hundred messages a day.
And thank you to the team here at the venue and all our suppliers. Everything you see tonight is because of people who were working while we were getting ready.
And Ruby. On our second date you told me you were ‘not really a morning person’. I now know that was the understatement of the century. But you are the best part of every other part of my day. You’re the person I want to tell when something good happens and the first person I call when something goes wrong. You’re thoughtful, you’re fierce and you make everyone around you better, especially me.
I promise to make the coffee, to keep laughing at your jokes, and to never again say ‘how hard can it be’ about flat-pack furniture.
Please raise your glasses to the love of my life, Ruby.”
10. The groom’s sentimental toast
About 70 words, roughly 30 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Good evening everyone. I’m not one for speeches, so I’ll just say what’s true. Thank you all for being here. Thank you to both our families for your love and your help. And Aisha, thank you for saying yes. Every good thing in my life got better when you arrived in it. I promise to spend the rest of my life trying to deserve you. Please raise your glasses: to Aisha.”
The bride
11. The bride’s quick thank-you
About 85 words, roughly 40 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Hi everyone! I’ll be quick, because I’ve been waiting all day to dance.
Thank you for being here. Mum and Dad, thank you for absolutely everything. To Will’s family, thank you for welcoming me with open arms and very large lunches. To my bridesmaids, thank you for keeping me calm and for the emergency snacks.
And Will. You are patient, funny and the best teammate I could ask for. I love you.
Please raise your glasses: to Will, and to the dance floor.”
12. The bride’s heartfelt thank-you
About 225 words, roughly 1 minute 40 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Good evening everyone. I’d like to say a few words, which, as everyone in this room knows, is not my strong suit, because I never stop at a few.
Thank you all for coming. Looking around tonight, I can see every chapter of our lives in one room, and that is the best gift we could have asked for.
Mum, Dad, thank you for giving me roots and wings. Every time I’ve jumped, you’ve been there to catch me.
To Alex’s mum, Carol, thank you for raising a man who calls his mother every Sunday. I’m told that’s a very good sign.
To my bridesmaids, Nina and Bec: you have seen me at my best and at 3am after a very bad breakup, and you love me anyway. Thank you for today and for every day before it.
Alex, when we met I had a five-year plan, and you weren’t in it. You turned up anyway, with your terrible playlists and your enormous heart, and you made the plan so much better. You taught me that not everything needs a spreadsheet, and I taught you that some things really do. You are steady when I’m stressed, and silly when I need it most. Thank you for loving me loudly.
Please raise your glasses to Alex, and to the plans we haven’t made yet.”
The couple together
13. A joint thank-you speech
About 95 words, roughly 40 seconds at a relaxed pace.
Both: “Hi everyone!”
Partner 1: “We’ll keep this short, because the dessert table is open.”
Partner 2: “Thank you all for being here. Today has been everything we hoped for, and that’s because of the people in this room.”
Partner 1: “Thank you to our parents for your love, your help and your patience with our spreadsheets.”
Partner 2: “Thank you to our wedding party for keeping us sane, and to everyone who travelled to be here.”
Partner 1: “And to my wife, I love you.”
Partner 2: “And to my wife, I love you too.”
Both: “Now please raise your glasses. To love, to family and to friends!”
14. The couple’s toast to their guests
About 80 words, roughly 40 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Good evening everyone. We’re Sarah and Kieran, and we’ll be very brief. We spent a lot of time planning flowers, food and music for today, but the thing that has made it unforgettable is you. Each person here has helped us become who we are, as individuals and as a couple. So instead of us asking you to toast us, we’d like to toast you. Please raise your glasses: to our families and friends, thank you for everything.”
Best man
15. The best man who keeps it clean
About 180 words, roughly 1 minute 20 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Good evening everyone. For those who don’t know me, I’m Jack, and I’ve been Ryan’s best mate since Year 7, when he talked me into joining the school chess club. I didn’t know how to play chess. Neither did he. We were both there for the free pizza.
That’s Ryan in a nutshell: always up for an adventure, rarely prepared for it, and somehow it always works out.
Since then we’ve survived a school camp at Phillip Island, a road trip where he packed one pair of shoes, and a share house in Brunswick with a possum in the roof that he named Kevin and tried to feed.
The first time I met Emily, she beat Ryan at chess in about four moves. I’ve never seen him happier to lose. Since then I’ve watched him become more organised, more thoughtful and, dare I say it, a slightly better chess player.
Emily, thank you for making my best mate this happy. Ryan, you’ve found someone far smarter than you, which is exactly what you needed.
Please raise your glasses to Ryan and Emily.”
16. The best man’s gentle roast and toast
About 260 words, roughly 2 minutes at a relaxed pace.
“Hello everyone. I’m Dan, the best man, which is a title I’ve been reminding Matt about for months.
Now, I was going to tell some stories from our uni days, but Matt’s mum is sitting right there, and frankly I’d like to keep receiving her Christmas cards.
So instead I’ll tell you about Matt as a flatmate. He labelled his food in the fridge. Not with his name. With the date he bought it and a polite note. ‘Please enjoy responsibly.’ He once left a sticky note on a lasagne that just said ‘I know.’
He also had a whiteboard for the bins. A whiteboard. With a roster. In three colours. I’m fairly sure he still has it in the garage.
Then he met Lauren, and suddenly the notes stopped. The fridge became shared. The lasagne became ‘ours’. The whiteboard got a new message, written in Lauren’s handwriting: ‘Relax.’ That’s when I knew this was serious.
But I want to be serious for a second, because under the labels Matt is the most loyal person I know. When my dad was sick a few years ago, Matt drove me to the hospital in Geelong every weekend for two months and never once let me pay for petrol. That’s who Lauren is marrying.
Lauren, you’ve made my mate a better man and a more generous flatmate. Matt, you’ve found someone who makes you laugh, keeps you honest and, most importantly, can read your handwriting.
Please raise your glasses to Matt and Lauren, and to a lifetime of shared lasagne.”
Maid of honour
17. The best friend’s sweet toast
About 105 words, roughly 50 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Hi everyone. I’m Zoe, and I’ve been Mia’s best friend since we were assigned to sit next to each other in Year 3 because we were both ‘chatty’. Nothing has changed.
Mia is the friend who remembers your coffee order, your dog’s birthday and the name of the guy you went on one date with in 2019. She makes everyone feel looked after.
Luke, it has been beautiful watching someone finally look after Mia the way she looks after everyone else. You make her calmer, happier and even chattier, which I didn’t think was possible.
Please raise your glasses. To Mia and Luke!”
18. The sister’s short tribute
About 75 words, roughly 30 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Good evening everyone. I’m Kate, Ella’s big sister and maid of honour. Growing up, Ella copied everything I did: my clothes, my music, the way I laughed. It drove me mad. Then she grew up and became braver, kinder and cooler than me, and now I copy her.
Sam, thank you for loving my little sister the way she deserves. Welcome to our very loud family.
Please raise your glasses to Ella and Sam.”
Siblings and other speakers
19. A brother’s quick toast
About 60 words, roughly 30 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Hi everyone, I’m Lachlan, Jess’s younger brother. Jess spent most of our childhood bossing me around, and honestly, she was usually right. She’s been my protector, my advice line and my lift home more times than I can count. Chris, you’re getting the best person I know. Look after her, and she’ll look after you twice as hard. To Jess and Chris!”
20. A grandparent’s blessing
About 55 words, roughly 20 seconds at a relaxed pace.
“Good evening. I’m Margaret, Charlotte’s grandmother. I’ve been married fifty-two years, so I’ve been asked for advice. Here it is. Say thank you for the small things. Hold hands in the car park. And when you disagree, remember you’re on the same team. Charlotte and Henry, I love you both. To Charlotte and Henry.”
A short speech and a single print have something in common: one good moment, kept simple.
How to make a short speech your own
- Replace every name and detail. The examples above are scaffolding. Your Uno story or lasagne note is what will make the room laugh.
- Keep one story. If you have three good ones, pick the one that says the most about the couple, not about you.
- Write for the ear. Short sentences. Names instead of pronouns when there could be confusion.
- Read it aloud twice a day for a week. By the wedding you will only need to glance at your notes.
- End on the toast. The last line should tell guests exactly what to do: raise a glass to two named people.
For more help with the first line, browse our 50 wedding speech opening lines. If you have more time and want a fuller speech, see our father of the bride speech, best man speech examples, groom speech examples and bride speech examples.
Not everyone gets a speech
Most guests at your wedding will never hold the microphone, but plenty of them have something lovely to say. An audio guestbook gives them a vintage-style phone to leave a voice message for you, with no length limit and no attendant needed. Across our events the average message runs 45 to 90 seconds, which makes them, in a way, the shortest wedding speeches of the night. Pair it with a photo booth and every guest leaves something behind. Check our availability for your date.
Short wedding speech questions
How many words is a 2 minute wedding speech?
Around 250 to 280 words at a relaxed speaking pace. Nerves can make you rush, and laughter adds time, so write to about 250 words and time yourself reading it aloud.
Is a one minute wedding speech too short?
No. A sincere one-minute toast is far better than a rambling five minutes, especially if several people are speaking. Say who you are, share one true detail about the couple, and raise a glass.
What should a short wedding speech include?
Four things: a one-line introduction, one specific story or observation about the couple, a wish for their future, and a clear toast naming the couple. Thank-yous belong mainly in the couple's own speeches and the parents' speeches.
Can I use these short wedding speech examples word for word?
You can use the structure and phrasing freely, but swap in your own names, places and stories. The examples use made-up details as placeholders, and guests respond to specifics they recognise.
