Wedding Thank You Card Ideas

Alternative thank you cards to send to your wedding guests

Wedding thank you cards are an important end to your wedding and here’s why. Your wedding day is an occasion all the friends and family will look forward to attending, but it’s worth bearing in mind that your big day may come at quite the cost for them to be a part of. We’re not talking about charging them to enter the evening disco, oh no. We’re talking about the costs that can snowball quite quickly into a large sum of money.

For example, they may have to buy a new suit or dress, and matching accessories. Your wedding venue may not be local so they’ll also have to travel and book a hotel for the night. Let’s be real here, it’s your wedding day so they’re going to buy you a gift too, and probably spend money on food and drink on the day as well.

Given these costs and the time they’ve put aside to share your special day, it’s really important to let them just how much you appreciated them being there. The wedding thank you card is a small and thoughtful gesture and the perfect way to say thanks.

If you’re not sure about the wording of your thank you card we’d suggest thanking and showing appreciation for the time they gave to share such a memorable day with you. Thank them personally for their wedding gift, and share an anecdote, memory or joke you experienced with them on the day. Wish them well and that you hope to see them soon.

Tips to help with your wedding thank you cards

• After opening each of your wedding gifts, keep a log on your phone or in a notepad of who gave you each present so that you can thank them with a more personal message.
• Don’t forget to send everyone who helped with the wedding or sent a gift, even if they weren’t able to make the wedding day.

Wedding Photo Thank You Idea

Your wedding day photographer will have captured the most precious memories and your guests may not have seen these. It might take you a bit longer to get hold of these photos but it’ll be worth the wait. Create a montage of your favourite photos to print onto your thank you card. For the extra special personal touch include any photos that were taken of you and the recipients of each card. Alternatively you might want to select your absolute favourite photo to blow up front and centre.

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Themed Thank You Cards

If your wedding day was designed around a particular theme then it would only be right to complete the occasion with thank you cards using the same style. If you used a distinct set of colours throughout your wedding, or paid tribute to an era of time or your favourite film then design your thank you cards with these details in mind.

Postcard Thank you Card

For a vintage looking wedding thank you card you can create your very own postcard. Simply put your favourite wedding photo (a polaroid print out would give a strong rustic look) of the newly married couple on the front, and hand-write your personal message of love and appreciation on the back. Stamp and send.

Memetastic Thank You Card Ideas

Consider yourself to be the funniest person in the room at all times? Send your wedding guests an appropriate meme with a hand written thank you message. Another hilarious idea is to find the most meme-able photo from your wedding day and caption it! There’s bound to be a few goofY photos your friends and family took, or even the photographer, though you may have to ask for these especially.

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Style your wedding thank you notes

If you married in glamour and glitz then send your thanks with a sparkle and shine. Write in a golden tone that shimmers the moment you cast an eye on the card.

Non-traditional thank you notes

We all like to do our bit to help save the planet and this includes going paperless – you can totally apply this to your wedding thank you cards. Send your friends and family a carefully designed email featuring photos from the wedding and a bespoke message to each guest. If they sent you a gift then send them a picture back of you using it to brighten up their day. We’d advise also sending a text to those guests either with a link to the email or directing them to their inbox (just in case those pesky spam filters work or they don’t check their emails very often).

Presents for the Bride and Groom Gift Exchange

Presents for the Bride and Groom Gift Exchange 

Just when you thought you’d planned every last inch of your wedding and there couldn’t possibly be anything else to organise, you realise you need to find the most perfect wedding gift for your better half. But the good news is that a wedding gift for the bride or groom doesn’t have to be a hugely expensive and extravagant present. No no, it just needs to be thoughtful, from the heart and something that will leave a lasting memory, and there’s no reason you can’t have some fun with your choice! To help give you a head start, here are some of our favourite wedding presents for the bride and groom. 

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Groom to Bride:

Mrs or Wife Tagged Gifts

Practically anything that has Mrs, Wife or Wifey printed or engraved on it will bring out the biggest smile on her face. Those words will act as stamps of authenticity and there’s no better time to give these gifts than immediately after tying the knot. Searching on the web will bring up hundreds of businesses that will customise small gifts for you. If she decided to take your surname, make sure you buy some gifts that celebrate her change in name, like a t-shirt that reads ‘You can call me Mrs X’.

Bridal Cover Ups and Robes

Make those ‘getting ready’ shots even better with a tailor-made bridal cover up or wedding robe to make her feel like the true princess she is, all day long. Keep her cosy with a soft, feather lined robe, or chic satin cover up with her name and wedding date printed on the back. This is a gift she’ll be able to take back home and every time she uses it, she’ll think of her fairytale wedding day.

Jewellery 

Every blushing bride would cherish a new piece of jewellery to mark her gorgeous wedding day. Steel bracelets and bangles with precious words of affection engraved with the date of wedding will be cherished for eternity. A gleaming pair of diamond earrings to match the rock on her finger would be a very welcome present. If sentimental is your aim then a delicate locket incised with both your initials and a heart, plus your favourite couple image of the pair of you locked inside for eternity. 

Wine Glasses

Is there anything better than a chilled glass (or two) of crisp fruity wine at the end of a long week? Give your wife the most exquisite and intricately crafted crystal wine glasses. Personalise with a message of adoration and the date that you shared your vows. 

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Bride to Groom:

Gentleman’s Watch

A timeless gift for the groom that any gentleman would be delighted to receive on his wedding day. A luxurious accessory that you can get your wedding date engraved on or a small message of love printed on the inside of a leather strap. The watch is a staple in the bride and groom gift exchange, a classic piece that he’ll be able to keep and show off forever.

Suit Ties

Give the groom his signature piece for any suit. A decorative tie in his favourite colour, made of the highest quality silk with a hidden hand-stitched message of love. It’ll be his go-to tie for every special occasion and it will carry with it a story to share.

Cufflinks 

Whether the groom wears a suit to work nine to five every day of the week, or only brings out the tux for special occasions, personalised wedding cufflinks are an ageless wedding gift. Silver-plated cufflinks engraved with the date of your wedding and both of your initials is both a thoughtful and practical present that will be used for years to come with joyous memories attached. Not to forget to mention they’re damn classy and worth showing off. 

Scotch Glasses

Watch the smile appear from his face as he opens a magnificently designed crystal scotch glasses for those special occasions when your hubby needs a drink of the most divine single malts. Depending on the style of glass you choose you may want to add your own personalisation onto the side for that added personal touch.

Specially Crafted Mixtape

Create the ultimate-mega mixtape to be played above all other playlists. Featuring the very best 70s power ballads, the hippest beats that came out of the 80s, the rock and punk anthems that defined the 90s, the cheesiest hits of the noughties, all the way through to the freshest modern day beats in the weekly charts. This mixtape is only to include the songs he considers absolute bangers. The best opportunity to present the groom with his gift is by getting the DJ to announce your carefully curated mixtape in front of all of his friends and family before challenging him to a dance-off to his definitive favourite song. Queue the music please. 

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For both Bride & Groom:

Customised Video Game Controllers

Are the pair of you big gamers? Introverts at heart and long for the evening to co-op adventures together? Get yourselves matching Mr & Mrs customised controllers. 

Keepsake Box

Present your soulmate with a wooden or stainless steel keepsake box that holds treasured possessions that you’ve kept over the course of your relationship. Items such as anniversary cards, your first date night cinema tickets, love notes from class, and small nostalgic gifts you’ve bought for each other. Be warned, this idea can be a real tear-jerker! 

Their Favourite Sweet Treat 

You can handle this present for the bride and groom gift exchange in one of two ways. The first is to provide your other half with their favourite treat at every possible moment on their wedding day. From the moment they wake, through the getting ready phase, and at the after-party. The treat could be the most luxurious chocolate truffles or a bowl of naughty sugary sweeties. It could be their god-tier biscuit or even signature takeaway lattes from their favourite roasterie. Alternatively, you could give them a voucher that gives them a week, a month or even a year’s supply of their cheeky afternoon treat! These small but meaningful gestures won’t be forgotten and are really worth the time and effort. The smile on their face will be priceless. 

Photo Book 

Decorate and fill a leather-bound photo book with cherished memories of your entire relationship. College photos back when you were just friends, ‘couplies’ from the countless date nights you went on together, those shots of you standing on a sunset beach, goofy selfies from those duvet film days, and everything else in between that’s led to the moment that you both said ‘I do’. 

An Experience of a Lifetime

Has your partner always spoken about that one thing at the very top of their bucket list that they swear they’re going to get around to doing? The bride and groom gift exchange is the perfect chance to give your better half an experience that they’ve always wanted. Skydiving out of a plane at 10,000ft, driving a Ferrari around the legendary Silverstone track, learning to scuba dive off the coast of Spain, smithing your very own axe, or bathing an African elephant abroad. Whatever your choice you can be sure your partner will be overjoyed at the experience of a lifetime.

Christmas Wedding Ideas

Christmas Wedding Ideas

A Christmas wedding you say, what a truly magical idea! Picture an open fireplace dancing with warmth, mulled wine and mince pies served straight to your lips, and Christmas carols echoing through the halls, all before sharing your vows and tying the knot. Sounds like something out of a fairytale, doesn’t it?

Combining the best elements of the winter season with your very own marriage ceremony, here are some jolly good Christmas wedding ideas we think you’ll adore. 

Christmas Wedding Theming

When you envisage your wedding day you probably have some kind of theme in mind centred around a particular colour scheme, period in time or season. In this case, we’ve got two iconic Christmas wedding themes we think you should consider. 

New York New York

Snow is falling all around you in Central Park. You can see the hustle and bustle of the city passing by. Yellow cabs pick up Christmas shoppers, holiday market stalls line the streets, festive decorations glisten in shop windows, the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Bring the magic of New York to your wedding and use all of these concepts in your own planning to create a truly captivating experience.

Winter Wonderland 

If your wedding day is a vision in white then you’ll have no problem incorporating a white Christmas winter wonderland theme. Drape the walkways, seats and tables in (fake) snow, and cover the ceilings with warm white LED lights to create an icicle effect. Line the aisles with elegant white trees that twinkle in the light, dangle snowflakes from the windows and fill the room with bouquets of white roses. 

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Food, drinks and nibbles

As soon as anyone mentioned the C-word when we were young our faces would beam at the thought of Santa delivering us presents. Now, way past our twenties, it’s the thought of devouring a succulent Christmas roast with all of the trimmings, and the endless nibbles and delicacies that you just can’t contain your excitement for. 

Cups of fruity mould wine and spiced` hot chocolate for all of your guests, mince pies and seasoned sausage roll canapes hand-delivered, and chestnuts roasting by an open fire. Sounding dreamy to you? 

Festive alcoholic beverages 

Don’t forget to stock the bar ready for the after-party. You’ve got your usual vodka and gin cocktails, champagne and prosecco, lagers and ciders to serve. But it’s Christmas time so you’ll need to throw in a few winter drinks for good measure;  Bucks Fizz, good ol’ fashioned snowballs topped with a sweet cherry, a little cheeky port or sherry, or if you’re more into liquors a creamy orange chocolate Baileys or Tia Maria will seal the deal nicely.

Wedding Christmas Cakes

We recently published a blog called 25 Wedding Cake Ideas which you can use for cakey inspiration, just make sure you add your own Christmas twists! A touch of mistletoe, white or gold sugar powder, edible snowflakes are all subtle Christmas touches you can add to any wedding cake. If you have a sweet tooth then also look into making and decorating a gorgeous gingerbread house, and it wouldn’t be Christmas without mentioning the traditional Christmas pudding topped with whisky and cream. 

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Christmas Dress Code

You’ve spent days upon days planning every detail you can think of for your big Christmas wedding so there’s no harm in requesting that your guests abide by a dress code for the ultimate wedding finesse. One idea is to ask the women to wear an item of red clothing (skirt, dress or shirt) and request the men to stick to a smart navy blue blazer and trousers. Or an even simpler idea is to hand out a decorative boutonnière for all of the men’s lapels, and elegant ribbons for the ladies to tie around their hair or wrists. These small coordinated details will really impress your family and friends.

Christmas Petting Zoo

Invite Rudolph and his friends to your wedding for a real sense of Christmas magic. A small friendly petting zoo where you can feed reindeers and antelopes the most delicious carrots, or big fluffy husky dogs will bring so many happy smiles to the children’s faces. 

Wedding Get-away

The happy couple are often taken away from their big day in a horse-drawn carriage. If you’re really looking for a unique winter wedding idea, hire a team of huskies or a couple of reindeers to dash you away in your very own Christmas sleigh.

Secret Santa 

For more Christmassy fun organise a huge Secret Santa for all of your guests to take part in. Set the budget low to five pounds, email or text everyone who they’re buying for and ask them to bring it along nicely wrapped on the big day. Even if all of the guests don’t know each other, it’s still a lovely gesture to send and receive a small gift. Make sure you select a volunteer to dress up in the big man’s robes to present all of the gifts for an authentic secret Santa experience. 

Santa’s Grotto

Call in Saint Nicholas himself to hand out gifts to your nearest and dearest. The kids will absolutely love this Xmas idea. Set up a little Christmas grotto complete with tinsel, wreaths, baubles, lights and even one of Santa’s little helpers (or Buddy the Elf if you so wish). Small presents for the children from Santa will fill them with so much joy. He could even hand Christmas wedding favours to all of the adults too. Just make sure to hand him a naughty or nice list for a bit of added amusement! 

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Christmas Photobooth / Photographer

You’re going to want to look back on your wedding day for years, so make sure you’ve got plenty of photos to smile upon. Depending on your budget, you could hire a photo booth or photographer with the specific role of taking group photos. Set up a Christmas backdrop, have a box of festive props including antlers, Santa hats that jingle and roast turkey hats that sing, bauble earrings, tinsel scarves, Rudolph’s bright red nose, and all of the other silly accessories that make you giggle. 

Christmas Wedding Bouquets

Start by choosing your core makeup of colours; crimson reds, forest greens and dashes of snow-white. Combine mistletoe, winter berries and a couple of pinecones for an attractive and genuine Christmas bouquet. 

Christmas Wedding Decorations

Fill your venue with tasteful seasonal decorations. Hang holly and ivy or snow dripped mistletoe wreaths from the pews. Luminate windows and dark spaces with candles and lanterns that flicker for hours. Tall fir Christmas trees adorned with delicate baubles, tinsel and lights, with beautifully wrapped presents lying underneath. If the budget allows, hire a snow machine to give everyone the white Christmas they’ve always wanted and deserve.

Christmas Songs and Carolers

Nobody wants to walk into a room of silence so have your wedding guests shuffle to their seats to your specially crafted Christmas playlist featuring hits from the likes of Elton John and Shakin’ Stevens. If you really want to liven up the atmosphere then hire a jolly band on Christmas carolers, or go that extra mile by hiring an angelic choir to sing your favourite wintertime hymns. 

Wedding Table Name Ideas

Wedding Table Sign Ideas

There’s no detail too small when it comes to organising your wedding day. Bride and groom – it’s all about you, which means you’re going to want to share lots of little sentimental and personal stories with your guests and one great way to do this is through your wedding table names. Don’t be a boring Barry and seat your guests at tables 1 & 2. Place them at a table that’s named after something special, fun, and memorable. To help your imagination run wild here are 20 of our favourite wedding table name ideas.

Countries you’ve visited

Travel, holidays and excursions abroad. Tell your guests about the adventures you and your partner have shared together by naming each table as a country you’ve travelled to. You could include a small itinerary note on each table to add a little extra culture and encourage others to visit too!

International phrases for I love you

It’s not a wedding without the theme of warmth and affection embedded throughout. Spread the love amongst family and friends at their tables by finding the translation for I love you in different languages from across the globe. A phrase that’s so universal that no matter what language it’s spoken in, it’s heard and felt by everyone. Cue the awws.

Oceans, Rivers, Lakes and Lagoons

There’s something quite majestic about the names given to huge bodies of water. The Atlantic, Loch Ness, The River Nile, Lake Como, The Pacific. Blue nature at it’s finest. This theme is perfect for lovers of the Earth’s water.

Planets of our Solar System

Naming your wedding tables after the planets in our solar system is about as grand as you can get. We’re sure this astrological theme will provide some thought provoking conversations at the table about our existence and size relative to the rest of the universe (We’re so tiny!). 

Star Constellations

We’re betting that at some point in your relationship you’ve sat in a country field gazing upon the stars hand in hand with your loved one. Give credit to the romance that followed and name your wedding tables after the wondrous star constellations. For an extra creative touch, include dot-to-dots of the constellations for your guests to complete.

Game of Thrones House Names

Who will you assign to house Lannister, Stark and Targaryen, and what will that say about the wedding guests at those tables? If you’re throwing a fantasy themed wedding, your guests will love revisiting GOT. Add famous lines from characters belonging to that house and get your family and friends to guess who said them. ‘Isn’t it a man’s duty to be drunk at his own wedding?’ – Tyrion Lannister. 

Famous Cocktails

We’re going to take a wild guess and predict that alcohol may be available at your wedding. Name each table after the most delicious cocktails you can think of, and include a little recipe / ingredient card for how to make them for bonus points.

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Colours 

Simple and classy. Forget words, just assign your favourite colours to each table. If you’re all about tones then you might want to note the hex codes for each colour. You just know someone will ask you for one!

Breeds of Doggos

Dogs are just the best things in existence, wouldn’t you agree? So smiley, fluffy and happy, of course you’re going to want to include them in your wedding! Labradors, chihuahuas, German shepards, dachshunds, corgis, and beagles. If you can’t have a golden retriever delivering your rings down the aisle, you can at least use these cute creatures of comfort as a theme for your wedding table names.

Greek Mythology

Fans of ancient Greek history will love this mystical table name theme. Allocate each table a legendary creature of myth and wonder such as the primordial cyclops, ferocious chimera, deadly hydra or war hound Cerberus. Go the extra mile and include an image and description of each exalted being. 

Local Phrases and Sayings

Colloquial phrases that you, your family and friends have used growing up are a fantastic choice for wedding table names. They’re distinctive, personal and more often than not, hilarious. Go bananas. 

Gold Tier Chocolate Bars

Rank your absolute favourite chocolate bars and label your tables with them. Will your guests agree with your cocoa rankings or will you start a choco debate? Don’t forget to have mini chocolates available for each of your guests as a delicious sweet treat.

Bier Cheers

If you and your partner are big fans of barley, water, hops and yeast (let’s just call it beer!), have your tables named after your most recommended bevvies. Or stick with the types; IPA, Stout, Lager, Pilsner, Porter, you get the gist. Just make sure you have a good selection of these at the bar!  

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Types of Flowers

Can’t decide on what flowers to have at your wedding? Don’t settle for one, have a touch of everything by naming each table after a piece of Mother Nature. Sunflower, Daisy, Lavender to name just a few flowers that will add a touch of beauty to your big day and smell spectacular. Maybe you could have one of each type of flower on each table?  

Sporting Heroes

If you really can’t do without a sporting reference on your wedding day, assign each table a captain which will act as your wedding table name. Your guests will field their captain’s teams. For some after-party fun, organise a few team games to take part in with a cardboard cut out of your captain to inspire and lead.

Famous Duos

Romeo and Juliet, Shaggy and Scooby Doo, Batman and Robin, Peanut Butter and Jelly? The choice is yours. Will you choose those that inspire beauty and love, or comedy duos that deliver gut-busting laughter. 

Significant Dates

Every blushing bride and handsome groom has at least a few milestone dates in their relationship. Your first date, first kiss, engagement, moving in together, birth of a son or daughter, even the time you spilt your entire soup entree down you at your anniversary meal. Use these dates as the headers for your wedding tables. Choose your styling options; dashes, periods, or make it more enigmatic with just digits like 05082010. Don’t forget to include a caption so your guests know the significance of those dates!

Birthstones

Glitz up your wedding tables with the names of shimmering birthstones. These stones could also influence the colours used on each table. Plus, the names emerald and amethyst just emit elegance and glamour.

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Family and Friends

The spotlight is firmly on the happy couple, but a wedding isn’t complete without their closest friends and family to share their happy day. Once you’ve assigned all the guests to a table, select one member and share with everyone your most treasured memory with them, verbally or written on a note for the table. 

Mountain Ranges

Are you both accomplished conquerors of mountains and seasoned adventurers? Call your wedding tables all the mountains you’ve climbed or are on your bucket list to hike. Include a few mountain facts on the tables such as the total height, conditions (snowy, volcanic), time / estimated time of your climb, and date conquered / you hope to complete it. You could even include a sign-up sheet somewhere so that your guests can opt-in for the next big climb with you! 

There we have it, 20 unique wedding table name ideas to get you thinking about your big day. Have we missed any that you’re considering using or have used? Let us know in the comments!

25 Wedding Cake Ideas

25 Wedding Cake Ideas

Gathering wedding cake ideas is without a doubt one of the best parts about planning a wedding. You’ll want to conduct careful research (including tasting of course) and decide on flavours, overall style and size, and cost. We’ve collected a whole bank of cake ideas to help you whittle down exactly how you want your wedding cake to look. We should warn you, don’t scroll down on an empty stomach. Absolute scrumptiousness awaits.  

Simply Elegant Wedding Cake Ideas

1) Elderflower and lemon flavoured cake with white icing is both classy and flavoursome. Add a bouquet of purple flowers to give it some vibrance. 

2) Sweet white chocolate icing with a tangy raspberry sponge centre. Classic.

3) Buttercream is both traditional and modern and comes in just about every flavour you can imagine. 

4) One way to give a simple-looking wedding cake an extra dimension is to add small yet tasteful flowers to the edges.

5) Give a minimalist looking wedding cake an extra glow by sprinkling it with golden or silver glitter to dazzle. 

6) At the very centrepoint of a wedding is the blushing bride and handsome groom. Keep your wedding cake a pleasing neutral colour with a modest look and add a stylised bride and groom wedding cake topper as the crowning piece. If your wedding has a colour scheme try and add a ribbon of this colour to match.

7) No fancy handcrafted icing is needed with a fancy metallic gold painted wedding cake.

8) Salted caramel oozes down the layers creating a rich and seriously sweet treat. Finesse with clotted cream fudge for sheer indulgence.  

Two & Three Tier Wedding Cakes Ideas

1) Make a luxurious red velvet centre first tier accompanied by a smooth chocolaty sponge on the second tier. Hide both underneath a light buttercream vanilla icing. 

2) For all the bakewell tart fans this almond and cherry wedding cake is for you. The sponge has a slight nutty texture to it complemented by a tasty cherry jam. Topped with fresh cherries for the perfect fruity touch. 

3) Drip cakes are a popular modern trend. Delicately crafted drip can turn any wedding cake into a scrumptious looking waterfall. A light strawberry drizzle goes well with a classic Victoria sponge, and salted caramel is the perfect accompaniment for vanilla icing.  

4) Naked cakes have recently come into fashion. Strip back the icing and you have your wedding cake bare for all to see! Tiers are served between gorgeous sweet cream and decorated with fresh fruit such as strawberries and raspberries.

5) Identical top and bottom layers with a contrasting middle cake gives a slice of variety and sophistication.

6) Not every cake needs to be circular, break out of the norm with square tiers. The corners give your wedding cake a new sense of grandeur.

Vintage Wedding Cake Ideas

1) For a timeless wedding cake, line the bottom of each tier with silver lacing and decorate in a minimalist fashion with small floral piped icing.

2) For that 50s and 60s style wedding cake, connect your layers with individual columns to give it that extra height and overall wow appeal.

3) Nothing says vintage like pure angelic, elegant white. White frosting, white lace, white flowers, white icing. 

4) Premium liqueurs, in particular brandy, and quality fruits were among the most popular ingredients used in vintage wedding cakes from the 1950s. 

Alternative Wedding Cake Ideas

1) For those of you with a sweet tooth, you might want to decorate and top your icing with your favourite past time sweeties. From love hearts and haribos to strawberry bon bons and wine gums.

2) If you’re after a wedding cake that’s to be remembered for its unique appearance then you need to forget traditional elegance. How about a stylised Liquorice Allsorts cake for the shock factor!

3) Dare to be different with a wedding cake with just a single layer and several tiers of divine cupcakes topped with intricate, handcrafted chocolate and vanilla icing.

4) Similar to the cupcake tiers, go bold with delicately delicious maroons that melt in the mouth.

5) Think Terry’s Chocolate Orange in the form of a lavish wedding cake. Dark icing with a moist chocolatey centre and a hint of orange to compliment the richness the chocolate brings. For ultimate luxe and style, position small edible orange decorations along the cake tiers.

6) For a real poptastic wedding cake sprinkle the top with popping candy. Vibrant, sweet, but most of all fun.

7) Nobody said that your wedding cake couldn’t be a cheesecake. Give your guests the gift of variety with three different flavoured tiers. A tangy fruity layer, followed by a crumbly cookie centre and finished with a salted caramel crown.  

Perfect Your Groom Speech With Our Templates & Examples

You’ll soon be marrying the woman of your dreams which will be remembered as one of the happiest days of your life. Whether you decide to marry in an intimate reception room accompanied by just a few special people or have the big white wedding in a grand church with an audience of a hundred plus people, there’s no getting away from having to deliver the all important groom’s speech.

The groom’s speech should last around ten minutes and is your opportunity to thank everyone for attending this momentous occasion. Be sure to thank the father of the bride for his speech (regardless of whether he said you were awesome or told a joke at your expense), thank the guests, some of which may have travelled overseas, thank both sets of parents, and a special thanks to the best man(men) and bridesmaids for all of their help and support leading up to the big wedding day. Don’t forget to mention names to give your speech that personal and heartfelt touch.

When writing your groom’s speech you need to decide on the style and tone in which to address your audience. Do you want to convey love, appreciation and genuineness, or add a comical element to your words. To help you write the perfect speech that will compliment both your wedding and personality, we’ve written two groom speech templates below to help get you started.

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The Gentleman’s Groom Speech

This groom speech is all about delivering sincere and honest words of appreciation and love. You’re giving thanks not just for the most enchanting wedding you could have hoped for, but to your beautiful bride for choosing you as her soulmate, and to her parents for welcoming you so warmly into their family as one of their own.

The best wedding speeches are simple and to the point. It’s likely you will have heard a few of them by the time you stand up to take the spotlight, so be mindful that you can’t thank every single person in the room, but do mention those that have offered their utmost support to both you and the bride in your times of need. Tip: remember to speak to the bride well in advance to find out who you should be expressing your gratitude towards on behalf of the both of you.

After thanking both sets of parents and all of the guests, it’s time for the most important thank you – your wife. Yes, absolutely call her your wife, the earlier in your speech the better! For some grooms their wedding tends to organise itself. What we mean by this is there’s a good chance your wife will have gone above and beyond with the organisation and attention to detail of your big day. You absolutely need to acknowledge the tremendous amount of hard work your bride has put into this magical day. Pick out something special to mention that she’s crafted with real love and detail. For example it could be the little origami cranes she hand made for every guest that are supposed to bring luck to marriages and grant wishes.

Be sincere, speak from the heart and tell your wife in front of both your friends and family just why you adore her so much and have wanted nothing more than to marry her since the moment you met. Speak of her beauty, her honesty, the admiration you have for her, her strength and courage, and everything else that awakens those butterflies in your belly. You could even share one of your favourite memories spent together. What about your heart pumping proposal or first time you asked her out?

You should be approaching the ten minute mark now, and in true gentlemen fashion it’s time to raise your glass and propose a toast to the bridesmaids and of course, your stunning wife.

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The Comedic Groom’s Speech

Love and laughter complement each other like wine does cheese.

The purpose of this comedic groom speech template is to bring amusement and smiles to the room. Try to stay away from anything particularly corny and cliche. Instead, your groom speech should be authentic and from the heart centred around your relationship with the bride. By creating a speech that is personal you guarantee nobody will have heard it before and so you’ll capture the attention of everyone in the room. Who knows, some of the audience might even be able to empathise with the weird quirks and habits you both share!

Start with a strong opening line that sets the tone for your lighthearted fun speech. Something along the lines of ‘*insert bride’s name* and I share the same sense of humour, so if you don’t like my jokes, point the finger at her’ – that should do the trick! Move on swiftly and continue to season your speech with a sprinkle of humour throughout.

Add a comedic tone when thanking both sets of families and guests. One suggestion is to thank the father-in-law for his speech and overwhelming approval of you, followed by a quick confession. Would he still approve if he knew it was you that smashed the window of his brand spanking new Mercedes with a football, and not those kids you saw running off down the road?

It’s best to stay away from telling gut-busting jokes at other people’s expenses, but there’s nothing wrong with playing up some of your own weaknesses and imperfections! Talk about the time you first moved in together and after months of bigging up your culinary skills, your wife informed you that you’re not quite the masterchef you thought you were. Or perhaps you fancy yourself as a DIY handyman, only for the newly assembled bed to collapse the moment you sat on it. The best part of it all, no matter your fall, the love of your life is always there to pick you and your confidence back up off of the floor. She’s a keeper!

What should you be doing as a best man: All the jobs and responsibilities

You’ll win over a few extra laughs by just being open and honest about your relationship with your wife. Hit the guests with a quirk or habit that they can find relatable. Maybe it’s that your wife spends so much time in the bathroom that you need a shave by the time she comes out. Perhaps you admire her healthy eating habits like insisting that you both get your five a day in. Although, when you ask her if she wants anything sweet down the shop she says no she’s fine. Come nine o’clock when you whip out your little chocolatey treat, her resilience vanishes and she’s asking for her half of your bar!

Complete your speech by thanking your best man(men) with a lighthearted joke, express complimentary words about the bridesmaids and conclude with a toast to your newly wedded wife.

It’s not easy to get a crowd to genuinely laugh so that’s why we advise you practise your groom wedding speech and really work on the pacing of your jokes. Spend some time rehearsing with a friend or in front of a mirror and work out the best time to pause for those carefully planned laughs. Perfect that timing, nail those jokes and you’ll have your guests tearing up with joy and laughter.

Our final words of wisdom to leave you on are these; the groom’s speech is a lot more meaningful from a sober man, so stay away from the beers and prosecco until the after party if you can help it. Plus, don’t forget that it’s okay to read from notes if you’re nervous, but if you find yourself losing the flow then you can’t go wrong with just being happy, honest, and thankful.

To all the groom’s out there we wish you good luck!

Father of the Bride Wedding Speech Examples

Every father knows that one of the biggest and most important days in his life will be to give his daughter away on her special day, and with every wedding comes the famous father of the bride wedding speech.

Not only is this an important moment for the father to thank all of the guests for attending and to welcome the groom and his parents into the family, but it’s an opportunity to tell your daughter in front of her closest friends and family just how proud you are of her.

If you’re reading this as a father of the bride and thinking there’s a lot of pressure to deliver a heartwarming and personal speech, then you’re absolutely right. Luckily for you we’ve put together the foundations for three speech templates each with their own style to help you deliver the favourite speech of the big day – we wish you every bit of luck delivering it!

Looking for more speech ideas: Best Man’s Speech Examples

The proud & loving father of the bride speech

This wedding speech example for the father is centred around the love you have for your daughter and delivering a powerful and personal speech that will bring tears to everyone that listens.

Begin by introducing yourself as the father of the bride and thanking all of the guests for attending and being a part of this beautiful day. Check with the bride and groom when writing your speech to see if there are any special thank yous that you should mention.

The bulk of your speech will be about retelling your fondest and earliest memories of your daughter. Times that you’ve shared together that hold an everlasting place in your heart. Share with the guests how your once little girl has grown into the strong and inspirational woman she is today. What key moments spring to mind when you think of your daughter achieving great things? Getting her first job, passing her exams or driving test, becoming a mother? Mention those moments that make you smile instantaneously when you think of them.

Then recount the more personal moments that define your relationship as father and daughter. You could talk about the hours upon hours you spent teaching her how to ride a bicycle and her persistence to not give up, even though she was bruised and grazed. Speak of the nights you went bowling together after all your talk about how they used to call you ‘Strike’ back at college, only to find out she’s a turkey bowling master.

What has your daughter shown passion for over the years? What does she do that inspires you? Has she taught you anything over the years?

Finish your speech with a real tear jerking moment by telling your daughter that for all the special memories and moments you’ve shared and those that are still to come, giving her away at her wedding and watching her smile with pure bliss and joy will top them all. Say she couldn’t have picked a more genuine man to marry and then truly welcome him and his family into yours. End by toasting the happy couple.

Planning a stag do? View our top locations for stags

Welcoming the son in-law into the family father of the bride speech

This wedding speech template for the father is based around you giving your new son in-law your blessing and approval to marry your daughter, whilst also sharing some of your favourite moments of him trying to win your families affection and approval.

Once again, begin your speech by thanking all of the guests for attending, it’s important to play the host as a parent. Now that the formalities are out of the way, it’s time to jump straight to it. Every father has a dutiful role to vet his daughter’s new boyfriend to make sure they are worthy to tread the ground she walks on, delivers the promises he offers, and makes her happy beyond belief. With all of this in mind we’re sure the groom has had to pass some vigorous initiation tests and stumbled along the way. Share a couple of your absolute favourite moments for some smiles and laughs, but just make sure they’re not insulting, you only want to make the guests and groom smile, but a small bit of embarrassment is allowed!

A good place to begin is talking about when you met the groom, what were your first distinct impressions. How did he introduce himself, what was his job at the time? Did he fall at the first hurdle or were you suitably impressed? Maybe you didn’t quite gel at first but there was a particular turning point in your relationship where you stopped looking at him as your daughter’s boyfriend and more like a son?

Your speech will be enhanced if it’s humorous but it’s important to balance it with sincerity. By the end of it you will have told a story of how your relationship with your son in-law has blossomed over the years through smiles, laughter and genuine happiness. Address the groom directly and tell him that he couldn’t have wished for his daughter to marry a nicer man. Finish by congratulating the happy couple and proposing a toast to a long and happy marriage.

The funny father of the bride speech example

This amusing father of the bride speech template is to bring laughter to the room whilst ultimately carrying an important message; laughter is love. You’ll need to have a great relationship with both the groom and bride because they’re going to be at the centre of some of the laughs. Remember, you’re going for light hearted laughs and not wanting to cause offence –  if you’re concerned, get someone to proof your wedding speech!

The mother of the has already delivered a heartfelt speech about the bride and groom, so now’s the time to compliment the love with laughter. Set the tone of your speech immediately by introducing yourself as the father of the bride, slip in a quick thanks to all the attendees followed by cracking a joke straight off the bat. Try something like  “I’ve watched my daughter grow into a wonderful woman over the years. I’ve seen her throw up, wet her clothes and cry herself to sleep, but that’s enough about her 18th birthday…”. If everyone wasn’t paying attention before, they certainly are now.

Reminisce about the early days of your relationship with the bride’s mother and talk about the similarities you see in your daughter’s blossoming romance. For instance, you’ve heard her spend a lot of time on the phone talking about, well a lot of nonsense from what you’ve heard, and you completely relate, you were also inseparable during those early years. Now, for as much as you love your wife, you can’t wait for those five minute toilet breaks with your phone to have a breather to yourself. Angry birds can’t play themselves!

You may also like: The Ultimate Guide to being the best Best-Man

You’re coming to the end of your speech so thank everyone in joining the newlyweds for a truly special day that they’ll both remember for the rest of their lives. Then thank them for all the wedding gifts they’ve bought as that will save you a few months pocket money to your daughter! Round off your speech by congratulating the happy couple, expressing your complete delight for the both of them and finish with some wise words to pass down from father to daughter and son; love is laughter, so never stop laughing, together.

Don’t forget, if you need any help arranging self catering accommodation or finding some thrilling activities for a stag do or hen weekend, speak to us here at Adventure Connections!

Popping the question? These marriage proposal ideas can help with your big moment…

There comes a time in every couple’s relationship when you’re ready to take the next step, graduating from girlfriend and boyfriend to husband and wife. But, before you get that far, comes the big event – the proposal!

Now, every couple has a different vision on how they want the proposal to be and while one person’s dream may be another person’s nightmare, one thing is certain. You want it to be a memorable moment (for all the right reasons) and one your significant other will remember for the rest of their life.

Here are our top marriage proposal ideas for you to think about…

1) Memorable scavenger hunt

Let’s face it, a scavenger hunt is always fun, no matter your age. But what better way to finish it than with a romantic proposal at the final destination? This is a great proposal idea, you can make the hunt super romantic, creating clues for your partner leading to all the different destinations which mean something to you both. This could be the place you met, where you had your first date, your first kiss, or even just a place which reminds you of each other. This can be made as creative or as simple as you like, you can take them to a whole host of places with intricate clues or even just four or five which are super special to you. All you need to be sure of is ending up at the special final location where you can pop the question!

2) On a helicopter ride

If you want to (quite literally) take your proposal idea to a whole new level, then why not pop the question in the skies? A helicopter ride is both exhilarating and romantic, with tumbling views below of beautiful scenery below. When you’re with the clouds, why not take this opportunity to present your other half with the ring? Want something extra special? Enlist the help of family and friends and get them to spell out ‘will you marry me?’ down on the ground below then simply ask your other half to look out the window when the time is right! There are a number of companies who can help you to organise a helicopter ride for your proposal and some even include a glass of Champagne to help you celebrate!

3) In a Christmas bauble

If you are planning on proposing around the festive season, you don’t necessarily have to wait until Christmas day to pop the question. One romantic way to do it can be when you are decorating your Christmas tree. There are lots of jewellery and specialist shops which sell special baubles specifically for romantic proposal during the Christmas period. Simply pop your ring inside and when you are finished wrapping the tinsel round the branches pass your other half the bauble and ask them to have a look inside. (Just make sure this one doesn’t get mixed up with all the other decorations!)  

4) On stage at a theatre show

If your partner is a theatre lover, there is little better way to propose than in the show itself. This will need a bit of organising as you will need to liaise with the theatre company first but, if it all goes to plan, it’ll show you can pull out all of the stops. Why not start the evening with a pre-show dinner followed by one of their favourite plays? Give no hints away then when the curtain goes down at the end you can pretend you are nipping out for a minute and appear on stage with the cast! Drop to one knee and invite her to come up and join you where you can pop the question. Depending on the show, you could also ask to enlist the actors and actresses, getting them to hold a large sign asking, ‘will you marry me?’.

5) At one of your favourite spots

Sometimes the simple ideas are the best ones. Head back to one of the locations that means the most to you. Maybe it’s somewhere you went a lot when you first started going out, somewhere you visit a lot now, or the sight of one really memorable day together. Bring some flowers and a picnic to make it really special before taking out the ring and asking the question. If you have been there a lot of times, maybe you could print out some photos you have together in that spot? You could also hire a photographer to wait out of sight and capture the moment it all happens!

6) Board game

One proposal that recently went viral was one which used a custom board game. You could create a Monopoly game with memorable stops and chance cards relating to your partner’s life, all building up to the big moment – just don’t whip out the ring every time they draw a chance card! You could adapt any of your partner’s favourite board games – they’ll love the thought and effort you’ve put in and you’ll be left with a romantic keepsake.

7) At a beautiful beach/on holiday

Holidays are the ultimate time for romance. With no stresses, no worries and the thrill of unlimited sunshine and cocktails, you’re both guaranteed to be closer than ever. Not only that, but being abroad can offer a whole host of beautiful places that serve as an ideal backdrop for you to pop the question. Why not organise a candle-lit dinner on the beach or go to a local spot with beautiful views? You can ask the staff at your hotel to help you out to make it perfect or keep things simple and ask the locals to recommend the most beautiful spot to head to. Whatever happens, the proposal is guaranteed to be special (and a tan in engagement photos always looks good too!) Be sure to pack a camera and a bottle of bubbly for post-proposal celebrations.

8) With a flash mob

Sometimes less is more and sometimes only in-your-face fantastic will do. If the latter is what you are searching for then why not organise a flash mob for a truly memorable proposal? These proposals are great as they can include a whole host of your family and friends and should end up looking brilliant. Make sure you arrange for someone to film the event (someone is bound to at least have their phone on them) as flash mob proposals are great to watch back, show your friends and family and even your children in the future. You can organise this yourself (but be sure to check with venues first) or use a company to help you. Book a Flash mob is a company of professional flash mob choreographers and producers and can help you out with this. Why not meet your partner at a shopping centre or where they think you’re just going for a wander?

9) The mountain top

If you’re both into hiking and you are looking for somewhere stunning to make the move, get up early for the sunrise and hike up to a mountain peak. Jenna Bush (George W’s daughter) put this technique to use and it’s climbing in popularity (excuse the pun).

10) With a photo album

For a subtle and romantic approach, why not put together a photo album or scrapbook of all your favourite moments together? Then, on the last page, put in some photos of you holding signs saying, ‘will you marry me?’. It’s also a lovely touch to be able to sit together and look through your best moments, and the album will be something you can both keep forever.

11) On a private boat trip (yacht charter)

For a luxurious proposal, why not book a private boat trip such as a luxury chartered yacht? Tell your partner you are taking them for a surprise day out and head to a marina where you board a powerboat. Most are decadently fitted, with plush indoor seating areas. You can hire out a caterer to cook you a romantic three course dinner with wine and then, when the sun begins to set, take your other half out onto the deck and propose with a beautiful backup. Pop open the Champagne and celebrate as you sail back to shore.

12) Underwater

For something a little less conventional why not propose to your other half underwater? There are a few ways to do this – some require you getting wet and others don’t! One way, for example, would be to book on a scuba diving course together on holiday. Enlist the help of your instructor and your fellow divers, wait for your partner to turn their back underwater and, when they do, get your helpers to unravel a sign saying ‘marry me’. Another way is to speak to your local aquarium (Sea Life London offers this) where you can get an expert diver to weave your proposal into the feeding time routine.

13) Write it out in the clouds

If you have a few bucks to splash out and want a big statement that is timelessly romantic, hire a skywriter. They can doodle your question in the sky over a passionate picnic in the park or whilst you’re sunning on the beach. Either way, look up at the right moment and you’re all set for the big question.

14) Recreate your first date

Depending on how old you were when you met, your situation and your tastes at the time, recreating your first date for a proposal could lead you to some pretty funny places. But whether it is down your local pizza place, a park or a five star restaurant, it is guaranteed to be a sentimental and special event.

15) New Year’s Eve with fireworks

This may seem like a cliché, but there’s nothing wrong with a cliché! Why not bid goodbye to one year as boyfriend and girlfriend and see in the new year as fiancé and fiancée! You could take your other half to an organised firework display, or take them to somewhere special where you have the perfect view of the fireworks at midnight. The backdrop will be spectacular for your big moment.

16) Disney

There’s something about Disneyland/World that fills people’s hearts with joy. Whether it’s the childhood memories these parks evoke or the thrill of the rides, you’re bound to have a smile on your face in a Disney venue, whether it’s in Paris or America. You could be a Disney prince and princess forever (and hopefully live happily ever after).

17) The sporting event

Remember that Friends episode where Phoebe proposed to Mike at the baseball game? It might be a  public-pressured proposal but, if you’re both die-hard sports fans or the stadium played an important part in your relationship, this could be the perfect engagement.

What’s your favourite proposal idea? Let us know in the comments below! Already proposed? Now is the time to start thinking of your wedding location! If you want somewhere unusual, check out our post of top unique wedding destination ideas here.