Example 1: Heartfelt with a few laughs, UK order, about 4 minutes
532 words · about 4 min spoken
My wife and I—sorry, I’ve been waiting all day to say that—want to start by thanking all of you for being here with us. It means more than I can say to look around and see so many faces, some who’ve travelled a long way, and all of you who’ve helped us get to today. To my aunties who flew all the way from Lagos, thank you for making the journey. To everyone who’s here, and everyone thinking of us today but couldn’t make it—thank you.
I want to thank my mum, Funmi, who’s been crying since the ceremony started, and who raised me and my sisters in Peckham. Mum, you somehow managed to get me to every football match, and you taught me what it means to show up for people. And Dad—Kunle—who I know would have been proud today, and who taught me to always say thank you properly. This speech is partly for you.
Martin and Jackie, thank you for welcoming me from my very first Sunday lunch. Martin, I appreciate your speech, and for keeping quiet about the infamous car-into-the-wall incident. You have both made me feel part of your family from the start. Grace, Megan and Sophie, thank you for everything you’ve done today—Grace, I know you were up until 2am wrangling the table plan, and Megan and Sophie, you kept Ellie calm when the hairdresser was running on her own time zone.
Femi, my best man, and Josh and Kieran, my ushers—thanks for the support, the jokes, and for not losing the rings. I owe you more pints than I can count.
Ellie and I met six years ago at a friend’s barbecue in Bristol—the one summer when it rained every single weekend. I was the guy holding an umbrella over a slowly disintegrating grill. Ellie walked over, told me I was burning the halloumi, and took the tongs off me. She’s never given them back, and honestly, our dinners have been better ever since.
On our third date, I tried to impress her with my mum’s jollof rice recipe. The smoke alarm went off so loudly that the entire building ended up outside in the car park. Ellie just laughed, ordered a pizza to the car park, and stayed with me anyway. That’s when I realised she was the one. Four years later, I proposed to her on a very rainy climb up Brandon Hill. Before she said yes, the first thing she asked was, ‘Is this why you made me wear proper shoes?’
What I love most about Ellie is her impossibly organised brain—she has a colour-coded spreadsheet for our bin days—but also her heart. She’ll drop everything for a friend, and she’s the one who remembers to send my mum a Mother’s Day card every year, usually before I’ve bought the stamp.
Ellie, thank you for taking the tongs off me six years ago and never giving them back. I’m looking forward to all the Saturday mornings at the market, learning to cook things without setting off alarms, and—one day—a house big enough for both our families at Christmas.
(Raise your glass) To the bridesmaids—Grace, Megan, and Sophie! Thank you, and cheers, everyone!
What the writer told Toastful to get this speech
- Speaker
- Tobi, groom
- Relationship
- We met six years ago at a friend's barbecue in Bristol, in a summer when it rained every single weekend. I was holding an umbrella over the grill, and Ellie came over and told me, very politely, that I was burning the halloumi. She took the tongs off me and I never got them back.
- Personality
- She's the most organised person I've ever met; she has a colour-coded spreadsheet for our bin days. But she's also the first to drop everything for a friend, and she sends my mum a card every Mother's Day without me reminding her.
- Thank-yous
- Ellie's parents, Martin and Jackie, for welcoming me from my very first Sunday lunch at theirs, and Martin for his speech just now. He promised not to mention the time I reversed my car into his garden wall the first weekend I visited, and he kept his promise, so thank you, Martin. My mum, Funmi, who raised me and my two sisters in Peckham and somehow made it to every football match I ever played. My best man, Femi, and my ushers, Josh and Kieran. My aunties who flew in from Lagos. And the bridesmaids: Ellie's sister Grace, and her friends Megan and Sophie.
- Stories
- On our third date I tried to impress Ellie by cooking my mum's jollof rice at my flat, and I set the smoke alarm off so badly that the whole building ended up standing in the car park. Ellie just laughed and ordered a pizza to the car park. Four years later I proposed on a rainy walk up Brandon Hill, and before she said yes, the first thing she said was, 'Is this why you made me wear proper shoes?'
- Looking ahead
- Ellie finally teaching me to cook without setting anything on fire, Saturday mornings at the market, and one day a house big enough to fit both our families at Christmas.
- About today
- We're doing the traditional British order: Martin spoke first, then me, then Femi as best man. I want to open with the old 'my wife and I' line. Grace stayed up until 2am finishing the table plan, and Megan and Sophie kept Ellie calm when the hairdresser was an hour late. My mum has been crying since the ceremony started.
- Remembering
- My dad, Kunle, who died when I was nineteen. He was the one who taught me to always say thank you properly, so this speech is partly for him. I'd like to mention him by name when I thank my mum.
- Wishes
- Ellie, thank you for taking the tongs off me six years ago and never giving them back. To finish, I want everyone to stand for the traditional British toast 'to the bridesmaids' (Grace, Megan and Sophie), because Femi speaks straight after me and replies on their behalf.