The Best Time for Speeches

As a bride, you’re probably so excited to hear your maid of honor’s sweet, funny, and sentimental speech, and you may be a little concerned about the best man’s turn to address the room. But, when should these speeches actually take place? The best time for speeches is often debated, so we’re going to break down the pros and cons of having the speeches take place before dinner, during dinner, and after dinner.

Before Dinner

The Good

For most people, the thought of standing up in front of 100+ people and giving a speech makes them pretty nervous. So by having the speakers get it over with before dinner, they are able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the rest of the evening.

The Bad

The biggest problem with doing the speeches before dinner is that your guests are going to be hungry. Especially if your ceremony was long and you took pictures while your guests were enjoying cocktail hour. Lots of cocktails mean dinner needs to be served asap. Also, speakers tend to ramble when they’re nervous, meaning your guests might have to sit through a way-too-long speech when all they can think about is food.

During Dinner

The Good

Having the speeches take place during dinner is great because you’re promptly satisfying your guests’ appetites. There’s no sitting at the table and then waiting for all the speakers to finish; as soon as they sit down, dinner is served. Also, you’re killing two birds with one stone! Which means more time for pictures, dancing, etc. Giving a speech to people who are also eating can be less intimidating for your speakers. They know that their audience isn’t solely focused on them.

The Bad

On the flip side, some guests may not want to multitask. Or your speakers may have to rush and eat their meal before or after their speech. Also, as the bride and groom, you might want to be able to fully devote your attention to your wedding party’s speeches vs. trying to eat as well.

After Dinner

The Good

Having the speeches take place after dinner is a good option as well. Your guests are fed and happy at this point, so they’re able to relax and enjoy the speeches while digesting. Also, there are no servers bustling around prepping for dinner or serving dinner. The attention is focused completely on the speakers.

The Bad

Again, sometimes speeches tend to drag on and on, which could mess up your timeline for cake, dancing, your exit, etc. In addition, the maid of honor and best man (and anyone else who’s giving a speech) have to spend the entire dinner possibly being anxious and nervous vs. getting it out of the way and being able to relax.

So, what is the best time for speeches? In our opinion, during dinner is the way to go. But, as you can see, there are pros and cons to each option. Head over to our Facebook page or group and let us know when the speeches will happen on your wedding day!