Celebrations: Oct. 3, 2010: Levine-Haugen, McKee-Ensley, Holm and Correa-Mickel, Senour-Gadsby
Levine-Haugen Anthony Levine and Colleen Haugen are engaged to be married Nov. 17 at Valencia Hall in Aptos.

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“Canada” Joe Connell making his father of the bride speech at his daughter Emily’s wedding at Milton, Ontario Augiust 3rd 2008.

LA – wedding of Mark & Angie. Father of the bride’s speech.

kung fu fighting fathers November 1st 2008 in Lincoln after the marriage of Nick to Kelly

The father of the groom is as important as the father of the bride. After all, without him there would be no wedding.  Traditionally, though, he is simply regarded as an honoured guest.

In theory, of course, that means that he can enjoy the day without any responsibility. Perhaps that was so at a time when the father of the bride was always the host. In today’s society though the couple and their parents are often joint hosts in what can be a very expensive occasion.

So if it is true that he who pays the piper calls the tune then he is entitled to his say in organising the wedding.  He may be very specific, for example, about guests he wants to invite. Usually though most men are more than content to leave all the chaos of the wedding preparations to their womenfolk. So he is often quite happy to leave it to his wife to help the bride and her mother in any way they deem necessary.  He may be happy of course to be consulted. He might offer to organise the cars or the suits or to help choose the wines but usually he is more than happy to step back and wait to be asked.

There is one aspect of the day though that is his responsibility. That is his speech. It should be short and snappy but sincere. He should speak of his son and what he means to him and quite often he will do so in a light-hearted way because most fathers do not go around saying they love their sons, well not publicly anyhow. However on a wedding day he can afford to be more sentimental.  He will, usually though add some humorous story about the groom’s growing years as well as saying how much his son means to him. Naturally he should refer to the bride and welcome her and her family into his. It will add to his speech if he has done some homework and discovered something about his daughter’s new in laws that he can mention in the speech. Naturally too he will say that the bride is beautiful and that his son is a lucky guy. In fact he is quite likely to say that it cuts both ways and that the bride is lucky too, perhaps to get him as a father in law!  His speech should end with a blessing on or a good luck wish to the couple rathe than a toast.

The father of the groom may not want to organise a wedding but he certainly adds balance to the photographs.