As the host of his daughter’s wedding reception, the father of the bride may open the wedding reception after the introductions by

• welcoming the groom’s family into his
• welcoming the guests
• commenting on how lovely the bride looks
• commenting how nice the ceremony was

The father of the bride’s words to his daughter shouldn’t come across as a speech. It should be from the heart, giving

• short anecdotes involving the bride and her father
• some humorous and serious marriage advice tips

Next, the bride’s father should transition into introducing the DJ or band, photographer, and giving any other comments on the reception.

The father of the bride’s 10 minutes in front of his guests should end with a toast to the bride and groom giving wishes for a lifetime of love and happiness.

If the father of the bride is not comfortable giving a speech in front of 100 plus friends and family at the wedding reception, suggest that he write or find a poem that expresses his heartfelt feelings. If he isn’t into searching for poems, ask the bestman or another person who knows both the father and bride well to help find several poems from which the bride’s father can choose.

The following poem is an example of a father of the bride to the bride poem which can be read by the father at the wedding reception. The wedding poem ends with a toast to the bride and groom.

My Loving daughter,
A miracle happened when you came into this world…
A new life was given to me by my baby girl.
As I held you in my protective arms…
You wooed me with your adoring charms.
Responsibility for your life gave me great pause…
It was at that moment I knew what true love was.
Over the years I watched you gracefully grow…
From baby dolls and on to each new beau,
All the while a father protecting you from fears…
And praising you with many adoring cheers.
But most of all, my daughter, we laughed and played…
and, sadly, I wish the years could have been delayed,
For today I had one last loving act to do…
Walking down the aisle beside the lovely you.
Giving my daughter away to her groom…
Surprisingly didn’t give me a sense of gloom,
For there is one thing I am sure of…
Your groom now knows real true love.
May the two of you enjoy that love together…
Just as I have with your mother.

~ Richard Johnson ~

Today, I will marry my best friend
 The one I will always turn to.
 Confide and be strong,
 In my friend and my lover.

Today, I will marry my best friend,
 To drink of love’s eternal fountain.
 Where we turn our heads from the past,
 And trust in God to guide our paths.

Today, I will marry my best friend,
 Traveling together as one.
 Our dreams at last have came true,
 As we live our lives together forever.

Today, I will marry my best friend,
 Where our lives are not our own.
 We place our lives in God’s hands,
 and let him carry us all the way to the end.

Right now you are madly in love, you can’t be with each other enough…you count the time until you will be together again. Your engagement is exciting with all the NJ wedding plans, gifts, and attention. But it can be stressful, too, because now you are starting your life together, combining two lives into one. It is during the stressful times that we learn more about our partners and what they really value in themselves and life.

The following poem, The Invitation, by Oriah Mountain Dreamer, addresses those personal values that keep a couple together through a lifetime relationship of marriage.

The Invitation

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dreams
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon…
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain. (more…)

The wedding ring is a ring that binds two hearts together in an eternal promise to love each other forever.

The circle has always had significance from ancient cultures to the present as a symbol of wholeness and perfection. Its endlessness is the perfect symbol of oneness and unity - no beginning, no end. The following wedding poem tells of the legend of the wedding ring.

In a far off country many centuries ago,
A kind young king was married
to a princess he loved.

Together they lived happily
Until they learned one day
that duties were to force
The king to journey far away.

One night, before he left,
He tossed some pebbles into a moonlit pool
On the palace grounds
As he sat thinking of his lovely Queen. (more…)