The ending of your wedding speech is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the couple and their guests. While much attention is paid to crafting the perfect opening (as covered in our guide to starting wedding speeches), your closing words often carry even more emotional weight and memorability.
Whether you’re delivering a best man speech, a maid of honor toast, or a father of the bride address, your conclusion needs to tie everything together while hitting just the right emotional note. This guide will help you craft the perfect ending that resonates with both the couple and their guests.
If you’re feeling stuck or short on time, our AI Speech Generator can help you create a perfectly balanced speech with a powerful conclusion in minutes.
Understanding the Importance of Your Speech Ending
The conclusion of your wedding speech serves multiple crucial purposes. It’s not just about wrapping up your thoughts – it’s about creating an emotional peak that transitions naturally into the toast. A well-crafted ending helps guests remember your words long after the celebration ends.
Psychology tells us that people tend to remember beginnings and endings most clearly, with the final moments often leaving the strongest impression. This “recency effect” means your closing words carry particular weight in how your entire speech will be remembered.
While the ideal wedding speech length varies by role, your conclusion should typically take up the final 30-45 seconds of your speech. This gives you enough time to build emotional resonance without dragging out the ending.
Perfect Speech Ending Structure
Step 1: Signal the Conclusion (10 seconds)
Transitional phrase to alert listeners
Step 2: Emotional Peak (15 seconds)
Heartfelt wishes or profound thought
Step 3: The Toast (10 seconds)
Call to raise glasses and final tribute
Step 4: The Exit (5 seconds)
Graceful conclusion and handoff
Crafting Your Conclusion by Speech Type
Different wedding speech roles require different types of conclusions. A father of the bride might end with profound paternal wisdom, while a best man might close with a more light-hearted but sincere toast. Understanding these nuances helps you strike the right tone.
For emotional roles like parents or siblings, it’s perfectly acceptable to show genuine emotion in your conclusion. If you’re worried about getting too emotional, our guide on managing speech anxiety offers helpful techniques for maintaining composure during these touching moments.
The maid of honor or best man might want to end with a blend of humor and heartfelt wishes, while still maintaining the dignity the occasion deserves. The key is ensuring your conclusion aligns with both your role and the overall tone of your speech.
Speech Ending Do’s & Don’ts
✅ Do’s
- • End with genuine emotion
- • Include a clear toast
- • Keep the focus on the couple
- • Practice your ending thoroughly
❌ Don’ts
- • End abruptly or trail off
- • Add last-minute jokes
- • Forget to raise your glass
- • Rush through the conclusion
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Classic Wedding Toast Endings
While personalization is important, there are some classic wedding toast endings that have stood the test of time. These tried-and-true conclusions can be adapted to fit your specific situation while maintaining the traditional elegance of a wedding celebration.
Remember that your ending should flow naturally from the rest of your speech. If you’ve been speaking casually throughout, a suddenly formal conclusion might feel jarring. Conversely, if you’ve maintained a formal tone, an overly casual ending could diminish the impact of your previous words.
The best conclusions often combine a personal observation with a universal truth about love or marriage. This approach resonates with both the couple and the wider audience, creating a moment of shared celebration.
Classic Toast Endings by Role
Father of the Bride
“Please raise your glasses to my beautiful daughter [Name] and my new son-in-law [Name]. May your love grow stronger with each passing day, and may your life together be filled with joy, laughter, and endless adventures.”
Best Man
“To [Groom] and [Bride] – my best friend and his perfect match. Here’s to a lifetime of love, friendship, and amazing stories yet to come. Cheers!”
Maid of Honor
“To my dearest friend [Bride] and [Groom] – may your love story continue to inspire us all. Here’s to your happiness, your future, and your beautiful journey together.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you end a wedding speech example?
A classic way to end a wedding speech is with a heartfelt toast that ties back to your main themes. For example: “And so, I invite everyone to raise their glasses to [Couple’s names]. May your love continue to grow, your laughter never fade, and your adventure together be everything you’ve dreamed of and more. To the happy couple!”
What’s a good way to end a best man speech?
The best man’s speech traditionally
The best man’s speech traditionally ends with a mix of humor and sincerity. For example: “While I’ve spent the last few minutes sharing stories and jokes, what I really want to say is this: [Groom], you’re my best friend, and [Bride], you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him. To the happy couple – may your love story be even better than your wedding day!”
How do you end a wedding speech toast?
To end a wedding speech toast, be clear and confident in your delivery. Start by asking guests to raise their glasses, then deliver your final wish for the couple. Keep it simple and sincere: “Please raise your glasses to [names]. May your love grow stronger with each passing year. To the happy couple!” Remember to actually raise your glass and take a sip after the toast.
Should you end a wedding speech with a quote?
While ending with a quote can work well, it should be meaningful and relevant to the couple. If using a quote, keep it brief and follow it with a personal toast. The quote shouldn’t be the final words – your toast should be. For example, share the quote, then add: “And with those words in mind, please join me in toasting [names].”
Additional Resources
Essential Speech Writing Guides
- How to Start a Wedding Speech – Pair with this guide for complete coverage
- Wedding Speech Order Guide – Know when to deliver your toast
- Speech Anxiety Tips – Stay calm during your conclusion
- Speech Length Guide – Perfect your timing
Professional Resources
- Toastmasters Speaking Tips – Expert advice on speech delivery
- The Knot’s Wedding Traditions Guide – Traditional toast customs
- Hitched – Wedding speech guidance
- Joy – Wedding planning resources
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