A template is a good way to get started, because the structure of a father of the bride speech is fairly settled. The words in the highlighted gaps are prompts. Swap them for your own names, places and stories. Once it's filled in, read it aloud and change any line that doesn't sound like you. The details you add are what will make it worth listening to.
If you want to know why each part is there, what to include in a father of the bride speech explains it. There are also four full example speeches to read.
1. Welcome
Introduce yourself and welcome everyone. Mention anyone who has travelled a long way.
Good afternoon, everyone. For those who don't know me, I'm [your name], [her name]'s dad. On behalf of [your wife or partner, if appropriate] and myself, thank you all for coming. A special welcome to [guests who have travelled], who have come all the way from [place].
2. Her partner's family
Welcome them by name. One friendly detail is enough.
[partner's parents' names], it's been a real pleasure getting to know you and your family. [a small shared memory, such as a first meal together]. We're very glad to be sharing today with you.
3. Thank-yous
Thank anyone who has paid for or helped with the day. Leave the bridesmaids and the best man for the groom or the couple.
I'd like to thank [whoever paid or helped] for [what they did]. And thank you to [her name] and [partner's name], who have planned so much of today themselves.
4. People who can't be here
Keep it to two or three sentences, and check with your daughter first.
I'd also like to mention [name and relationship], who [died / couldn't make it]. [one detail about how they would have enjoyed today].
5. Your daughter growing up
This is the main part of the speech. Choose one or two short stories that show what she was like. Real details work best: places, pets, toys, phrases she used.
[her name] was born in [place or year], and from the start she was [one quality]. When she was [age], [a short story that shows that quality].
[a second story from later on, such as school, a first job or learning to drive].
6. Your daughter now
Say what she does and what she's like as an adult.
These days she's [her job or what she spends her time on], and [something you admire about how she does it]. [a small everyday detail, such as a phone call or a habit].
7. Her partner and the couple
Say when you met them, what you like about them and what they are like together. Then welcome them.
The first time I met [partner's name] was [where and when]. [what happened or what you noticed]. Since then [something you've seen about how they treat her]. [partner's name], welcome to the family.
8. A few words to your daughter
[her name], [one or two plain sentences about how proud you are of her].
9. The toast
So would you all please stand and raise your glasses. To [her name] and [partner's name].
You can also say "to the happy couple" or "to the bride and groom". There are more options on the what to include page.
The template filled in
Here is how it might look once it's complete. Martin runs a bakery in Chester. His daughter Lucy is a primary school teacher and is marrying Aaron, a sound engineer from Glasgow.
Good afternoon, everyone. For those who don't know me, I'm Martin, Lucy's dad. On behalf of Helen and myself, thank you all for coming. A special welcome to Aaron's gran, Isobel, who has come all the way down from Oban and has already told me our tea is too weak.
Fiona and Stuart, it's been a real pleasure getting to know you and your family. The first time we met, we sat in your kitchen in Glasgow until one in the morning, and I think Stuart and I got through most of a bottle of his good whisky. We're very glad to be sharing today with you.
I'd like to thank Helen's brother Rob for driving the vintage car today, and thank you to Lucy and Aaron, who have planned almost every bit of this themselves.
I'd also like to mention my mum, Lucy's Nana Peg, who died three years ago. She taught Lucy to make scones when she was four, and she'd have been very pleased to see so many people here eating cake.
Lucy was born above the bakery, and from the start she wanted to know how everything worked. When she was five, she came down at four in the morning in her dressing gown and asked if she could help. I gave her a bag of flour and a job to do, and she came down every Saturday after that until she was about twelve. There are still people in Chester who remember being served by a very serious little girl in an apron that went down to her ankles.
At sixteen she passed her driving test first time and immediately drove the van into the gatepost at the back of the shop. The dent's still there, and so is the gatepost, just about.
These days she teaches Year 2 at a school in Hoole, and she's every bit as patient with thirty six-year-olds as she was with the queue on a Saturday. She still rings her mum every night on the drive home.
The first time I met Aaron was at a gig in Manchester where he was doing the sound. Lucy had told him I was a bit deaf, so he spent most of the evening making sure I could hear. I've liked him ever since. He looks after her, and he has never once complained about getting up early to help me at Christmas, which is more than I can say for my own son. Aaron, welcome to the family.
Lucy, your mum and I are very proud of you, love, and we're so happy for you both.
So would you all please stand and raise your glasses. To Lucy and Aaron.
Each section is short, and every one has a real detail in it. If you want to cut this down, sections 3 and 4 can shrink to a line each. The how long page has tips on getting the timing right.
If you'd rather answer some questions than fill in a template, Speechmade will write a draft with AI from your answers, following the same structure. You can change any part of it before the day.
Common questions
Do I have to use every section of the template?
No. Leave out anything that doesn't apply, such as thanks for paying if the couple paid for the wedding themselves. The welcome, something about your daughter, something about her partner and the toast are the parts to keep.
How long will the speech be if I fill in the template?
If you write two or three sentences for each gap and one or two stories about your daughter, it usually comes out at four to six minutes. Read it aloud and time it before the day.
Can I change the order?
Yes. The order here follows the usual UK pattern, with the welcome first and the toast last. Some dads prefer to talk about their daughter before the thank-yous, and that's fine as long as the toast comes at the very end.
What if her dad or mum has died?
Use the section on people who can't be here, and keep it to two or three sentences near the start. There is an example of this on the father of the bride examples page.