Toast & Vows Almost every wedding speech that goes wrong goes wrong the same way: it runs long. Guests are hungry, the band is waiting and the fourth inside joke is landing with one table. A speech that finishes a minute early always feels better than one that runs a minute late.
Recommended length by role
Word counts assume a relaxed speaking pace of roughly 120–140 words per minute, which leaves room for pauses and laughter.
| Speech | Time | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Best man | 3–5 min | 400–650 |
| Maid of honor | 3–5 min | 400–650 |
| Father of the bride | 4–6 min | 500–750 |
| Mother of the bride | 3–5 min | 400–650 |
| Groom or bride | 3–5 min | 400–650 |
| Sister or brother | 2–4 min | 250–500 |
| Officiant (full ceremony) | 15–25 min | 1,000–1,600 |
If there are four or more speakers, aim for the lower end. All the speeches together should ideally fit into 20–30 minutes. In the UK and Ireland, receptions traditionally allow the best man and the father of the bride a little longer, but shorter still wins the room.
How long is a best man speech?
Three to five minutes, or about 400 to 650 words. That is enough for an introduction, one or two good stories, a sincere moment about the couple and a toast. If you find yourself at eight minutes, you are telling too many stories. Keep the best one.
How long is a maid of honor speech?
The same as the best man: three to five minutes. If you are sharing the role with a co-maid of honor, split the time rather than doubling it.
How long is a father of the bride speech?
Four to six minutes. The father of the bride often has extra jobs (welcoming guests, thanking the families and welcoming the new spouse), so it runs a little longer. Keep the thank-yous brisk so the personal part gets the time.
How to measure your speech
- Count the wordsDivide by 130 for a rough time in minutes. Our generator shows the word count and spoken time for every draft.
- Read it aloud with a timerReading silently is always faster than speaking. Stand up and read at the pace you will use on the day.
- Add time for laughterEvery joke that lands costs a few seconds. Leave room for it.
How to cut a speech that runs long
- Keep your single best story and cut the rest. One story told well beats three told quickly.
- Replace lists of names with groups: "everyone who travelled", "both families", "the wedding party".
- Delete anything that needs "you had to be there" to make sense.
- Cut your first paragraph. Most speeches start properly at the second one.
- Use the generator's Short setting to see a tighter version of the same speech.
Write yours now
Pick your role and choose a length. The generator writes to your target so you start in the right range. Open the wedding speech generator →