Today we share some “Top Tips for Father of the Bride” to help brides assist their Dad with his very special role!
Whether you are the Father of the Bride or the Father of the Groom being a part of your grown-up child’s big day can be a daunting prospect. The Father of the Bride traditions are steeped in history and date back centuries.
In recent years weddings are more often viewed as the joining of two families, rather than the old idea of the wedding day marking the move of the daughter from her father’s family into the groom’s. With weddings constantly evolving we are going to take a look back at the Father of the Bride traditions and offer some top tips for Father of the Bride.
‘Get me to the Church on Time’:
Some brides choose to have their fathers around as they get ready on the morning of the wedding. Whether or not your father is there on the morning of the wedding when the time comes for the big reveal and your trip to the altar it is lovely to have him by your side.
Thank You!
A lot of brides wonder what is the perfect thank you gift for the first man to ever love her. We love the idea of reminiscing with your dad during your journey to the venue – it will be a magical moment for both of you and will be the best “Thank You” you could ever give.
‘Stand by Me’ as we walk down the aisle:
The tradition of the Father of the Bride walking his daughter down the aisle goes back to marriage meaning the exchange of a daughter from her father’s family to her groom’s. This tradition is also known as ‘giving the bride away’.
If you’re lucky enough to still have him around, then this is a lovely tradition to incorporate into your big day. This moment of the day can be the most nerve wrecking so why not let your father steady your nerves as you step down the aisle – it will be a moment for both of you to cherish forever.
Greeting the guests:
Prior to the wedding reception if you are doing a receiving line the bride’s parents usually take pride of place in it. While we often see the– parents from both sides and of course, the newlyweds themselves – getting involved in this task, this is still a lovely way to make your dad feel special on your very special day.
Hints for Father of the Brides Speech:
When it comes to the Father of the Bride speech, we advise the KISS approach: Keep It Super Simple. Here are the four simple steps.
1. Memories:
People love nostalgia. Unlike most of the people making speeches on the day, the father of the bride has a whole lifetime of memories to work from so maybe take a little time to gather the most special ones.
2. Tell a story:
We all love feelgood stories. Look at the memories collected and see whether there is a theme that weaves them together. A theme is a good way to structure a speech. If humour can be worked into the speech try and add a subject that will encourage laughter from the guests and perhaps give a little insight into what their new partner is letting themselves in for!
3. Don’t drag:
It can be difficult to condense all of your memories down but it’s really important not to drag the speech out too long. We suggest aiming for six to eight minutes, which is about 1000–1200 words max.
It also might be helpful to consider humour, heartfelt and emotional.
4. Shoutout to the new in-law:
Hopefully you’ve already got a good relationship with your new in-law, so feel free to share anecdotes about them too. Consider what did you think when you first met them. What was the turning point when you realised they were the one for your daughter? What have you two bonded over personally?
Father – Daughter Dance:
The father-daughter dance traditionally happens following the meal and the speeches. The song selected for the father-daughter dance is important as it normally describes a love between a father and his daughter and as Marisol Santiago once said, ‘A girls first true love is her father’. The father daughter dance gives the bride a chance to show her love and appreciation to the man who has raised her and brought her to this happy moment.
Father of the Bride Attire:
The father of the bride’s outfit should generally fall in line with what the groom and the groomsmen are wearing. This isn’t to say that the father of the bride or groom needs to be a carbon copy of the groomsmen, but he should complement them in terms of colour and formality. For example, if all the groomsmen are wearing light-coloured suits, dad should opt for a lighter-hued suit, too. Or if the groom and bridal party are wearing tuxedos, the father of the bride or groom should also wear a tuxedo.
Fathers of the bride and grooms will usually wear boutonnieres .
PS. Make sure that your wedding photographer and videographer are present when you present your father with his boutonniere and help him fasten it to his lapel.
Don’t forget to get your super cute Father of the Bride photos!
We hope these top tips for the Father of the Bride will help you guide Dad in his very special role and help you figure out how you would like to honour your Dad on your wedding day.
If you are thinking of a destination wedding in Ireland don’t hesitate to send us an email, we will be more than happy to help you plan and design your dream wedding. info@dreamirishwedding.com.
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