When are you doing your speeches?

Im inclined to have them before so thats the people doing the speeches can relax and enjoy their meals.

xx

I thought this too but OH doesn't want to do this.

We're having ours before the meal - then the party can begin!

I might speak to my dad though and see if he wants to do his first. I don't want him being nervous at all so if he is more comfortable doing his at the beginnign / first and everyone does theirs later then I'd do this (would it seem strange?)

Before- get em out of the way!! (this was boyos suggestion too)

We had two speeches before the meal (H and FOB) and best men after the meal.

We are having ours before, my OH wants to get them out the way as he is worried him and the best man wont be able to relax until they have done them

We're having a mixture. One before the meal, one between main and dessert, and the rest in the evening in between sets of dancing!

We had all three of ours before the meal, all three were nervous so it meant they could all relax and enjoy their dinner

I'm with you Holey. A friend of ours was a best man at the weekend and had to give his speech after the meal. Poor guy barely touched any of his food he was so nervous! I think he would have appreciated getting it out of the way before the meal!

We are going to have them all before.

We had the two dads before the meal, H between main and dessert (the venue wouldn't let us split starter and main) and the best man after dessert.

My OH figured he'd got away with speeches, seeing as I want the reception to be informal and relaxed....... NO WAY is he getting out of it lol! Hopefully it will be sunny when we get to the venue 4.30ish, so I reckon we'll let everyone get their toast/welcome drinks then just gather all together in a group outside and do quick, fairly informal speeches then. That way, OH and our fathers won't have had too much sherbert to be understood lol and we can let the party commence :0)

We are going for in between main and pudding . I think it quite a good slot as people are not going to be wishing the speeches would end so they can get fed ?

Plus will let people have a rest before the desert ..... i for one like a rest before pudding so i can eat the whole thing

Dont think it really matters when you have them .... would consult those doing the speeches though just to make sure there comfortable with it

Hmmm... this has given me food for thought as I'd just assumed they'd be straight after the meal!

OH has asked to do them before the meal otherwise he wont be able to relax and enjoy his meal.

We had ours before the meal so they could enjoy their food without worrying.

We're doing similar to this. Traditionally in Denmark anyone can get up and give a speech, meaning the speeches can drag out which neither of us want. SO, we're doing the traditionals (dad, groom, best man) before dinner; groom's parents and other brother after the starter; friends after the main course. The friends that want to make a speech have to let our toastmaster know beforehand so he can introduce them properly ?

We did ours before the meal so everyone could relax. It worked really well.

We went to a wedding just before Christmas and H was best man, they did the speeches after the meal. It really ruined it for H (and me!) as he was so nervous he barely touched his dinner and was really panicked, which, in turn made me panic too. A waste of delicious food and champagne as we couldn't wait for the meal to be over! Looking at the FOB, he felt the same bless him as he was very nervous too.

We're having the meal, then speeches, then breaking for games and chat and wait for the ice cream van to come and deliver the dessert.

My sister had hers before the meal as they where short and sweet! If they're long your probably better waiting to between main and desert or after your 3 courses when people have relaxed!! Think I might split mine because dads so nervous he needs to get his out of the way as he'll not eat! He can welcome everyone and then rest after the meal!

Before the meal. Not having many though, only FOB and Bestman as HTB has a phobia of public speaking. I've given my dad a time-limit of 5min as he is the exact opposite and could probably go on for 20min which nobody wants, lol!

We are doing ours before the meal, people will have had lunch before the wedding ( I hope wedding is not till 2) and we are having canopies, like a lot of others OH would rather it be over so he and best men can enjoy meal.

We are having them before, OHs choice as he wants to get it over and done with. He is so nervous! and THEN he will be able to enjoy his meal and the rest of the day without feeling nervous