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How to end a wedding speech

Reading Time: 4 Minutes

What we’ll cover:

• How do you end a wedding speech?

• How do you end a wedding thank you speech?

• Quotes for a great wedding speech ending

• Example wedding toasts

How to end a wedding speech? Everyone knows that starting a wedding speech is important so you get people’s attention. Sleeping audiences aren’t very encouraging, after all


But all too often I see people finish their speeches simply by ‘running out of steam.’ They haven’t got anything to say, so they mumble some kind of thank you or cheers, and sit down.


That’s okay.


But it sure as hell ain’t great – or even good.


The ending is the second most important part of any good speech – second only to the beginning.


It’s the last thing people hear, which makes it one of the things that most stick with people after the speech is fone and dusted. So it’d better be good. A good way to think about it is as your last chance to make an impact.


So let’s look at how we do that.

How do you end a wedding speech?

A good ending for a wedding speech has two parts: a reiteration of your ONE thing, and a wedding toast to the couple.


The first is basically a clear statement of the ‘point’ of your speech. As long as you’re clear on what you want to say, this bit is easy, so I won’t go into it here.


The real ending for a good wedding speech is the toast, anyway.


Here are a few points to help you make a good toast:


  1. Wish the bride and groom a joyous life, or give a heart-warming definition of marriage (more on that below)
  2. Speak with energy and sincerity. If you sound timid or nervous, your toast will be weak.
  3. Make it clear that the toast is beginning. Say something like ‘Please join me in toasting…’ or ‘Please join me in raising your glass to…’
  4. Raise your glass to the whole room before turning to the newlyweds– this will make sure everyone joins in.


The tips above apply pretty equally to all wedding speeches. But if you’re one of the couple, then things will be slightly different – let’s take a look at that now.

How do you end a wedding thank you speech?

If you’re a bride or groom, your speech has to do one very important thing that nobody else has to do – you have to say thank you.


Plus, since you’re one half of the couple, it’s obviously going to be a little tricky to raise your glass to the couple, right? Right.


So what do you do? Here are some options:


  1. You can still give a definition or a quote – but then you make a pledge to your partner.
  2. You can address you toast straight to your partner – this has a pretty big ‘aww’ factor
  3. You can toast your guests – a nice touch to a thank you speech
  4. You can toast your parents, or whoever got you together
  5. You can toast love itself!


There’s a lot of flexibility here. The point is to choose beforehand, so your toast fits in – and make sure it fits with the speech too! It would be weird to have a speech all about love and then toast the audience, for example. So keep that in mind.

Quotes for a great wedding speech ending

Here are 7 powerful quotes to spruce up your toasts!


  1. Marriage is “an armed alliance against the world,” ~ G. K. Chesterton
  2. “What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.”
  3. “Love doesn't make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.”
  4. “Everyone smiles in the same language.”
  5. “Marriage is the best method for getting acquainted” ~ Heywood Broun
  6. “Never above you. Never below you. Always beside you.” ~ Walter Winchell
  7. How much I love I know not, life not know

Save as some unit I would add love by;

But this I know, my being is but thine own

Fused from its separateness by ecstasy. ~ She, To Him IV, Thomas Hardy

Example wedding toasts

To help spark your ideas, here 8 example toasts, to help show you different formats!


  1. “Please raise your glass to a long, happy and healthy future for NAME and NAME.”
  2. “Please raise your glass to the most important people in the room… friends and family.”
  3. A funny twist on this is: “Please raise your glass to the most important people in the room… ME! Haha, just kidding – to NAME and NAME!”
  4. “I’d like you all to join me in wishing the new Mr and Mr/Mrs [NAME] all the wealth, health and happiness in the world. To the newlyweds!”
  5. “They say you don’t marry the person you can live with, you marry the person you can’t live without. That sums up NAME and NAME perfectly. To the happy couple”
  6. “Raise your glass and join me in a toast to NAME and NAME – may you always be friends as well as lovers”
  7. “Before we raise our glasses to the happy couple, I’d like to make a toast to wives and lovers everywhere – may they never, ever cross paths!”
  8. “I would like to end on some wise words from Socrates: ‘My advice to you is to get married. If you find a good wife, you’ll be happy; if not, you’ll become a philosopher.’ To the bride and groom!”

About the author: Alexander Westenberg, milestone speechwriter, is a teacher, a musician, and long-time speechwriter. Read more…

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Inside you’ll find learn:

  • Why the wedding speech matters
  • The 3 most common hooks for your speech
  • The time-tested 'Rule of One' that can make the difference between a speech that makes an impact... and a speech that doesn't
  • 4 steps to finishing your speech with the perfect wedding toast
  • ...and more!