It's increasingly common for the couple themselves to take the microphone at some point during the reception, not for a long speech, but to directly thank guests and their families for the support they received before and during the wedding. It's a gesture that's very much appreciated, especially by relatives who helped with the planning, and it doesn't need to be elaborate to have an impact.
Does one of you speak, or do you speak together?
There's no fixed rule. Some couples prefer that only one of them speak on behalf of both, while others prefer to take turns line by line or section by section. If you decide to speak together, it's important to rehearse in advance so you don't talk over each other or create an awkward silence waiting to see who continues. If one of you feels much more comfortable speaking in public, there's no problem with that person carrying the weight of the speech, explicitly mentioning that they're also speaking on behalf of their partner.
Recommended structure
- General thanks: to all the guests for being there, especially those who traveled from far away.
- Specific thanks to the families: mentioning the support received during the planning, without needing to give an extensive list of names if the list is very long.
- A brief message between you as a couple: a short line about how you feel at that specific moment of the night.
- An invitation to keep enjoying the party: a light close that leads back into the celebration.
Example lines
- "Thank you all for being here, some of you from very far away, to celebrate with us this day we'll never forget."
- "To our families: thank you for every detail, every supportive call, and every moment you helped make this possible."
- "Today it's not just the two of us getting married; our two families are joining together too, and we feel that in every corner of this party."
When this speech is usually given
It's generally placed toward the end of dinner or right before opening the dance floor, after the speeches from the best man, maid of honor, or parents. Placing it there works well because it gives a natural close to the most formal part of the night and leads directly into the free celebration part.
What to avoid
- Turning it into a long list of names: if you want to thank specific people, pick two or three with a key role (for example, whoever organized much of the event) instead of trying to name everyone.
- Improvising it completely with no preparation: even if it's short, having at least the main ideas jotted down keeps the nerves of the day from making you forget something important.
- Dragging it out by competing with the other speeches of the night: this moment works best being brief and warm, not exhaustive.
If, besides this thank-you, you're also giving a longer speech during the reception, it's worth checking out how to structure a five-minute wedding speech that doesn't drag so both moments complement each other without feeling repetitive.
Frequently asked questions about this thank-you
Is it odd for the couple to speak if there were already best man and maid of honor speeches?
No, on the contrary: it's a natural close after those speeches, since it gives the day's main characters the chance to respond and give thanks directly, something guests tend to value a lot even if they don't explicitly expect it.
Should we write it together or each write our own part and combine it later?
Both approaches work. Writing it together helps keep a consistent tone from the start; writing each person's part separately and combining it afterward can produce a richer result if you have different styles of expression. What matters is reading it out loud together at least once before the event.
What if one of us feels very insecure speaking in public?
It's perfectly valid for one of you to speak most of the time while the other contributes just one short, heartfelt line at the end. What matters is that you're both represented, not that you both speak for the same amount of time.
How is this thank-you different from the thank-you speech a quinceañera gives at her own party?
The underlying logic is similar — thanking those who made the day possible — but the audience changes: while the quinceañera speaks mainly to her parents, the couple's thank-you speaks to all the guests and both families equally, with more of a party-closing tone than an intimate message between two people.
If you want an already-written draft as a couple to adjust together before the wedding, at MisXVPalabras you can generate the text for this thank-you in minutes, ready to personalize with your wedding's names and details.