Speeches - before or after the meal?

I'm thinking of getting the speeches over and done with before the meal so we can all relax and enjoy the food (will also stop the nervous ones drinking too much!) What do you think? Anyone else doing the same?

I think we're going to have them before the meal - it just means my Dad and H2B can relax and enjoy the meal. I hadn't heard about people doing that until after we got engaged, and I think it's a great idea.

Yeah think we're going to go with before the meal too, last few weddings I've been to have done it that way and it works out well as far as I can see!

mmm, got me thinking now, before or after???

Hi JuneBride2008, DEFINITELY BEFORE! And that's from experience. All those doing speeches could hardly breath with nerves - all during the ceremony etc. Would highly recommend to "get it over with" so to speak....

The problem with the speeches being before the meal is that if your quests sit down late for some reason, they can be starving by the end of the speeches. On the flip side of this, the speeches, when done before the meal tend to be shorter and the speakers seem to appreciate getting them over with sooner rather than later. I covered a wedding recently where they had the speeches after the first course (the soup). That meant that the guests weren't starving, and the people doing the speeches still got to enjoy the meal. This may causes problems for your hotel, in fact I know of a hotel in Cork that doesn't allow speeches before the meal at all, something to do with them needing to know when to cook the main courses etc.

We're going to have them before so the guys can relax and enjoy their meal

definitely before, everyone will be able to enjoy their dinner then. gonna have sambos at arrival reception so people wont be starving

we are having them during the meal just before the main course, i want all the bridal party to be able to eat the main course because its a long day. our speeches are going to be about 15 mins max!

Having them in between courses is a great idea - say between starter and soup. Hmm, there's something to think about...