Speech for your parents' wedding anniversary
A ready speech for a son or daughter, at a family function (25th or 50th anniversary). Use the short version when you have about a minute, and the full version when you have about three. Both are our own writing; change them freely.
Words in [square brackets] are for you to replace with your own names and details.
Short speech (1 minute)
71 words · about 1 minute at a calm pace
Good evening, everyone, and thank you for joining us. Today my parents complete [25/50] years of marriage. Mummy and Papa, you taught us what love really looks like: not big words, but small things done every day. A cup of tea made without asking. An umbrella held over the other. You built this family with patience and laughter. We are who we are because of you. Happy anniversary. We love you.
Full speech (3 minutes)
283 words · about 2 minutes at a calm pace
Good evening, dear family and friends. Thank you for being here. You are the people my parents love most, and it would not be a celebration without you.
[Twenty-five/Fifty] years ago, two young people got married. The photographs show a very serious groom and a very shy bride. Looking at them, nobody could have guessed how much laughter there would be in their house.
Growing up, we children never heard grand speeches about love. What we saw was this. Papa always warms up the scooter and waits at the gate, even when Mummy says she will take five more minutes and takes twenty. Mummy always keeps the last piece of mithai aside for Papa and then says she is not hungry. When one of them is unwell, the other suddenly becomes a doctor, a cook and a guard, all at once.
They have seen difficult years too: [a general mention, such as tight months, illnesses, children's exams]. We never saw them blame each other. They sat down, did the sums and found a way. That, I have come to understand, is what a marriage is. It is a team of two that does not give up.
Mummy, Papa, everything we have, our education, our values and even our stubbornness, comes from you. If we manage to be half as good a partner and parent as each of you, we will count ourselves lucky.
So I ask everyone to raise your glasses of whatever you are drinking, tea included. To [Mother's name] and [Father's name]: thank you for showing us how it is done. Happy anniversary. May you have many more years together, with good health and the last piece of mithai always shared.
हिंदी में छोटा भाषण
Short version in Hindi
आप सबको नमस्कार और आने के लिए धन्यवाद। आज मेरे मम्मी-पापा की शादी के [25/50] साल पूरे हो रहे हैं। मम्मी-पापा, आपने हमें सिखाया कि प्यार बड़ी-बड़ी बातों में नहीं, रोज़ के छोटे-छोटे कामों में होता है: बिना कहे बनाई गई चाय में, एक-दूसरे का इंतज़ार करने में। आपने मेहनत, धीरज और हँसी से यह परिवार बनाया। हम जो कुछ हैं, आपकी वजह से हैं। आपको सालगिरह की बहुत-बहुत बधाई। आपका साथ यूँ ही बना रहे।
Make it yours
A ready speech gets you started; your own details make people listen. Before you use this one:
- Replace the scooter and mithai details with two true habits of your own parents. Real details make the room smile.
- Speak about hard times only in general; a family function is not the place for private matters.
- Look at your parents during the last paragraph, not at the paper.
- Add one true detail from your own school, office or family. It is the line people will remember.
- Read it aloud with a timer and cut what you do not need. The speech timer shows the time for any draft.
More help: how to deliver a speech, how to overcome stage fear and other opening and closing lines.