Wedding Guest Traditions
After our vows, it was our guests’ turn to take the stage. We’d blocked off about 10 minutes for our friends and family to speak if they were so moved, which we borrowed from the Quaker tradition of Silent Worship. There’s no minister in Quaker worship: The entire hour spent together is guided by the participants, who stand up and speak about anything and everything, strung together with long periods of quiet reflection.
This was definitely the part of the ceremony that I was the most nervous for. What if nobody had anything to say" What if our guests didn’t “get it”" I had prepped a few of my friends by asking them to bring something to read or say, and I mentioned it on our wedding website, but I was still worried we’d have a lot of uncomfortable silence.
Our officiant announced the start of the open speaking period. My heart was pounding in my chest.

At this time, I would like to welcome friends and family to stand and speak if so moved. While messages are welcome, periods of silence are expected and are a time for reflection.
If you would like to speak, please stand as the last person finishes. Messages may be literal or metaphorical, and about anything appropriate to the joy of the occasion?love, family, marriage, life.

My dad was the first to stand up. He’d sent me his comments in advance, so I knew what he was going to say—a little treatise on marriage and our spiritual life ...