How to give a bilingual wedding speech

Her family flew in from Seville, his friends drove up from Manchester, and her grandmother doesn't speak a word of English. When guests from two countries share one room, a bilingual wedding speech makes sure nobody misses the best moments of the day. This guide shows you three ways to structure it, how to plan the length, what to do with jokes and toasts, and how to deliver it with confidence. The examples use English and Spanish, but the advice works for any pair of languages.

The examples are about Lucía and Ollie, a made-up couple.

When a bilingual speech is worth it

A bilingual wedding speech is worth it when a noticeable share of the guests doesn't understand the main language. If it's only a handful of people, smaller gestures may be enough: a line in their language, a short summary, or a printed copy of the speech to read along. If almost everyone speaks both languages, a greeting and a toast in each is often all you need.

Three ways to do it

Alternating by section

For most weddings, this works best. The speech switches language after each section, and every section is said only once. Repeat the key line, such as your message to the couple, briefly in the other language. Start in the language most guests understand.

Two complete versions

Here you give the whole speech twice, first in one language, then in the other. It only really works when two people share the job, say the maid of honour in English and her cousin in Spanish, or when you hand out a printed version. For one person at the microphone, it quickly becomes too long.

Bookends

Greeting, one key line and the toast in both languages, everything else in the language almost everyone understands. It's the shortest option and suits weddings where most guests are bilingual.

Planning the length

The same speech doesn't take the same time in every language. At a relaxed speaking pace, English runs at roughly 130 words a minute, Spanish at around 140, and German at about 110. Check the length in each language separately.

• Alternating: each language gets about half the sections. With the short echoes of the key lines, the speech ends up only slightly longer than in one language.
• Two versions: plan for double the time. Cut content rather than speaking faster.
• Bookends: the length of a one-language speech plus a few lines.

For more on timing, read how long a speech should be.

Humour, idioms and traditions

Not everything travels. Three rules help:

1. Choose stories where the joke is in the situation. A mishap on the honeymoon works in any language, a pun works for half the room.
2. Adapt, don't translate. An English idiom translated word for word into Spanish sounds odd. In the other language, simply say what you mean.
3. Explain what one culture won't know. A British stag do or a Spanish despedida de soltero needs half a sentence of context for the other side of the room.

Traditions differ too. British best man speeches are often longer and cheekier than wedding speeches in many other countries, and in Spain, friends often speak later in the evening, sometimes with a surprise video. Agree with the couple on the order and the tone that suit their day.

An example: alternating English and Spanish

Here's what an extract from an alternating speech might sound like:

Lucía, Ollie, dear families, queridos amigos,

five years ago, Ollie walked into a language school in Madrid and asked for the beginners' class. Lucía was the teacher. He has been a very dedicated student ever since.

Lucía, tú le enseñaste a Ollie a pedir un café, a entender a tu abuela y a bailar en la boda de tu prima. Hoy ha aprendido la palabra más importante: sí.

You two have shown us that you don't need the same first language to understand each other. Solo os necesitáis el uno al otro.

Please raise your glasses. Levantad vuestras copas. To Lucía and Ollie. Por Lucía y Ollie.

Delivery tips

• Practise both languages out loud, including the one you speak well. The switching takes practice.
• Pause briefly when you switch. It tells each half of the room that their part is coming.
• Have the weaker language checked, ideally by a native speaker.
• Say names the way the couple say them. Ask if you're unsure.
• Look at both sides of the room, especially if guests are seated by language.

If nerves are the bigger worry, read staying calm before a speech.

Common mistakes

• Giving the whole speech twice when you're the only speaker.
• Word-for-word jokes that fall flat in the second language.
• Token lines: one sentence in Spanish at the very end for half the guests.
• In-jokes from one culture that leave the other side of the room out.
• Two different toasts, so each half of the room raises a glass to something else.

Bilingual wedding speech checklist

• You know which language most guests understand best, and you start with it.
• You've chosen an approach: alternating, two versions or bookends.
• The length is checked separately in each language.
• Puns are replaced by plain lines that make the same point.
• The toast comes in both languages.
• A native speaker has checked the language you're less sure of.

Your bilingual speech with Moverba

On the Premium plan, Moverba creates a bilingual version of your speech in the editor, either alternating by section or as two complete versions. We don't translate word for word, we write each part the way people actually say it in that language. Names and in-jokes stay intact, and speaking time is worked out for each language separately. See everything that's included on the pricing page, browse every role on our wedding speech page, or start with the best man speech. Writing vows as well? Read how to write your wedding vows.