The 2024 movie “Mother of the Bride,” starring Brooke Shields, may not have been a critical darling, but let's face it: romantic comedies rarely aim for Oscar gold.
As experts in wedding speech writing and planning, we zeroed in on the film’s portrayal of a pivotal wedding speech and found much to like.
In the movie, there’s a single speech—a rehearsal dinner toast delivered by Lana, played by Brooke Shields. It’s remarkably brief, likely shortened for cinematic pacing, but it serves as a key plot point. [Spoiler alert] Lana rejects a speech written by a sponsor’s copywriter, emphasizing the importance of personal touches in wedding speeches. We wholeheartedly agree that a wedding speech or toast should be deeply personal. Although Lana’s all-night struggle to craft her speech adds dramatic tension, the sleepless night could have been avoided with the right tools and preparation. We would especially caution against leaving a wedding speech until the last minute.
One commendable aspect of Lana’s toast is how it addresses the absence of the bride’s father. Traditionally, the father of the bride is a primary speaker at weddings, typically during the reception. Lana’s acknowledgment of his absence and reassurance that he would be proud of his daughter is touching. This sentiment is given extra power through the user of anadiplosis — a rhetorical device where the last word of one sentence is repeated at the beginning of the next—in this case, to underscore that the father’s presence is felt in spirit.
Additionally, the speech employs anaphora, another repetition-based rhetorical device. Anaphora involves the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. During the advice portion of the toast, Lana’s repeated use of “never give up on...” effectively builds a rhythmic crescendo, culminating in a toast.
Transcript
Speaker: Lana, portrayed by Brooke Shields
Wow, everyone looks absolutely wonderful.I can’t believe we’re here. [chuckles]
And that my little girl is getting married
to an incredible young man.
So I, uh, worked on this toast all night,
trying to make it perfect.
But then I thought about what Emma’s dad would say.
That trying to give a perfect toast
is not nearly as good as giving one from the heart.
And we all miss him a lot.
But I know that he’s hereLearn more..
He’s hereLearn more. with us in spirit.
[sniffles] And he’d be really proud.
So… let me just give you one little bit of advice.
No matterLearn more., what happens,
no matterLearn more. where the road takes you,
never give up onLearn more. each other.
Never give up onLearn more. your love.
And I’m sorry if I’m gonna be corny.
Never give up onLearn more. happily ever after.
And I love you.
[tender music playing]
To Emma and RJ.
[all] Cheers!
[all applauding]
Conclusion
While Lana’s toast is a standout, the movie’s most memorable line comes from Aunt Janice, played by Rachael Harris, who humorously laments,
And why is it so hot? You could literally go through menopause here and not know it!
For tools the help you or your wedding party to craft the perfect wedding speech or toast be sure to consider our
- wedding speech planning tool
- rehearsal dinner toast projects
- wedding reception speech projects; and
- our wedding speechwriting packages.
