Wedding Speech

[kdavid]

A good friend of mine is getting married soon and I'd like to prepare a few things to say at the ceremony. The only wedding ceremony I've attended in China has been my own, and as such I don't have much experience with the typical things that are said.

Based on others experience, I'd like to know some typical phrases which are said to those who are getting married, to their parents/family. What are some standard phrases used during wedding speeches?

I'd like to get as much input as possible to avoid making any cultural faux paus via saying in Chinese what I would normally say in English, and not making any sense.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[roddy]

There are example speeches found quite easily online - here's one page. Can't see anything specific to your situation perhaps you can pretend to be the 公司领导?

据了解新郎***先生，思想进步、工作积极、勤奋好学。

[Kenny同志]

Lol, David, I think you need to be cautious with these phrases. Most of the stuff there is cliché, either funny or boring. Unless you are VERY-serious-looking at the ceremony you are very likely to throw the audience into laughter or have it bored. At least I find the sample speeches, especially the first one, very funny, and some of following simply boring. I suggest that you write down what you want to say at the ceremony and have a Chinese friend have a look beforehand.

[kdavid]

This is what I've go so far. I'm not sure about the grammar and word choice in some areas. Also, the only area I'm struggling in now is what I should say about my friend's fiance/wife. I'm not real close with her, but she is marrying my best friend. I feel I should throw in a few female-related 成语. I'm just a bit concerned with what would be culturally acceptable to say about another man's wife.

Any help on any fronts would be appreciated.

首先我想非常感谢新娘的家属和好朋友对我们两个外国人的盛情款待，热烈欢迎我们到这里。

我站在舞台上的目的并不是向大家说你们有关于王林已经知道的事情。比如，她。。。

反而我是想帮助你们更好的了解我的好朋友DAN的人品和性格。

在我家我是老大，从来有没有一个亲哥哥可以敬佩。谁知道我得从美国来到中国终于找到这个亲哥哥。

出自孔子论语中的中国传统美德，温良恭俭让，DAN都拥有。性格即开朗又友好。DAN已经在中国住了15年了，在中国成家，对中国社会留下来了很多贡献。

在我印象最深的一件事是一天DAN告诉我一句话，他说，“成功人对社会最深刻的贡献就是让其他人自己成功”。 从我认识DAN以来，我已经跟他学到很多有关于生活和做生意的知识。希望将来我也可以成为像他一样成功的一个人。

今天希望大家可以跟着我祝贺新娘和新浪。我们来干一杯！

[Kenny同志]

This may be of helpl.

http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/18816004.html?si=1

Just out of curiosity, are you going to be the best man at the ceremony?

[skylee]

I suggest you drop "出自孔子论语中的". When I read it the description "賣弄" came up in my mind.

PS - Regarding the bride, if you don't know her well, just replace 比如她 with something like "新娘子有多好/美麗溫柔/聰明伶俐 (etc)， 大家都知道。"