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How to write a welcome speech in 3 steps

With a printable welcome speech planner, outline and a sample welcome speech

By:  Susan Dugdale  

So, you've been asked to give a short welcome speech for an event. Congratulations! And now you want to be doubly sure you get it right. The right content. The right tone. Plus, the right length!

You'll find everything here you need to do that easily, from start to finish. 

Jump in. You are just three steps away from a completed welcome speech. Shall we start?

The fastest and best way to get your speech done is to:

• skim read this page to get an overview of the speech writing process, ( the welcome speech template and the planner you're going to use), to  read the example welcome speech , and to find out more about the function of a welcome speech and the importance of its tone .
• then download, print and complete the welcome speech planner .
• and lastly, use the notes you made in the planner to write your welcome speech . To help with that, you can download and print the outline of my example welcome speech to use.  Edit, and add your information to make the speech your own.

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The welcome speech template

To be effective your welcome speech needs to meet expected, as well as any specific, requirements dictated by the occasion.

The 6 standard welcome speech content ingredients

There are six common or standard content items in a good welcome speech.

• Greetings to welcome everyone and thanking them for coming along.
• Acknowledgement of special guests, if there are any.
• An introduction of the event itself and a brief overview of special highlights the audience will want to know about.
• Any important housekeeping information, for instance: where the bathrooms are, where lunch will be served and when...
• An introduction for the next speaker, if there is one.
• Thanking everyone for coming once more and then concluding having made everybody feel at ease, eagerly anticipating what is to come.

Numbers 1, 3, and 6 are basic essentials you cannot do without. Numbers 2, 4 and 5 may, or may not, be applicable. Pick what you need from them to fit your occasion.

Short sample welcome speech for a conference 

Now let's put all six ingredients into an example of a short welcome speech to open a conference that you can adapt for your own speech.

* (This speech is pure fiction! I made it up to show you how it's done. You'll see its tone is formal rather than informal to fit the occasion. I don't think there is a group called Parents United. However, there are others with a similar mission: 10 Inspiring Organizations that Promote Literacy and Education .)  

Example welcome speech - "Readers by Right"

"Sue-Ellen Thomas, Jim Smith, Jane Brown and all of our guests, good morning!

My name is April Molloy, and it's my privilege and great pleasure on behalf of Parents United to welcome you all here today.

We are delighted to have you with us to participate and share in this special occasion, our 5th annual Children's Day Conference. Thank you for coming. That many of you have willingly traveled long distances to be here serves as a reminder to us all just how important our work is.

Parents United is committed to actively raising the quality of life for every child. We want all children, regardless of race, creed or circumstance to achieve their full potential. Our task is to make it possible. Our mission is to provide practical, step by step assistance.

This year our theme is literacy. We've named the day 'Readers by Right'.

Thanks to the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we are aware of 'rights' in many spheres, including education.  Article 26 declared it should be compulsory and free for children.

That goal is as pertinent today as it was then. And it's a goal I know we all share - the full development of every child. As a body, Parents United recognizes good reading skills established in childhood as the foundation of fulfilling, and ongoing education.

We are honored to have Sue-Ellen Thomas, Jim Smith and Jane Brown with us today. All three are esteemed specialists in teaching young children to read.

Sue-Ellen has worked for a long time with educational authorities to establish programs putting in place necessary pre-reading skills. Her hard work needs no introduction. The results speak for themselves.

Jim and Jane bring their passion, and knowledge of how to reach those in our communities who are frequently overlooked or bypassed. Their work among disadvantaged English-as-a-second-language families has bridged gaps that were deep dark chasms.

Prepare yourself to be challenged, excited and inspired.

And before I handover to Lesley Watts, our coordinator for 'Readers by Right', who will outline the day's various events, I want to say once more on behalf of the Parents United organizing committee, welcome. It's wonderful to see so many of you here." 

Get your welcome speech started

To shortcut wondering, "Should I say this?" or "Maybe I should say that?" and "Then again there's also ...", I have a very simple solution for you.

Get yourself a printable welcome speech planner

Download and print my  special greeting address planner .

It covers ALL the necessary ingredients that go into preparing a successful welcome speech. It's simple to use and easily filled out. Once it's done, writing your speech will be a lot less hassle as you'll have the core content ready to work with.

Writing your welcome speech

Tips to help you get your speech right.

When you're entering information into your speech planner:

• ensure you've got all the names of individuals or special guests you need to mention specifically and, that you know how to pronounce each of them. Also check that you know and use their preferred pronouns: them/they, she/her, he/him...
• double check the remarks you're going to make about them, or anything else, are factually correct.

Use your introduction of your guests/or the event, as a "teaser" for what is going to come. It will help create anticipation in the audience. Don't ruin it by giving too much away! Just enough to tempt and no more.

Keep it brief. One to two minutes is generally sufficient.

(The word count of my sample welcome speech is 357. It will take approximately 2 minutes to say .) 

Use the S-S-S formula for success: Short, Simple and Sincere. Your listeners will appreciate it.

Get a printable welcome speech outline

If you would like to use and adapt the structure I used in my sample speech as the foundation for your welcome speech, click the link to download the printable: welcome speech outline .

Then edit; delete, amend and add, until you are done.

Get a hand with vocabulary

If you're stuck for words, here's a large selection of  adaptable welcoming phrases with example s entences.  Reading through them could help you to find exactly what you want.

What does a good welcome speech do?

An effective welcome speech has three important functions. It:

• signals the official beginning of an event . It says to the audience, hush, sit down, stop talking and listen. What you came for is starting!
• sets the tone for the occasion through the choice of language used . For example, using light-hearted and informal words to welcome guests to a dear friend's birthday party may be completely appropriate.  However, the same type of language to welcome family and friends to a memorial service is unlikely to be. In that setting, people generally expect a more solemn and formal word choice. They could be deeply offended and think the use of casual language is disrespectful.  Understanding and getting tone right is a key element in the overall success of your welcome speech.  
• unites the audience . It draws everyone together in the common purpose at the heart of the occasion. For example, at a birthday party, the welcome speech invites everyone to join in celebrating the person whose birthday it is. The welcome speech opening a specialist conference will affirm its principal purpose: the coming together of people with mutual interests to meet and share new knowledge. Or if a welcome speech is given to newcomers in a workplace, club or educational setting, its purpose is to give an introductory overview of how things work to help them feel more at ease in their new situation - to help them develop a sense of belonging.

Getting the tone right for an event

What is tone.

Tone is the combined impact of the words chosen to express something, with how they are structured and, delivered.  All three elements come together to create tone * . 

Get tone wrong, and your welcome speech is a disaster.

Get it right, and it's a triumph!

(Yes, that's hyperbole but I'm sure you get the idea. ☺)

* Tone - a mood, quality or feeling

How to choose the right words

The beginning of getting tone right is to think about your audience and the event itself. Your goal is to unite and bring them together in the main purpose at the core of the occasion. What type of language will do that most appropriately and easily?

To answer that question, think about the common interest everybody shares - the principal reason behind them getting together.  It will help guide your language choice.

Is it a fun event like a birthday party for close friends and family? If so, then informal language is likely to be the most apt.

You might hear something along the lines of: "Well, here we all are! The big day has finally arrived. Jean-Marie is 50! Half a century! How on earth did that happen?"

If it's a remembrance service for someone who has recently died, the language you're likely to hear is more formal.

For example: "Friends, family, colleagues, thank you for joining us today to celebrate and give thanks for our dear Jean-Marie. Your presence is gratefully appreciated." 

What is appropriate? What is expected?  Do spend some time thinking tone through. Misunderstanding and getting it wrong can be very embarrassing for everyone. If in doubt, ask someone whose opinion you trust.

Related helpful pages

Help rehearsing your welcome speech.

Get  step by step instructions on how to rehearse  including how to make and use cue cards.

And please do rehearse. It makes a huge difference! You'll sound, and look better. Taking the time to rehearse shows respect for yourself, the audience and the event. Truly.

Help to manage pre-speech jitters

Nervous? If you're shaking in your boots at the thought of having to speak in front of an audience, click  overcoming public speaking fear  for assistance. Take your time. The page has 14 tried and tested suggestions to consider.

Help with other types of welcome speeches

Or perhaps you need  welcome to the family speeches   or a  church welcome speech sample ? Click the links to find easily adaptable examples.

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How to Write a Welcome Speech

Last Updated: July 29, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,624,910 times.

Are you on welcome speech duty for an upcoming program or event? You’ve got nothing to worry about—with the right format and tone, it’s super easy to write and present a welcome speech for just about any occasion. We’ve outlined everything you need to know, from your opening greetings and acknowledgments, to establishing the right tone and nailing your closing remarks. You’ve got this in the bag!

Greeting the Audience

• Keep the tone more serious if it's an important occasion. Use more formal language and don't crack any inappropriate jokes. For example, at a wake, you might say, "We're so glad to have you all here tonight. We appreciate your presence at this difficult time."

• For an event with close friends and family, more informal language might be appropriate. Include a few jokes and keep your speech more lighthearted.

Patrick Muñoz

Grab your audience's attention with a strong opening. Start with a loud voice and a strong presence that welcomes everyone and gets them involved. Ask a question they can respond to or tell a joke — anything to connect with the audience. Do something that grabs their attention and excites them and makes them thrilled about the event.

• Special guests include any people of honor, those that may play a particularly important part in the event, or those who have traveled a long way to be there.
• Make sure that you practice all of names, titles, and pronunciations of the special guests before your speech.
• For example you could say, "We'd like to extend a special welcome to our guest of honor, Judge McHenry, who will be speaking later tonight."
• Alternatively to welcome a group of people you might say, "While we're excited to have you all here tonight, we'd especially like to say welcome to the students from Johnson Middle School."

• For an informal event such as a birthday party, you could say, "We're so happy to have you here tonight to eat, drink, and celebrate another year of Jessica's life. Now, let's get to it."
• For a more formal event such as one run by an organisation, you could say, “We are so excited to have you all here to participate in our 10th annual pet’s day, organised by the Animal Rescue Group.”

Forming the Body of the Speech

• An example of acknowledging individual people is saying, “We couldn’t have pulled off this fundraiser without the hard work and dedication of Grace and Sally, who worked tirelessly from day 1 to make today a reality.”
• Avoid reading off a long list of people or sponsors, as your audience will begin to get bored. Stick to just a handful of highlights.

• For instance, at a conference, you might point out when the dinner will be held, or where particular sessions will take place.
• At a wedding reception, you might note when dancing will start or when the cake will be served.

• Alternatively, you could end the body of your speech during an informal gathering by saying, “I can't wait to see you all out on the dancefloor!”

Ending the Speech

• You could also say that you hope that the audience takes something away from the event. For example, “I hope that today inspires ideas and discussions around the ways that we can make our city a better place!”

• At a formal event, you might say, "Now, for our speaker. Rebecca Roberts comes here from Montreal, Canada, and she is a leading expert in the study of the human brain. She'll be speaking tonight on what drives humans to make decisions. Let's welcome her."
• For a more informal event such as a party, you could say, “Next up is Sam, who has been Kyle’s best friend for 10 years strong. He has a decade of embarrassing stories about Kyle to share with us tonight!"

• Alternatively you might say, “Thank you again to everyone for being here tonight to celebrate Joe and Kathleen’s 50th wedding anniversary! Let the celebrations begin!”

• If you are unsure, ask the organiser or host what an appropriate length of time for your speech will be.

Writing Help

Community Q&A

• Practice your speech in front of trusted friends and family in the days leading up to the event. [12] X Research source Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/effective-welcome-speech
• ↑ https://www.examples.com/education/speech/welcome-speech-for-conference.html
• ↑ https://penandthepad.com/how-5574707-write-welcome-speech.html
• ↑ https://penandthepad.com/write-after-dinner-speech-8035341.html
• ↑ https://uark.pressbooks.pub/speaking/chapter/closing-a-speech/
• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/speech-delivery

About This Article

To write a welcome speech, start with a greeting to your audience that’s appropriate to the situation. For example, you could try “Good evening ladies and gentlemen” if you’re introducing a formal event, or “Thank you everyone for coming on this sunny day” for a more relaxed occasion. After you’ve finished the greeting, introduce the event by talking about who organized it and what its purpose is. In the main body of your speech, acknowledge 2 or 3 people who played important parts in organizing the event. You should also emphasize special parts of the event that people should pay attention to, such as where dinner will be or where a conference session will take place. When you’re ready to conclude your speech, tell the audience to enjoy the event by saying something like “I hope you all enjoy the exciting speakers to come.” Finish your speech by thanking the audience for attending. For tips on how to introduce people at a special occasion, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Welcome Speech in English: Best Samples, Examples & Tips

Why are welcome speeches necessary.

Most of the gatherings and ceremonies are held with a purpose. They are either planned events or spontaneous gatherings. In both cases, it is important to know how to organize such events. We must prepare ourselves to conduct the event properly.

Let us imagine that you are hosting a gathering. You have prepared everything, including food, drinks, decorations, etc., and even set up the stage. However, you forgot one thing – a welcome speech. What happens next? Do you start talking immediately without waiting for everyone to arrive? Of course not!

The same goes for a meeting. How many times did you attend meetings where people didn’t introduce themselves? Or worse, they talked about themselves too much during the meeting. In addition, some speakers talk directly to the audience without introducing themselves. This makes it difficult for the attendees to comprehend the event’s process and connect with its objectives.

So why is a welcome speech in English needed? To begin with, it is necessary to give a brief overview of the topic. Secondly, it helps to provide information about the organization and its history. Thirdly, it allows us to highlight our achievements. And finally, it creates a good impression on guests. Otherwise, they might ask questions like “Where is this event going?”.

Significance of welcome speech

The significance of the welcome speech won’t be apparent without understanding what makes up the history of an event. An event can be defined as a sequence of activities carried out over a period of time. These activities are usually organized into stages, each with a specific purpose. For example, an event may start with opening remarks, followed by a keynote address, and finally concluded with closing remarks. Each stage of an event has a different set of responsibilities.

In the case of a welcoming ceremony, the welcome speech is considered to be one of the most important parts of the whole gathering. In fact, it is the most crucial aspect of the entire event. This is because the welcome speech serves several purposes.

First, it introduces the guests to the host. Second, it provides information regarding the upcoming program. Third, it creates a positive impression among the attendees. Fourth, it helps in creating a sense of unity among the participants. Fifth, it helps in establishing good relations between the hosts and the guests. And finally, it ensures that the guest feels comfortable during the occasion.

Objectives of a Welcome Speech in English

The objective of a welcome speech in English is to introduce yourself and the rest of the attendees at the event. This is done through a short introduction about who you are, what you do, why you’re attending, etc. The following are the objectives of a welcome speech:

• Introduce yourself
• Provide Information regarding the event
• Create a positive impression among attendees
• Establish good relations between hosts and guests
• Ensure guests feel comfortable during the event
• Help build unity among participants
• Explain the purpose of the meeting/event
• Set up the agenda for the meeting/event
• Make introductions
• Give background info about the organization
• Highlight achievements (if any)

Welcome Speech Samples in the Education Field

There is a number of school gatherings that require welcome speeches, be it an official school gathering or an informal event. In this segment, we’ve sorted samples according to the typical events organized in schools. Take note of each paragraph and determine its purpose. You’ll be able to create a workable framework or basis for your current and future speech requirements.

Welcome Address in English For Students

It’s natural for attendees of any event to expect an introductory speech, which sets the tone for the occasion. A host can easily command attention with an effective welcome. Even the longest speeches have the capacity to hold an audience’s interest when delivered in a catchy and impressive manner.

A short opening speech for a commencement ceremony

To everyone present, good morning. A very warm welcome to our respected faculty, our remarkable parents, and our dear students. Special recognition is due for our Chief Guest (name of chief guest). It’s a true honor to have such a successful alumnus (or state the chief guest’s job title). We express our biggest gratitude for accepting our invitation to deliver today’s keynote speech.

I’m standing here as a lucky witness to our dear students’ academic journey. Our school is very proud of everything you have accomplished and your small but not minor contributions to society. You’ve brought prestige to our name and deserve the title of one of our school’s most successful and dedicated batch of students.

With your teachers’ guidance and parents’ support, you’ve reached remarkable heights. I’d like to take this time to extend my gratitude to our faculty and our parents, for understanding, encouraging, and nurturing our students.

Graduates, you are about to start another chapter in your life. An exciting yet scary period. From now on, you will face more challenges, but I am confident that you’re adequately equipped to face any tribulation that comes your way. Remember that with conviction and self-belief, no mountain is too high to climb. The laurels you’ve brought back to our school are only the beginning. I am genuinely excited to see the astonishing feats that your futures hold.

A long opening speech for a commencement ceremony

Good morning everyone! I would like to extend a very warm welcome to our esteemed faculty, astounding parents, and our dear students. I’m honored to open our commencement ceremony and stand here where many of our accomplished alumni who I look up to once stood.

I extend a particularly warm welcome to our Chief Guest (name of chief guest), who as one of our outstanding alumni, has really set the standard for exemplary accomplishments.

(enumerate key achievements of chief guest)

Her/his professional and philanthropic endeavors attest to their upbringing and the values she/he lives by. We want to thank you for responding positively to our invitation to be the keynote speaker on today’s auspicious occasion.

As another academic year reaches its end, I’m sure that our dear students are anxious and also filled with hope and excitement. This is their final school event in our renowned school/college/university (name of school). But hopefully, it won’t be their last awarding ceremony.

We are extremely fortunate to have such a talented and passionate group of graduates who have earned laurels in honor of our school, adding to its distinction and great reputation. The amazing encouragement and unconditional support of our parents throughout the school year have been extraordinary. They have stood by their children in every school event. Our teachers and staff are truly thankful for the trust you’ve given us. Your children’s journey wouldn’t have been a huge success without your guidance and nurture.

It’s been a remarkable experience to witness the passion and commitment our students have exhibited in all their undertakings. I am filled with certitude that you will achieve whatever goal you’ve set your mind on. Adulthood is going to be jammed with more trials you’ve never imagined before. I am kidding. Maybe. Joking aside, you will win as long as you work hard and believe in yourself.

Remember that you are valuable and take every challenge you face as an opportunity to prove your worth and get better. Also, surround yourselves with people who are good for your well-being and treat them the way you’d like to be treated.

Maintain your sense of humor because not much else will get you through when the going gets rough. Life can be very special and you can truly make a mark, which doesn’t always need to have global proportions. Be accountable for your mistakes and learn from them. Keep nurturing your passions and remain as driven, bright, and astonishing as you are today. You are all wonderful and I can’t wait to see your future accomplishments, because they will be great.

Thank you and do us proud!

Welcome Speech for a College Function

(General greeting, i.e. good morning/afternoon/evening) to all (the audience attending the event, e.g. the parents, teachers, students, etc.) and our respected Principal (name of principal). It’s with great pleasure that I welcome everyone to (name of school)’s (name of event or ceremony).

Our college nurtures the ideologies of discipline and pride in one’s work and aims to hone our students as responsible and productive members of society. It is in this spirit that we celebrate today.

To commence our festivities, allow me to introduce one of our most esteemed alumni. Our Chief Guest (title and name of chief guest) has embodied the values fostered by our prominent and respected college. (Enumerate the main accomplishments of the chief guest). We honor you for your contributions to society and our city, most especially, which future generations will surely benefit from. With your hard work, dedication, and charitable spirit, you have set the goalposts we aspire to reach in order to make the world a much better place than we’ve found it.

(Initiate a round of applause)

Welcome Speech for a Yearly Function

(General greeting, i.e. good morning/afternoon/evening to all)

Honorable Chief Guest (name of guest), our beloved Principal (name of principal), our amazing faculty and staff members, our dearest parents and fellow students, and to everyone present, I welcome you all to (name of school/college/university)’s annual function.

My name is Lakshmi Gupta, a student of the Information Technology Department, and also the president of our school’s Cultural Exchange Organization and founder of the Languages Club.

It is with tremendous pride that I announce our prestigious school’s Silver Jubilee anniversary. We’re gathered today to celebrate 25 years of estimable service and success. The remarkable accomplishments of our elite school since its foundation won’t be possible without its long history of dedicated and respected teachers and passionate students, its tireless staff, and the unconditional support from our parents.

It’s also a great honor to introduce our Chief guest and keynote speaker. Any introduction won’t do justice to the extraordinary achievements she/he has attained throughout her/his career. (Enumerate the main accomplishments of the chief guest). She/he is truly one of the most treasured and incredible alumni our school has produced. Without further ado, let’s give a round of applause to (title and name of chief guest).

Welcome Speech for the School Principal

Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning!

I’m truly pleased and honored to welcome our new principal (title and name of principal). He has previously worked for 5 years at Lumos International as principal and has succeeded in revitalizing their academic standing and programs, especially in English and Cultural Studies.

I have gotten to know her/him over the last few days during the transition phase and found her/him to be a brave and progressive intellectual, with a great ideology and vision for the future of (name of school), our beloved school.

On behalf of the current administration, our board of trustees, the faculty, the staff, and our student body, we wholeheartedly extend a great welcome to you (title and name of principal).

We hope that with your leadership, energy, and enthusiasm, we shall start a new era of learning and reach greater excellence.

Congratulations and welcome!

Welcome Speech for Teachers Day

Good morning! We welcome everyone today who is here to celebrate this annual event for their beloved teachers. We don’t always get to thank our teachers, but on this day, we pay tribute to our second parents.

They have provided guidance and given their light to educate and lead us to a journey of wonder, discovery, and knowledge. For their efforts, they deserve the greatest of honors and our utmost respect.

Our steadfast yet affectionate teachers should be our role models. They inspire us daily and motivate us to reach our greatest potential. They impart wisdom so that we don’t only excel academically, but as good people and responsible members of our society.

So on Teacher’s Day, it’s all about them and giving them the honor that many take for granted. Thank you, dear teachers!

Welcome Speech for Children’s Day

Good morning everybody!

Today we extend our appreciation and the warmest embrace to our beloved students to celebrate Children’s Day!

It’s been a blessing to be a part of nurturing children’s sense of wonder and imagination. These are qualities we often lose as we grow up, and it’s awesome to witness them happen every day.

Children’s innocence and love are incomparable and difficult to resist. Their smile is the closest thing to heaven that we can glimpse in the world.

School is your children’s second home, and we teachers are their second parents. We thank you for the opportunity to take care of and guide your little angels.

Join us to celebrate our students and make this day as eventful and fun as it can be!

Welcome Speech for Freshers Party

Welcome everyone to our Fresher’s party!

We’ve all gathered here today to celebrate the gift of possibilities and commence the experience of a new beginning.

It’s of utmost pleasure to welcome everyone, especially all my freshers to today’s festivities. I extend my deepest gratitude to all my teachers and everyone who helped make this event a reality. Look at this place, it’s amazing!

University or school life isn’t just about getting a higher education – brace yourself for the adventure of a lifetime! This is the period to create good memories and meet people who can be a permanent part of your academic and later professional lives. May you develop the relationships and acquire the necessary skills to succeed in life.

But for now, let’s leave our worries and cares out in the hall. Let’s celebrate your wise decision to matriculate in our institution. Our college has prepared special events and an entertainment program highlighting some of our talented students.

The next few hours will be memorable and exciting! Thank you for listening and let’s get on with it!

Have a good time!

Welcome Speech Samples for Business

Much like in academic settings, there are more formal events that happen in professional contexts. Some may need a welcome address to introduce special guests or welcome the attendees of a conference. Some are informal events that welcome those who are invited to special occasions at the office and the people they’re honoring. Note down the key phrases and objectives of the samples below and use the same structure in your own welcome or introduction speech in English.

Sample of Welcome Speech for a Goodbye Get-together

Good evening everyone!

Welcome to my farewell party. I know, I know. You all said you’re sorry to see me go, but that you all would need food and entertainment first to deal with your sadness. So here we are. I shall deliver.

As the Semisonic song goes “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” And so it is with great gratitude that the VP in Japan decided to retire early, so the end of his role can mark the beginning of mine. To Toni Takitani, thanks for deciding you’ve had enough!

Kidding aside, I’d like to thank my friends who made this very corporate event a huge success. Look at this, my goodness!

Most importantly, I want to impart my profound gratitude to my boss (name of the boss). Without you, this party won’t have a band. I couldn’t ask for a better mentor. Or I could, but none of them would have changed my life as positively as you have. It saddens me to leave you the most, but it comforts me that you were my biggest source of encouragement to go. Or it may have been your plan all along. Genius!

So to everyone who came, thank you. I’ll have time to thank you properly later, but for now, let’s eat!

Welcome Speech Sample for a Business Conference

Good morning to everyone who came out to join us here today. My name is Julius Kaizer and I’ll be hosting today’s events.

Before anything else, I’d like to take this moment to thank Merville & Posque Inc., their CEO Mr. Hyori Asano and his team for putting this event together in record time. It won’t be possible without your tireless dedication and contributions. I also want to thank everyone who came, our remarkable associates from Osaka, Chiang Rai, and Quezon, our wonderful clients who have stuck with us through thick and thin, and our amazing consultants in various fields of energy conservation. Your interest and patronage are very much appreciated.

A great welcome to all our extraordinary employees and staff members, some of whom have worked and grown along our company’s 23-year history. A big welcome, too, to our interns who have recently joined and brightened our corporate offices.

Today marks the 15th annual MPBC and it’s an honor to be a host in this glorious congress. I myself will be staying for the conference’s entirety to learn what I can about sustainable energy systems and their various implications and impact on the future of our planet.

The activities today will include an overview of all the forums, seminars, and exhibits around the MPBC complex. Second, we will have the inauguration of the new bio-dome on the grounds where we will also honor this year’s retirees. The afternoon’s seminars will kick off after lunch, and I encourage you to attend the discussions and learn about our future plans and projects. Finally, I’d like to encourage everyone to help yourselves to the snack stations in the hallway. Refreshments and sandwiches are on us for the duration of the conference.

I won’t keep you long and let’s begin the day. I wish all of you a valuable and wonderful time! Thank you.

Welcome Speech for a Business Workshop

Good afternoon everyone!

I am so pleased to see you all here. Welcome to my workshop, or should I say “our” workshop. I am truly overjoyed and excited about learning together and helping you reach a breakthrough in industry-scale coding practices.

This workshop aims to cover new software and the importance of earning certificates in several computer applications such as VM Suite, Landscape 5.0, and NF Tech.

I hope you’ll learn a lot in the next few hours and I promise to try to make our activities as engaging and hands-on as possible. Good luck and thanks again for participating in our workshop.

Welcome Speech for Office Events

My name is (your name), the (position in the company), and your host for this meeting. To our CEO (title and name of the CEO), (next are the dignitaries for the company hierarchy if any), all the staff members and their loved ones, and our beloved employees. I welcome you all to the (name of the event) of (name of company).

We are here today to honor our employees’ achievements in their respective fields and departments. Your efforts to attain and sustain the standards we keep aren’t unnoticed. This awarding ceremony seeks to remind us about the value and pride we should have in our accomplishments, and the significance of collaboration and teamwork. It is our spirit of community and faith in our abilities that represent the vision of (name of company). May we continue to grow through hard work, accountability, and cooperation.

To start off with our first award, let’s call up (title and position of the presenter), (name of the presenter).

Welcome Speech Samples for Family Functions

Huge family events often have speeches: weddings, birthdays, farewell parties, funerals, anniversaries, and so on. Some of these events normally have hosts and esteemed guests. Here are some tips and samples to inspire you.

Tips on Welcoming the Chief Guest?

If you’re searching for tips on how to make a welcome speech for guest, here are some things you can do:

• When drafting your speech, do the research.
• Highlight the key qualities that are worth mentioning in an opening welcome speech for event.
• Take note of the welcome address speech sample in this article and create a framework from them.
• Look up welcome speech quotes and choose the best one to use somewhere in your speech.
• Greet the chief guest at the event personally and introduce yourself if you don’t know each other.
• Extend your hard for a handshake and smile to express that they are honored and welcome to the event.
• Smile and suggest they are being welcomed.
• Address them formally with the usual Miss or Mr.
• Escort the chief guest before you assume host duties.

Welcoming the Chief Guest with a Short Speech

It’s a great honor to welcome our Chief guest and tonight’s keynote speaker. I was worried at first about how to introduce (title and name of Chief guest) because any introduction would pale in comparison to the reality and immensity of her/his accomplishments.

(Enumerate the main accomplishments of the chief guest).

She/he is the ultimate inspiration for young professionals everywhere who want to succeed in the field of international trade. Here to inspire us with her career journey and all the experiences she accumulated along the day, join me in giving a round of applause to (title and name of chief guest).

Welcoming the Chief Guest (Longer Version of the Speech)

Introducing our next attendee is a great pleasure of mine. When she/he accepted our invitation to be tonight’s Chief guest and keynote speaker, I almost jumped for joy. Then I realized I would naturally receive the task of introducing her/him. At first, this gave me great anxiety. How would I be able to pull it off and deliver an introduction that would give her background justice? Then I thought, no introduction would ever compare, so it was foolish to aim for success when failure is guaranteed. So I decided to just do it. Our chief guest has accomplished the following, to name a few:

As I looked at her/his professional and personal successes, I realized here is a woman/man who was faced many times with the certainty of failure but had given her circumstances a grad twist by attaining success against all odds. Then I thought, perhaps I should aim for success in this speech, after all.

She/he is an inspiration to many, not only for all the fields of expertise she has earned and the extreme success that went with the process, but she/he has also set the benchmark for philanthropy and good deeds. She/he has done this quietly, too, and she/he might strangle me for revealing it to the public. I didn’t even know half of the wonderful things she/he has done for our community before my research.

Without further ado, and here to inspire us with her wisdom and grand skill, join me in welcoming our Chief guest (title and name of chief guest).

Welcome Speech for Parents

Hi everyone!

As host and brother of the groom, I’d like to take this time to introduce the parents of the bride. Without them, my brother wouldn’t be the lucky and happy man he is today. More than that, I have witnessed how they accepted my brother and treated him as a son long before the engagement. I often tag along on family trips and have spent hours of wonderful conversations with them. Apart from my own parents, they are two of the most affectionate and hospitable people I’ve ever met. If I could meet a woman whose parents are just like them, I’d consider myself half as lucky as my brother.

Let’s give a round of applause for (names of the bride’s parents). Thank you for embracing my brother into the fold.

Welcome Speech Samples for National Holidays

Below is a sample of a welcome speech typically delivered during Annual Day. Substitute the appropriate details to match your information and use the framework in other speeches reserved for national holidays.

Welcome Speech for Annual Day

I am overjoyed to have this chance to welcome all of you to our elite institution’s 25th Annual Day. Today’s children are the hope of the next generation. All these graduates we see today, receiving awards for their achievements will go on to lead successful lives. Let them live up to the expectations set before them.

I am very happy to be a member of such an elite school where we learned from such great professors who teach us beyond the boundaries of the ordinary classroom. They’re also the minds and hands behind such a big event every year. I’d like to use this chance to organize such a wonderful event this year. It’s also a great pleasure of mine to introduce our Chief Guest.

Welcome speeches are necessary at events. They usually set the tone or expectations of the people who attended or participated in the occasion. There are many ways in going about delivering a welcome address speech. Review the samples in this article and do your due diligence to craft an outline, framework, or skeleton from the contents that you can use in welcome speeches of your own.

Frequently Asked Questions

A good welcome speech has the following qualities: * It is sincere. * It can hold the attention of the audience. * The ideas don’t ramble. * Welcome address quotes are used. One for a short welcome speech, and 2 for a longer one. Never 3, unless the speaker is trying to be funny. * The contents are relevant to the event. * It has an impressive anecdote. * The length doesn’t exceed 5 minutes.

The last segment of this article contains tips on welcoming chief guests, esteemed guests, or guests of honor. The tips contained here can be divided into things to consider while drafting the welcome speech, and things to do at the event itself when meeting the chief guest.

A simple thank you would suffice. Make sure you reiterate your gratitude. Some welcome speeches can end with a line that welcomes the guest of honor.

Depending on the context, a welcome speech doesn’t always need to be impressive. In some situations, a straightforward introduction is all you need. However, in some circumstances like commencement ceremonies, farewell parties, dinners, and some others, the audience is prepared to listen to long speeches. In this case, the speech needs to catch the attention of the attendees and maintain their interest. An impressive welcome speech often has an emotional element. Not just parroting big words to describe a person’s achievements or flatter them. Try to use humor if you’re funny by nature or if you can deliver the punchline well. Use popular quotes in your speech. Tell anecdotes relevant to the attendees. Or reveal an epiphany. These are how you should draft a welcome speech set to impress.

Make sure that it is relevant to the content of your welcome speech or the point you’re making. You can use phrases such as the following: * According to… * As the old saying goes… * There’s a quote that has always stuck with me… * Events like this always remind me of one of my favorite quotes… Try to find quotes that are unique and not cliche. You can find some in the lyrics of contemporary music, or lines and dialogues from books and movies, and so on.

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How to Write a Great Welcome Speech

Table of Contents

Writing an effective welcome speech is a form of art. It requires a delicate balance of knowledge, wit, charm, and the right dash of emotion to make your audience feel valued and at home.

Knowing how to write a welcome speech that resonates with people and draws them in is no small feat — it takes practice and finesse!

In this article, we’ll delve into the intricacies of writing a successful welcome speech. This will help you confidently greet guests, create lasting impressions, and set the tone for any event.

What Is a Welcome Speech?

A welcome speech is an important part of any event that marks the beginning of a new journey or celebrates a milestone. It sets the tone for the rest of the event and helps create a sense of community amongst guests and participants alike.

A well-crafted welcome speech should have a captivating opening, personalized introductions, acknowledgments, humor, and appreciation for those present. It must also highlight other key elements to ensure that everyone in attendance has an enjoyable experience.

Crafting such a speech can be gratifying as it gives a voice to people’s collective enthusiasm and will help make the event truly special.

Great Tips on How to Write a Welcome Speech

We have compiled some effective tips on how to write a welcome speech that will set the tone and engage the audience. Follow these suggestions and make your speech stand out.

Establish a Connection

Greet the guests at your event with warmth and enthusiasm, welcoming them to the occasion. A few personalized touches can go a long way in making attendees feel welcome and appreciated.

Set the Tone of the Event

Start by thanking everyone for coming, and be sure to use language that reflects the tone of your event. This is especially important if you are having an informal gathering versus a more formal one.

Express Gratitude

Make it a point to thank special guests or anyone who went above and beyond to help make the event possible. Doing so will show how much their efforts were appreciated.

Give an Overview

Summarize what attendees can expect from the event and provide any key information they should know before participating.

Offer Words of Encouragement

Provide encouraging words to guests and remind them why attending this particular event was important to them. Invite them to make the most out of this experience while also stressing the importance of taking some time to relax as well.

End on a High Note

Conclude the speech by wishing everyone a good time. Express your appreciation once again, or provide an inspiring quote that encapsulates the purpose of the gathering. Be sure to thank each person present for being part of the day.

Examples of Effective Welcome Speech

Take inspiration from the examples below to help you write an effective welcome speech based on your requirements.

Example 1: Welcome Speech for a Corporate Event

Good evening everyone, and welcome to our special corporate event. I’d like to start by introducing myself; my name is [Name], and I’m honored to be here with all of you today.

I would like to extend a warm greeting to our esteemed guests who joined us this evening. Your presence truly makes this night that much more special. It’s great to see such a lively audience here tonight!

As we begin, let me remind each of us how essential it is to include the various perspectives gathered in this room. Only when we come together can we form solutions tailored to fit each individual’s needs.

So without further ado, let’s get started on making this an unforgettable night. Thank you for being here!

Example 2: Welcome Speech for a Church Event

Greetings and welcome to our church event! Let us take a moment to express gratitude for the many blessings and the special opportunity to come together like this today.

We are delighted to introduce you to the amazing speaker who will be presenting here today. He is an individual with vast knowledge of the topic at hand. He has graciously agreed to work with us and share their wisdom with us.

I’m sure by the end of the presentation, we’ll be feeling invigorated, enlightened, and ready to put into practice what we have learned today. So let’s show appreciation for this good fortune, and bid our guest a warm welcome!

Example 3: Welcome Speech for a Cultural Event

Greetings, everyone! Welcome to our cultural event of the evening!

I want to thank all of you for coming here today and participating in this unique experience. I am confident all of us will leave with an appreciation for our cultures and a better understanding of how similar we truly are.

This is a great opportunity to learn about different customs and traditions from around the world. With luck, skill, and hard work, this year could bring success to our mission of global unity through shared experiences.

Good luck to everyone who is showcasing their talent or displaying traditional artifacts! We are eager to witness your ingenuity and creativity. Like all meaningful endeavors, there will be challenges along the way, but the rewards will outweigh them if we work together.

So let’s make sure that this cultural event succeeds by collaborating effectively and celebrating each other’s differences!

Example 4: Welcome Speech for a Fundraising Event

Good evening everyone. I am honored to be here on this very special occasion! Let’s all take a moment to show our respect for the people who have come together tonight with one common purpose. That is – raising funds for an incredibly important cause.

I want to welcome each and every one of you warmly in a formal manner to this function which we are hosting annually. As many of us know, the money raised tonight will go toward helping those affected by natural disasters in our own country. We need your help to make this event successful so we can continue providing aid in the upcoming year.

So let’s make tonight count and work together to reach our fundraising goals! Thank you again for joining us; it is truly appreciated.

Example 5: Welcome Speech for a College Event

Good evening everyone! I am excited to welcome you all to the annual college event tonight. It has been my privilege and joy to be a part of this school and see the amazing students come through each year. So it is a special night when we get together to celebrate our achievements!

I want to take a moment to recognize the incredible job our staff has done in the past year. They helped us focus on improving our skills and growing as individuals. Our faculty members are some of the best around, and they are truly committed to seeing every student reach their highest potential.

Finally, let’s not forget why we’re all here: to have fun and enjoy the company of friends. We’ve worked hard and deserve a break, so with that said, join me in celebrating another successful year for our college. Enjoy the rest of the evening!

This article explains how to write a welcome speech effectively, along with examples. Nail your welcome speech by making it personal, informative, friendly, and outgoing.

The key to a great welcome speech is a brief and well-crafted introduction. As the first speaker, it is important that you establish rapport with your audience. It will leave them in a positive and receptive mood , leading to a successful event for everyone present.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Make Your Welcome Speech A Verbal Handshake

A welcome speech is a short speech that greets attendees and sets the tone for an event. It can be instructional, informative, persuasive, or inspirational, as the speaker gets the audience interested in the event, makes them feel welcome, and gives them an overview of what to expect.

Whether you attend a wedding, a conference, or the spring concert at your kid’s school, you can expect the first order of business to be a welcome speech. The host or their representative will kick off the event with opening remarks or a welcome address to make the audience feel at home.

The welcome speech should be the verbal equivalent of a handshake!

This speech serves a bigger purpose than simply welcoming people to the event, as there are often pieces of information about the schedule that those in attendance would want to know before the function starts. How do you write a great welcome speech? Let us help you!

Table of Contents

What Is A Typical Welcome Speech?

The basics of speech writing apply to a welcome speech. Like most speeches, it has three main components: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.

• Greeting:  First, greet everyone in attendance and then introduce yourself to the audience and begin setting the event’s tone.
• Body:  In the body of the speech, provide important information, set the tone for the events, or warm up the audience. You might also introduce the first speaker, in which case you discuss that person’s credentials.
• Conclusion:  Your welcome speech might send participants to various sessions or usher in the first speaker.

What Is The Purpose Of A Welcome Speech?

Unlike most other speeches that have a life of their own with a topic, a welcome speech serves the rest of the program.

You want people to feel welcome attending an event. Telling people that it is with “great pleasure” that you welcome them to an event starts things off on a positive note.

An excellent welcome speech then warms up the audience for what is about to occur, whether that is a keynote speech, breakout sections for a conference, or a special event.

When Does The Welcome Speech Take Place?

Welcome speeches open up many events.

• Annual Functions. At events such as   a church picnic, company annual meeting, or corporate data retreat, the opening speech would be a welcome and an explanation of what will occur at the event.

• Award Ceremonies. At award shows such as the Oscars or other huge televised events or a collegiate sports award banquet, a master or mistress of ceremonies may welcome guests and tell the order of what’s to follow. and introduce the first presenter.
• Church Welcome Speech.  Many churches welcome anyone to visit and see what they are all about. They may have an informal greeting for visitors and special guests. One church I visited invited all guests or new people to stop by a welcome table for a small gift of a coffee mug and devotional.

• Commencement . Graduation ceremonies warmly welcome the graduates and attendees before diplomas are presented..
• Conference. Welcome speeches set the right tone for a conference, lets attendees know what’s next and who the first speaker is.
• Corporate events . A formal event such as a data retreat or an informal occasion like a yearly celebration picnic will include a short welcome speech.
• Special Events .  Milestone birthdays, anniversaries, religious ceremonies, etc., may have a person welcoming guests.

How Do You Start A Welcome Speech?

A welcome speech starts by acknowledging the time of day by simply saying “Good morning,” “Good afternoon,” or “Good evening.”

You then state how happy you are to be offering the welcome to whatever the event is. An example is to say, “My name is (name), and I am thrilled to have been given the honor of welcoming all of you distinguished guests who have assembled here today.”

When welcoming guests at a wedding, you could start out by saying, “We are so grateful to all of the friends, family members, and other loved ones who have come to share in (bride) and (groom’s) special day.”

Keeping it Warm

Sometimes, the opening speaker wants to ensure that people feel the environment is warm and inviting. In addition to choosing words that sound inviting and welcoming, such as “it is our pleasure” and “we are so thrilled that you all could make it today,” body language is essential.

Smiling is the first thing that will help ease anxiety and leave people feeling at ease. Also, avoid crossing your arms in front of your body, as that can make you appear closed off or angry. Making eye contact and focusing on smiling when you speak couple together to create a warm environment as you welcome guests.

Tips For A Welcome Speech?

Some of these tips are specific to giving a welcome speech, and others are just good practice for any form of public speaking.

• Eye Contact:  There are better ways to give a strong speech than reading right off of a piece of paper. Look up at the audience periodically to offer eye contact.
• Practice:   The more you practice, the better your speech will sound. One can practice in front of a mirror, with friends, or even by making a video and watching it yourself.
• Remember the Purpose:  Why are these particular people assembled on this day? Acknowledging why everyone is in the same room is a good way to help you frame your speech’s contents.
• Time:  Talk to the person heading up the event to learn how long you should speak. Only talk as long as they have invited you to speak. Remember quality over quantity.
• Word Choice:  Once you have given the purpose of the event thought, you can move on and decide what type of language is more appropriate. For a professional conference or commencement, formal language would fit in best. However, informal language would be preferred if you are welcoming wedding guests.

A former English teacher and currently an elementary principal in a rural school, Pam has honed her speaking skills in the classroom and before professional groups. Pam enjoys sharing her insights about public speaking almost as much as she enjoys running, which she does daily.

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How to prepare cream for cake: 14 steps, 3 easy ways to open a psd file on android, 4 ways to prevent land pollution, 11 easy ways to make a girl happy over text, 3 ways to wash doll hair, how to do a jedi braid: 13 steps, how to adjust your lantus dose: 13 steps, 9 ways to help postnasal drip at night, 3 ways to dispose of a microwave, how to write a welcome speech: 11 steps.

A well-crafted welcome speech can set the tone for an event and make attendees feel at ease from the beginning. By following these 11 steps, you can write a memorable welcome speech that will engage and inspire your audience.

1. Know Your Audience: Understanding your audience is the most important aspect of crafting a great welcome speech. Determine who they are, why they are present, and what their expectations might be.

2. Set a Warm Tone: Begin your speech with a friendly and welcoming tone to make your audience feel comfortable and at ease. A smile and open body language can help convey this message effectively.

3. Start with a Strong Opening Line: The opening line of your speech should grab the audience’s attention and encourage them to listen closely. Be creative and ensure that it sets the tone for the rest of your address.

4. Introduce Yourself: Briefly introduce yourself to the audience, including your name, title, or role in the event. This helps build trust and credibility with your listeners.

5. Express Your Gratitude: Thank everyone for attending the event, acknowledging any special guests or dignitaries present. Show genuine appreciation for their time and efforts.

6. Introduce the Purpose of the Event: Clearly explain the purpose or theme of the event so attendees know what to expect from it. Be sure to highlight any objectives or goals as well as who will be participating in this event.

7. Share Relevant Information: Provide some background information about how the event came about or any important facts that may be interesting or informative for your audience.

8. Keep It Short and Simple (KISS): A welcome speech should not go on for too long; keep it concise and focused on delivering key messages effectively.

9. Add Humor (If Appropriate): A bit of light humor can help break the ice and make your welcome speech more engaging but ensure that it is in good taste and appropriate for the audience and event.

10. End on a High Note: Finish your speech with an inspiring or thought-provoking statement to encourage your audience to actively participate in the event or make the most out of their experience.

11. Practice Makes Perfect: Rehearse your speech multiple times, ideally in front of a mirror or with someone you trust who can provide constructive feedback. This will help build your confidence and ensure a smooth delivery.

By following these 11 steps, you can craft a powerful and engaging welcome speech that leaves a lasting impression on your audience and sets the stage for a successful event.

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7 Steps to Write a Welcome Speech in English

A warm welcome speech can make it easier to set the tone for an event. Your welcome speech decides how warm and enthusiastic the event is going to be. Thus, do not mind doing a couple of extra practices. Also, your welcome speech can be as simple or as formal as the situation demands. In the following guide, we will discuss some tips to help you warmly welcome your audience and chief guests. Furthermore, we will look at some welcome speech examples.

Also Read: Welcome Speech for School Opening Day in English

Best Welcome Speech Steps

If your school or college has chosen you to present a welcome speech, it is because they trust you. Therefore, it is your foremost responsibility to show them that you deserve their trust by honoring the guest out in the event.

Before you step on the stage, you should know that you need the following elements.

• Humility : On the stage, try to act humbly to please your audience and guests.
• Names of the guests and their correct pronunciation : Double check all the names and their correct pronunciations.
• Topics to discuss : You should have a list of topics you are going to discuss during the event.
• Purpose of the event : Most importantly, you should be aware of the purpose of the event. Also, gather enough information about the event and past related occurrences.

Initially, once you have stood behind the podium, try to have a careful look around. If there are not a lot of people, check who is sitting where. This makes it easier to address people properly later during the event.

If there is a huge audience, just check out the people you will need to address later. This is important because it gives you confidence and awareness.

Now that you are confident enough about your environment, you are good to go. So, you can begin with a warm smile and a polite tone. First, introduce yourself and thank your audience for coming. Be humble and speak for a couple of minutes thanking and welcoming your guests.

For instance,

Good morning/ Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is wonderful to have you all on this wonderful day. It is me (insert name of the host), your host for today. On behalf of our respected principle (name of the principal) and my team, I am pleased to welcome you all to our auspicious event. I welcome dear parents , respected teachers and our guests. And I hope we will have a good time together.

Then, address each special guest, take their names and pay tribute to their achievements. You can share stories that link you and the guest. But remember to take their permission before. If they do not feel comfortable in sharing the story, do not share.

Also, remember to double check the guests’ names, facts, and figures about them. And most importantly, check the correct pronunciation of your guests’ names.

To make any event happen, there are contributions of various people and groups. After welcoming your guests, you should thank those who have contributed to making the event possible.

These people range from the organizers of the event to the people backstage working hard to make everything look perfect. Furthermore, if it is not possible to take each person’s name, take the names of their group only. But thank them for their contribution.

Once you have thanked your audience for their presence and your team for their contribution, brace the purpose or goal of your event. Tell them why you all have gathered here that day. How the purpose of the event effects you and them. And how can you contribute something good to the purpose of the event.

Share your personal view and hopes about the event and the purpose of the event. Besides, you can share your personal experiences about the topic of the day unless it does not make your event boring.

Lastly, end your speech by wishing all your audience an enjoyable day. Let them know that you enjoy and appreciate their presence. Also, thank them for listing to you. For example,

Thank you so much for having me. I am extremely delighted and honored to be amongst the galaxy of intellectuals such as yours. It is an extremely beautiful day and I am happy to be sharing it with you.

Then, introduce the next person and leave with a warm smile on your face.

Related: Anchoring Script For Welcoming Guests In The Function

Additional Welcome Speech Tips

Alongside the above steps for a welcome speech, there are some easy but beneficial tips I would like to share.

• Your welcome speech should be polite and predictable. Besides, avoid being benign and boring.
• Begin with a powerful and passionate introduction to grab your audience attention. Then, keep their attention throughout the event.
• Your beliefs and hopes about the event should be crystal clear with your welcome speech.
• Also, let your audience know why you are the person who should be welcoming them.
• Storytelling can be a great tool to keep your audience attentive throughout the event. So, tell them stories they can relate to.

A good welcome speech can help you make the perfect environment for your event. Learn the best way to welcome your guests’ step by step with additional tips.

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How to Write a Welcome Speech | Academic Conference Edition

Have you ever been to a conference where the welcome speech left you wanting more information or didn’t make you excited for what’s to come? Yikes! You may not be alone in that sentiment.

But were you invited to give the welcome speech for the upcoming conference you’re attending, and want to do a better job? Fun stuff, congratulations!

We can’t take the conference jitters away, but we can help you learn about welcome speeches and how to write one in this article. In the end, you’ll see how Orvium helps the research community prepare for a conference.

What is a Welcome Speech?

A welcome speech (or address) sets the tone for a conference or event. The speech must describe what’s to come and get everyone excited for the event and feel welcome. It should also create an appropriate environment for knowledge sharing.

Anyone can deliver a welcome speech, but a minimum of excellent presentation skills, fun and creative demeanor, and the ability to be personable are major pluses. If you haven’t given a speech of this caliber before, remember that preparing your notes, writing your speech, and delivering it are all a part of the process . Practice makes perfect.

An excellent welcome speech will unite the audience, helping them come together for a common purpose.

See some examples of welcome speeches here , and learn how to write your own below.

How to Write a Welcome Speech for a Conference

1. get the event focus and tone right.

Since a welcome speech sets the tone for a conference or event, you must ensure it’s informative and interesting. While thinking about this, decide whether or not you’ll use formal or informal language . How you choose, structure, and deliver your words matters. These all come together to create the “tone”.

To decide between formal and informal language for your welcome speech, consult the graph below:

Typically, you’ll want to use formal language for a conference (but not overly formal) depending on your audience demographics and ensure everyone can understand you. A welcome speech has the following structure:

• opening and welcome
• theme and main topics
• outcome (or agenda)
• thank yous (to attendees, sponsors, volunteers, vendors, speakers, etc.)
• a closing statement.

Pro tip : you want to connect with your audience, grab their attention, and get them excited about the event, so start with a strong but warm opening. Don’t mention everyone involved throughout your speech, as that can get lengthy; instead, mention the essential speakers, organizations, associations, or volunteers. Finally, end the speech on a good note to get everyone excited with stats and pertinent information, such as:

• the high number of attendees
• any high-impact research that will be shown
• the different represented countries
• the variety of covered topics.

If you don’t know where to start, follow this welcome speech planner and read the information below.

2. Take Notes and Draft an Outline

From our Full Guide to Planning an Academic Conference, you know that your welcome speech must add value to the conference , just as each keynote and session speaker does. To do so, research (and reach out to) essential participants (keynote, session speakers, vendors, etc.) to make sure you know what kind of approach you can take with your speech. Humor works in the right circumstances, but you must spend time thinking it through; not all jokes will be taken lightly, and you want to avoid any misunderstandings.

Remember, your goal is to unite and bring together like-minded individuals who all have a common purpose, that of advancing and sharing knowledge .

In your notes or outline, you’ll want to include the following steps:

• Welcome the audience - use a clear and strong voice to welcome all attendees and grab their attention.
• an example of an informal greeting: “Hello and welcome, everyone!”
• an example of a formal greeting: “Good evening to all attendees. It’s wonderful to see you all.”
• Introduce the event - say the event’s name, purpose, and age or history (if it’s a repeat event or conference), and talk a bit about the event’s organization.
• Mention any distinguished guests - ensure you get their names, affiliations, and credentials correct.
• State the main topics - the main topics are the attendees’ common interests, so you may choose to present a specific subject within the field selected that year.
• Outline the agenda - mention whether there’ll be sessions with specific poster presentations, (sub)topics, or areas and spaces to exchange and discuss ideas or network. Direct attendees to the conference website, content management tool , or brochure for schedule specifics.
• Motivate everyone - highlight any conference strengths and warmly introduce the first speaker or entertainment.

Important to note : for virtual events, ensure that attendees can see and hear you clearly and look up from your notes or outline often.

3. Write Your Speech

As you’re finalizing your notes or draft, ensure that your speech is around the five-minute mark to avoid boredom or giving the audience too much information right off the bat (to not take away from any speakers). Consult with the organizing committee about a time frame, as the length of the speech can vary from conference to conference.

Pro tip : add individual greetings as necessary for special guests, speakers, or sponsors.

4. Rehearse Your Speech

Once you’ve done the necessary research, outlined, and written your welcome speech, it’s time to rehearse it a few times to familiarize yourself with your speech. Read it out loud and practice it with colleagues or friends to get their input and feedback on areas of possible improvement.

However, don’t over-rehearse your speech . You want to still sound natural, not robotic or like you’re reading a script.

Again, ensure you know how to pronounce everyone’s name and credentials as you’re rehearsing, and practice making enough eye contact with the audience or specific attendees as you’re speaking.

Orvium Makes You Feel Welcome

No one can take the nerves of giving the opening speech at a conference away; however, Orvium can make it less nerve-wracking. If you’re having trouble finding colleagues or like-minded individuals to review your speech outline and give you feedback, you can reach out to one of the Orvium communities to get to know other people in the field.

Who knows, maybe you’ll meet members and form friendships that’ll last a lifetime.

As for giving your welcome speech, remember to get the tone right, keep it brief, and don’t make it overly formal (unless absolutely necessary). Also, a smile and a lot of eye contact go a long way . Let’s get people excited about new scientific discoveries!  Want to see more of what we do? Check out our platform to discover what matters to you.

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Roberto Rabasco

+10 years’ experience working for Deutsche Telekom, Just Eat or Asos. Leading, designing and developing high-availability software solutions, he built his own software house in '16

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Short Welcome Speech

“Greetings and Salutations to each and every one of you. My name is Mr. John Smith and I welcome you all to this amazing event.” Now, did that sound familiar? Making welcome speeches for any type of event whether it is for school activities, welcoming important people or even during an important meeting with new people. Don’t worry, this article is going to help you with making a good short welcome speech for an event, for school or for welcoming a chief guest. You are going to get some examples, basically 10+ examples for short welcome speeches, and some tips on making a good short welcome speech and how to present it. Check it out right now.

10+ Short Welcome Speech Examples

1. short welcome celebration speech.

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2. Formal Short Welcome Speech

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3. Short Welcome Chief Guest Speech

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4. Sample Short Welcome Speech

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5. Short Welcome Conference Speech

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6. Short Welcome Speech Format

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7. Short Welcome Dinner Speech

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8. Short Welcome Directors Speech

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9. Short Welcome Education Speech

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10. Short Welcome Governor Speech

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11. Short Welcome Speech Example

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The Definition of a Welcome Speech

A welcome speech as the name suggests, is a type of speech that is mostly given by the host or hosts at the beginning of an event or a ceremony. This is where the speaker is showing some gratitude and appreciation for the people who took their time to attend the event. Welcome speeches are mostly used in school events, church events, wedding events, or any type of event that a lot of people attend too.

The Importance of Welcome Speeches

One of the most important things to remember when making welcome speeches is the fact that this is your way of captivating your audiences. This may depend on how well you deliver the speech to draw your audience in to listen. Another thing to remember is that a welcome speech should not be too long or too short. Not too short to forget to mention your guests, nor too long that it drags on.

Tips to Write Short Welcome Speeches

As we all know, welcome speeches can either turn boring or fun, depending on how they are prepared. Nobody wants to hear a speech that is too boring or too long. So to avoid issues like that, here are some tips to write short welcome speeches, followed by tips to present your short welcome speeches.

Tips for writing short welcome speeches

• Prepare – start by simply preparing. The question here is to prepare what. Start by thinking about what you want to write. What event are you attending that needs a short introduction?
• Draft – the next thing you should do is to make a draft of your welcome speech. Start with the important details. For example, if you are attending a church event , remember to write the names of the important people. If you are attending a graduation event, the honored guests’ names must be written as well.
• Choice of Words – Pick your words carefully when writing a short welcome speech. Add some lively details to it but also keep it simple. You are only welcoming people and thanking them for coming . The welcome speech is not used as the main course, but merely an appetizer to the whole event.
• Revise – After you have written it down, check your whole speech. Make sure the details are there as well as the correct spelling and word usage.
• Tone – The tone of your writing should match the event you are attending. If it is a lively event, make it as lively as possible, if it is a depressing event, make sure it is as well.

Tips on presenting your welcome speech

• Voice – Your voice should not be too loud nor too soft. Rather, it is enough to be heard from the back.
• Practice – Practice on doing your speech before the actual event. Ask someone to give you feedback on how well you presented yourself and work from there.
• Maintain Eye Contact – remember when talking to people you must make eye contact. Let your audience feel you are happy to see them attend the event.
• Posture – How you bring yourself when making the welcome speech can say a lot of things. So it is best to stand up straight, be confident, and welcome your guests with a smile.

How many paragraphs does it take to make a short welcome speech?

Just one short paragraph. Welcome speeches are not supposed to be too long or too short. A simple 4 to 5 sentences will do, as long as the necessary details are there.

Is there a shortcut to making welcome speeches?

There is no shortcut but with practice you are able to be good at it in no time.

How do I make my short welcome speech less boring?

Watch your tone, your word usage and how you present yourself and when you read your welcome speech.

“Greetings ladies and gentlemen” this may not be much of a head turner, but it’s a start. How you present your welcome speech also matters. Being familiar with the tips on writing and the tips of giving the speech may help you in the long run. There are no shortcuts to making the best speeches, but with a lot of practice and experiences, giving welcome speeches would be a breeze.

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Wedding Welcome Speech: Tips for Expressing Gratitude and Joy

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Being mandated with the duty to give wedding welcoming speeches is an honor. It means you share a stronger bond with the couple than many others present. But the anxiety and subtle confusion that comes with giving a welcome speech almost take out the fun.

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To help calm your nerves and slay to perfection in this important event of your life, we’ve brought tips. In this post, you’ll find guides on how to start and give speeches to inspire you.

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Wedding Welcome Speeches Examples

There are different kinds of wedding ceremony speech samples. This is because although the bride’s father is traditionally the host, things are changing. The maid of honor, the best man, the groom himself, very close buddies, and anyone, can give the introduction to wedding welcoming speeches. And you’ll find beautifully crafted speech samples online.

“Hi, I’m (name) and it’s time for me to do this speech I scribbled down about an hour before the ceremony started.”

“My name is (name) and it’s an honour to be here today as (groom)’s best man.”

“Thank you for joining us today on such a wonderful occasion.”

“Welcome to _____ & _____ wedding reception! I am (name). Please take your seats so we can officially welcome our guests of honor.”

“Friends and Family of the _____ and _____, welcome and thank you for being here on this important day. We are gathered together to celebrate the very special love between _____ and _____, by joining them in marriage.”

“Good evening, welcome to this most important moment in the lives of this couple. We invite you to leave behind the worries and concerns of every day life and join us in the celebration of their marriage.”

“Today is a celebration. A celebration of love, of commitment, of friendship, of family, and of two people who are in it for forever.”

“We have been invited here today to witness and celebrate the uniting in marriage of _____ and _____. They are taking the first step of their new beginning; their new life together.”

“Hello and welcome! May your hearts be glad and your spirits be light. For every thing there is a season and a time for every purpose under Heaven. Now is the time for a wedding.”

“Hello everyone and welcome. Thank you for joining us on this day of gladness and good fortune. _____ and _____ are coming together to publicly proclaim their undying love through the celebration of their marriage. So we are all here to learn about loving and being loved, and to watch the miracle of love exchanged enriches every one of us.”

“Hi! My name is _____. We have come together – families and friends – to witness _____ and _____ as they exchange their vows of marriage. “We share with them their delight in finding love with each other, and support their decision to be together from now until the end of time.

Done! You’ve got the best wedding welcome speech! But wait, there’s more!

Wedding Reception Welcome Speech

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us on this magical day. Your presence makes this celebration truly special. Here’s to love, laughter, and unforgettable moments. Let the festivities begin! Cheers!

Friends and family, your smiles light up the room. Thank you for sharing in our joy. Today is a celebration of love, laughter, and cherished moments. Let’s make memories that last a lifetime. Cheers to all of you!

To our dear guests, your presence fills our hearts with happiness. Thank you for being part of our love story. As we gather for this reception, let’s savor the joy, create memories, and dance the night away. Cheers to love and togetherness!

Wedding Welcome Speech Tips

Wedding introduction speeches can make even the boldest person nervous. So nervous that you either forget your lines or don’t know how to start. Below are a few tips to help you start great wedding welcoming speeches.

• Introduce yourself

Don’t step on stage with the false pride that everyone knows you. Because there are lots of guests who need a fresh reminder of who you are. Always introduce yourself and keep it short. Don’t go on and on, it could get boring. You may also start with witty one-liners. They are ice breakers.

Crafting warm and inviting opening lines to engage the audience. Importance of expressing gratitude and acknowledging the guests’ presence.

As we gather on this joyous occasion, let the warmth of our shared smiles illuminate the room. In the embrace of love, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to each one of you, dear guests, for gracing us with your presence today. Your smiles are the most beautiful decorations, and your presence adds a unique melody to this celebration of love. Let us embark on this journey of joy and togetherness, united by the bonds of love and friendship. Welcome, and thank you for being a part of this extraordinary moment.

• Make eye contact

Making eye contact signifies confidence. Don’t look to the ground when giving a welcome speech. Look in the audience instead as it helps you comment. Roam around with your eyes and keep contact with specific persons for a few seconds. It makes everyone feel included.

• Go with notes or cue cards

At the time of giving the speech, you may be quite stressed out or have your mind on other things. While it’s beautiful to say your speech off heart, the brains could play a trick on you. So always have a paper on hand. If you don’t want to write it out flat, then go with cue cards that act as reminders for your next line or paragraph.

• Skip drinks

If possible, skip the drinks until after the welcome speech is over. You have enough time to celebrate. In other cases, it could be some Dutch courage you’re seeking. Still, skip the drink and use a mock audience backstage instead. Filling your head with drinks just before a speech will mess everything up for you. From incoherence to uncoordinated acts and possible misbehavior.

You could say all the funny jokes and witty one-liners. But if you’re not genuine, there’s no way of hiding it. Put some heart in your speech. Don’t give the welcome speech like an obligation. Do it as something you’re delighted at doing for someone who means the world to you.

• Keep it short

Remember you’re giving the first speech out of many. There are still other activities on the program which must fly. So keep it short, straight the point and informative. It should last 10 minutes at the maximum. This sums up to about 1,000 words when written.

• Mention the spouse

Don’t focus only on your half of the couple. Mention their spouse and praise them.

• Closing Remark

Encouraging other speakers to follow with their toasts or speeches.Emphasizing the importance of creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.

As we conclude this welcome speech, let us extend a warm invitation to other speakers to share their toasts and speeches. Each word spoken contributes to the tapestry of this celebration. Remember, the key is to create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, where every expression of love and joy finds a place. Let us build on the warmth and camaraderie, making this wedding a truly memorable and inclusive experience for all. Cheers to love, laughter, and beautiful moments ahead!

Crafting the Perfect Wedding Welcome Speech Guide

Welcome to our guide on crafting an exceptional wedding welcome speech! In this guide, we’ll explore the importance of a welcome speech, who traditionally delivers it, and the ideal moment to present this warm introduction.

Is a Wedding Welcome Speech Necessary?

A wedding welcome speech is more than just a formality—it sets the tone for the entire celebration. It expresses gratitude to guests, creating a warm atmosphere and enhancing the overall experience. It’s a thoughtful touch that makes everyone feel valued.

Who Does the Wedding Welcome Speech?

Typically, the honor of delivering the welcome speech falls to a key figure such as the bride’s or groom’s parents, the master of ceremonies, or a close friend or family member. Whoever takes the stage should be someone who can convey warmth, gratitude, and excitement.

When Should You Give a Wedding Welcome Speech?

The wedding welcome speech is ideally delivered at the beginning of the reception, just before the festivities kick off. It ensures that everyone feels welcomed and sets a positive vibe for the rest of the celebration. This opportune moment allows guests to settle in, creating a seamless transition into the joyous occasion.

How To Deliver A Wedding Welcome Speech?

There’s really no ‘one size fits all’ to delivering welcome wedding speeches. But there are some “holy grails” that must never be quite neglected. Follow these tips and you’d deliver a welcome wedding speech no one will forget.

• Start with something funny

The truth is weddings are solemn and the guests may not be over the ceremony yet. It might take an effort for them to listen to you. Their ears were not made for you after all. So if you want to get them interested, start with something funny.

• Harvest the good memories

Do you have some personal experience with the couple? Then narrate it. If you’re closer to one of them, share sweet memories. The guests will be well delighted to know a little more about the couple they’ve come to celebrate.

• Give well wishes and advice

The good memories are in the past and they’re about building a future together. So why not give them some bricks in the form of advice? Also, encourage and cheer them up.

• Say thank you

Best Welcome Speech for Wedding

“Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, welcome to this beautiful celebration of love. Your presence here makes this day even more special, and we’re thrilled to share these joyous moments with you.”

What to Say to Welcome at a Wedding

“Good [morning/afternoon/evening], everyone! On behalf of [Couple’s Names], I extend a warm welcome to each of you. Thank you for gracing us with your presence on this joyous occasion.”

Best Opening Line for a Wedding Speech

“As we gather here today to celebrate the union of two incredible souls, let us embark on a journey of love, laughter, and cherished memories. Welcome, and let the festivities begin!”

Wedding speeches are as interesting as you make them. These are wedding welcoming speeches that could make guests howl with laughter or shed a tear. Regardless of who gives the wedding welcome speeches, there are guides to help you pull it off. Thus, we’ve rounded off tips and samples to keep you inspired as you prepare your wedding welcome speech .

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70 Short Welcome Speech Samples To Address any Event

May 3, 2022

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A big hello to my chivalrous crowd. How about that for a mind-altering beginning to Short Welcome Speech Samples ? Welcome – the most paramount gesture to make your guest feel attended and addressed and respected! Yes, the host is loaded with uncountable responsibilities to make their guests feel special and counted on. And all of it starts with a nice, heart-warming “#Velkommen” that you mark the event and tell what that day is all about. If you are preparing for an event and need someone to tell you that you are doing great, let it be you. Check on this list of Powerful Quotes to Boost Your Self Confidence , It helped me a lot, see if it could do a little magic for you as well.

Feeling stuck and not being able to find just the right words to introduce events is so irritating that it could make you smash your own head (by personal experiences; wink). A welcome could either cheer them up or make them leave the event and rather have cozy sleep at home . Martin Luther King, in 1943, delivered a speech “I have a dream” and that still doesn’t fail to inspire people.

Short Welcome Speech Samples To Address any Event

Welcome speech for annual day.

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I am extremely overwhelmed to get this opportunity to address you all on this auspicious occasion of 50th Annual day of our elite institution. Children are the future of tomorrow. All these students we witness today, receiving honours for their talents will grow up to be the responsible citizens of tomorrow. May they grow up to make us proud and achieve the highest human values.

I feel proud to be a part of such an elite institution where we are taught by such great teachers, whose teaching goes beyond the classroom. Also, they are the ones to be thanked for organizing such a huge function. We all have assembled here today, today to motivate and cherish the young minds present among us. Apart from it, this is a great occasion to welcome our Chief Guest of today.

Welcome of the Chief Guest

On behalf of the school, I welcome our chief guest Mr. James, who is a dean of the most renowned institution functioning under the government of India. She is working towards connecting young minds to strive toward success and achievement. We are grateful to him for accepting our invitation and becoming a chief guest of today’s event.

Our chief guest doesn’t require an introduction as he is a well-recognised figure in our city. She is known for his wonderful administration and high achievements of the Institution she is in charge of. Apart from this, she is a Philanthropist and renders selfless services to society. She has moulded the life of students and served people with her kindness.

We are so honoured to have her as the Chief guest for the evening. I am certain that all the parents present here are also moved and assuredly want their children to be like him.

Welcoming Parents

Parents are the world for children. Not to overlook that we are here, joined by the wonderful parents who have raised the best students this school possesses. With immense admiration and affection, we welcome all the parents who made the efforts to join this ceremony.

At last, I would like to thank all the teachers, other staff members and all the students present here to make this ceremony worthwhile.

Welcome Speech for Freshers Party

Good Morning to everyone present here!

We all have gathered here today on the occasion of a Fresher’s party. Welcoming people is part of Indian culture, followed for centuries. We maintain this custom and welcome today the fresh faces in the college with a fresher’s party.

I thank all my teachers and everyone who gave me this opportunity to welcome all my fresher’s today. It’s a moment of great pleasure for me to welcome you all.

My dear friends, studying in our institution is pure joy, the professors, students, and other staff members are an epitome of compassion and we are quite sure you will be perplexed by their sagacity.

All in all, I would like to say that you have made an absolutely secure decision to be a part of this institution. Our college welcomes all the students joining us today. I hope all of you will operate along with the values of the college and magnify its reputation at every go of life.

Now, I will halt my words and start with the programmes for the day which includes some astounding performances by the students of our college.

I guarantee, your next few hours will be delightful and memorable. Thank you for being a patient audience and hearing my thoughts.

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Welcome Speech for a Farewell Party

I welcome you all on this occasion of the farewell party, for which we have assembled here today.

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who gave me this opportunity to welcome all my seniors and teachers on this memorable occasion.

School life is undoubtedly the best phase of life for everyone. Our parents, teachers and friends all have made this phase of life so memorable for us. We learned so many things, from our inspiring teachers. Made mistakes, made memories with friends, and whatnot. It was a long journey in itself.

Today marks the end of this school life of sweet and bitter moments to cherish all our lives. We do feel a touch of sadness but it is the nature of life, to move forward. So, today we will celebrate this moment with our beloved teachers and friends to bid a good farewell to all who have to leave now, with a smiling face.

Welcome Speech for College Function

Good Morning to all!

Honourable Chief Guest Mr. Swamy, Principal Sir Dr. Reddy, Staff Members, and all the students present here. I welcome you all to the annual function of our esteemed college.

My name is Lakshita Kumar, a student of B.Sc. and also a secretary of cultural programs organized under our college authority.

I feel extremely proud to announce that our elite college has completed 25 years and we all have gathered today to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the same. Behind huge success over the years are the dedicated teachers, motivated students, and helpful staff who give their best to make the college achieve great heights of success.

Also, It is a great honour for me to pronounce that today we are joined by a lady who hardly needs an introduction. She is well known for her work in educating poor children. Besides, he is a published and extensively read author of the contemporary world. (the title of his book) is one of her treasures that have gained a huge international acknowledgment.

Moreover, she is extremely loved and respected by her readers which include the youth population of the country, whom she has influenced the most with her writing. With that being said, let us call upon none other than Miss/ Mrs. (name of the chief guest).”

Welcome Speech for Teachers Day

Respected Principal Sir, Teachers and dear students!

We welcome you all today, to celebrate this auspicious occasion of teacher’s day. We celebrate teacher’s day every year on 5th September, to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

Teachers are our ideals. They inspire us each day and make us strive towards the route of success. They equip us with the power of knowledge and propel us with endless wisdom to become better citizens of the future.

On that note, I would now like to invite our Principal mam on the stage and to deliver her thoughts on the day.

Welcome Speech for Children’s Day

Good Morning Everyone!

We welcome all the students as we celebrate Children’s day today.

It is true, the imagination of a child is incomparable. Children are a creation of God and their smile is irresistible to not make us smile alone. Their innocence is overwhelming.

For children, school is a second home and teachers are equivalent to the parents in times when students need them the most. This day is celebrated with many events which cannot be possible without the contribution of our lovely teachers.

Thanking you all, I would like to start the events for the day without any further delay. 

It is simply not possible for everyone to come up with the right kind of words to use in a welcome speech. It is something that one has to plan and think about so that the right tone is set for the person you are welcoming to make his or her speech. Plus care has to be taken to ensure that none of the vital details are missed but at the same time, the speech cannot be too long. It is not as simple as writing a heart melting long distance relationship quote and requires a lot more consideration.

Focus on the FOCUS and TONE While Delivering the Introductory Speech For an Event

Understanding the basic idea and being able to think about the feel is really important in order to make the listener feel connected. Make sure they don’t yawn or even doesn’t end up rolling on the floor laughing too! Your speech should be making them feel eager to know what going to come up next. If at all it is the professional conference that you are conducting, you can’t pour in too much fun in your speech but a family function demands the same. Choosing tone and focus on how you talk to the audience will vary with the different types of event. Decide if its “Howz it going peepz?” event or “Blesses morning, ladies and gentlemen.” event. A few Maid of Honor Speeches if at all you are thinking to make the #Bigday special for your BFF.

Important Points to Consider while Giving  Welcome Speech For an Event

• What is the purpose of the event and what it aims to achieve out of it? The objective, unless made clear to the audience, leaves the speech incomplete. Be specific as you introduce the event and its significance ’cause being brief helps people register it seriously. Tempting them is all you have to do and then stop – make them feel excited about the event.
• Welcome speech must address all the guests and the chief guests of the event (if any) thanking them for being present and giving the auspicious event their valuable attention.
• Make proper introductions of the Chief guests and hosts along with the motive of the function to achieve more attention and appreciation. Make sure you have all the names beforehand and you know how to pronounce them correctly.

SSS Mantra for Appreciable Hosting

Short-Simple-Sincere, it should be! The speech better not exceed a minute or two. Use simple and understandable language along with a sincere tone and vocab as to make sure your audience gets impressed by your way of expression.

Please Rehearse Welcome Address!

Standing in front of the mirror before actually standing in front of the crowd and speak your thoughts make a huge difference. When you rehearse, yo register the mistakes and make necessary alterations to the accents, tone, gesture, body language and choice of words and changing the vocabulary. Self-confidence indulges therein and then, when you walk up to the dais you inspire as you go on talking to your audience. You can also use these Amazing Ways to memorize faster and easily like never before.

Welcome Remarks Samples For any Program

• Have you wondered what makes a welcome speech the weather vane that indicates how the function is going to be like? It is because we feel if the start is interesting, then what follows is also going to be great. In view of keeping the welcome speech interesting, I am going to say welcome and direct you to start enjoying the rest of the program.
• I welcome you to what I hope what is going to be one of the interesting experiences of your life . The program we have planned for you is based on the inputs that we collected from you before the program.
• I declare the function open for your participation in the hope that you will enjoy the event as much as we enjoyed organizing it for you.
• I welcome you warmly to a very enjoyable and different experience. What I ask of you is to keep an open mind and enjoy each part of the function in the spirit of which it has been conceived.
• I am not going to go on and on about the way this function is about to pan out because the buffet is full of warm food and the bar awaits those who want a drink. Which is why I welcome you to join me in taking a moment or two to ponder the importance of the cause we are all supporting before we get down to the business of having fun.
• It is our pleasure to introduce ____ as the speaker for this evening. We cannot think of a single person more qualified to address the current audience.
• When I was growing up , I could not wait to grow up and become an adult , but now that I am one, all I want is to have the halcyon days of childhood back. What I am trying to say here is that we need to enjoy the here and now rather than longing for the past and future. Here’s a toast to the present.
• When it comes to molding the young mind, there is no one better than______ as he/she has a snapshot of the way today’s youth thinks. When the audience is as elite as this, the person who addresses you has to be somebody you all look up to. We are proud to say that today’s speaker is someone that everyone looks up to!
• Welcome to the wedding party , and I must say that we are honored to have you here. We are sure that each one of you are connected in some way or the other to the groom or bride. Let us all make sure that the celebration begins now. ( If you are planning a wedding then we insist you check on this unique list of  Wedding Guest book ideas. )
• Every time I step in front of people to welcome them to a function such as this, I cannot help but feel the sense of wonder and gratitude that I have an audience. I welcome you all with warmth in my heart and hope you enjoy the proceedings as much as I have enjoyed having you as my audience.
• We would like to extend our warm welcome to ______ to this forum. Our gathering takes on a special meaning and moves to the next level due to his/her presence.
• They say that every setback you have in life and every mistake you have committed adds to your wisdom. By that notion, I must be one of the most learned person anywhere. But jokes apart, do make it a point to learn from all your mistakes, they are really teachers in disguise.
• There are no words which can convey our awe and respect for _____. We would like to, however, take this opportunity to tell him/her that it is our honor and privilege to welcome you here.
• No party is complete without all the guests getting together gazing up at someone in front of them wondering when he will finish speaking so that they can get along with the person. I am that person, and you are the poor people wondering when the fun can start. Well, here I am and let is get over with this speech so that we can all have fun.
• Welcome speeches are as difficult to start up as they are to wind down because once you get going, it is difficult to apply the brakes. Which is why, I will keep it simple, sweet, and short. A warm welcome to all of you who have made an effort to come here.

Opening Remarks Samples and Quotes

• Young minds are like sponges and they are looking for the right input to soak it in. We cannot think of a person more suited to this than __________ to whom we extend a warm and hearty welcome.
• We are delighted to announce that we have a very special program planned for you and your enjoyment. Let us first start with the ground rules for our enjoyment so that we can have fun without causing any problem to anyone.
• With a spring in my step, anticipation in heart and a lilt to my heart, I welcome ________ to this gathering. Join hands to extend him a warm welcome.
• Let me start by asking you why you are here besides the fact that you were invited. Have you come here for the sake of honoring the invitation or because you want to. I am here to ensure you have to have a great time no matter what the reason you are here.
• In life , it is important to pause and take a long hard look at what you have done till now. Doing this can put things in perspective and you would be surprised how much doing this can help. The beginning of this session will consist of just doing that, and I cannot think of a better way to invite people to a function.
• We have all waited for a long time to have __________ speak to us. Let us waste no more time and welcome with warmth in our hearts and with a resounding round of applause.
• We welcome our guest of honor to this forum. Because as the word suggests, the guest is indeed honorable and someone we are sure that you will enjoy his address as much as he will enjoy speaking to you.
• This is an august gathering where each one of you has earned their place and it is with pride that we invite all of you. You are welcome to express your feelings and we also extend a hearty welcome to all the events.
• Any gathering comes alive when we have the right start to it, and we have ensured that you have just that. If anyone can bring the right amount of enthusiasm, humor, and fun to this gathering.
• Welcome to the gathering and before we get into the serious business of having fun, resolve to ensure that we will not only have fun ourselves but will ensure that others do too.
• A warm welcome is never incomplete without warm words. It is with great pleasure that we welcome you all to this venue. Our endeavors have been to ensure that you feel at home and we leave you with a request to let us know if you need anything else.
• What makes any gathering fun? Is it the venue? Or is it the food and drinks? Or is it the entertainment on offer? I think it is a culmination of all the factors but what adds an extra dimension to this is the way the ceremony is conducted. Let us all start by welcoming one and all and go ahead with the proceedings.
• Great things happen when there is a gathering of great minds. It is with great anticipation that we welcome all of you to this forum. Hope you will enjoy our hospitality!
• I would like to start by stating that it is an honor to be standing here. It saddens me to tell you that while we have some good news for you, we also have some grave news. I beg one and all to listen with an open mind and appreciate the context in which we are imparting the news.
• I would like to tell you that I have addressed many gatherings in my time but every time I do it, it is an honor to be given this opportunity. My heartfelt thanks for all of you for being here and giving me the chance to speak to you.

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awesome content. really worth!

It’s really wonderful and meaningful it will help for others who is really In need……

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Everything to Know About Writing an Unforgettable Wedding Welcome Speech

• Sarah is the Entertainment & Celebrity Editor for The Knot, with special focuses on pop culture and celebrity wedding news.
• Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Sarah was a contributing writer for Bravo at NBC Universal.
• Sarah has a degree in journalism and resides in New York City.

Throughout your wedding day, plenty of loved ones will raise a glass and give a toast in your honor. Wedding speeches are common at both the ceremony and the reception, and they're often given by family members, best friends, and bridesmaids and groomsmen—but that doesn't mean you can't get in on the fun too. Couple speeches, especially wedding welcome speeches, are becoming popular additions to the toasting lineup . Even if public speaking isn't your favorite thing in the world, you might feel inclined to say a few words to the loved ones who've chosen to celebrate your special day with you. After all, when else will you have your nearest and dearest all together in one room?

If you're thinking of making a wedding welcome speech, you're in the right place. To help you craft a toast that'll go down in history, we've created the ultimate wedding welcome speech guide right here.

In this article:

Is a Wedding Welcome Speech Necessary?

Who does the wedding welcome speech, when should you give a wedding welcome speech, the best wedding welcome speech writing tips.

When you think of wedding toasts, a few classic variations come to mind: The maid of honor speech , the best man speech , the father of the bride speech , and the groom's parent speeches are most common. But beyond that, some couples may plan to include several other nontraditional toasts as well (like a groom's speech , a bride's speech , a mother of the bride speech , speeches from your kids , or speeches from your siblings ).

With so many potential speakers, you might wonder if a wedding welcome speech is necessary. Here's the short answer: It's up to you! It's your wedding day, so you have the power to decide who speaks and when. (But, in our unbiased opinion, we think that a welcome speech would be a great addition to your wedding day timeline .)

Once you've decided to have a wedding welcome speech, you'll have to choose who's going to give it. The newlyweds are an obvious choice—it is your day, after all, and guests will love hearing directly from you and your S.O. But if public speaking makes you nervous (or there's a gifted orator among your wedding party), there are a number of other options.

If you envision having a welcome speech for your wedding ceremony, your officiant or a close family member would be great choices. Or, if you want to kick off the reception with a wedding welcome speech, you could ask your parents to take the floor. No matter who you tap to lead the toast, be sure to give them plenty of planning time to search for wedding welcome speech samples and inspiration.

Find your kind of venue

When you've confirmed who's going to give the wedding welcome speech, work with your planner or day-of coordinator to incorporate it into your wedding day timeline . For those that want to have a welcome speech for the wedding ceremony, you might block off a few minutes once you and your S.O. are both at the altar before you begin your wedding vows.

Alternatively, you may prefer to make your welcome speech at the beginning of the wedding reception, after you've made your entrance and before you take the floor for the first dance . You could even have your parents give a welcome toast once guests are seated before dinner is served.

In fact, your wedding welcome speech doesn't even have to take place on the big day itself. You and your S.O. could plan to give a kickoff toast at the rehearsal dinner or happy hour party before the wedding. Ultimately, when you should give your wedding welcome speech is up to your preference. Just be sure you have ample time carved into the itinerary to get your moment with the mic.

Whether you're a to-be-wed planning your own wedding welcome speech or you're a guest tapped by a couple for this prestigious role, you might be in search of toasting inspo. As self-proclaimed wedding speech writing experts , we're sharing exactly how to write a welcome toast that'll engage the crowd and set the tone for the rest of the party.

Lead Into it With a Song

Music plays an integral role throughout the wedding day, and it serves as a seamless way to transition into a speech. To avoid having unnecessary patches of awkward silence, work with the DJ or live band to work the wedding welcome speech into the musical timeline. Perhaps you want the wedding processional song to fade into instrumental background noise for a welcome speech at the beginning of the ceremony. Or, if the welcome toast is happening later in the day, have the person presiding over the music fade the reception entrance song so the speaker can have their moment. No matter what you choose, having a great song lead into the welcome speech is a good way to grab guests' attention—just lower the volume once the speaker begins so everyone can hear. (Need music ideas? Check out our all-time favorite wedding songs right here .)

Speak from the Heart

Instead of starting off your wedding welcome toast with something predictable, like, "We're gathered here today..." toss the expectations and speak from your heart. The best part about giving a toast at your own wedding is that there are no rules to follow. You and your S.O. could create a custom song mashup (like you've seen in so many maid of honor speeches), you could take turns sharing the mic, or you could even riff off each other if you have a shared sense of natural comedic timing and feel comfortable in the spotlight. What matters most isn't necessarily what you say, but rather that it feels genuine and honest. (If you're looking for great wedding speech examples , find our favorites here .)

Thank Your Guests for Attending

This is the most important element of the wedding welcome speech. While there aren't too many parameters to follow, it is crucial to thank your guests for celebrating this important day with you. You can go on to elaborate as much as you want to about what their presence means to you, but don't forget to express your thanks at some point throughout the speech.

Keep it Short and Sweet

As with all wedding toasts, salutations should be kept to a time limit—especially if you have multiple people lined up to take the stage (or the dance floor). Generally, reception speeches should be kept to two-and-a-half to three minutes maximum. Of course, since you're the newlyweds, you could always extend your time slot if you'd like. (Your wedding, your rules, after all.) In general, though, the same timing guidelines should be followed if you plan on having someone else make the welcome speech at the wedding ceremony, like your parents or your officiant.

To keep your wedding guests engaged the entire time, a three-minute speech will hit the sweet spot. It gives speakers the perfect amount of time to welcome guests, thank everyone for attending, share a personal anecdote or two, and get everyone hyped up for an evening of celebration.

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Church Welcome Speech: Guide To Welcoming New Members

Part of showing the love of Jesus to those who walk through the doors of our churches is to welcome them. If they don’t feel welcomed, are we really showing our love adequately enough? Unfortunately, despite this importance, giving a church welcome speech is neither easier said nor done.  After all, church welcome speeches can […]

Part of showing the love of Jesus to those who walk through the doors of our churches is to welcome them. If they don’t feel welcomed, are we really showing our love adequately enough? Unfortunately, despite this importance, giving a church welcome speech is neither easier said nor done. 

After all, church welcome speeches can come off as awkward, forgettable, or even forced. They don’t always make good on their intended purpose and I’ve seen this in the past at churches I attended. That said, church welcome speeches are nonetheless necessary for turning new members into regulars. To help you with this, I’ve come up with some simple but effective examples in this guide. 

I’ll cover:

What is a church welcome speech, what should a church welcome speech include, church welcome speech examples, church welcome ideas, what is a good closing for a welcome speech.

A church welcome speech is the greeting you give onstage at every church service you do. Most churches I’ve ever been to have this welcome speech in some form or another, so it is possible that you already have one at your church. 

Regardless, a good welcome speech is exactly what it sounds like: a moment during your service in which you greet the congregation. The key here is introducing your church to any newcomers that day and making them feel, well, welcome. It is a flexible feature of your service, being as elaborate or simple as you want it to be. 

Some churches have major speeches that go over quite a lot while others just say hello and good morning to the first-time guests and the existing members and leave it at that. This range, of course, can be confusing and daunting for some. 

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Why Is It Important To Have A Welcome Speech?

Without a church welcome speech, you are essentially leaving your prospective new church members hanging without any introduction to your Christian community. They will know nothing about your church, who the pastor is, and what to expect from the service. 

But even more important than that, a warm welcome speech is necessary for showing the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. At its core, a church should be the spiritual home of everyone (see the bible verse Ephesians 2:19-22). Would you ever let someone enter your home, especially someone you don’t know well, without saying hi, greeting them, and getting to know them? 

I sure hope you wouldn’t and the spiritual home known as the church should be the same. The welcome speech is exactly how you start out your service on the right foot and show the loving, Holy Spirit-led environment that your church is. 

This loving welcome speech is there to not only greet the special guests but to, hopefully, show that this is the new home church for them. If they don’t feel the love or passion from your church through a proper church welcome , chances are the church visitors won’t return to hear it again.

When Should You Give a Church Welcome Speech? 

Now, this may seem rather odd but the timing of your church welcome speech is actually more crucial than you realize. This is a welcome message so it should come, understandably, near the beginning of the service. 

Though most churches get this, I have been in a lengthy Sunday service before where it was unnecessarily done more than half an hour into the service. This is a huge chunk into the schedule to the point where it is hard to clarify it as a welcome greeting. Other than that, though, it’s rather flexible on when you should give the welcome address. 

Some churches will do it the moment that church starts and kick off with that, which is fine, especially if you want a shorter speech. Others will play a song or two in worship before giving a welcome speech and then kicking it back to the worship team. This is what I prefer, personally, as it strikes the right balance and ebb and flow of the service without being too long. 

Still, others will wait until after worship is completely finished, but this runs the risk of waiting too long to greet everyone. But as long as the speech is effective, loving, God-filled, and unique, the timing is ultimately up to whatever works best for your church. Feel free to test out different methods, too. 

What Is The Best Way To Welcome Someone To Church?

Before you can ever greet your guests on the stage, there is the actual act of welcoming your guests into the service in the first place. There are a few ways to do this, but, in general, the more, the merrier. One thing to note, though, is that new guests are likely to be anxious and concerned about this new environment, so always practice restraint and flexibility when necessary. 

For instance, it’s awesome to have special designated parking spaces for new visitors to your church close to the doors. Then at those doors, have friendly and passionate greeters who will lovingly welcome them to church. Also, have a welcome desk for visitors to answer any questions about the kids ministry, where the restrooms are, and so on. 

Just make sure not to be forceful in any of these. Offer your services and help, but know when to lay off if the person seems apprehensive or closed off. If they are receptive, though, feel free to have your volunteers and deacons show them to some great seats in the sanctuary. All of these will compound and transition nicely to the later welcome speech. 

The scariest part about a church welcome speech is how much it can include or exclude, depending on your preferences and needs. At the very bare minimum, it’s a simple hello and greeting for everyone who came to church today with a quick note for newcomers. 

But on the other end of the spectrum, there can be interactive questions, activities, announcements about what’s coming up, teases for the sermon, prayer, offering, next steps, and so on. A church welcome speech can be jam-packed with information and features, so it is up to you to figure out what works best for your church. 

Given how varied welcome speeches can be, I thought I’d give you a few different examples that I really appreciate, plus my own personal speech that I use at my local church. 

First off, I adore this welcome speech that comes from Miracle Temple Baptist Church . I apologize for the low video quality, but I adore the heartfelt greeting here. It is so lovely, loving, and professional. You get a little bit of personality from the greeter plus some useful information about the church in a succinct manner. 

Secondly, there is this speech from Pastor Matthew Barnett at my previous church, Angelus Temple. It starts around the 18:05 mark and goes for a few minutes after worship. What I love here is the referencing back to the worship songs that were just sung and the testimony from a church member whose life was changed. It gives a nice introduction to the lead pastor and a glimpse of what the church is all about. 

For the third example, there is this example of a welcome speech from Bethel Church for the first couple of minutes of this live-streamed worship service video. 

It’s impactful with a quick testimony from what happened with a church member’s recent healing, it gives some quick details about announcements about baptism, and gives the opportunity to greet your neighbor to get to know them. Altogether, a pretty standard look at a welcome speech.

My Personal Welcome Speech Example and Tips

Lastly, there is my own speech that I use. To be clear, I work primarily in kids and youth ministries, so I am all about energy and having fun. That said, this is crucial to adult church services, too, as they want to feel engaged and interested in what you have to say. You could use this as a template of sorts for creating your own speech.

Usually, I will start out by saying hello to everyone at church and encouraging them to stand up if they feel comfortable for worship. After the first lively worship song, I will come back and do the proper speech. This is where I will ask how everyone’s week was, say that I hope they are excited for church, etc. 

During the speech, don’t forget to always use eye contact with everyone in the crowd (the stage lights can make that tough, but try at least) during this speech, too. 

I will then throw in a special welcome for our new visitors. I’ll give them a quick rundown of our church, maybe what’s coming up next, and some next steps. This could be a welcome desk we have that they can visit after church if they’d like for a free small gift like a shirt or gift card, and include a form in their church bulletin that they can fill out with their information if they want. 

Then at this point, there will be a small fun activity that we’ll do like maybe some trivia, a random giveaway of a shirt, prayer for some needs in the church, and then some announcements. The key here is to end it nicely and then transition to either more worship songs or someone else to lead the offering and the sermon. This may sound like a lot but it should be no more than three or four minutes in length. 

The entire experience of welcoming a new church member starts from the moment they see the church name on the sign and pull into your church grounds. Everything from the signs that they see to the parking spots that are available to the greeters at the entrances should be tailored to show love and passion. 

There are so many different ideas you could use from the hype level you give off to which church leaders actually give the welcome speech in the first place. There are a lot of possible ideas, which is why I previously covered 15 main church welcome ideas and tips that I think can help to elevate the church service experience for newcomers, whether it’s Easter or a normal Sunday morning. 

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It’s not just about how well you start but how well you finish, too. There are a few different ways to end your welcome speech, and it comes down to how your church is set up. Here is a short list of a few conclusion ideas I have for you: 

• End your church welcome speech by leading into worship songs
• Have a prayer, possibly for the service as a whole or any needs with the congregation 
• Offer next steps for newcomers, such as a provided lunch after service, free gift, or meeting with the lead pastor
• Transition to the next person to come on stage, perhaps for the sermon or tithing
• Tease the theme for today’s sermon
• Provide announcements about what’s coming up in the next few weeks like an exciting church event or special church program
• Encourage first-time guests to fill out one of the connect cards

Communication Is Always Key

Communication is at the heart of everything that we do as a church body. The church speech for first-time visitors is a clearer example of communication at work in the church service, but there is so much more to it than just that. Communication is both a verbal and non-verbal area you should focus heavily on. 

For instance, there is the aforementioned church bulletin that you pass out or sermon notes for what the pastor is preaching on. These areas need to swiftly communicate ideas and what’s happening in the church in effective ways. Find out more info about how to do just that with Alexandria Schmidt’s free church communication plan template . Or, find more church bulletin ideas here and church bulletin examples here .

10 Church Welcome Speeches You Can Use To Start Strong

Lights, camera, action! 💡🎥🎬

The stage is set, the crowd is buzzing and the worship team is ready to unleash their heavenly melodies. It’s showtime, baby!

But you need more than just a run-of-the-mill church welcome speech and you can’t just make it up on the spot…

No, no, no! You need a great church welcome speech that’s going to welcome first-time visitors and set the right expectations.

Well, look no further because you’ve stumbled upon a goldmine of 10 dynamic church welcome speeches guaranteed to kickstart your service with a bang 💥

So let’s make your next service a service to remember , where hearts are touched, souls are stirred and lives are forever changed.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What Is A Church Welcome Speech?

5 key elements of a church welcome speech, 10 church welcome speeches you can use, 4 great church welcome speech examples.

A church welcome speech is a brief address delivered at the beginning of a church service, usually by a church MC or worship leader..

More than a mere greeting, a church welcome speech is an opportunity to connect with both new and old faces, create a warm and inviting atmosphere, give valuable information and set the stage for a great worship experience.

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Whether your church is big or small, black or white, Baptist or Pentecostal, in the US or the Philippines, a great church welcome speech has 5 key elements.

Let’s walk through each one 👇

1. A Simple Introduction

The key here is to keep it short and sweet, yet warm and friendly.

As they say: less is more.

Especially when it comes to opening your church service. Say what needs to be said and move on.

A good church welcome officially starts the service and gets everyone focused, so give a quick introduction of yourself and the church.

This can be as simple as “Good morning and welcome to Grace Church. I’m Abi and it’s great to see you all here.”

2. Set Expectations

When done right, the person opening the service can help raise the faith level of your church right before entering into worship.

Help set the tone by giving everyone a general idea of what’s going to happen. You don’t need to give a minute-by-minute breakdown of the service, just a quick overview is good enough.

This is a good place to mention your current sermon series  or special guest speaker if you have one.

3. Give Useful Information

Give everyone the practical information they need to relax and feel comfortable.

Gently remind people to put phones on silent, tell them they’ll be coffee afterwards and point out where the Kid’s Church and bathrooms are.

4. Welcome Visitors

It’s good to take a moment to specifically welcome first-time guests and let them know you’re glad they’re here.

Launching your service this way is not only a great way to make church visitors feel at home :

It also helps outward-focused culture and sends a clear message to members that this is a safe place they can invite their family and friends to.

If your church has visitor connect cards (so you can do follow-up later) ask them to fill them out and drop them in the offering basket as it passes by.

5. End With What’s Next

Now you’ve officially opened up the meeting, it’s time to transition into the next part of the service.

If you’re going into worship, have everyone stand. Lead everyone in a faith-filled prayer welcoming the Holy Spirit to move in hearts and minds.

If it’s the sermon next, thank God for His Word, pray that their hearts and minds be ready to receive what God has to say to his people, then have everyone clap their hands to welcome the preacher.

I’m going to share with you 10 church welcome speech outlines you can use at your next Sunday morning service or church event.

Use these to inspire you and spark new ideas and feel free to adapt them to your local church setting to make them your own.

Church Welcome Speech #1

Good morning and welcome to [CHURCH NAME]. My name’s [YOUR NAME] and if you’re visiting us for the first time here, thank you for coming! It’s great to have you with us.

You’ll find a connect card in [LOCATION], it would be great if you could fill that out – we’d love to get to know you better.

In the next [NUMBER OF MINUTES] we’re going to enjoy a time of worship before [PREACHER NAME] talks to us about [SERMON TOPIC]. It’s going to be good!

Please remember [to collect your children from/turn your phones on silent or any other useful info here].

Please join with me in prayer. [PRAYER].  As the worship team starts playing, let us stand together in singing [SONG TITLE].

Church Welcome Speech #2

Hi! I’m [YOUR NAME] and a very warm welcome to you. It’s so good to see so many smiling faces this morning!

If this is your first time at [CHURCH NAME] I want to extend a special warm welcome to you, it’s great to have you with us.

Please take a moment and fill out the connect card that can be found [LOCATION]. That’ll really help us get to know you a little bit better and know how we can serve or pray for you.

This week we start a brand 4-week series called [SERMON SERIES NAME] where we’re going to be talking about [TOPIC]. I know that God is going to speak to us, amen?

Before I go, let me just remind you that [USEFUL INFO HERE].

That being said, let’s get ready to [NEXT STEP HERE].

OK, let’s pray together. [PRAYER]

Church Welcome Speech #3

Good morning! Welcome to [CHURCH NAME], the place where miracles happen and lives are changed. My name is [YOUR NAME] and whether you’re a longtime member or a first-time visitor, we’re excited to have you with us.

At [CHURCH NAME], we believe that each person who walks through these doors is here for a divine purpose and today, we have a powerful service planned just for you.

We’re gonna dive into worship and lift our voices and hearts in praise to our amazing God. We’ll also have a thought-provoking message that will challenge and inspire you to grow in your faith.

For our first-time visitors, we have a special gift prepared just for you. Be sure to stop by our welcome table after the service to receive your gift and connect with our friendly team members.

Before we proceed, let’s take a moment to greet those around us and extend a warm welcome to everyone in our church family. Go ahead and share a smile, a handshake or even a high-five.

Now let’s prepare our hearts and minds as we enter into a time of worship together and let’s get ready to encounter God in a powerful way.

Church Welcome Speech #4

Before we kick off the service we’d just like to take a moment to welcome everybody to [CHURCH NAME].

We’re thrilled to have you with us today as we worship and seek God’s face and get wisdom from God’s Word.

Before we do that though, just a few important announcements:

This Friday, we have a special prayer night where we will intercede for the needs of our church and community. We invite you to join us. here at [CHURCH NAME] we believe in the power of prayer!

We also have Connect Groups available for all ages where you connect with God and each other.

If you’re interested in joining a connect group or volunteering in one of our service teams, please visit the Connect Corner after the service.

Other than that, all that’s left for me to say is let’s lean in today. Let’s lean with expectant hearts ready to receive what God has for us.

Let’s stand and pray together [PRAYER].

Church Welcome Speech #5

Hello, hello, hello! Is everyone ready to have an amazing time in the presence of God today? I know I am!

My name is [YOUR NAME], and I have the privilege of serving as [YOUR ROLE] here at [CHURCH NAME]. I want to extend a warm welcome to each and every one of you and we ‘re excited to have you here today .

Whether you’re a familiar face or a first-time visitor, [CHURCH NAME] is a place where we come together as a family to celebrate, grow, and encounter the life-transforming power of God.

Today, we have an incredible service planned just for you. Get ready to experience passionate worship and hear a message that I know will speak directly to your heart.

So, once again, welcome to [CHURCH NAME]. Open your hearts, open your minds and expect God to move in a powerful way today.

Now let’s enter into worship together, knowing that we serve a great big God who is faithful and who desires to meet us right where we are.

Let’s pray. [PRAYER]

Church Welcome Speech #6

Good morning everyone and welcome to [CHURCH NAME], a place where normal people encounter an extraordinary God.

Today, we invite you to join us in a worship experience that will stir your soul and draw you closer to God’s presence.

After the service, we encourage you to visit our Connect Corner, where you can learn more about our various connect groups, ministries and service opportunities.

We believe that each person has a unique role to play in building God’s kingdom, and we’d love to help you find your place of service and connection within our church family.

Let’s pray as we have a time of worship and hear God’s Word together. [PRAYER]

Church Welcome Speech #7

Well, well, well! Look who decided to grace us with their presence today. It’s none other than the incredible congregation of [CHURCH NAME]!

Give yourselves a round of applause for making it here on this beautiful day.

My name is [YOUR NAME], and I’m thrilled you could join us for Sunday service.

Before we kick things off, why don’t you spread some joyful vibes and warm welcomes by high-fiving, fist-bumping or jazz-handing the person next to you.

Today is going to be good!

After worship, we’re going to hear a special message from Pastor [NAME] that I know is going to stretch our faith and help us to believe God for more.

So remember to put your phone on silent and of course, feel free to join us for coffee and treats after the service in the [LOCATION]. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet and connect.

And to our first-time visitors, welcome! Grab a welcome pack after the service—it’s filled with goodies and surprises just for you.

Right now we’re going to enter into a time of worship so feel free to stand, sit or dance in the aisles. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom, Amen?

So let’s make a joyful noise!

Church Welcome Speech #8

Hello and a massive welcome to [CHURCH NAME] on this beautiful [CHRISTMAS/EASTER] morning!

My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am so excited to be worshipping with you today. If you’re a visitor with us, thank you so much for coming and celebrating [CHRISTMAS/EASTER] with us.

For those with us for the first time, I’d love it if you could fill out the connect card that’s [LOCATION] and kindly drop it on the offering plate as it comes by. Thank you, this will just help us get to know you better.

I know we’ve got a lot coming up for you today. We’re going to kick things off here with a time of worship before we hear a special [CHRISTMAS/EASTER} message from [PREACHER NAME]. After that [INCLUDE ANY OTHER SPECIAL ELEMENTS].

Please note that [USEFUL INFO HERE].

Right, are we ready? Let’s pray. [PRAYER] [NEXT STEP]

Church Welcome Speech #9

Good morning, friends! Welcome to [CHURCH NAME] and I’m thrilled to be here with you today as we start this incredible worship experience.

Let’s just take a moment to connect with one another. Find someone nearby, give them a warm smile, and let them know how glad you are to see them.

Now, get ready for a time of worship in the presence of God. Then, after worship, we will have a powerful message which will challenge and inspire us in our faith.

If you’re new here, we’re delighted to have you join us. We have visitor connect cards available, where you can share your contact information and any prayer requests you may have.

Feel free to fill out the cards and drop them in the designated box. We would love to connect with you and support you in any way we can.

For families with children aged 3 to 12, we have an exciting Kids Church program available.

And after the service, we invite everyone to join us for a time of fellowship and refreshments in the [LOCATION]. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet new people.

To our first-time visitors, we extend a special welcome. We’re thrilled that you’ve chosen to worship with us today.

Please feel free to approach our friendly volunteers at the welcome desk, who will be more than happy to assist you, answer any questions you may have, and provide you with a small gift as a token of our appreciation.

Now, let’s enter into a time of worship. Let’s lift our voices, open our hearts and invite the Holy Spirit to fill this place.

Church Welcome Speech #10

Good morning, everyone! Welcome to [CHURCH NAME]! It’s wonderful to see so many beautiful faces here this morning!

Now, if you’re joining us for the first time today, we want to extend a special welcome to you. Would you please stand?

Let’s give them a warm round of applause, everyone! It’s great to have you!

Our ushers will be coming around with a special welcome pack designed just for you. It contains helpful information about our church, upcoming events, and ways to get connected.

We want you to feel at home and supported as you explore what our church has to offer. Don’t hesitate to ask our ushers any questions you may have or let them know how we can serve you better.

Before we dive into a time of worship and listen to a great word from Pastor [NAME] I have just a couple of announcements.

Firstly, I want to invite you all to join us this coming Friday for our special prayer night. It’s a powerful time of seeking God’s presence and interceding for our church, community, and the world. Mark your calendars and be part of this transformative experience.

Also, if you’re not already part of a connect group, we have an incredible network of connect groups across the city that meet every Wednesday where you can grow in your relationship with God and one another.

We have a Connect Table at the back where you can find out more so be sure to visit after the service.

Once again, thank you to each and every one of you for being with us and we know where 2 or more are gathered in His name, He is here with us, amen?

Let’s stand together and pray as we enter into worship. [PRAYER]

I wanted to end things here with some real-life examples and give you my thoughts on what I think works well. 

It’s good to keep your speeches becoming predictable by mixing them up a little.

Here are 4 different styles and approaches you could take in your church:

1. The Comedic Approach

What a clever and funny way to open the service! Almost rapping, he does a great job of welcoming visitors, having them stand while the church applauds.

I also like how he sets expectations, saying “Today is Youth Sunday” .

2. The Evangelistic Approach

This wonderful woman has a really warm but powerful way of welcoming people to the church.

She starts off by getting people ready to worship and hear the Word. This can be a powerful way to set the tone for the rest of the service.

She introduces the church pastors and even points them out individually. This might work well depending on your style of church.

I was surprised to hear her nearly do an alter call saying “Don’t leave here today without knowing Jesus.”

She’s passionate and friendly, everything you want in someone giving the welcome at your church.

3. The Helpful Approach

This welcome takes less than a minute but works really well and is a great example of how we can make our church services more welcoming for guests.

He leads by introducing himself saying he’s part of the hospitality team and makes himself available if he can help them in any way, right before asking first-time visitors to stand up and thank them for coming.

4. The Faith-Fuelled Approach

This next one is short and sweet, but it’s a masterclass on how to use your church welcome speech to raise the faith level through the roof!

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Over To You

There you go – you now have 10 church welcome speeches to choose from for next Sunday!

If you really want to mix it up then take a look at these 36 church welcome poems .

And if you found this post useful, be sure to check out our step-by-step guides:

• How To Make Church Visitors Feel Welcome
• How To Make A Church Welcome Pack
• 5 Common-Sense Church Greeting Tips
• 10 Ways To Get More First-Time People Into Your Church
• How To Be A Church MC: Tips & Scripts For Seamless Services

Now it’s time to hand it over to you:

What do you say in your church welcome speech?

And do you have any tips for giving a better welcome speech at the start of the service?

Let us know in the comments below! 🙏

17 thoughts on “10 Church Welcome Speeches You Can Use To Start Strong”

Very helpful, thanks for sharing

These guide lines are very good and they are very brief

God bless you

Thanks you for that Spiritual Food,God Bless you Always.

Right back at ya Lynn! You got this! 🙂

These guidelines are super. God richly bless you.. I

This was very helpful

thank you so much it is very helpful

very helpful and we’ll articulated

You made a good point that having a strong welcome speech that has emphasis on evangelization can help a lot in making the people ready for worship. I’m planning to get church worship services for my neighborhood association that will be celebrating its foundation day on December. If the quarantine has been lifted by then, I think having a thanksgiving Mass would be ideal for that gathering.

Very helpful, glad I found your site.

Thanks so much for this write up. I found it when looking for welcome Speech. It’s very detailed. Thanks

Great examples/ very usecul

I feel so bless coming across your site. I was assigned to do a welcome remark and I was about to refuse but thought of like saying “no” to Jesus. I prayed for guidance and Holy Spirit led me to it. Thank you for the wonderful ideas. Bless you Bishop!

I’m the one welcoming new members to church next Sunday… God bless you for this.. I really need it

Bishop T. Randolph January 4, 2019 I love it!!! This is what I was used to growing up; This has been forsaken in many churches, even in my own. I shall re-enter this in our church services. To God be the glory and I thank God for you and His leading me to your site! We pray you be forever blessed in your purpose for God,The Father!

This is awesome God bless you

Bless you too, I’m glad you found these welcome speeches helpful!

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• Who Gives a Speech at a Wedding Reception? How to Write a Wedding Toast Tips for the Father of the Bride Speech How to Write a Best Man Toast Advice for the Maid of Honor Speech What to Know About a Newlywed Toast Public Speaking Experts' Wedding Speech Tips 60 Quotes to Use for Your Wedding Toast

Public Speaking Experts Share Their Top Tips for Giving an Amazing Wedding Speech

Check out their best examples and advice to learn how to knock it out of the park.

Photo by Kurt Boomer

In This Article

Most people would agree that public speaking isn't easy, and this is especially true when you're feeling the added pressure that comes along with giving a speech at a loved one's wedding. Not only do you have the attention of dozens (if not hundreds!) of guests you probably don't know, but you're also trying to appeal to a group of people in a wide range of ages from all different phases of the couple's lives. What's more, you want your speech to delight the couple of the hour and be as appealing to your group of friends as it to the newlyweds' grandparents. All in all, it's a tough task.

Before you panic, know that we're here to help. Ahead, we're sharing a comprehensive guide on what you should include in your speech , how to nail your delivery, and questions to consider to get the brainstorming process started—all from noteworthy speakers, well-established speechwriters, and wedding planners (who have seen it all).

Wedding Speech Template

Every great wedding speech has one thing in common: the right flow. Factor in these guidelines to help you find your own organic rhythm.

Open With a Statement or Question

Don't lead with a joke or a reference to how nervous you are. "The goal is to engage your audience, not make it a boring one-way message," says award-winning motivational speaker Jaime Pfeffer . "You'll lose them if you do this."

Introduce Yourself

After your opener, introduce yourself, says Fallon Carter , a wedding planner, even designer, and professional speaker. "A lot of times, people don't know who is speaking, and they don't know their relationship to the bride or the groom," she says. "It's really important to identify yourself, so make sure you've prepared something."

Address Your Audience

As speaker and life strategy coach Mark Black, CSP , points out, focusing on yourself only enhances nerves. "Instead, concentrate on your audience and how you want them to feel. This will help you to speak from the heart, allowing your speech to do what it's supposed to do: Make the couple feel special while also engaging the audience."

Focus on a Few Points

Seasoned speaker Susan Bender Phelps, CEO of Odyssey Mentoring & Leadership , says her top guideline is to select one to three aspects of the newlyweds that you love and appreciate, along with no more than three short stories to illustrate each of these points (or that one point). "The simple, succinct story or stories where the bride and groom are the hero will work best." This is an excellent way to structure your speech and keep your message focused.

How Long Wedding Speeches Should Be

The ideal length for a speech is three to five minutes, with five minutes being the absolute maximum you should speak for. That's it. "I’ve never been to a wedding where anyone said, 'That was a great wedding, but the best man speech was just too short and that  ruined  it,'" says David Litt , the speechwriter for former President Barack Obama and author of Thanks, Obama .

Carter agrees: "I always say anywhere between two and five minutes—and no more than five minutes," she says. "You want to keep things short and sweet." It's just as important to keep in mind when the speech will take place when determining length, since toasts are often timed with meal courses: "Be mindful of how long a course generally takes or how long it takes people to eat," Carter adds, noting that most courses last between 15 and 20 minutes and that several speeches have to fit inside each window. "If there are other people speaking, you want to be mindful and give them space."

Wedding Speech Tips

Now that you've established the right framework for your words, take note of these essential tips for acing the delivery from a few speaking pros.

Rehearse Regularly

The better prepared you are, the more confident you'll be and the better your speech will be, says author and professional speaker Barry Maher . A good rule of thumb is to practice the speech enough that you can remember the points you want to make and the order in which you want to make them. That way, you can look out to the crowd and make eye contact every so often.

Record Yourself Practicing

Use your phone to take a video of yourself practicing, suggests Kate Kenfield , speaker and sex educator. "It can be a little uncomfortable to watch yourself, but you'll be able to identify distracting mannerisms, such as the verbal pauses 'um,' 'uh,' and 'like'." It's also a good idea to practice your speech in front of someone else. "A second opinion can help you craft your piece and make it that much stronger," she says.

Don't forget body language! Rehearse the speech in front of a mirror and notice things like your facial expression, eye contact, and hand position.

Avoid Alcohol

Although it may be tempting to look for some liquid courage, alcohol definitely won't do you any favors, warns keynote speaker Amy Morin , author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do . "It may cause you to slur your speech and forget your lines, so wait until after your toast to celebrate," she advises. If you need a drink to loosen up the nerves or can't refrain from participating in a toast without being rude, stick to one glass of Champagne before you address the crowd.

Use Nerves to Your Advantage

A little nervousness can actually liven up your speech. "I get worried if I'm not a little nervous," says Maher. "I'll actually try to make myself a little tense to get my energy level up." The key is to harness that energy and communicate it in a positive, genuine way; tensing up to the point that you forget your words or panic won't make for a great presentation.

Be Yourself

Keep in mind that you're not putting on a show, only sharing your personal perspective. Trying too hard to force the funny can yield the opposite of the desired effect, cautions Matt Dalley, co-founder of Simply Eloped . "I've noticed that keeping it short and sweet, heartfelt and warm, and coming across as authentic and focused on the couple is something we are all capable of and generates some very wonderful moments," he says.

Never Embarrass the Newlyweds

It's a wedding toast, not a roast. While this should go without saying, keep the bachelor or bachelorette party jokes out of it, and remember that grandma and possibly a few colleagues are in the audience, notes Laurie Battaglia , a keynote speaker and workplace strategist. "It's okay to look back at childhood and refer to something funny, but ask yourself if you'd like 200-plus of your closest friends knowing that story about you."

Use Your Notes

Reading your speech straight from a piece of paper is a big no-no. However, having a couple of note cards handy is encouraged. "You're likely to be nervous, excited, and exhausted, which can make you forget your lines," explains Morin. "The audience won't care if you glance at your notes. In fact, there's a good chance they won't even notice."

Wedding Speech Brainstorm Ideas

Need some inspiration? Ask yourself these questions to get the brainstorming process going.

• Who will speak before you? After you? How will this affect the content of your toast? (Perhaps you want to include a reference to their speech, thank them for an introduction, or introduce the next speaker).
• Is there someone you should thank for making the event possible and inviting you to speak?
• What would you want to hear in this speech if you were in the audience?
• Is there a favorite story or memory that the couple would want you to share with their friends and family?

Wedding Speech Examples to Make Your Own

So, what does it look like when all these elements come together? Wedding vow and speechwriter Katelyn Peterson , owner and creator of Wedding Words , offered us three examples of successful toasts to inspire your own.

Maid of Honor Wedding Speech Example

"Hi, I’m Maya, the bride’s older sister . With Lucy being three years younger, we fell right into our respective roles as sister-rivals growing up. We constantly fought over stolen clothes, monopolizing the phone back when landlines were a thing, and what boy band to blare from the car speakers. I’m still Team Backstreet Boys while Lucy is forever indebted to NSYNC.

Looking back on those memories, I should have stepped up and granted Lucy permission to wear my favorite sweater for picture day, to hand her the phone once in a while, and to let her play, 'Bye Bye Bye.' Even I can admit that’s a good one. But despite Lucy being the younger sister, she has always been more patient, more accommodating, and more thoughtful than me. And that’s because when it comes to the people she loves, she’s all in.

She’s the one to prioritize their desires. She’s the one to compromise first. And, she’s the one to support their dreams as if they were her own. 

This is why it makes me so happy to know that Lucy has found a home in David. He matches her in compassion, thoughtfulness, and warmth. And I know he’ll spend his life prioritizing her desires, being ready to compromise, and supporting her dreams as his own.

Cheers to Lucy and David! May you always feel loved because you always put each other first."

Best Man Wedding Speech Example

"Hello, everyone. My name is Luke and I’m the best man . I met Robert eight years ago when I became his neighbor. His reputation preceded him as I had heard about the 'Block Party King' before my closing papers were inked. 

Rob has never been the guy to wear fancy clothes. In fact, I’m still in shock seeing him in that tux tonight. And he’s never been the guy to show off even though the work he’s put into his vintage Mustang could make Henry Ford himself envious.

But when it comes to cooking, he should receive an award. His pulled pork is a staple at our summer block parties and his homemade barbeque sauce has remained our neighborhood’s best-kept secret. But the most satisfying part about his delicious dishes is that there’s always plenty to go around. And Rob makes sure your plate is never empty. I have no idea how he pulls it off, but Rob has a covert ability to scoop seconds onto your plate without you ever seeing him do it. I hope you all came hungry tonight, folks. You’ve been warned! 

The first time I met Jasmine I could immediately tell she was an amazing person. She laughed at his jokes which I never thought anyone would get. She supported his career and the nonstop travel involved. But most importantly, whenever we’re all hanging out, Jasmine is the one always topping off Rob’s plate with more pasta, more chicken, more of everything. When she’s around, it’s never empty. 

And that’s when I saw what a perfect match they were for each other. I know they will always put each other first, make sure their needs are met, and will never allow the other to go hungry.

So let’s raise our glasses to toast the newlyweds! As you begin this next chapter together, may your plates and your hearts always remain full."

Father of the Bride Wedding Speech Example

"Good evening, family, and friends. I’m Daniel Lee, the father of the bride. I’d like to welcome you to this special occasion where we get to celebrate the love between my daughter Allison and her new wife, Kristin. 

Standing up here today, I’m reminded of all the moments that led to this significant one. The dance recitals that ended with standing ovations and the soccer games that concluded with winning scoreboards. 

But, while those were fun and rewarding times, those aren’t the moments I cherish most with Allison. The memories that make me smile the brightest are those in-between the big stuff moments. It’s the makeshift magic shows in our living room using a bedsheet that Allison confiscated from our linen closet to convert into a curtain. It’s the countless tea parties she hosted with exclusive invitations just for me and her beloved stuffed bear, Buttons. And it’s the way she’d beg to stay up for just five more minutes but was asleep on the couch by minute number two.

Those everyday, blink-and-you’ll-miss-them moments with Allison are the ones that gave color to my life and filled my heart with a happiness I never knew could exist.

So, my beautiful daughter, as you begin your life with Kristin today, I have one wish for you: May your warmest memories come from the ordinary moments throughout your marriage, and may those moments give you a reason to smile brighter every day. Cheers! I love you both." —Daniel

What Not to Say in a Wedding Speech

Your job when delivering a wedding speech is to keep things light—tell an anecdote, make an emotional connection, then wish the couple well before you close out. Anything that doesn't feel definitively positive should be avoided. "I would advocate against bringing up negative details, specifically past relationships or past spouses," says Carter. "Skip anything that you wouldn't want to be physically recorded and played over and over again—this is a rule of thumb."

Keep it light, delicate, and present- and future-focused, Carter adds. "If you're going to go into the past, make those stories really intentional," she says. "Bring those stories back to who they are now. Your mission is to create a great environment and vibe and to potentially give some information about one of the newlyweds, so that it's enlightening for all guests."

A Guide to Wedding Reception Toasts

Who Gives a Speech at a Wedding Reception?

How to Write a Wedding Toast

Tips for the Father of the Bride Speech

How to Write a Best Man Toast

Advice for the Maid of Honor Speech

What to Know About a Newlywed Toast

Public Speaking Experts' Wedding Speech Tips

60 Quotes to Use for Your Wedding Toast

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Welcome Speech – How to Write and Deliver a Welcome Speech

Introduction

A welcome speech is delivered to mark the beginning of any special event or occasion or to welcome a person into an organization. The purpose of a welcome speech could be many- it could be delivered to welcome the guests at the opening of an office, hotel, function etc, it is also delivered to welcome the chief guest of an occasion or to welcome a new employee etc. The bottom line is that a welcome speech is delivered to welcome any person or occasion like- guests, events, chief guests, employees, opening ceremonies as the occasion demands.

Welcome Speech

By going though this article you will be able to know about what is a Welcome, how to write an effective welcome speech, how to be prepared and have much confidence, characteristics of a gracious welcome speech, and how to start a welcome speech.

What is a Welcome?

A welcome is an instance or manner to greet someone and a welcome speech does the same. It is a gesture to greet arrival of guest/s on various occasions or places. The regular welcome could be just exchange of greetings or could also be in the form of some gestures. For Ex- visitors to an amusement park are welcomed at the main gate by employees dressed up in different costumes and waving at them, customers in an eatery are welcomed by the polite smile of the manager saying ‘welcome’, airlines staff welcome the passengers with a folded hands etc.

How To Write An Effective Welcome Speech?

A welcome speech might be given on a variety of events like- opening of a new school, office, hotel or any commercial or public place; where there is a need to welcome the guests, informing them about the occasion and its purpose. Welcome speech conveys the message that how important the guests are to you and to your cause as well.

Now, to write an effective welcome speech you must know the sentiments of your subject as well as the sentiments of your audience. A welcome speech can also be broken up in three parts- introduction, main body and conclusion, like the fare well speech.

Below given is an explanation on how to write an effective welcome speech, to help you prepare speech for events at your school and society. After going through the content you will be able to write an effective welcome speech and earn accolades by your family and friends-

I Introduction

The Introduction of a Welcome speech can be divided into two parts as described below-

The first rule of a welcome speech is to welcome the audience first. Start your speech with- ‘Good evening ladies and gentlemen, hi everybody etc. If you are speaking on the opening ceremony of hotel, office, hospital etc, then the audience is also your guest and must be welcomed. Next, if there is a chief guest of the occasion then he or she must be welcomed and introduced to the audience. You may ask the audience to greet the chief guest by a big round of applause. You may include phrases like- “audience please welcome Mr. X by a huge round of applause or “we are thankful to Mr. X for joining us today” etc.

The Introduction of your welcome speech should be short and effective welcoming the audience and the subject, thanking them both for their time and presence.

II Main Body of the Speech

This is the main part of the speech, where the audience gets to know the purpose of the event and is informed more about the subject. If the reason for the event is opening of a house, office or any commercial establishment, then the audience is informed about the purpose of it and how both are mutually beneficial to each other. Whatever the purpose it has to serve, a welcome speech must have the following characteristics-

1) Polite and Humble

The speech should be conducted in a polite and humble manner. Whatever you write in your speech or say, must be pleasing to the ears and sound generous.

2) True Facts and Figures

The facts that you present to your audience about the chief guest or the reason for the event, must be true to the core. Any exaggeration of any person, place or thing must be avoided at all cost.

3) Inform The Chief Guest

The Chief Guest is also informed about the purpose of the event and is introduced to other dignitaries present and other distinguished personalities. Inform the chief guest personally about the event and its purpose.

4) Introduce more

Let the audience know the event, purpose, occasion, chief guest- the more you inform your audience the more effective the speech will be. If it is a special guest for whom you are giving the speech, then inform the audience about his/her achievements, the distinctions they hold in the society and how grateful we all are to him/her for taking their precious time for the occasion.

5) Add some humor

If you have a humorous incident or event in mind, which fits in the occasion and is appropriate- go ahead! Adding a little humor will make the situation lighter and more rememberable.

How to be Prepared and have Much Confidence?

The following points must be stressed upon in order to prepare oneself for a farewell speech. They include some effective ways that you could use to deliver your fare well speech. After going through it you will know how to prepare for an effective Fare well speech as well as how to have much confidence-

• Know your audience and chief guest advance.
• Understand the purpose of the event.
• Gather information about the chief guest from other sources.
• Know his status, achievements and capacities and capabilities.
• Prepare an effective welcome speech.
• Make the speech concise and compact by removing unnecessary sentences.
• Rehearse the speech in a loud voice, better if in front of a mirror.
• Rehearse using appropriate gestures as you would do in actual speech.
• Ask your parents or friends to be the audience/chief guest and rehearse in front of them.
• Work on the feedback given by your family and friends and work on your weak points.
• Arrive to the event before time.
• Make yourself comfortable with the surroundings.
• Socialize and speak your heart out before the speech.
• Put more emphasis on your facial expressions i.e. smile only when it’s required.
• Feel confident or at least pretend to be confident even if you are nervous. Nobody can guess unless you show your nervousness.
• Make direct eye contact with your audience and the chief guest.
• Add some last moment incident or a joke if it fits well.
• Don’t fight your fear, just ignore it. Fighting is a waste of time.

If you are getting nervous then going through the following lines will sure boost up your confidence-

• Even experienced speakers get nervous at some point of time.
• They don’t know it, so don’t show it.
• Audience or the other dignitaries are listening to you, not judging you.

Nervousness has a habit of revealing itself through the following-

1) Through your eyes

Avoiding direct eye contact with the audiences or the chief guests shows that you are nervous. So, don’t hesitate to make direct eye contact.

2) Through facial gestures

Avoid unnecessary facial gestures, especially smiles. Smiling without reason is an indication of your nervousness. Smile only when necessary.

3) Through Unwanted Hand Gestures

Avoid unnecessary gestures and use only appropriate hand gestures.

Characteristics of a Gracious Welcome Speech

A gracious fare welcome speech must have following characteristics.

1) Be polite and courteous

2) Welcome all the guests and dignitaries with enthusiasm.

3) Introduce the dignitaries to the audiences.

4) Share the distinct qualities of the chief guest with the audience.

5) A little humor would be great if it fits in the occasion.

6) Make everyone present feel special

7) Rightly time your speech. Not too short neither too long.

8) Use appropriate hand and facial gestures, only if required.

9) Narrate the qualities and achievements of chief guest to the audience

10) Acknowledge your audience and dignitaries for their time and presence.

11) Once again thank the audience and chief guest present.

12) Introduce the next speaker to the audience.

How To start A Welcome Speech?

A great welcome speech is started by welcoming the Greeting audience and the chief guest of the occasion. The chief guest and the other dignitaries present must be welcomed individually by calling out their respective names and designations.

Below we are providing a few opening sentences for your welcome speech on events in your schools and colleges-

First Welcome the Audience

The audience present at the venue must be welcomed, using the phrases like-

• Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I/we thank you all for your presence and time.
• Good evening ladies and gentlemen, it is a pleasure to have you all here.
• Good evening ladies and gentle men first let me introduce myself. I am … I thank you all for taking out your precious time for the occasion.

Then Welcome The Guests

Once you are done with welcoming the audience, it’s time to move on to the chief guest and other dignitaries. It should be kept in mind that the chief guest and other special guests are to welcomed individually by the speaker, also on behalf of the audience. For Ex-

• I take this opportunity to introduce you to Mr. X (chief guest) and also request you (the audience) to welcome him with a huge round of applause. I would also like to introduce you to Mr. Y (Name and designation), Mr. Z (Name and Designation) and once again request you all to welcome them with a huge round of applause.
• I feel proud to introduce you to Mr. X (chief guest) and also request you (the audience) to welcome him and all other dignitaries present, with a huge round of applause. I would also like to thank Mr. Y (Name and designation), Mr. Z (Name and Designation) for taking out their precious time for the event and make it more memorable. A huge round of applause for them, Ladies and Gentle men!

An effective welcome speech addresses all present in a very polite way, making them feel important and by admiring their presence. Whether the speech welcomes a single person or a group; it should be framed to honor them and also to inform them about the occasion, event or function. I am confident that after thoroughly going through the article, you would be able to write an impressive welcome speech, practice it and also deliver it with confidence.

Related Information:

Welcome Speech for Chief Guest

Welcome Speech for Fresher’s Party

Welcome Speech for Seminar

Welcome Speech on Teachers’ Day by Students

Welcome Speech for Alumni Meet

Welcome Speech for Award Ceremony

Speech on Annual Day

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40 Simple Yet Awesome Welcome Messages for New Employees

Crafting welcome messages for new employees is a tedious task.

They say, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” The quote holds when we are talking about onboarding new employees to the company. Making every employee feel comfortable and familiar with their new working environment is the best way to start a healthy work relationship. And this crucial step can help you pave the path for boosting employee engagement and building a productive workforce .

69% of employees who undergo effective onboarding are more likely to stay with an employer for at least 3 years, and 58% are more likely to stay on for more than 3 years. (Source: O.C Tanner )

Here’s a list of 40 thoughtful welcome messages that your new employees would love to hear. Choose the best ones from the list to convey your wishes and give them a great onboarding experience .

40 Awesome Welcome Messages for New Employees

We are delighted to have you among us. On behalf of all the members and the management, we would like to extend our warmest welcome and good wishes!

Welcome to the team! We are thrilled to have you at our office. You’re going to be a valuable asset to our company, and we can’t wait to see all that you accomplish.

The entire team of [name of the company] is thrilled to welcome you on board. We hope you’ll do some amazing work here!

A warm welcome and lots of good wishes on becoming part of our growing team. Congratulations and on behalf of all the members. We are all happy and excited about your input and contribution to our company.

We just heard that our company hired an excellent new employee to join our team, and guess what? That’s you. Welcome aboard!

Congratulations on being part of the team! The whole company welcomes you, and we look forward to a successful journey with you! Welcome aboard!

A big congratulations on your new role! On behalf of the members and supervisors, we would like to welcome you to the team. We are delighted and excited about working as a team starting today.

A warm welcome to the office! Your remarkable skills will be a great addition to our team and the company. We look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with you!

Congratulations on being part of our dynamic team! The entire office welcomes you, and we hope to have a long and successful journey together.

We love to form a team, work with enthusiastic, creative people, and have a great learning attitude. And hear that you fit the bill perfectly. It's great to have you with us. Warmest welcome!

Having you in our company is a great honor! Indeed, all of us here are very excited to work with you. Welcome aboard!

Welcome aboard,[Name]! You are one of the most proficient and resourceful candidates we have hired so far. We hope you like the amenities here, and make sure your talents are utilized!

Welcome aboard! Our team is pleased to have you with us. Your expertise would be of great use to the company and its success.

An employee like you, intelligent, talented, and full of energy, is an asset to any company. We can’t wait to start working with you! Welcome to our company!

Related: 50 Work Anniversary Wishes and Quotes for Employees and Peers

Welcome aboard, new buddy! We are sure that you will prove to be a great addition to our team and the office!

It’s amazing to have such a young, fresh, and talented new member as part of our team. Hope we can together take the company to new heights. Welcome Aboard!

The office welcomes you today with open arms to be a part of our strong team! We hope we can together help the company grow bigger and broader.

Warm welcome and congratulations on getting hired! You are an asset to the company, and we hope you have a fantastic time working with the team!

Our heartiest welcome goes to you. Congratulations on being part of our growing and dynamic team here! We’re honored to have you with us!

Thanks for accepting the job offer. Your skills will be highly valuable for the team and the company. Welcome to the company!

We are thrilled to welcome you to the XYZ team here at [company name]. We are doing some exciting work here, and we are hopeful that your talent, enthusiasm, and fresh ideas will be invaluable to us!

Related: How To Write A Great Welcome Letter To New Employee In 2023: Explained With Pre-maid Templates .

"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much." --Helen Keller

Congratulations on becoming the newest member of this team! We hope you find your new role rewarding and challenging. Welcome Aboard!

Welcome aboard! We are proud to have you with us. We all have faith that you’ll deliver results, excel, and make us all proud.

Thanks for choosing to be part of the company! We are all working towards a common goal, and your contribution is integral. Congratulations, and welcome aboard!

Congratulations and welcome to the team! We believe that what a strong group of people can accomplish together is much larger, far greater, and will exceed what an individual can achieve alone.

We hope that your new journey with us will be exciting and fruitful. Welcome aboard!

Your talent and skill will add great value to our organization. We are hopeful that your learning experience will grow with us. Congratulations and welcome!

Having a talented individual like you will help us take another pivotal step towards the organizational goals. We look forward to working with you. Welcome!

We are thrilled to have you in our organization. Your skillset, creative mindset, and personality will positively impact the workforce. Hope you have a great time here!

With the organization growing rapidly, your addition to the team will greatly assist us in achieving our goals. We look forward to providing you with the best professional and personal opportunities.

Everyone on the team extends a warm welcome. With your exceptional skills and personality, we believe you will be a good fit for us.

Starting a new job can be overwhelming. But do not worry; we are here to help and support you in every way possible. So, sit back, relax, learn and enjoy the journey with us!

Welcome to a work culture that values a positive attitude and camaraderie. I hope you have a good time here!

With newer perspectives and ideas, we hope you bring a new dimension to our workplace. Welcome aboard, and congratulations!

We hope that you will surprise us with your innovative ideas and influence the whole organization in a positive way. Hope you have a good time working with us!

Hard work and dedication are something that we value the most, and we know that you are ready to put in all your efforts from the first day. Congratulations on joining the team!

Persist in your work, learn from your mistakes, cultivate positive relationships, and always give your all. That is all we ask from you. Congratulations and welcome to the team!

Never be afraid to try new things because that is exactly what we encourage our employees to do. You experiment, and you learn. The team is always available to help you. Welcome to the group. Hope you have an amazing time here!

Happy joining day! Please let me know if HR made you feel welcome because we have something better in the works. I am delighted you have decided to join us.

In Conclusion: Why Do Welcome Messages For New Employees Matter?

A warm welcome is essential for making your new employees feel at ease, developing strong peer relationships, and settling in quickly. Consider including an introduction to the team as part of your overall employee onboarding (and vice versa). It can be through a guided office tour, personal 1-to-1s, your employee newsletter , social channels, teambuilding exercises, or even a special office getting-to-know-you afternoon.

Related: Funny Work Quotes To Jazz Up Your Workplace

This article is written by Darshana Dutta . She works as a Content Creator and Digital Marketer at Vantage Circle . She writes extensively on trends around employee engagement and transforming company culture. For any related queries, contact [email protected]

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5 Inspiring Church Welcome Speech Samples

Emma Davis March 11, 2024 Uncategorized Leave a Comment

If you’re looking for inspiration for church welcome speeches, then look no further! By giving a very warm welcome, it’s your job to set the tone. A welcome speech for church may seem like a menial task, but it’s a vital part of any service. Any church service needs a good flow and rhythm.

A church welcome speech sets the stage for what’s ahead. Whether you’re hosting a conference, a normal Sunday morning, or a special event, welcoming your members is very important.

We’ve prepared several sample welcome speeches for churches that will hopefully inspire you. Prepare for a Sunday or your event with little stress!

Table of contents

What is a welcome speech, who gives the welcome speech, welcome first time visitors, match the speech with the event, use your emotions, don’t:, keep it brief, sunday service, women’s conference, guest speaker in the house.

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

Welcome speeches are a great way to set the tone for an upcoming service, or church event to welcome old and new members of your church. Starting with a welcome speech gives your church service or meeting a warm and comforting start. It also helps those new to your church feel like they’re in the right place.

A church welcome speech is also an excellent way to share what to expect during the rest of the service. Essentially, the welcome sets the tone. When writing a welcome speech, try to find ways for church members to participate. You can do this by asking them to greet one another, maybe give someone a high five or a fist bump. Also let them know about how they can give tithes any time during the service using their smartphones, via text, or your online donation form.

One common question that people wonder is who should give the church welcome speech. Should it be the pastor? An elder? Another speaker? A congregant? It isn’t the job of any one person. It might be useful however to match the welcome speaker to an event in the church.

Do you have a youth conference coming up? Have your youth pastor welcome people to church and remind them about the conference. You can do the same for a women’s or men’s event. Having someone involved in the specific event give information can be very welcoming.

Sometimes the welcome speaker is consistent — typically a pastor or other church leader . Perhaps you have multiple campuses, and the welcome speaker is your campus pastor. One thing that is always the same, regardless of who is talking, is that people who are confident, comfortable in front of a crowd, and can be trusted are great for the task.

No matter who you choose, make sure they’re an individual that you can trust to come through with a quality delivery every week.

Words of welcome before worship should be appealing to church visitors . Don’t say, “Welcome members of my church,” as a greeting. You can say something like, “Welcome brothers and sisters,” instead. 

You might also say something along the lines of, “If you are visiting us for the first time today, we’re happy you are here.” Don’t always point out first-time visitors in the audience because this can make them self-conscious. Feel free to give visitors directions to your welcome center or the bathrooms, especially if you have a large church.  

Say something to put your first-time visitors at ease. “We won’t ask you to stand up or wave your hands” can be comforting for some people.  

Though you shouldn’t promote upcoming events during this specific time, you can point out that you meet every week and the visitors are welcome to return to your next service. You can also mention a newcomers’ gathering.  

Your welcome speech should reflect the event you are welcoming your guests to. For an average Sunday service, your tone should be upbeat and encouraging. But for a more somber occasion like a funeral, you may want to be more stoic and calm. And as mentioned above, at a youth conference, you’ll want to bring the energy!

With any event, this may be a time to give some practical information in your speech. If your service needs extra time or if you are serving food, you should include those details in your speech. You should include a brief description of your service so your audience knows what is coming up. 

It is typically appropriate to open with a prayer. If you struggle with writer’s block, consider leading the congregation in a prayer that reflects on the occasion in some way. You can also read an excerpt from the Bible to gather your thoughts.

Smiling and moving your tone up is a good way to make your audience happy and feel at ease. But, don’t try and use complicated language. A welcome speech is usually given after the worship team is done. People are waiting to hear directions on what to do next. Tell a light-hearted joke such as “turn to your neighbor as you find your seat and tell them they look good today!”

Many people tell jokes to satisfy their audience, which can be risky. A joke can be inappropriate during a formal or somber occasion, and the joke may not land correctly. So, if you’re going to tell a joke, try doing a pun or wordplay. Never make a joke at someone else’s expense; remember your in the House of God! Instead, try something like rhyming. It may not be funny, but it can catch your audience’s attention and connect two ideas. 

Visuals can help what you are talking about and entertain your audience. You can put a simple graphic behind you that welcomes guests to your church . Also you can find stock art online for free with welcome messages, or you can make your own. 

Another effective way to put guests at ease is to give them something physical. At a minimum, they should have a Bible and songbook so they can follow along with the service. Perhaps you can also hand out bottles of water and snacks that they can consume during the event.

Church welcome materials can include church connect cards and handouts. Leave them at the front of the room for first-time visitors to collect, or you can have someone hand them out. 

Do’s and Dont’s

There are some simple do’s and don’t for any welcome speech. Hopefully, some of these are common knowledge, but it never hurts to review before stepping on stage. And don’t worry if you did a few of these don’ts – practice makes perfect!

• Maintain eye contact
• Speak slowly
• Include a transition
• Introduce yourself and your role
• Read from a speech
• Give too much information
• Spend too much time welcoming everyone
• Say anything inapproprate

Keep these in mind, and you’ll do great! The biggest thing to remember is to resist the urge to get sucked down the rabbit hole of treating your welcome speech as an information dump that overwhelms visitors. You want to include basic information for people like the church name or where the bathrooms are, but only include the most important stuff. Speak slowly and only say what is necessary. The rest can follow later on in the service or closer to the end for announcements.

Welcome speeches are rarely more than 150 words long. Your church welcome speech is not the time for an exegesis of the Bible. It’s Say what you need to say to start the occasion and then move on.  

Consider writing out your speech word for word and seeing what details you can cut out. Besides adverbs and adjectives, you can cut out details that the pastor will say later. Save church announcements and in-house business for another occasion. You can send out reminders about upcoming events in emails and text messages . 

5 Great Welcome Speech Examples

Take a look at these five great sample welcome speeches. Whether you’re looking for inspiration for a Sunday service, a baptism event, or a conference, we hope that you find what you need.

Hi! I’m [YOUR NAME] and a very warm welcome to everyone. It’s so good to see so many familiar faces this morning!

If this is your first time at [CHURCH NAME] I want to extend a special welcome to you, it’s great to have you with us.

Please take a moment and fill out the connection card that can be found [LOCATION] or on our church app . That will really help us get to know you a little bit better and know how we can serve or pray for you.

This week we’ll be starting a brand new 4-week series called [SERMON SERIES NAME] where we’re going to be talking about [TOPIC]. I know that God is going to speak to us, amen?

Before I go, let me just remind you that [USEFUL INFO HERE]. That being said, let’s get ready to [NEXT STEP HERE].

Good morning ladies! My name is [YOUR NAME] and I want to welcome you to [CONFERENCE NAME]. We are so expectant for what God is going to do here in these next few days. Here at [CHURCH NAME], we’ve been praying and believing the best for you. I would like to thank each one of you for your time and would like to welcome everyone to this joyous occasion for the women in the church. 

As daughters of the Lord, we have come together to celebrate the beauty that we hold as God’s children. We have prayed for such a glorious event and are truly pleased with the turnout today. Let us thank God for giving us a chance to gather in His name. 

We are here to share in the love that he has blessed us with today. Let us listen with love to the speakers who are ready to speak with us today and may they be guided by the Holy Spirit. Before we begin, I just want to say a few words of prayer [PRAYER].

Thank you, and God bless!

Hi everyone! I’m [YOUR NAME], the Campus Pastor here at [CHURCH NAME]. We’re so happy you decided to join us this Sunday. We’ve got a great service ahead of us on this beautiful morning. Just a few things to address.

Please take a chance to fill out the connect card on the back of the seat so we can get to know you better. Let us know how we can pray for you at the bottom of the card.

If you’re looking to get involved here, we’ve got several people out near the connection center in [LOCATION] ready to connect with you.

Today, we have an amazing service planned, as we welcome an amazing guest speaker [NAME] from [CHURCH NAME]. Let’s make sure we give them a warm welcome and prepare for the word today!

Hello, and a warm welcome to [CHURCH NAME] on this beautiful [CHRISTMAS/EASTER] morning!

My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am so excited to be with you today! If you’re a visitor with us, thank you so much for coming and celebrating [CHRISTMAS/EASTER] with us.

For those with us for the first time, I’d love if you could take a few moments and fill out the connect card that’s [LOCATION] and kindly drop it the back of the room at the end of service. This is one way it will help us get to know you better.

I know we’ve got a lot coming up for you today. So we’re going to kick things off here with a time of worship before we hear a special [CHRISTMAS/EASTER} message from [PREACHER NAME]. After that [INCLUDE ANY OTHER SPECIAL ELEMENTS].

We are gathered here today to celebrate the baptism of our fellow Christians. Some faces at this stage you may already know. Others, you may have only seen in passing on Sunday mornings. Whether or not they seem familiar to you, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ knows them well and today he will enter into their hearts to remain.  

On this glorious day, they all become your brothers and sisters in Christ! Today, their sins will wash away, and they will be redeemed just as you once did before our congregation. 

A welcome speech for church isn’t something to stress about. Follow the simple do’s and don’ts, speak with confidence, and practice beforehand. Set the tone for your event or Sunday morning service, and welcome first-time guests and long-time members with a friendly smile!

Related Links:

• How To Welcome New Attendees To Keep Them Coming Back
• 8 Church Conferences To Book In For 2018
• 10 Powerful Ideas for an Effective Church Welcome Center
• Top 14 Pastors Conferences to Attend in 2024
• 16 Unique and Thoughtful Church Welcome Gifts

About The Author

Emma currently lives in Texas where she loves to write, read, and bake. She graduated from Hillsong College in Australia and received her degree in Communications from DBU in Dallas. She uses her passion for writing to communicate the love God has for his people.

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Welcome Speech Ideas for a Class Reunion

A reunion speech offers a chance to elicit a lot of laughs and smiles, delving back through the decades to the school years classmates shared. Use local history and school history in the speech to reminisce with the classmates, who will enjoy remembering where they came from, as you welcome and thank participants and special guests for coming to the event.

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The Class at That Time in History

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When these classmates graduated from high school or college years ago, they wore different clothes, styled their hair differently and might have had funny nicknames. Talk about what was happening at that time in history, such as current events during the graduation year, or local government buildings, stores and shops that have since been demolished or changed. Mention favorite hangout spots or points of particular interest that classmates may have forgotten about.

The Class at School

Before the speech, find the yearbooks from those four years of high school and write a speech based on school life. Take the classmates back in time and mention the politics, friendships and society that occurred at school. Quote the funniest or sweetest senior quotes and get comments from the audience on whether the quotes still apply. If the seniors were assigned superlatives in the yearbook (cutest couple, funniest person, kindest person), bring up some of these during the speech and call the people by name.

The Class Then to Now

Talk about the changes and wisdom that the classmates have experienced through the years; whatever mistakes or catastrophes happened, they made each individual who they are today. Read aloud excerpts from the old school newspapers (if possible) and remind the audience how young they were then, and what has since happened in the world to change how they view things, as well as ways in which the local area and the world have changed.

The Class Interactive

Before the reunion, distribute a questionnaire through mail or email to all of the classmates of that year. Include questions such as: number of children or grandchildren, current hobbies, marital status, current job, residence and number of countries visited over the years. During the opening speech, share with the class who has been married the longest, who has the most grandchildren, who has traveled the farthest, and other interesting or unusual facts -- the more unusual or notable, the better.

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