Mr. TK and I listening intently to a speech during our reception.

I have a confession. If I had to do it all over again, I would have asked more people to give toasts during my wedding reception and I would have given more speeches at my rehearsal dinner.

First things first: My brother and my best friend of two decades definitely did an admirable job with their speeches at our reception. They were sincere and heartfelt. However, I wish I had allowed my nieces to share a few words as well. As I’ve mentioned before, my nieces are on a short list of people in the world who love me unconditionally. They mean the world to me and now have a special bond with their new uncle. Plus they were so excited about the wedding! I also would have liked the man who introduced Mr. TK and I, a mutual friend of ours, to share a few words. Steve is a dedicated husband, father and active mentor to underserved youth. I have witnessed him evolve from a girl-chasing teenager to the type of parent who stays up to the wee hours of the morning to help one of his children complete a science project. His friendship has been unwavering and he saw something in Mr. TK and I many years ago (that we probably didn’t even see in ourselves) to think we would be a good fit to meet.

Good Times: My buddy Steve and I post-rehearsal dinner.

To be clear, I dread long, drawn-out speeches as much as the next gal. What I am describing would ideally have only added an extra 20 minutes to the speech portion of our reception. (Unlike me, Mr. TK asked several people to give speeches from various phases of his life.) It is the realization that Mr. TK and I will probably never have all of our wedding guests gathered under one roof again — ever — that has made me come to this conclusion.

The takeaway from my confession for nearlyweds? Think long and hard about who you ask to deliver a speech at your wedding. I’m sure you just rolled your eyes and mumbled, “Of course, Bridgette.” But, I mean really think long and hard. Consider asking 3-4 people from different stages of your life. (Set a time maximum so you can get to shakin’ a tailfeather.) Think about how well those people know you and your relationship. And if you decide to have a rehearsal dinner, make a quick and dirty list (in your phone is fine) of the people you want to acknowledge. You might think you can do it from memory but I’m warning you that you probably can’t. You will be on an emotional roller coaster and are likely to forget key people and things so a little cheat sheet will help.

Please don’t misread this post as a sad case of post-wedding regrets because it isn’t. Mr. TK and I had an unbelievably special wedding in Charlotte and were blessed to have an equally special celebration in NYC. I allowed myself to be vulnerable in today’s post so that those of you in the midst of planning your nuptials can hopefully learn from me. There will always be something in weddings and in life for us to look back on and say, “Hmm, maybe I could have done that differently…” Don’t stress about your toasts/speeches too much but remember the memories will last a lifetime.

What is your fondest wedding reception speech/toast memory?