What Should You Say in a Family Reunion Welcome Speech?

By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015

A family reunion speech should be both funny and sentimental. These speeches should always thank the members of the family at the gathering for making it to the reunion, though the content and tone of the rest of the speech varies by family.

Religious family reunion speeches should incorporate references to the family’s faith along with specific sentimental messages. Sentimental messages may include reminding the family that the physical distance between members has not negatively affected the emotional connection they feel for each other. Such speeches may celebrate new additions to the family, and they typically close by thanking God for the family having a chance to be together again.

Families with a good sense of humor appreciate a speech that is both humorous and nostalgic. These speeches typically include a retelling of funny incidents that happened to individual family members in the past. The speaker may also incorporate music into the speech with songs such as “We Are Family” serving as a transition to dancing. One practical option for these speeches is to have someone hand out packets with city information or family activities in them while the speaker concentrates on entertaining the gathered family through the use of self-deprecating humor about the family’s particular quirks.