Speeches: Open mic or schedule?

I think a schedule is definitely a better option. You can always schedule your mom in later on so she'll have had the chance to have a few drinks beforehand. If you leave it as an open mic format, everyone might think the same way and leave the speeches until the end, and then you'll run the risk of going overtime or people not having a chance to give their speech. I would create a schedule with the people you would like to make speeches, and then let them know that you've left time for them to give a speech, and leave it up to them to decide if they want to fill that time or not.

Have as few speeches as humanly possible. Seriously, there is nothing more annoying at a wedding than having to listen through the best man give a speech then the maid of honor, then all the parents then cousin Jim, then the Groom, then the Bride, then oh look out, aunt Tilly got a hold of the mic but she's had a few...

Don't do open mic, that's just giving people permission to ramble while they have had maybe a bit too much alcohol, and when you schedule your speeches, if there are more than four SHORT speeches, it's too many.

Don't have open mic. You don't want a bunch of people deciding at the last minute to make a speech and have your guests bored to death with too many. Just ask your best man and maid of honor to make a toast (not a speech), less than 1 minute each. Then let your guests enjoy their dinner and conversation at their tables. You really don't want you mom getting up after a few drinks. That could be embarrassing.

I Hate this

What happen to just a toast and maybe the father of the bride

I think there will boring

With an open mic, any one could say anything

Will people be drinking

How about just having a few, like one parent of either the bride or the groom and the best man maybe the MOH. Nobody else

Open Mic you can not control who speaks and what is said

To many people may come up and some guest will fine it boring

you really should not be asking who wants to give a speech. no one wants to give speeches at weddings. what you should be doing is assigning speeches to those whom you want to give them.

traditionally, the best man and the maid of honor, the father/mother of the bride are the ones who give speeches. normally the parents of the bride give their speech at or near the close of the reception party, thanking everyone for coming and being their guests and informing them that the bride and groom are departing after the next dance or to announce the last dance of the night. (if they are the ones paying for the wedding. if you and your fiance are paying for it yourselves then one of you gives this speech)

the best man and maid of honor speeches are normally given during or directly before food service when everyone is seated and has a full glass before them. if you want other people to give speeches, you need to just ask them to do so.

at a wedding where there is alcohol service, it is really not a good idea to just have an open mic. never know what you might end up with. but it is okay for your mother to wait until near the end of the evening to give her address.

Wedding Speeches Spellbind Your Audience : http://speech.findpolo.com/

I prefer scheduled. In between courses is what we are doing as well. I am just casually asking around "are you planning on making a toast at the wedding?" my MOH and BM would like to, as well as my fiance's parents, but mine would prefer not to - which is fine!