WhStuck on what to include in your toast? Wedding speeches are a beautiful way to acknowledge and thank every person who has helped make the wedding come together and to take a sweet trip down memory lane. Here are a few tips on how to make your wedding speech a memorable one.
Practice Makes Perfect...
Make sure you rehearse your wedding toast before the big day! Practicing your speech will build your confidence so that when the moment arrives, you'll have complete control over your nerves. Another upside of being well prepared when delivering your speech is the ability to speak to the crowd with ease and make eye contact with all of the guests.
Start With A Bang...
Capture every guests' attention as soon as you start speaking by opening your toast with a catchy opening line or a fun, tasteful joke. Set the mood for the rest of your speech at the beginning by being entertaining and engaging. Captivating the crowd with a winning opener will ensure you keep their attention throughout the whole speech.
Make It Snappy...
While you don't want your speech to be so brief that you seem unprepared, you do want to keep your toast short and sweet so that you hold everyone's attention. Include a memory about the bride and groom and a few loving words of encouragement and best wishes for the couple's future happiness for the perfect wedding toast.
From The Heart...
While it's good to keep wedding speeches light-hearted and entertaining, including some sentimental moments is a big yes. Be genuine and tell some heartfelt anecdotes or bestow touching well wishes on the newly weds. A little bit of emotion in a wedding toast definitely should not be shied away from.
We're All In This Together...
One of the best tips for all wedding speeches is to address everyone in the room. This point is particularly important for the groom's speech as he should address friends, family, in-laws and most importantly, his new spouse! Don't forget to give special mention to guests who have travelled a long way to be at the wedding and acknowledge close friends and family that couldn't make it to the big day.
Don't Roast Them, Toast Them...
As the old saying goes, it's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt. Don't make jokes or tell stories that are overly personal or embarrassing because they could be taken the wrong way and hurt people's feelings. There's nothing worse than an unhappy bridal party on the big day! If you are going to include jokes in your speech, make sure they're light-hearted and jovial.
It's Not Open Mic Night...
Do not, we repeat, DO NOT let the speeches turn into an open mic night. Make sure the MC knows exactly which guests are speaking and when, and do not let them give the microphone to anyone else. Guests who have had a couple of drinks will be feeling very bubbly and excited and if they get on the mic, they could cause an unplanned and uncomfortable hiccup in the celebrations.
Keep it PG...
Don't curse during your speech or say anything that could be considered inappropriate. Remember there are guests of all ages at a wedding, including elderly relations of the bride and groom like parents and grandparents. And whatever you do, don't bring up any of the couple's exes.
Booze Ban...
Don't have too many drinks before delivering your speech. Having one drink to ease your nerves is perfectly fine but any more than that and you might not be on your A-game. Even if you're only a little bit tipsy, you could start to stumble over your words and lose your train of thought. So, play it safe and steer clear of alcohol until the big moment is over.
Cheers...
One of the most commonly overlooked pieces of advice for anyone giving a wedding speech - don't forget to actually toast the newlyweds! Wedding toasts shouldn't end with an awkward "and...yeah". End your toast by saying "So, let's raise a glass to the happy couple. Cheers!"
Why speak when you can sing? Click here for a few tips on how to perform the perfect singing wedding speech!
