Perfecting the art of writing a wedding speech takes a lot of practice and thought. Sometimes, just hearing the words "wedding speech" is enough to make a bridesmaids' heart stop or cause the best man to break out in a sweat. It doesn't have to be such a daunting task though! Here are our tips for writing the perfect wedding speech.
Preparation Is Key...
Wedding speeches are no easy feat, and even the most confident public speakers get nervous when it comes to making a toast at a wedding reception. To make sure you're feeling as calm and in control about delivering your wedding speech as possible, it's important to take the honour of making a toast seriously and prepare well in advance. Give yourself plenty of time to plan what you're going to say so that you can have your speech well-rehearsed for the big day. That way, you won't feel panicked when the moment arrives!
Start With A Bang...
Once you start delivering your wedding speech, you want to get people's attention immediately and hold their interest until the very end of your speech. So, start with a strong opening line and make sure you have a memorable closer! This could be a cute saying or a funny quote...anything that will have all the guests thinking "wow, what a great wedding speech!"
Thank You...
When you're giving a wedding speech, it's traditional to thank certain members of the bride and groom's family and other special guests. For example, the best man will usually toast the bridesmaids, the maid of honour, the groomsmen and the bride. To make sure you're thanking all of the right people, ask the bride and groom who they want you to include in your speech ahead of the big day. This will ensure that everyone who needs recognition is toasted and there won't be any awkward moments of leaving someone's name off the list!
Make It Personal...
Making your speech touching and personal is a sure-fire way to bring a tear to the newlyweds' eyes. Guests love to hear the beautiful connection that the newlyweds share with their nearest and dearest so tell some personal stories. For example, share your story of how you came to know the couple and why you think they're perfect for each other and every wedding guest is sure to be reaching for the tissues!
Keep It PG...
It's important to keep in mind that this toast is to be delivered in front of the bride and groom's family, and other special people in their lives. So, it's important to keep your speech clean and tasteful. Avoid saying anything inappropriate or telling any stories that could be interpreted as offensive. Wedding speeches are about celebrating the newlyweds and their love, so keep your toast family-friendly and don't say anything you wouldn't want the couple's parents or grandparents to hear.
Short And Sweet...
If you're writing your wedding speech and you find yourself struggling to come up with the most hilarious anecdote, don't panic! It's okay for wedding speeches to be short and sweet. No one enjoys sitting through a toast when the speaker goes on and on and on, so it's much better to have a shorter speech than one that has the wedding guests falling asleep. Share a simple, heartwarming story about the couple or share a piece of advice you've learned about love and marriage that you want to share with the newlyweds, and you're all set to go!
Now that you've read these wedding speech tips, make sure you know all of the dos and don'ts of wedding speeches by clicking here.
