Wedding speech writing can be stressful, especially for
those who are afraid of public speaking. If you're scheduled to give a speech
at a wedding soon, there's plenty you can do to prepare. As you celebrate your
loved ones, learn more about what makes a great wedding speech.
What Is a Wedding Speech?
A wedding speech is a brief address given during a wedding
reception to congratulate the couple. This is usually the responsibility of the
newlyweds' parents as well as members of the wedding party.
A wedding speech can also refer to a brief speech given by
the bride or groom to thank everyone for attending. Some people may use this
term to refer to the officiant's opening remarks during the wedding ceremony.
Wedding-related speeches are also given at the rehearsal dinner.
Who Gives Wedding Speeches?
You can bet on several people giving speeches to celebrate a
newlywed couple. On any given wedding day, the following people can be expected
to give a speech:
The best man: The groom's best man stands up to give a
speech at some point during the wedding reception. The best man's speech is
frequently humorous, full of amusing anecdotes about the groom and his friends.
It's also an opportunity to send the happy couple our best wishes for their
future together. Additional groomsmen may make comments as well.
The newlyweds: The couple would like to take this
opportunity to thank everyone for attending and for helping them with all the
wedding preparations, including their friends, original families, and new
in-laws. They might take a moment to express their appreciation to the wedding
planner, as well as to any other vendors who may be present, if they have one.
The bridesmaid: The maid of honor leads the bridal party and
frequently is the bride's best friend or sibling. She typically knows the bride
better than anyone else. As a result, the maid of honor speech is a chance to
narrate tales and share memories about the bride while also wishing her luck in
her upcoming nuptials. Perhaps other bridesmaids will also speak.
The parents: The bride's parents almost always stand up to
speak at weddings, so be prepared for that. The mother or father of the groom
giving a speech is more common at the rehearsal dinner than at the wedding
reception, though it can also happen there. It's possible that both sets of
parents will speak in turn. Family members may stand up to speak as well.
How to Give a Wedding Speech
The secret to success when speaking at a wedding soon is
preparation. To help celebrate the bride and groom's special day, keep these
wedding speech suggestions in mind:
Stay away from improper subjects. Any speech that includes a
few funny anecdotes is a welcome addition, but refrain from sharing any
offensive ones with the wedding guests. If you had a particularly wild night
out, don't talk about the bachelor or bachelorette party antics. Refrain from
sharing embarrassing tales that could offend the bride or groom. Try to keep
the speech jovial and family-friendly.
Recognize your special position. Each speaker at a wedding
has a specific role to fulfill. The best man speech, for instance, serves a
very different function than the father of the bride speech. To decide how to
approach your speech, consider your special connection to the couple (or the
bride or groom in particular) and draw on this. You will view things
differently if you are their best friend than if you are their parent.
Coordination with the other speakers is required.
Brainstorming with the other speakers can help you avoid repeating the same
topics or stories in each speech. You could also ask the bride or groom what
they plan to say in their wedding vows and if they want you to mention any
similar memories or concepts in your speech.
Keep your speech brief. Great speeches last only as long as
they are required to. When it comes to your wedding speech, keep it brief and
to the point. Examine online speech examples and templates to get an idea of
how long yours should be. Five minutes is more than enough time. If you go on
any longer, you risk taking up too much valuable time for other celebrations.
You will appear unprepared if you cut it too short.
Include both touching and humorous stories. If you're giving
a wedding speech, chances are you're a close friend or family member. This
means you have a large collection of touching and entertaining stories about
the couple. Use these to make the audience laugh or cry on this special day of
celebration.
Preparation is essential. Even the most self-assured people
can find public speaking nerve-racking at times, so practice your speech
several times before delivering it in real time. Bring notecards or a list of
bullet points on your phone to help you remember. If this is your first time
speaking in public, take deep breaths and remember that it will be over soon.
Finish with best wishes. When most wedding speeches reach
their conclusion, they turn into wedding toasts. Consider making an original
toast to the bride and groom at the end of your speech to end on a high note.
