Are you nervous about the prospect of delivering a speech at a wedding you are part of? In this article, we will discuss 10 foolproof tips that you can use for the perfect wedding speech able to be given.

For a decent number of us, it’s a daunting thought to give a speech before an audience. This is especially true when close friends and family are thrown into the mix. So how do you make sure that you can deliver a wonderful speech while those in the audience enjoy the wedding to the fullest? Check out these tips on delivering a wedding speech from Manor by the Lake.

Break From Tradition

The best way to prevent your nerves building up for hours is to deliver the wedding speech earlier in the day. In fact, giving the speech right into the reception is a wonderful idea, given the guests are relaxed, happy, and sitting with a drink in hand. Once the speech has been delivered, everyone (including you!) can enjoy the rest of the celebrations.

Set a Time Limit

Remember that it’s a wedding, not a conference. Therefore, there is no need to give a long speech. It’s best to keep things short and sweet. A word limit of 1,000 words is ideal for those writing one out, or a speech that lasts 5 to 10 minutes. This is plenty of time to reminisce, tell some heartwarming and funny stories about the newlyweds, and propose a toast.

Plan Adequately

When delivering a speech at a wedding, you will feel much more at ease if you make a few notes or otherwise plan what you would like to say. Not many individuals can stand up and speak off-the-cuff. So be prepared!

Follow a Structure

Once you have figured out what you would like to say, it’s a good idea to get organized. Place your notes into sections so that you can cover everything that you would like to touch on, from congratulating the couple to sharing memories and thanking the guests.

 Concentrate on a Great Opening Line

Think of something to say that will work well for grabbing the attention of the audience as you start your speech. In addition to this, you want to end your speech on a high note. One suggestion? Tell a funny story that leads into your toast, as this usually works quite nicely.

Practice

If you are feeling nervous about the speech you will be delivering at the wedding celebration, take some time to practice. This can help you to build the confidence you need to give a speech that goes off without a hitch. It’s also a good way to test out how long your speech will be. If it’s too long when you hear what you have written out loud, it’s time to edit down so that it fits in the guidelines of 5 to 10 minutes. In addition, ask a friend to listen to your practice run and then give you honest feedback.

Always Have a Back-Up

Once you have written a speech you feel good about, make a few copies. There is nothing worse than going to deliver your wedding speech only to find that you have lost your notes. In fact, you may want to have 3 to 4 copies on hand just to be safe. Give a copy to a friend so that you won’t be left without your notes when it is time to stand up and speak.

Make Eye Contact

When standing up and delivering the wedding speech, seek out a few friendly faces. While it is easy to feel butterflies in your stomach with a whole room full of people peering up at you, spotting these friendly faces can put you at ease as you make eye contact. Don’t avoid looking at the eyes of your audience, however, as this will distract them from what you have to say.

Use Props

If you are really unsettled about the prospect of public speaking, you can absolutely use props during your speech. Who wouldn’t love to see a slide of embarrassing photos? This can help you to deliver a great speech while giving your audience a bit of distraction.

Let the Girls Speak

Take a break from tradition and let one of the bridesmaids or even the bride herself stand up and say a few words, you could even have a mother of the bride speech. This can put some of the pressure off of you and give the lovely ladies center stage for a moment.

Remember to breathe, and follow these steps for a wonderful speech that sets the tone for a beautiful wedding celebration.

 

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