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Once the dust settles attention soon turns to the wedding speeches. Let’s face facts, no one wants to remember a wedding speech for the WRONG reasons!
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To get started these are the basics for getting to grips with the wedding speeches that will help all the wedding speakers.
12 Tips for the wedding speeches:
- A good speech starts with an idea but a great wedding speech needs both inspiration and preparation – do not underestimate the time required to practise!
- Practise your speech, you are aiming to create as natural a vibe as possible. This is not a formal speech. Practise with your cards so you get the hang of where everything is. Don’t just practise sat down. Reading something in front of you is one thing but you will be giving your speech stood up. If you lose your place or are fumbling for your cards it will cause more nerves.
- Get a look at the venue as soon as possible – try and find out where you will be standing when you give your speech – this is psychological gold dust as you can begin using visualisation techniques way ahead of the wedding day.
- There’s no shame in note cards – use them as prompts and get used to rehearsing with them – tweak as you go. Even if you are confident speaking, having some prompts is really important.
- DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL BEFORE your speech! It will not calm your nerves and it may dry out your throat besides which, no bride feels confident in her best man when he’s nearly under the table drunk! Remember someone will be filming you.
- Five to Ten minutes is plenty of time to give a good wedding speech, any longer and guests will become restless. The whole process at the end of the meal is quite lengthy and guests in a warm room, drinking alcohol, full of food will need shorter sound bites.
- Each speaker should introduce themselves by name and role. Unless the toastmaster is doing this. Don’t assume everyone knows who everyone is. This will stop guests whispering as the speeches start.
- Don’t start the speeches until you have everyone’s attention.
- Have a glass of water to hand in case you dry up.
- Don’t rush your spiel. When nerves kick in words tumble out. Build these pauses naturally into your speech.
- If your speaking to a large room consider using a microphone.
- Generally confer with each other so anecdotes and stories are not duplicated.
Who gives Wedding Speeches
Traditionally there are three speakers at the wedding. The order of the wedding speeches are as follows. The Father of the Bride speaks first, then the Groom and finally the Best Man. However, this is a tradition not set in stone, if you want to mix things up and make a speech then go for it. The main thing is to keep the after dinner speeches to a maximum of 30 minutes in total. Either limit the number of speakers, three at the end of the meal is really enough. For more speakers just reduce their allotted time to speak.
After dinner speaking can be quite a challenge to hold attention for any length of time. People are restless, full or food and drink and rooms are usually warm.
Wedding Speech Order
- Father of the Bride
- The Groom
- The Best Man
5 Golden Rules of Wedding Speeches
If you are more likely to be the kind of person that wings the wedding speeches then these are the golden rules that you must not break.
- Keep the Wedding speeches Short
- Don’t embarrass anyone
- Compliment the Bride and Bridesmaids.
- Do not use bad language
- Don’t get so drunk you can’t speak coherently.
5 People you need to Thank at your wedding
Finally remember to thank people that have made the wedding what is, acknowledge the efforts and help given.
- Thank Bridesmaids for supporting the Bride and helping out.
- Thank whoever is hosting the wedding.
- Thanks parents
- Thank Ushers and Bestman
- Thank your guests for attending.