Delivering the Perfect Wedding Speech

The idea of delivering a wedding speech is daunting. The reality is even worse. The only way to deliver the perfect wedding speech is to be prepared. You’ll have a crowd of people watching you; some family, some friends. Now is your time to shine and prove to everyone that you can be trusted with this responsibility. If you’re determined to get it right on the day, here are some tips to follow.

Write Your Speech

You’d be surprised by how many people decide to wing it when it comes to wedding speeches. Speaking from the heart is a great idea but you don’t want to risk being stuck for words, or rambling on to the point that you say something inappropriate. So, write your speech in advance. It’s better if you can tailor your speech to the bride and groom but if you’re not a natural at creative writing, there are plenty of speech tips online.

Test it Out

Before you offer your speech to the whole wedding, you may want to think about testing it out on a few people first. Choose people you can trust and who you know will give you good advice. Similarly, you may want to test it out at the actual venue. Find a spare few minutes where the wedding breakfast room is empty and say some of your speech aloud. You’ll then know whether you need to raise or lower your voice so people can hear you clearly.

Get Used to a Crowd

All eyes will be on you while you’re giving your speech. If you have some anxieties about speaking in front of a crowd, you may want to take yourself out of your comfort zone a few times before the wedding. You can do things like, take part in karaoke in a public bar or read poetry at a poetry night. It’s just a way of getting used to people staring at you. While you’re delivering the speech, ignore the photographer. It’s a photographer’s job to take pictures of people delivering speeches. If you’re lucky enough to have a good one, you shouldn’t notice the camera anyway.

Do Tell Jokes

A crowd will pick up on your nerves and the best way to calm yourself down and break the ice, is to tell jokes. Don’t go overboard but a good joke or funny story about the bride and groom can really change the atmosphere in a room. They say that people often forget the words you say but never forget how you made them feel.

Keep the Dirty Laundry to Yourself

As the best man, it can sometimes feel like your duty to embarrass the groom. However, there is a line you shouldn’t cross. For example, telling stories about the groom’s ex-girlfriends will get you in nothing but trouble…and the groom too. Stories about your friendship group misbehaving will usually get a laugh, but remember that the groom’s new in-laws are sitting close enough to choke him. Use your intuition but when all else fails, ask your for your mom’s opinion.