You have been asked to give a speech at a wedding. It's something you've never done before, and public speaking is not your forte. You get nervous and your nerves make you sweat which leads to embarrassment for you and for the couple-of-the-hour. It’s a nasty spiral to fall down. So, how do you give a fabulous wedding speech that honors the bride and groom on their special day and leaves you feeling like you nailed it?
How to Format the Speech
You can vary the format of your speech to match what you want to say and who your audience is. However, here is a brief outline you can use to get started:
- Introduce yourself because not everyone will know you.
- Open with a humorous memory that you share with the bride or groom. It will relax your audience.
- Share a few happy memories of the happy couple. It will touch everyone's emotions.
- Impart a word of wisdom. After wishing the bride and groom health and prosperity, give a thought or quote that speaks to what makes a happy marriage.
- Thank everyone in the audience for coming. It shows you care about each and every one of them.
Getting It Written
When you have a format in mind, writing the speech won't be as hard as you think. Take a couple of hours and write out what you want to say. Make sure your words are from the heart. Then, walk away from it. Time away from the actual written word will help you when it comes time to edit it.
Take what you wrote and speak it out loud. Does it sound natural? Does it sound sincere? Make changes as you want. Repeat the editing cycle as many times as you need to get it right. When it's ready, write your speech on a couple of notecards for easy referral.
Practice, Practice, Practice
To ensure you deliver your speech without freezing up on stage, practice. Stand in front of a mirror and say it out loud. The average number of words per minute in a speech is somewhere between 100 and 120 wpm. Try to stick with that pace. Be aware that when the big moment comes, adrenaline and nerves will push you to talk faster. You will probably need to conscientiously slow down to sound natural.
Once you get comfortable in front of a mirror, give the speech in front of your spouse or a close friend (NOT the bride or groom).
Mistakes to avoid
- Don't wait until the last minute.
- Don't go too far with raunchy humor or vulgar language.
- Don't be offensive or overly embarrassing.
- Don't drink too much before giving the speech.
You can give a memorable, thoughtful wedding speech that the bride and groom will remember for years to come. It just takes a bit of thought and practice. You’ll want to make this the perfect moment for the bride and groom and you don’t want to embarrass yourself either. Use Duradry to keep your nervous sweat in check. If no one can tell you are nervous and you can deliver the speech that you have practiced for hours, you, my friend, have succeeded in giving the perfect wedding speech.
