Showing posts with label Wedding Speech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wedding Speech. Show all posts

Monday, June 29, 2009

Three Things You Should Never Include In A Wedding Speech

As the groom, your speech at your wedding is probably one of the most important speeches of the evening.

The last thing that you want to do is to deliver a speech that will make everyone feel embarassed for you.

The following are some things that you should NEVER talk about in a groom speech:

1) Never talk about your previous girlfriends!

This is the fastest way to ruin your entire wedding speech and embarass your new wife and your families.

Not only will it ruin your wedding, it may also lead your new bride to question her relationship with you.

2) Don't discuss the events of the bachelor party!

Stories like this rarely will get a laugh from the bride or her family!

No one wants to hear about what happened last night especially if the events will make everyone feel uncomfortable.

3) Skip the embarassing stories.

If you want to tell a story make sure that it is a fun story that everyone can enjoy and not a story that will make someone feel uncomfortable.

These are just some of the groom speech tips that are available at http://www.groomspeech.info

There is no reason that you have to worry about writing a successful speech with so much help available.

You can even download a pre-written groom speech by going to http://groomspeech.info/go/wedding_speeches

This site covers everything from the speech itself to jokes that you can include in your speech.

So stop worrying about what you are going to say at your wedding so you can just enjoy this special day.

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Groom Wedding Speech No No's - What You Should Avoid

Here are some things you should avoid doing while delivering your speech at the wedding reception

1) Don't pretend to be someone else.


Always make sure that your speech reflects who you are.

Pretending to be someone else while delivering your speech or trying too hard is only going to make you look bad.

You will also look phony to your audience.

After all everyone present is probably a friend or a family member and they know what you are like.

Stepping out of your comfort zone is therefore really not recommended while delivering your speech.

Try to relax and stop focusing impressing on everybody.

Speaking from the heart will be much more appreciated.

2) Don't get drunk before you speak.

Even you have a great speech prepared, getting drunk or having too many drinks before you deliver the speech will probably ruin it.

Not only will everyone else notice that you have been drinking but you also run a high risk of saying things that you didn't originally intend to say.

It's therefore best to save the drinks until after you speak if you don't want to embarrass yourself.

3) Don't be too serious.

Tasteful jokes and funny stories are always welcome in a wedding speech.

If you want to make a speech that everyone will remember, making your speech exciting is the only way to go.

If you are too serious everyone will probably be napping instead of listening to what you have to say!

If you want more tips on how to write a successful wedding speech go to http://www.groomspeech.info.

You can also download a complete wedding speech that you can customize to meet your needs at http://groomspeech.info/go/wedding_speeches.

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Sunday, June 7, 2009

Make Your Wedding Speech Moving - 7 Distinctive Quotes That Personalize Your Brides Speech

Brides speeches are a relatively recent addition to the ceremony. Weddings of the past have been dominated by the male roles-father of the bride, best man, and groom.

Even as it becomes more popular, the bride's speech is changing as brides figure out what part they would like to play in the day.

The basic structure for bride's speeches:

1. show your gratitude to maids, family (including in-laws), and friends,

2. offer a story that illustrates your love for your husband,

3. toast him with a quote, and

4. introduce the next speaker.

Of course, the focus of the bride's speech is generally the groom and marriage. Since it can be challenging to find a good quote to use for the toast, I've included a list you can draw from below. They cover a range of attitudes from respectful, to humorous, to acknowledging the blustery quality that mark some relationships.

Some distinctive wedding toast quotes:

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. - Mignon McLaughlin

I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. - Rita Rudner

No, I don't understand my husband's theory of relativity, but I know my husband and I know he can be trusted.-- Elsa Einstein

When you love someone, all your saved up wishes start coming out. --Elizabeth Bowen

There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved. - George Sand

You know that when I hate you, it is because I love you to a point of passion that unhinges my soul. - Julie de Lespinasse

Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

So much more you can do.

A well-chosen quote is just one resource to help your bride's speech add luster to an occasion you'll cherish your whole life. There are a lot of other ways to make your speech special, such as speaking jointly with your new husband, or adding touches to make it a small celebration of it's own.

A huge time-saver

Searching the internet for a quote here and a toast there is going to be a terrific drain on your time. If your wedding is coming soon, a better bet is to get a collection professionally written bride's speeches you can download and customize right away.

There's a kit available that helps you create bride speeches in no time at all. It's really inexpensive (and if you follow the link above, you can get a discount) and covers everything from speeches, to jokes, to wedding etiquette. Relax and enjoy your wedding. We can help. Go to http://weddingspeechessource.com/bride-speeches/


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Monday, June 1, 2009

Hypnotize Your Audience With Your Great Wedding Day Speech

You're getting married and already you are feeling excited, although perhaps a little over-whelmed. You get into that merry-go-round of planning and rehearsals and who to invite, and who not to invite and which invitation to use and when to send it, and you begin to wonder why you didn't just run away to Timbuktu and get married there instead! But you chose to get married in front of friends and family because these people are the ones who you love and care for and who you want to share your special day with. You want them to see you as you make your vows. You want these witnesses to be there to support you in your marriage, both now and in the future.

I have been to a lot of weddings during the last year, and whilst each was very different, all were very special and I felt privileged to be there with the bridge and groom. One wedding was more formal, an outdoor wedding in the Napa Valley. The next was informal and between a couple who had already been together for 15 years. This one was in the UK. The next was in Prague, in the Town Hall. And the most recent was in Pasadena, outdoors and very unique and modern in the type of ceremony chosen.

No matter what type of wedding you choose, or where you make your vows, there is the inevitable speech to be made. Logically you know that this should not be a burden; it should be a joyous experience, including "thank-yous" to friends and family, and fun anecdotes and warm feelings. But so many wedding day speeches are marred for the maker of them by nerves and apprehension. These nerves are not wanted; they just appear, springing unbidden into the speech givers reality. Sometimes there is just a small sensation of worry in the pit of your stomach; sometimes it is so great you feel physically sick.

When thinking about your wedding speech lots of different things can run through your mind, sometimes as pictures or even movies. You see yourself stumbling over your words, or stalling, or blushing, or shaking...and the more you worry about it the more horrific these movies can become.

STOP! Stop right there. There is no need to have these movies running riot in your mind. You can take control of your thoughts and visualizations with a little bit of guidance. Just take a deep breath and relax. That's a great starting point. Whenever you feel anxious, you cannot think straight. That's a known fact. You have to learn to change state and this is easy to do if you learn to use hypnosis.

Hypnosis is a state of relaxation and it is easy to learn and easy to use, because it is normal and natural. You pass through hypnosis each night as you go to sleep. That is how normal hypnosis is. You can learn to stop those worries, simply by using a hypnosis download which will guide you in a more positive way of thinking. You know how you want to think, you know that logically. But you need to get that logic into your subconscious mind, the part that feels and acts instinctively. Hypnosis will allow you to do just this; Hypnosis allows access to your subconscious mind and will enable you to erase those horror movies you saw before and replace them with comfortable new movies instead.

With hypnosis you can easily learn to calm your concerns and appease any apprehension that you feel about your wedding day or about making your wedding speech. Hypnosis will teach you how to keep any worries in check so that all your thoughts and emotions are positive and joyful, just as they should be. You can develop soothing and optimistic sensations which will generate a complete feeling of wellbeing and allow your wedding day - the greatest day of your life - to live long in your memory - for the right reasons.

Hypnosis will help you to not only overcome any anxiety you may have about making your wedding speech, you will also become as good and confident as you can possibly be so that you can enjoy every moment of your wedding day.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis downloads for your wedding day bliss.

http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com

With a degree in psychology and qualifications in hypnotherapy, NLP and sports psychology, Roseanna Leaton is one of the leading practitioners of self-improvement. You can get a free hypnosis download from http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com and peruse her extensive library of hypnosis downloads .

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Friday, March 13, 2009

Best Wedding Speech - How To Make Everyone Melt With Your Words

If you're in an upcoming wedding, you most likely need a solid wedding speech prepared to give at the wedding reception. Giving a wedding speech can be nerve wrecking, especially when you consider the audience you will be speaking to. But, wedding speeches don't have to be tough. In fact, they are only as hard as you make them out to be, and you can make the best wedding speech without much work involved!

Writing a wedding speech can be done quickly and easily, even if you've never written a speech before in your life. The first thing you want to do when preparing for a wedding speech is create an outline that is easy to follow. Writing an outline for your speech will help you figure out everything that you want to say, as well as help you organize the speech in a way that it makes sense to everyone at the reception, regardless of their relationship with you or the wedding party.

Once you have a solid outline in place, find out the key elements that you want to emphasize. Then, expand on those elements. This will help your speech flow better overall.

When giving your speech at the wedding reception, make sure that you have the mic held at a relative distance from your mouth. Don't "hug" the microphone. Doing this will make your speech sound muffled, which is the last thing you want to do. You want your voice to sound clear, so everyone can understand what you're saying.

Follow these tips, and you'll have one of the best wedding speeches ever, and the bride and groom will be overcome with emotion and happiness.

Now, what if you have a great outline, but don't really know what to write? Have you ever considered a pre-written wedding speech? They cut out all of the hard work, leaving you to simply "fill in the blanks".

To learn more about pre-written speeches and how you can get access to them, just visit Best Wedding Speeches.

Find out how you can get access to pre-written "fill in the blank" wedding speeches now at Best Wedding Speeches.

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Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Give A Funny Wedding Speech

Delivering a speech isn't for a lot of people. Public speaking at your own wedding? How about a funny wedding speech? That is, for a greater part of the public, the absolute worst experience possible. You have to stand up and make comments that people will remember in association with this most important occasion in your life, without giving undue resentment to anyone.

As a matter of fact, remember the cardinal rules of public speaking: Tell the audience what you're going to go over. In particular, keep the tone merry, and keep an air of levity in your presentation. Make them giggle. Make them grin.

If you're the groom, thank everyone who helped you with the wedding. Sometimes, being the groom at a wedding is sort of like being the prize steer at a stock show. The wedding planner coordinates everything, your bride-to-be is springing out over all the details, and all you have to do is wear a black tie, hand her the ring and not screw up.

Commend your bride. Exalt the bridesmaids. Reverence your bride's family, and thank them for raising the wonderful woman you're spending the rest of your life with. Praise your best man, and spell out that the inceptive duties of the best man were to feud off the brides brothers and cousins while the groom had time to abscond with her through a window for a massive elopement.

Do take the time to point out your individual friends in the audience. They'll appreciate it later, when they get singled out by the company of the wedding party trying to set them up. Do take the time to thank your parents for helping finance the ceremony.

And then, you need to address a toast. Now, you've proposed a toast to your wife, your future in-laws, and your parents, so the limits of duty have been satisfied. The final commencing toast is normally meant to be funny, but be aware of the preference of the wedding party. Something that's slapstick to a person in their 20s may be downright horrid to their grandparents, and you don't want to go down as being the man who offended everyone. Here are some gems:

"Here's to our wives and our loves. May they never meet."

"I've put this date in my calendar. The best way to remember a wedding anniversary is to forget it once."

"Marriage is the union where man and woman become one. The trouble comes in when they try to decide which one."

If you're the best man, you have the best gig at the wedding. You get to tell stories about "Remember when" and embarrass the groom. In particular, praise the bride-to-be to the high heavens, then ask her if she's taken leave of her senses for marrying your consort. She'll laugh, everyone else will laugh, and the festivities can begin. So, delivering a funny wedding speech isn't that hard after all.


About the Author: Mark Pommett is a Las Vegas Wedding Videographer with over 10 yrs exp in wedding video documentaries. In addition, he's worked in production for several films including "Click" starring Adam Sandler. For weddings in jackpot neveda visit www.vegasweddingvideography.com.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Never "Wing" A Wedding Speech!

by: Alex Berez

The one thing you don't want to do on the day of the wedding is stand up to make your speech and try to “wing” it. Trying to make a speech up off the top of your head is a recipe for disaster. Chances are you'll forget what you wanted to say, ramble on about unrelated matters, and say some things you may later wish you hadn't.

“Now wait,” you may be saying, “I've seen plenty of people who did great jobs and they seemed to be giving a completely spontaneous speech.” Fair enough, but the key word here is “seemed.” The majority of speeches we see, especially the ones that appear to be spontaneous and unplanned, are just the opposite. These speeches have been planned to such an extent that the speaker can deliver them so that it appears the words are coming to him off the top of his head. This type of speaking is known as extemporaneous.

Extemporaneous speaking allows you to plan out what you want to say but also forces you to practice it so that you can deliver your words with only a handful of notes instead of a word-for-word manuscript. There are a number of reasons why extemporaneous speaking is the best choice for a wedding speech:

• Because you aren't reading a manuscript, you will be able to make eye contact with guests which adds a sense of sincerity and warmth to your speech.

• Because you aren't making the speech up as you go along, you can make sure to include all of the points you want to make. You won't leave anything out.

• Because you are going to practice the speech, you'll feel more comfortable with the words and with the delivery. By the time you're ready for the actual speech, you'll be prepared.

• Because people tend to sound monotone when they read something word for word aloud, extemporaneous speaking sounds more natural and more pleasing to the audience's ears.

As you can clearly see, opting for an extemporaneous speech is going to increase the likelihood of your public speaking event going well because it will eliminate many of the problems inexperienced speakers typically encounter.

About The Author

Alex Berez is author of "Wedding Speeches" 101
http://www.TheWeddingSpeech.com

Monday, August 20, 2007

Wedding Speech Writing Tips

by: Leroy Chan

The wedding speech, when well thought out, rehearsed and properly delivered, could bring a wedding reception or dinner to life. A good wedding speech will entertain and make the guests feel great about being present for the celebration. Here are a few tips for writing your own wedding speech if you don't have any idea what to say.

Thank Anyone Important

A wedding is an ideal occasion to thank many people. Name the people you want to give thanks to and why. For example, if you are the best man, you can thank the groom for being his best friend. If you are the bride, you can thank your parents for raising you to be independent and smart.

Tell a Story

People like to hear stories about other people. Say something you know about the person you will be talking about because you were also there when it happened, or even if you had only heard about it. For example, you and the groom went to the same college but attended lectures late, if at all in the mornings because you both played poker all night long. The groom won often and made enough to pay for one semester's tuition.

Give a History Lesson

This is very similar to telling a story. Go over the significant milestones, if you are familiar with them, about this person, the bride or groom. That would include the schools they attended, the jobs they had or the hobbies they are in to.

Disclose a Secret

Everyone likes to hear and tell secrets. Say something no one knows about the person you will be talking about but may be surprised to find out. For example, tell the guests that the bride once auditioned for a popular television show. Or, that the groom had a crush on his third grade school teacher, who by the way is a guest tonight.

Say Something Funny

Any occasion would be fun if humor were part of it. If you can make people laugh with a funny story, everyone will feel like they are having a good time and enjoy themselves.

You can't force a laugh. However, the stories you tell or the situations you describe can end up getting a few guests chuckling without you trying to make it funny.

Give Unsolicited Advice

It's customary for someone to give the newlyweds some advice. The most common is anything on marriage. If you are making a speech and you are married, you can share your wisdom on how to be a good spouse. A common advice is to resolve your argument before you both go to sleep. Another would be that the wife is always right. Although these examples are important, admittedly they have been over-used. What you can do, if you can't think of advice that no one else has ever told, is to make these original or unique by describing how the advice has helped you in your own marriage.

Reveal Your Feelings

You can express your feelings about the people you will be talking about in your speech. If you are the father of the bride, tell your daughter how proud you are of her and that you will always be there for her. In addition, you can tell your new son-in-law how happy you are to have him as a new member of the family.

Get the Audience Involved

This idea is a bit unconventional and almost crosses into the job of the MC, however you might consider getting the audience involved by asking questions about the couple. You can ask about the craziest thing the couple has ever done. Or, you can ask about why they would make a good couple. You can come up with any opened ended question that requires some explaining. Some would be glad to participate just to be the life of the party. By doing this, you'll loosen up the crowd and make the celebration all the more fun.

You should consider it an honor and a privilege if asked to make a speech at a wedding reception. The newlywed's family asked you because they trust you and have respect in you. They know that they can count on you to do a good job. Your moment to shimmer in the spotlight is near. Good luck and have fun.

Copyright © 2006 By Leroy Chan

About The Author

Leroy Chan

In a hurry to get your speech written? Learn about a system that writes wedding speeches for you instantly! Visit: http://www.WeddingMoneySavingGuide.com/Wedding-Speeches-Written-For-You-Instantly.html.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Making A Wedding Speech? Overcome Your Fear In Seven Simple Steps

by: Nigel Patterson

A wedding is a joyous occasion for the bride and groom, their family and friends. But there are some people for whom the wedding reception holds a challenge unlike almost any other. The cause of their fear is simple: they're going to have to make a speech!

Anxiety about public speaking can afflict people from all walks of life. Some people fear that the audience will be hostile; others, that they will dry up or be humiliated in some way. For many of us, it's just an unspoken terror to be avoided at all costs.

It's sad that a social phobia like this should have the power to spoil one's enjoyment of the wedding celebrations. If you're the father of the bride, the groom or the best man -- or indeed anyone who's planning to stand up and speak to the assembled guests -- you're certainly not alone in feeling apprehensive. But help is at hand!

Any actor accustomed to first night nerves knows that the physical signs of fear are natural symptoms that can be managed with the right preparation and mind-set. Even if you don't consider yourself to be a 'natural performer', there are simple techniques that you can learn to get you through the apprehension that sometimes goes with public speaking.

If you've got a wedding speech coming up and frankly dread the thought, here are seven ideas to help you beat the jitters:

1. Nervousness is natural and to be expected. Even the most seasoned performers experience it from time to time. Don't be thrown by the feeling or attempt to blot it out -- instead, why not try to use the energy that comes from the feeling to give your delivery a boost?

2. Learn to recognize the symptoms and manage them. For example, you may find yourself taking faster, shallower breaths, so allow yourself a moment to breathe slowly and deeply before you start to speak to help you relax.

3. Plan your speech to suit your audience. Your confidence will be bolstered by a warm and appreciative response from the party -- so choose a theme that will appeal to a cross-section of your listeners. Don't be tempted to tell risque stories or jokes that may offend a particular group of guests. Get to know the family on both sides in order to choose appropriate material.

4. Know that the audience is on your side and wants you to succeed. You may regard making a speech as a test of courage -- but the majority of the wedding reception guests will be feeling relaxed and looking forward to hearing you. Think of the audience as a group of friends, even if you don't know everyone: address the whole room by looking individuals in the eye as you speak.

5. Begin with a simple joke that everyone can enjoy. Relax yourself by relaxing your audience. A funny but inoffensive story about the wedding couple (or about yourself!) adds a personal touch and will get your speech off to a good start -- and there's nothing like a warm audience response to help settle your nerves.

6. Keep it short and sweet. The best speeches always leave the audience hoping for more. Once you hit your stride, you'll be surprised how quickly the time passes. It's quite easy to fall into the trap of going on too long, so decide in advance on a safe time limit and practice your speech with a stopwatch to judge how long it will really last.

7. Memorize as much of your speech as possible. Even if you can't deliver it entirely from memory, try to confine yourself to a few notes. These prompts will help you to recall the main points, and will give you the opportunity to connect with your audience by looking at their faces rather than at a script.

About The Author

Nigel Patterson is a business writer and publisher of http://Inexpensive-Weddings.com - visit his website for all sorts of ideas to help you plan your big day without breaking the bank.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

7 Tips To A Fear Free Wedding Speech

by: Will Stevens

If you're scared to death of public speaking it may interest you to know that you're not alone. Public speaking is the #1 fear in the United States. That's right; more people are scared of public speaking than spiders.

But you need to deliver a speech at an upcoming wedding and knowing that the fear of public speaking is very common is probably not doing much to ease your nerves.

Well fear not. By following these simple tips you can reduce your fear and confidently deliver a crowd pleasing wedding speech.

Find Examples Of Great Speeches

Writing a speech from scratch can be extremely nerve wracking. The first thing you should do is find examples of wedding speeches to get your brain working. You don't need to reinvent the wheel. Find some great examples and tailor them to your needs.

Know Your Audience

When presenting a speech at a wedding you will most likely have Parents and Grandparents and small children present. Although lewd exploits and stories may be amusing to a certain crowd, they would not be appropriate here.

Be Prepared But Don't Over Prepare

It's important to know your material well. Practice your speech and refine it until you can present it comfortably. Delivering your speech to friends can help you get comfortable with an audience and will also help you refine your speech. Once you're satisfied with the content and delivery of your speech just relax. When you present your speech you want to appear fresh and sincere. Too much practicing may cause your delivery to appear stiff and rehearsed.

Have a Safety Net

Don't try to memorize your speech. That only adds the fear of forgetting something to your anxiety. To be sure you keep on track and don't forget anything you should write a brief outline on note cards to glance at during your speech.

Visualize Yourself Speaking Confidently

This little trick helps you build your confidence before the big day. Imagine yourself at the wedding, facing your audience, speaking clearly and confidently. Building a positive image of your speech in your head will go a long way toward easing your nervousness when it's your turn to speak.

Remember Why You're There

Remind yourself that you're there to inform and entertain your wedding guests and make the wedding party feel loved. You're not there to make everyone believe you are a seasoned public speaker so relax, be yourself and don't worry about being perfect.

Know That Your Audience Wants You To Succeed

It's a safe bet that most of your audience is terrified of public speaking. They know how hard it is to get up in front of a room and make a speech. They'll be rooting for you too succeed and will be very forgiving of any mistakes or nervousness on your part. It's just like talking to your friends.

By following these simple tips you'll go a long way toward reducing your anxiety when the time comes to get up and deliver your fear free wedding speech.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

The Perfect Wedding Speech

by: Michael Saville


Giving the Best Man's speech at a wedding. Is that something that fills you with dread, or is it something that you expect to do at some point in your life. What would you do if tomorrow your best friend gives you a call to announce that he is going to get married to the girl he has been dating for the last couple of years, and he wants you to be the best man. He tells you he is confident he has made the right choice (in selecting you as his best man, not in selecting his partner for life) and will leave it up to you to come up with the perfect wedding speech. It's a sudden announcement; the wedding is to be held in a matter of weeks. The pressure is on. How do you come up with the perfect wedding speech in such a short time? Is the Internet the answer?

Well consider this, do you think that a mass produced free wedding speech available to download from the Internet will go down well with the Bride and Groom's friends and relatives at the wedding reception. The biggest single problem with free wedding speeches that are available on the Internet is that they are generic to try and appeal to a wide audience. The information in them is very general. Whereas you will want to use specific information that is directly relevant to the couple, which in turn will gain the interest of all those listening.

It is widely known that public speaking is one of those activities that creates anxiety in the deliverer. This is why many people do their best to avoid having to do it, particularly at an important function such as a wedding. The fear of messing up the happy couple's big day is definitely an issue.

It's a good idea to keep the speech short, don't ramble on and on. Make it heartfelt and talk about your good times spent together as friends. Use little anecdotes about the groom and bride. It is always a winner to talk about how they met. Talk about when you met the bride for the first time (assuming you have met her before today). Obviously you will express your happiness at their decision and encourage the guests to do the same with the wedding toast.

If you still confident in your ability to deliver the perfect wedding speech then consider these pointers:

It is never a good idea to start to preach to the audience. You are not the Minister. That job has already been done. So don't get on to your soap box and start to lecture them or start giving them your advice on how to live their lives. Remember to talk about the happy memories you have, give personal stories, and offer your best wishes for the future.

There are bound to be guests at the reception who don't know who you are, so at the beginning of your speech make sure you introduce yourself and speak about your relationship to the groom. What you are doing here is telling the audience why his has chosen you for his best man as apposed to anyone else. This will help to get the audience on your side, before you move on to toasting the happy couple.

Finally, if you are stuck for things to say, read out a romantic poem that is a favourite of either the bride or the groom. Let the audience know it is a favourite before you start. You may bring the entire room to tears. If so then you have delivered a perfect wedding speech.

How To Deliver The Perfect Wedding Speech

by: Vicki Churchill


Hundreds of people, bright lights, microphones and uncomfortable clothing, not the ideal setting to stand up and start talking, particularly at the moment where you are probably nervous, sweating, dry mouthed and your stomach feels like its doing somersaults!

You will be pleased to know there are ways to combat your fears and settle your nerves.

The first thing to remember is who your audience is. They will be your friends and family not a jeering bunch of hecklers. They do not want to see you fall short but if you do they will be sympathetic.

Secondly remember to breathe, take deep and slow breathes. Do not rush your words.

Try stretching out your fingers and toes. Sounds silly but it really does work!.

Some people say eating a banana before the speech can help with anxiety and at the same time give you energy.

Do not drink! One alcoholic drink is fine to calm your nerves but then stick to water. There is nothing more cringe worthy than a wedding speech delivered by a slurring drunkard.

Be yourself, nobody is perfect and your audience will not expect you to be.

If you become emotional do not worry just take a moment to compose yourself and remember if you are getting choked you probably won't be the only one.

Imagine you are talking to someone at the end of the room and project your voice accordingly. Remember to make eye contact with your audience as they will soon tire and become distracted if you deliver your speech head down reading from a script.

The wedding speech order Bearing in mind cultural diversities there are three main speeches given at the reception. They are the father of the bride speech, the bridegrooms and the best mans. Occasionally the maid of honor or a good friend of the bride will also give a wedding speech.

By tradition the father of the bride would be called upon, firstly to toast the grooms parents and then raise a toast to the bride and groom. This is a good way to open because it is easy to remember and involves the audience from the outset. This allows them to acknowledge the bride and groom and at the same time give you a few precious seconds to overcome any early nerves or wobbly knees. The father of the bride would then welcome the groom to his family and finally end his wedding speech by saying a few loving words about his daughter.

The bridegroom would then respond by thanking his parents for his upbringing and the parents of the bride for raising such a beautiful daughter. He would then take the opportunity on behalf of his wife and himself to thank the guests for attending and for the gifts received.

The best mans wedding speech is probably the toughest to get right as this speech is expected to be light hearted and fun as well as sincere. A joke or two in good taste will keep the listeners captivated plus hearing your audience laugh will be a tonic for your nerves in addition to raising your confidence! Other duties include a toast to the bridesmaids and to present them with gifts on behalf of the bride and groom in appreciation. He should also read a few (not too many) of the guest wedding cards. To end his speech he should wish the bride and groom success, health and happiness in the years to come.

Above all enjoy giving your wedding speech, have fun and see it as an opportunity to tell your nearest and dearest your heartfelt feelings.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Wedding Speeches - Ten Top Tips on What Not to Say or Do

by: Niamh Crowe


1. Don’t tell mother-in law jokes. There will usually be one or two mother-in-laws present and you could spoil the day by offending them. You never know what people will consider funny so it’s safer not to tell such jokes.

2. Never tell smutty stories. Take a warning from the photographer who caught on video the father of the bride thumping the best man because he had spoiled his daughter’s wedding by giving a blue speech. The bride was crying in the background. Smutty stories are not suitable for an occasion where there is mixed company particularly on a day when people are particularly sensitive. Besides there may be clergy present or elderly people who would be shocked.

3. Forget the groom’s unsavoury past. Best men are often tempted to tell stories about what the groom has done in his wicked past. It might offend the bride though and it is safer to mention some incident where he lost your luggage on vacation or knocked you out in a friendly football match rather then mentioning his success with other women.

4. Never thank the hotel staff. They are paid to do this job and you don’t thank the florist the chauffeur or the photographer for doing their work. If they do a good job send a letter of thanks or recommend a particularly helpful employee to the management if you wish.

5. Don’t give away family secrets by mentioning a sore subject like alcoholism or gambling. Weddings speeches should be gracious and positive.

6. Never talk about previous marriages. This is a new start for the couple and past marriages should not be mentioned. If the children of a previous marriage will be present check with the couple whether or not they should be mentioned.

7. Forget saying “And now I wish to thank” and then give a long list. If there are people to be mentioned they should be woven into the wedding speech by saying something warm-hearted or witty about them.

8. Never say something that someone else will be saying. The father of the bride traditionally toasts the couple for instance. If you are acting as best man or speaking in another capacity you should check it with the couple as to who is giving the toast to the bride ad groom.

9. Always check before mentioning a deceased family member. Some people might find it too sorrowful for you to do so on what should be a happy day.

10. Don’t go on too long. A good wedding speech is about content not length.

Remember a speech should be short
Leave them longing for more
So cut it short
They’ll be shouting “Encore”.

Friday, June 22, 2007

The Perfect Wedding Speech


by Michael Saville

Giving the Best Man's speech at a wedding. Is that something that fills you with dread, or is it something that you expect to do at some point in your life. What would you do if tomorrow your best friend gives you a call to announce that he is going to get married to the girl he has been dating for the last couple of years, and he wants you to be the best man. He tells you he is confident he has made the right choice (in selecting you as his best man, not in selecting his partner for life) and will leave it up to you to come up with the perfect wedding speech. It's a sudden announcement; the wedding is to be held in a matter of weeks. The pressure is on. How do you come up with the perfect wedding speech in such a short time? Is the Internet the answer?

Well consider this, do you think that a mass produced free wedding speech available to download from the Internet will go down well with the Bride and Groom's friends and relatives at the wedding reception. The biggest single problem with free wedding speeches that are available on the Internet is that they are generic to try and appeal to a wide audience. The information in them is very general. Whereas you will want to use specific information that is directly relevant to the couple, which in turn will gain the interest of all those listening.

It is widely known that public speaking is one of those activities that creates anxiety in the deliverer. This is why many people do their best to avoid having to do it, particularly at an important function such as a wedding. The fear of messing up the happy couple's big day is definitely an issue.

It's a good idea to keep the speech short, don't ramble on and on. Make it heartfelt and talk about your good times spent together as friends. Use little anecdotes about the groom and bride. It is always a winner to talk about how they met. Talk about when you met the bride for the first time (assuming you have met her before today). Obviously you will express your happiness at their decision and encourage the guests to do the same with the wedding toast.

If you still confident in your ability to deliver the perfect wedding speech then consider these pointers:

It is never a good idea to start to preach to the audience. You are not the Minister. That job has already been done. So don't get on to your soap box and start to lecture them or start giving them your advice on how to live their lives. Remember to talk about the happy memories you have, give personal stories, and offer your best wishes for the future.

There are bound to be guests at the reception who don't know who you are, so at the beginning of your speech make sure you introduce yourself and speak about your relationship to the groom. What you are doing here is telling the audience why his has chosen you for his best man as apposed to anyone else. This will help to get the audience on your side, before you move on to toasting the happy couple.

Finally, if you are stuck for things to say, read out a romantic poem that is a favourite of either the bride or the groom. Let the audience know it is a favourite before you start. You may bring the entire room to tears. If so then you have delivered a perfect wedding speech.