Write A Great Wedding Speech
Tips For Toasting the Bride and Groom at the Wedding Reception
Jan 17, 2008
When you have been asked to speak at a wedding reception, do you wonder how on earth you are going to strike the right note on the big day? Perhaps you have been asked to make a speech by the happy couple and are looking for inspiration. Look no further – follow the tips below and make your speech one to remember – for all the right reasons!
Here are some things to bear in mind when writing your wedding speech:
A Funny Speech
Humour is a real winner when making speeches. Remember that none of the guests know what to expect – but you can be sure that everyone has, at one time or another, sat through speeches that were nothing less than endless monologues. So if you can inject some appropriate jokes and observations, your audience will love you for it.
Funny Stories
Alan Stevens, President of the Professional Speakers Association says: "Funny stories work really well, and it's worth sitting down with a notebook (and whatever gives your creativity full rein, such as a glass of wine) a few weeks before the ceremony, and thinking of incidents that have happened to you and your future partner. Take a couple of stories and work on them so that you know them by heart, and they take no longer than two minutes each."
Avoid Risqué Humour
"Appropriate" really is the key word here. The wedding party will undoubtedly be made up of guests of mixed ages and backgrounds – think about how to make your speech appeal to everyone. As the best man, you might share a bawdy sense of humour with the groom. However, if your toast is peppered with risqué double entendres it could well fall flat on its face.
In-Jokes
The same goes for private in-jokes: one or two are fine but there is nothing more maddening than not being in on the joke – especially if 99% of the audience is excluded.
Other People’s Jokes
Alan Stevens has some advice on using other people's material: "Don't ever try to repeat jokes from a joke book or from a comedian you've seen on telly. Unless you're a professional stand-up comedian, there's a high chance of either failing to get a laugh, or of offending the audience, or both."
A Thoughtful Speech
Don’t feel pressurized into making your speech laugh-a-minute. Not everyone is a natural comedian, and there is nothing worse than trying to pull off a string of gags while ardently praying for the ground to open up beneath you. For example, an inspirational story about your new daughter-in-law’s travels around the world can be just as entertaining.
Saying Thank You
If you are the bride or groom, this is a great opportunity to publicly thank key people and perhaps honour those who can’t be there. As harsh as it sounds, you should apply the in-joke rule: limit the list of those you want to thank. It is far more meaningful to highlight three or four individuals. For those who don’t make it onto this list, express your gratitude at a later date through a card, letter or dinner invitation.
How Long?
How long should you make your speech? Don’t confuse quality with quantity – a well put together speech of five minutes is always preferable to a lengthy description of the couple’s first meeting followed by a list of all the restaurants where they have dined together. If you are unsure, err on the side of brevity.
Related Article: weddingservicesreceptions.suite101.com/article.cfm/speech_making
Alan Stevens is President of the Professional Speakers Association, and an expert after-dinner speaker and conference host. For more details, visit www.alanstevens.net His book, The Pocket Media Coach (2005) is published by How To Books.
