Wedding Reception Speech Making
Tips For Weddings And Other Celebrations
Don't let nerves get the better of you! Useful wedding speech ideas (and what to avoid) on the big day. Be remembered - for all the right reasons!
Speech making comes easily to some; for others it is a source of anxiety – but it need not be so nerve-wracking. Follow the guidelines below to make the best speech you can.
Preparation
So you know what you’re going to say – surely it’s just a case of reading your speech out? Wrong! A good speech needs preparation and the right attitude. Some things you should keep in mind before stepping up to the podium:
Things To Avoid
Writing your speech out in full can help you put your ideas together at the creative stage. Whatever you do, don’t be tempted to read it out verbatim. You may think it will give you confidence – in reality you are likely to have your eyes glued to your paper and so avoid that essential eye contact with the audience. The speech also risks having a monotonous, dead quality to it.
At the other end of the spectrum, just having a few sub-headings to work with is also a recipe for disaster. Who is to say that nerves won’t get the better of you and your carefully prepared toast goes out of the window?
Prompt Cards
Prompt cards are the solution to either of these scenarios. Leading life/business coach and motivational speaker, Rasheed Ogunlaru says: "Prompt cards will make help you feel prepared, relaxed, ordered and supported. And memory-jogging key phases will give you focus, flow and freedom to bring your speech to life. The combination makes for a professional, powerful, personalised presentation."
Divide your speech into subheadings – each one being the title for a prompt card. Under each title, write some key words/phrases that will jog your memory while speaking. For example a prompt card might look like this:
Dog Anecdote
- Anna = fitness fanatic (world record dog walker)
- Pete = lazy (car story)
- Their dogs – love at first sight
- Gym trips
Practise Makes Perfect
This is the best way to combat any public speaking nerves that may arise. Find someone to practise in front of – just make sure they are the sort of person who gives constructive feedback. Practise on your own if you feel more comfortable – but remember that you will eventually have an audience!
Relax!
On the big day, if you break out in a cold sweat, remember the following: your audience are not there to test you – they are on your side! A proportion of them will probably have had (at least) a couple of drinks – which will helpfully magnify the humour and good feeling of your speech. Most people feel nervous themselves speaking at big celebrations and they will make allowances for this.
Confidence Building Techniques
If you need some specific and highly effective exercises to bolster yourself up, Instant Confidence by Paul McKenna (Bantam Press, 2006) contains some surprisingly easy ways to put you in the right frame of mind. Because they are based on NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), they are quick and painless.
Related Article: weddingservicesreceptions.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_write_a_great_speech
For further details about Rasheed Ogunlaru, visit www.rasaru.com
