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Wedding Speech Ideas and Tips
Don't try and re-invent the wheel - there are lots of great websites with ideas and tips for writing your speech.
It won't take very long to gather some ideas, words and one-liners to write your speech. Some sites even provide template speeches where you just fill in the gaps - but that would be really lazy wouldn't it?
Wedding speech tips
- Find out how long you are expected to talk for.
- Don't leave writing the speech till the last minute. As soon as you know you have a speech to write - start jotting ideas down in a notebook. If possible carry the notebook with you - you never know when you might get a great idea.
- Start collecting stories from friends and family.
- Avoid duplication. You're not the only one doing a speech - so cross check and make sure you don't plan on speaking about the same things.
- Write your speech in different sections and focus on each section at a time. Decide which sections will also be 'optional' so you know which sections you can leave out on the day if time is an issue.
- Find a theme. You can then build your speech around it or introduce it throughout the speech.
- If you're going for a funny speech - ensure you start with a joke. Once you've raised a laugh you'll relax.
- Keep jokes short and sweet - there will always be one or two jokes that guests won't understand. Punchy lines will enable you to move quickly to the next one - so don't wait around for a laugh!
- Be careful not to swear or offend anyone and don't push the boundaries too much.
- Avoid referring to anything that the bride or groom don't know about - ex-partners and raucous nights out should stay in the past!
- Props are a great accessory and help add humour.
- Practice makes perfect. Having written your speech - write a series of prompt cards or bullet points. Then practise your speech relying on the prompt cards as opposed to the entire speech! A good speech will be slightly different every time you practise.
- Time your speech. Talk to yourself or someone else to get an idea as to how long it takes. Repeat a couple of times to check it's consistent.
- Avoid reading from paper - use prompt cards or bullet points instead of the whole speech to give a more natural speech. Believe it or not - you are more likely to get lost or confused if you're reading from detailed notes!
- Make sure you have lots of copies of your speech on the day - just in case you lose it! Give a copy to a guest or the venue. Knowing you can't lose the speech will also help you relax a bit more on the day.
- Avoid looking at the floor. Try to make eye contact with guests around the room (or at least look as though you are). Look for friends or guests with friendly faces to encourage you along. This will prevent you from mumbling and speaking too quickly.
- Finish the speech with a toast. Not only is it customary - it also helps guests to recognise the end of the speech so they can give you a round of applause!
- Pause between sections - this helps guests to digest what you have said and laugh where necessary. If necessary - write 'pause' on your prompt cards to remind you at relevant points.
- Try not to be too formal and try to talk as though you're having a one-to-one conversation. You'll find that both you and the guests relax and enjoy it more.
- Don't panic
- Speak up
- Don't get too drunk! If you need to keep occupied - get busy mingling with the guests.
Wedding Speech Ideas
- Keen sports fan? Write to their favourite team to ask for their autograph or best wishes. If you really want some fun - why not ask if they can join the team? Even if you get no reply you can always read the letter out during your speech. It will be just as entertaining - if not more so. You could even make up a letter - perhaps you invited the team to the wedding - but unavailable etc.
- Funny t-shirts with embarrassing pictures of 'I'm under the thumb' for the groom
- PowerPoint presentations with funny pictures of the groom when he was younger - mocking his dress sense or comparing 'look-a-likes' will get everyone laughing.
- Cardboard cut outs of someone relevant in your speech.
- Videos. If you're worried about your lack of wit or feel too shy - why not interview friends and family and get them to say something humorous