Don't let a bad speech ruin your wedding.
We've all seen or heard of dreadful speeches at weddings, one slip of the tongue and you are a laughing stock. From inappropriate jokes and stories, to private jokes that no-one can relate to, there are so many ways that your speech can go from good to bad to plain ugly in seconds.
The pressure of wedding speeches can turn even the most confident public speaker into a gibbering wreck. Use our helpful tips below to sidestep around any bloopers and emerge as a victorious public speaker.
Avoid a 'Wedding Singer' moment on your big day
Them's the rules
There are three main things to consider when you are writing a speech, whether you're the groom, best man or father of the bride – Same rules apply….
Research and Preparation
Chances are, if you decide to write your speech the day before or even the morning of the wedding (yes I have seen this happen more than once…) you are more likely to have people sobbing in desperation than in joy.
You need to be planning your speech weeks in advance, you will be amazed at how many things you omitted to put into the first draft and how much you tweak and change things in the interim period.
Think about your audience, there is nothing worse than the Best Man droning on and on about the Groom’s unacceptable behaviour on his stag weekend, taped up to a lamppost in just his pants or likewise the Father of The Bride gushing on for hours about his wonderful daughter and completely failing to mention the groom or his part in her life.
Don’t just rely on your own experiences with the people in question, ask friends and family for their input and liaise with other speakers. The last thing you want to do is cover old ground after following on from someone else who got in there first.
The best speeches I've seen have been personal but ones that all guests can relate to and laugh along with. Forget cheesy puns and lines you've seen on TV, they've all been done to death. You need funny, light-hearted memories to share and ones that won’t cause any upset…!
Timings
Having seen many, many speeches I’m still undecided as to what is worse – A person who waffles on too long and loses the interest of all the guests or someone who barely says a few words with everyone looking at them expectantly. On second thoughts, probably the latter is the better of the two….
After an hour, Brian was struggling to follow Great Grandpa's speech & wondering how we got on to the topic of WWII
Timing is key to making a successful speech. We usually allow up to 10 minutes per speaker, which doesn’t sound long but when you try and talk for 10 minutes straight, it is harder than most people realise. There is no ‘perfect’ style for a speech, but the key is keeping it simple. Stay away from long paragraphs in favour of short, punchy, deliverable sentences and don’t use overly long or difficult words when a short one will suffice. You could crack the best joke in the world but if only you understand it you could find the joke on you.
Easier said than done but try not to rush your speech. Pause for breath and look at your audience. Practise, practise and practise some more! You want to know your speech inside out and back to front so you only have to glance at a prompt sheet to know where you are going next.
Sobriety
It sounds simple, but stay clear of the boozing until you get your speech out of the way. One drink to help settle your nerves is all well and good, but I for one have seen far too many speeches cut short or totter into dangerous territory after one too many glasses of complimentary wine.
That bevvie will taste all that much better when everyone is congratulating you and toasting your amazing speech.
I’ll drink to that!
Canapés & Champers
BBF
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