A Final Word
The wedding speech, is generally no more than a lead into the wedding toast, and is a lovely way to add personal touches to the wedding reception. By following some guidelines that were written in this guide or in preparing a few rules of proper etiquette, your wedding speech can go from an awkward obligation to a delightful honor. You have learned everything there is to know about the wedding speech in this guide. Here we will review quickly the things that you learned.
Speeches can be given at any time during the wedding reception, but they tend to come across best before the food is served, but after people have had some time to mingle and drink; or when desert is beginning or finished. Perhaps this is because much alcohol comes after these things.
You have learned that the speech begins with:
1. Short welcoming comment by the best man or master of ceremonies
2. That it is usually the Master of Ceremonies who introduces either a close friend of the family or of the couple
3. That the speakers generally deliver a speech that leads up to the wedding toast to the bride and groom.
4. The toast is followed by a speech from the groom or bride or both.
5. Replies to speeches generally include "thank yous" to everyone who has helped with the wedding and also ends with a toast to the bridesmaids and other wedding participants.
6. The bridesmaids then have toasts made on their behalf by the best man who also gives a short speech and/or a toast to the wedding hosts such as the mother/father of the bride.
7. This is the traditional sequence of events, but it can be different depending on the couple. Basically anyone can give a speech at a wedding, but the wedding party generally is a must for speech making
When getting ready to give a wedding speech you have learned to:
1. Write what you feel. Use personal memories and details, being sure not to embarrass anyone or get too intimate.
2. Make references to particular people, but identify them, so that the speech will be more meaningful to all of the guests.
3. Quotes, poems and humor are fine, even if the humor is not your own, but short is always sweet; especially for a toast
4. Write the speech by mind mapping, being sure to give giving yourself rewrite and practice time.
5. Try running your speech by a friend or two for practice.
6. Be sincere when delivering your speech. Nothing is worse than sentiments that are not meant.
7. Make sure you sound like your talking not reading your speech.
8. Deliver your speech from memory, or from note cards. The more you prepare, the more confident you'll be.
You have also learned how to keep from being nervous by:
1. Keep the event in perspective. This is only a wedding of close friends and family, not life or death situation.
2. Bear in mind that the more you practice, the more comfortable you'll be.
3. Get in touch with your audience. They just want to have fun, at a happy event, not looking to be judgmental or critical.
4. Relax and remember how much fun it is to tell a story that is interesting and not offensive.
5. Don't use alcohol to make yourself less nervous.
6. When you are delivering your speech, focus on friendly faces in the room and speak directly to them.
Wedding speeches are meant to bring back pleasant memories of the past and create new memories for the future for the bride and groom. When you are approached to give a speech and it is delivered in the right spirit, speeches can be the best part of a wedding.
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