Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Write a meaningful speech
• Part 3 of 3: Giving the speech
• Tips
• Warnings

Most people consider their wedding day to be one of the most important days of their lives. Therefore, it is custom for a close friend or loved one to give a speech to congratulate the newlyweds. This can be a nerve-wracking prospect if you are the one giving a speech to a large, expectant audience. As the writer of a speech, it will pay off if you make sure you are organized, keep everything concise, and practice a lot beforehand.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Write a meaningful speech

1. Introduce yourself to the audience. Start by letting everyone know who you are. Tell them your name, your role in the marriage, and your relationship with the people who are getting married. Not everyone will have met you and they will want to know what your relationship is with the bride or groom and why you were asked to give a speech.
   • Witnesses are usually asked to each prepare a short speech for the wedding celebration. Later on, the microphone is often given to anyone who wishes to say a few words.
   • It is enough to say your name and briefly summarize your history with the bride or groom. Don't talk too much about yourself. Don't forget to focus on the couple getting married.
2. Start with a joke. Start with a joke or a funny anecdote to loosen up the audience (and yourself). Humor is very disarming, so getting everyone to laugh at the beginning can help overcome the nerves that arise when giving a speech. Plus, everyone will like you, and your speech will be more memorable if everyone is enjoying themselves.
   • Use jokes judiciously to break the original tension and relax the audience. Try not to let your speech turn into a comedy show.
   • Keep your funny stories under control and appropriate. There will be people of all ages in the audience, including children.
   • Funny stories can be about how the bride and groom got to know each other or an anecdote from one of them as a child.
3. Share memories about the bride and groom. Share some intense experiences with the couple in the spotlight. If you were chosen as a witness, you may have a long history with the bride or groom. A special memory or joke will trigger an emotional response in anyone who listens.
   • Sharing unique memories or stories is much more effective than simply congratulating the bride and groom, as it is much more personal.
4. Give advice and good wishes for the future. Focus the speech on the newlyweds and their future together. Speak directly to the bride and groom. Wish them good health, happiness and a good life. If you want, you can also include a short anecdote or quote to illustrate the wisdom you are trying to convey.
   • If you decide to use a quote for this part of the speech, make sure it is short and relevant, and certainly not a cliché.
5. Thank everyone in attendance. End the speech by thanking the bride and groom, their parents, friends and family, everyone in attendance, and even the staff. Be graceful and make everyone feel like they are part of a wonderful affair. Ask everyone to enjoy themselves and share in the happiness of the newlywed couple.
   • Mentioning the people who help in the celebration of the wedding will give you a form of humility, and besides, these people will feel appreciated.
   • Express your gratitude in a few sentences. There is no need to go on and on by thanking everyone personally by name.
   EXPERT TIP

   Write the speech well in advance. Make sure the speech is written out and memorized two to three weeks before the wedding. Giving a wedding speech is a big responsibility, so take it seriously. The faster the speech is written, the more time you will have to study it so that when the time comes, you don't have to think too much.

   • Think of your speech as an assignment for school. Make several versions, check for errors, and have a friend proofread the speech to make sure it sounds right for sure.
6. Know when you are expected to woodpecker. Consult the wedding planner or master of ceremonies to find out when to deliver your speech. Usually, speeches and toasts are saved for the reception when everyone is seated and has started eating and drinking, but marriages come in all kinds of forms. Be clear about the length of your speech and whether you wish to use audio or projection material. If you do not know exactly when it is your turn, this may cause extra nerves.
   • Become familiar with the sequence of speeches that will be given.
   • Don't try to be nervous about your speech throughout the entire ceremony. If you are well prepared then you should not think about it until the time comes.
7. Practice, practice, practice. After the speech has been written, you must recite it. Then try to deliver the speech without looking at the text. Then recite it while you shower, read or do the laundry. Practice your speech until you can no longer forget the text itself, even if you want to. This way you will certainly be able to remember when you are suddenly overwhelmed by the fear of having to speak to a large audience.
   • Know your speech word by word, but try not to sound like you are just rattling it off. Get the right pace and the right emphasis, emotion, and clarity.
8. Bring notes. While your goal should be to recite the speech completely by heart, it is still a good idea to bring notes to the front. If you have a moment of blackout and get stuck, those notes can help you get back on track. Even if you don't use them, it's safe with than without.
   • Write the entire speech on a few note cards instead of large sheets of paper. Not only will this look better, but it will also ensure that your speech is the correct length.
   • Only look at the notes when blacked out or if you don't see the next part again. This keeps your eyes on the audience. Even the most catchy speech will be annoying if the speaker is constantly reading everything from a note card.

Part 3 of 3: Giving the speech

1. Stay calm. Do your best to stay cool once you are called forward to give your speech. Public speaking is a bit strange for everyone, but if you are well prepared and stick to your preparation, everything will be fine. Remember that you are surrounded by friends and family and everyone wishes you to manage to deliver a great speech.
   • Take a slow and deep breath in and out a few times. Think about what you are saying and cut off all other distractions. Imagine that you are giving the speech to a person instead of a room full of people.
   • Having one or two drinks can help calm your nerves. But don't drink too many because you will need to be able to find the right focus when it is time to move forward.
2. Keep it short and sweet. Try to limit your speech to anything between 2 and 5 minutes. While there is no set length for a wedding speech, it is still better not to keep raging. Your speech should be long enough to move the listeners emotionally, but not so long that it gets boring. Say what you have to say and then let the audience have a nice chat.
   • It's perfectly okay to give a short speech. Simply say a few sweet words, toast, and hand the microphone back.
   • Talk slowly and calmly. It's tempting to talk too quickly when you're nervous. By speaking slower than you'd like, you will likely be speaking at the perfect pace.
   • People who are ill-prepared or very anxious tend to talk too quickly. Avoid this by sticking to what you have written and watching the audience for signs of waning attention.
3. Be sincere. Speak from the heart. Make it clear to everyone that you mean what you say and emphasize the importance of your relationship with the bride or groom. This is your chance to honor your friendship and show your gratitude for being asked to be part of the ceremony. Let your words be guided by emotion, not the desire to get through the speech as soon as possible.
   • Speak directly to the bride and / or groom for a moment.
   • It's normal to have a hard time. As long as you can finish the speech, don't worry. In fact, it can be flattering because it will show how deep your feelings go for the people you talk about.
4. End the speech with a toast. At the end of your speech, ask that everyone hold their glass in the air and honor the newlyweds. Say a few words quickly to wish them all the best in the future. Have everyone drink and then invite everyone to have a great party. And more importantly, have fun yourself!
   • It is tradition for the bride's best man to toast the groom and vice versa.

Tips

• If you don't know how to smooth the speech, treat it like a story: have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
• Once you are done writing the speech, ask an honest and objective friend for feedback.
• Keep quotes to a minimum, as the words of others can distract from what you are trying to say for yourself.
• Make sure the microphone, speakers, and other equipment are working and familiarize yourself with how to use them before giving a speech.
• If you know someone who is dear to the bride or groom and couldn't be there, you can convey his or her greetings in your speech.
• Relax! You are talking on a blissful occasion. You may feel some butterflies, but they will not keep fluttering around for long. Like everyone else at the reception, you should focus on conveying your best wishes and having fun.

Warnings

• Never use a pre-made template from the Internet to write a wedding speech. Your speech should be the result of your own unique thoughts, feelings and experiences.
• Avoid particularly embarrassing or offensive anecdotes. These are usually regarded as lacking in tact. You are supposed to honor the couple who get married, not laugh at them.
• Don't drink too much before giving a speech.