If you have an important role to play at your friend’s or family member’s wedding, then you may have been asked to write a speech for the wedding dinner party. Writing a speech can be stressful and nerve-wracking, but it’s also a great opportunity for you to express support and affection for the couple. Below, we explore our top tips for writing a great speech.
Prepare well
Key to writing a great speech is coming to the wedding well prepared. Writing a few drafts of your speech and tweaking the jokes and stories until you are satisfied, will ensure that your speech comes across as thoughtful and meaningful.
In addition to writing multiple drafts of your speech, it’s also a good idea to practice your speech out loud. This allows you to build your confidence and will help you find the perfect tone and accompanying expressions. Regularly practicing your speech, will mean that it flows naturally and comfortably on the day of the wedding.
Do your research
Carefully considering the most endearing traits of the couple, funny moments that you’ve shared together, or important moments in their relationship, will ensure you have all the building blocks you need to construct a winning speech.
It’s also a nice idea to include other important people in the couple’s life in the crafting of the speech. Maybe some of your old university friends have a great recollection of stories or funny moments that you might have forgotten? Does a family member have an insight into an endearing quirk and a great story to demonstrate it?
Friends and family members can also provide you with feedback on your speech, steering you in the right direction.
Bring your speech to life
How do you write a colourful and engaging speech that impresses the entire wedding party? Making sure that you ribbon your speech with jokes and interesting and amusing stories will help to keep your audience engaged. In contrast, avoiding listing off a long list of the couple’s traits or recounting your entire friendship history will ensure that you avoid boring your audience. In addition, refrain from cracking jokes that some might find rude or stories that might be incredibly embarrassing to the wedding couple.
As well as keeping the content of your speech fresh and interesting, it is also important to cultivate an appealing persona. Infusing your speech with energy and vitality will keep people focused and entertained throughout your reading. Playing around with the tone of voice that you use and stirring up positive emotions during your speech rehearsals, and on the day, will go a long way in presenting your speech in the best light.
Victoria Wellmen, of Oratory Lab, offers some awesome advice on making your speech flow in style: “telling a story requires colour and personality in the voice – the kind that comes naturally when you’re sitting in a bar with friends or reading a children’s book aloud”.
A winning wedding speech
We hope you enjoyed our top tips for writing a winning wedding speech. Writing out multiple drafts, practising your speech out loud, and performing your speech with style and confidence, will make your speech a hit with the entire wedding party.
