How to Write a Wedding Speech!

Props?

Whether you’re giving a best man’s speech at a wedding or delivering a eulogy at a funeral, props can help engage your audience and add visual interest to your speech. For example, if you’re giving a best man’s speech, you could use the bride’s bouquet as a prop to help tell the story of how you met the groom. Props can be a great way to add meaning and depth to any public speaking event. They also provide you with memory aids to help you remember your speech.

Toasts

A well-worded toast can really make or break a wedding speech. It rounds off your speech nicely and prompts the clinking of glasses and cues cheers all round.

Something simple like:

“Let’s drink to love, which is nothing – unless it’s divided by two.” will be just enough to raise a smile and get everyone in the celebratory mood.

Alternatively, you could finish on a more sentimental note by toasting to “absent friends” – those who wish they were there but for one reason or another, couldn’t make it on the day.

Bonus wedding speech tips from a wedding magician:

Amplify

There’s nothing worse than attending a wedding where you can’t hear the speeches. Not being able to hear the groom as he thanks his new wife or the best man and shares embarrassing stories about the groom can really put a damper on the day. That’s why it’s essential to ensure your speech can be heard loud and clear by everyone in the room.

No mic?

Wedding speeches are challenging enough and if you find yourself without a pa system it’s time to project! You want to make sure everyone can hear you, but you don’t want to shout. Aim your speech towards the guests who are further away from you, and keep your head up so that your voice carries.

Cue Cards?

Three main options for preparing a speech are memorising the entire speech, reading from a script, or using cue cards. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. memorizing the whole speech can help ensure the delivery is flawless, but it can also make the speaker sound robotic and unengaged. Reading from a script can help to prevent this problem, but it can also make it difficult to connect with the audience. Using cue cards is a middle ground between these two approaches, allowing the speaker to glance down at key points without losing eye contact with the audience.

Ultimately, the best option for preparation will vary depending on the individual speaker’s strengths and weaknesses. However, one thing is certain: stories are always remembered more than statistics. So, whatever method you choose, be sure to include some memorable stories about the happy couple in your speech!

Eye-Eye

Maintaining eye contact with your audience when you’re delivering a speech. Here are some advantages you’ll get as you deliver your killer wedding speech:

1. It helps to establish rapport and connection with your audience

2. It conveys confidence and helps engage listeners

3. It makes you appear more trustworthy and credible

4. It allows you to gauge reaction and adjust accordingly

5. It can help prevent listener fatigue

Tackling Nerves

Feeling a little nervous before giving a wedding speech is natural. After all, it’s not every day that you stand up in front of a room full of people and give a speech! However, you can do a few things to help calm your nerves. First of all, remember that everyone in the room wants you to succeed. They are your friends and family who are there to support you. Secondly, try to focus on the positive. Instead of thinking of your nerves as butterflies in your stomach, tell yourself that it’s excitement. This will help you to use that feeling to fuel your speech. And finally, my top tip is to practice, practice, practice! The more confident you feel with your material, the less nervous you will be on the big day.

Dutch courage?

Settling the nerves before a big speech can be a tough task, especially if you’re the father of the bride. While a quick shot of something might seem like the perfect solution, it’s important not to overdo it. Otherwise, you’ll be in no fit state to deliver the speech before the wedding party. Instead, try some deep breathing exercises or visualisation techniques. If all else fails, imagine everyone in their underwear – that should help settle the nerves!

Start writing early!

If you’re looking to deliver a great wedding speech, it’s important to prepare your speech in good time. You may have heard many boast that a groom, best man, or father of the bride wrote their speech the night before, but this tactic is best reserved for the brave, stupid, or outrageously skilled keynote speaker! The reality is that a great speech takes time, effort and preparation. By giving yourself plenty of time to write and revise your speech, you can be sure to deliver a moving and memorable speech that will leave your audience laughing, crying and cheering for more. So if you’re looking to make a great impression at your upcoming wedding, make sure you prep your speech well in advance!

Don’t do it!

Resist the urge to do the terrible “going to Bangor for two weeks” wedding joke. Nowadays, with the internet at your fingertips, there is a wealth of gags and funny stories that you can use instead. The bride or groom has entrusted you to do a great job – don’t blow it 🙂

Traditional order of speeches

On a wedding day, there is a traditional order of speeches in the UK. The bride’s father usually goes first, followed by the groom, then the best man. The maid of honour may also speak, followed by the other wedding guests. This order ensures that everyone has an opportunity to speak and that the speeches are well-organized and flow smoothly. It also means that the father of the bride has the honour of being the first to congratulate the newlyweds. Of course, this is just a guide, and you can always change the order to suit your own wedding day.

Conclusion

Writing a wedding speech doesn’t have to be stressful—in fact, it should be fun! By following these tips, you’ll be able to write a speech that will have your guests laughing, cheering, and maybe even shedding a tear or two. Best of luck!

About Chris

Close-Up Chris is a professional wedding magician who is well-versed in performing in front of large groups! Hiring Chris to perform for your wedding party is just the ticket to put everyone in a great mood ready for you to deliver the perfect wedding speech complete with a funny story or two, visual aids and a scathing attack on the bride’s sister…

PS

Forget the last bit if you want to make it to the evening reception 🙂