Speeches can make or break a wedding reception. Whether guests are left rolling in mirth, bored to tears, or appalled beyond belief is often the result of a well-aimed or mis-fired speech. That is why a number of Best Men, Maid of Honor’s and even Master of Ceremonies are looking to professionals to deliver the necessary words to their doorstep.
All that is needed is a brief questionnaire where the details of the bride and groom’s lives, your friendship/relationship with them and miscellaneous personalized tidbits are given as fodder. The result is a well-written, well-timed, toast or speech that won’t leave guests cringing, but instead make everyone laugh and cry with a few quiet sentimental tears. A speech that will be remembered for years to come as one of the “best they have ever heard.”
Whether you hire a professional or use the tips of a professional, a few things to keep in mind for your speech include keeping it to a short 4-5 minutes in length. Not only will your brevity be appreciated by the bridal couple and their guests, it will also make what you do say that much more impactful if there is little filler surrounding it.
The beginning of a good speech often requires the imparting of a good story, usually with a humorous anecdote or two woven in. Be sure that your humor is something that is appropriate for all ages though, as even a few cringing guests, whether or not the bride and groom are laughing, will ultimately take away from the perfect speech.
Be sure to practice your speech often and if possible in the venue location, so as to understand the layout of the room, the volume required to reach all corners of it and to familiarize yourself with the P.A. system should you need to use one.
Things you should not do when making a wedding speech include: having a couple of drinks to relax you before it is your time to speak, or make a reference to an embarrassing moment in the lives of any of the bridal party. Too many drinks can hinder your speech and your good judgement, enabling you to slip in that joke you heard in the men’s locker room.
Whether writing the speech yourself or having a professional pen it for you, be sure to try and amalgamate the bride and groom’s overall wedding theme into your speech. If they have a saying or a quote that appears on their invitations, favor cards or other wedding accessories try to blend it into your speech, as a way to tie your speech in to the overall ambiance of the wedding.
Speech writing is never easy. If you lack the skills to do it yourself, seek the help of a seasoned professional to ensure your speech has all the elements of the perfect speech.
