How to Give the Best Wedding Speech
Have you ever experienced being given the chance to give a speech at a wedding? If you already have, then congratulations! Your future wedding speeches will turn out to be even better. On the other hand, if you are still anticipating your first, and are extremely nervous at this point, do not worry! You are not alone. As a matter of fact, speaking in front of an audience gives a lot of people butterflies in their stomachs.
Tips to Consider
The good news is that there are things that you can do in order to give that killer wedding speech. For one, you can create a speech in the form of a story. For instance, if you are the maid of honor, and you are asked to give a speech, you can start your speech by telling a story as to how you first met the bride. On the other hand, if you are the bride’s father, you may also tell a story explaining the details of your first encounter with the groom, and how, since then, you have seen your daughter so happy. Stories have the power to personalize your speech, and at the same time, connect with your audience easily. At the same time, humor can be a perfect addition to any type of speech. Be careful, however that you do not embarrass the bride, groom, or the wedding guests.
Nothing beats practice. If you have to do it a hundred times, then do so. Practice makes perfect. You can prepare your speech beforehand, say about 2 to 3 weeks prior to the wedding, as this will give you plenty of time for practicing and rehearsing your speech in front of family and friends. When we say practice, it also means speaking the words out loud, as if you are already giving the actual speech, rather than just practicing in the mind. Studies have shown that practicing out loud can help you recall the flow of the words even better, and help you modulate your voice at the same time.
Have fun! Being too restrained, or too serious as to remembering what you will say will surely compromise how you will say it. After doing your best during your practice sessions, just enjoy the celebration. If you are truly enjoying it, emotions will pour out automatically, and you may even no longer need a speech prepared way in advance. However, if you are really the type of person who is nervous in front of a crowd, practicing in front of trusted friends can help you overcome such fright. While you definitely need to take into consideration the manner in which your speech is given, it is also as equally important to make sure that your content is perfect for the event