If you're the best man for an upcoming wedding, or the father of the bride, you
have probably already been called upon to make a speech at the wedding. Don't worry
if you've never been good at public speaking! A wedding speech gives you a unique
opportunity to just speak from the heart without worrying about getting every word
perfect. Although you probably shouldn't read your speech word for word from a manuscript,
having a few notes held discretely in your hand won't hurt a thing.
You're wedding speech should be short and to the point. Make sure you don't speak
any longer than you would interested in listening if someone else were giving the
speech and you were in the audience. If alchohol will be served at the wedding party
or reception and you have been asked to speak, please consider laying off the booze
until after you have made your wedding speech. Too many times, the best man makes
a complete fool of himself by drinking a little too much and then running off at
the mouth. Don't make that mistake.
Thank Everyone for Coming
You can start your speech by thanking everyone for being here, especially those
that had to travel great distances or make special arrangements to get here.
Thank Those That Made the Wedding a
Success
Be careful about naming individuals. No matter how hard you try, you will never
be able to name everyone that made the wedding possible. You can be sure that if
you leave somebody out, they will be hurt. Just thank general groups of people,
such as "the parents", "everyone that helped with the catering", and "everyone else
that contributed to the success of this wedding."
Tell a Brief Story or Two About the
Bride and Groom
When deciding what stories to tell about the new couple, look for
something that shows they were meant for each other. You will probably know one
of them
better than the other, so your stories may focus more on that person. A unique approach
to balance out the speech at this point is to ask a friend of the other person to
recount a story about them. Of course, make sure they know in advance so they can
prepare!
Offer Some Advice
The truth is that most advice is cheap, so put some thought into yours. One well
thought out piece of advice is generally sufficient. Although this word of advice
for the new couple should come from you, there isn't anything wrong with asking
others you trust to give you some advice about your advice! Couples that have been
married a long time will often have some pretty good ideas for keeping a marriage
alive and strong. These are the ones you should seek help from.
Toast the Bride and Groom
If there is one part of your speech that should be well rehearsed,
it is your toast. Do NOT ad lib the toast. It is the conclusion of your speech and
the sum of advice and best wishes for the new husband and wife.
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