From best man or bridesmaid, father of the bride or the groom, a wedding speech is something guests look forward to, and the speakers dread. If you’re one of the later, fear no more. We completely understand how nerve-wracking giving a wedding speech can be. We also know though, with planning and careful thought, the resulting speech can be fabulous!

7 Tips to Help You Create a Fantastic Wedding Speech

It’s an honour to be asked to give a wedding speech. It’s also completely nerve-wracking! To help you plan and deliver a great speech, we’ve put together a collection of seven of our best tips:

  • Brainstorm about the couple – write down details about where they met, their interests, funny happenings, their nicknames, how they became engaged and what they mean to you. These ideas will help keep your speech personal, which is always appreciated.
  • Use humour – we’re not saying you can’t be sentimental but breaking up your speech with a few jokes and titbits is definitely appreciated by guests. There’s no reason why you can’t joke about the newly-weds but choose things that they won’t mind being reminded about.
  • Focus on the start and end – get everyone’s attention with a strong opener and help them remember it with a great finish.
  • Test its length – you want to keep the wedding speech under ten minutes. Practice beforehand with a timer to check it. A practice will also help you iron out any bits which aren’t flowing well, and let you check if things make sense.
  • Censor your content – your audience will be large and varied. It’s not going to be appropriate to share anything related to exes, sexual innuendos, drunken moments or swearing. Make sure it has a G rating, as grandparents and parents won’t appreciate it otherwise!
  • Say thank you – be sure to find out whom you will need to thank in your speech. This can vary depending on what your role in the wedding or to the couple is. Generally, you need to thank those who have played a large role in the lead up to and the day of the wedding.
  • Share your good wishes – remember to express your good wished to the newlyweds for the future and encourage guests to join in with you. It may be a good idea to ask them to raise their glasses for a toast.

For more awesome tips, check out our helpful articles on Wedding Speeches, found in our Bridal Tips section.