A select few gifted public speakers can wing it and capture the hearts of everyone in the room, but for most people, winging it can mean bombing it. Start brainstorming long before the event.
Take some time to analyze who will be at the wedding. You don’t want to offend the bride’s great-grandfather or share a memory the groom’s father won’t find funny.
If you’re on the fence about sharing a certain memory, just stay on the safe side and refrain from including it in your speech.
Be cautious about any memories that are too embarrassing or inappropriate for the audience.
It’s good to also add memories with the bride and groom separately to highlight how special each one is as an individual.
Think about how you want your speech to be: funny, sincere, or both.
Start thinking of ideas that could complement your theme: a favorite quote, song lyrics, or a personal story.
Properly structuring your speech is vital. The order should make sense, flow well, and all come together.
• Opening- Reel your audience in with a joke, a creative analogy, or the memory of all memories.
• Body- Share details that will help your audience visualize. For example, don’t just say that the groom was starstruck by his bride-to-be. Share that story of how he was so entranced that he ran into the waiter at the restaurant, causing an epic mess.
• Conclusion- Wrap up your speech by reiterating some key elements, congratulate the couple, thank everyone for their attention, end on a warm and sincere note, then raise a glass to toast to the couple.