Wedding speeches are nerve wracking occasions at the best of times but here's some help.
I won't tell you that you won't get nervous, because the plain fact is, you probably will. But you should know this: most people do. In fact, if there's no adrenalin, it probably won't be much of a speech. The important thing is to keep it in perspective. Just use these tips, and you'll find that there's nothing to worry about.For starters, remember that you're not taking an exam, you're talking to your friends. Your friends and family are the warmest audience you'll ever have. They've come to your wedding, and they're on your side. Think of it as a bigger dinner party than usual - and it's your turn to tell a story.
Just relax and remember how comfortable you would be back at the dinner party - then go ahead and tell your story.Here's another tip. It's the waiting that's more likely to make you nervous. Once you're on your feet, and you've started talking, as long as you know what you're going to say, it's suddenly a whole lot more fun. So remind yourself of that as you're sitting and waiting, and make it easier by repeating your first line to yourself. That way when you get to your feet, and the room goes silent, you won't suddenly freeze. Instead, you'll just say that line you've been repeating to yourself over and over. And with that out of the way, you'll find the rest just follows.
What Are All The Rules I Need To Know?
The usual routine is this:
1. A welcome by the master of ceremonies2. Who introduces a friend of the family or close friend of the couple, who makes a speech leading up to a toast to the bride and groom3. Followed by a speech in reply by the groom, or bride, or both, who thank everyone who has helped organize the wedding, usually ending with a toast to the bridesmaids4. Who have toasts made on their behalf by the best man who then makes a toast to the hosts - who might or might not be the bride's mother or father or both, who reply.
But you don't have to do any of that. It's all a question of saying the things that matter to you, and having the people who matter to you involved. Choose the people who you would like to say something, decide who should be recognized and thanked, and then work out an order that suits you best.It's always a good idea to have a master of ceremonies, because they can keep it all in order, and you really should have someone to introduce all the speakers. But apart from that, choose what seems right for you.One of the ways you can make it particularly interesting is to make some unconventional toasts. For example, each speaker could choose a year that they think is particularly appropriate to toast. (For example "1969, because that was the year that..."). By taking this approach, you give people the chance to think about things in an original way, and have more of a chance of steering away from making speeches that recite all the usual platitudes.
How Should I Prepare?
Write a speech to practice as soon as you can. That'll give you more time to hear how it sounds, and adjust it so it sounds like your usual style of speaking rather than your usual style of writing. And, more importantly, it'll make you so familiar with the speech that by the time you stand up, you'll know just what you want to say.Once you have it written, practice whenever you can - in the car, in the shower. The more you prepare, the more confident you'll be.
When Is The Best Time For Speeches?
You can have the speeches at any stage you like, but generally, they tend do be most successful before you eat, and after people have had some time to mix and drink.
What Else Do I Need To Know?
Be yourself, and speak your mind. This is a chance to say some things that mean a lot to you about people you care about, in front of all your friends and family. That's not a chance people get very often, so make the most of it.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Wedding Speech Where to Start
In this post I will show you how you can simply get started writing that daunting speech to the congregation. Don't worry - prepare and you will be just fine!.
Getting started requires pen, paper, and a little inspiration. But where can you find your inspiration? From the Bride and Groom...Finding the answers to the following questions about the Bride and Groom will help you find your inspiration, and find out what you really want to include in your speech. Don't hold back here, write down everything that comes to mind... you will have plenty of time to edit the content later.
How long have you known the Groom? And how did you meet?
How did the Bride and Groom meet? Were you involved?
How did the Groom propose to the Bride? And what was her immediate reaction?
How long have the Bride and Groom been a couple?
Do they have children?
What are the Bride and Groom's mutual interests?
What 5 words come to mind when you think of the Groom? What 5 words come to mind when you think of the Bride?
What is the funniest thing that happened to the Groom while Bride was present? And vice-versa?
What is the funniest thing that happened to the Groom (or Bride) while you were present?
What would you like the future to hold for the Bride and Groom?
Getting started requires pen, paper, and a little inspiration. But where can you find your inspiration? From the Bride and Groom...Finding the answers to the following questions about the Bride and Groom will help you find your inspiration, and find out what you really want to include in your speech. Don't hold back here, write down everything that comes to mind... you will have plenty of time to edit the content later.
How long have you known the Groom? And how did you meet?
How did the Bride and Groom meet? Were you involved?
How did the Groom propose to the Bride? And what was her immediate reaction?
How long have the Bride and Groom been a couple?
Do they have children?
What are the Bride and Groom's mutual interests?
What 5 words come to mind when you think of the Groom? What 5 words come to mind when you think of the Bride?
What is the funniest thing that happened to the Groom while Bride was present? And vice-versa?
What is the funniest thing that happened to the Groom (or Bride) while you were present?
What would you like the future to hold for the Bride and Groom?
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
A Standard Wedding Speech
In this blog I will be looking at normal to the downright wacky speeches at Weddings but to kick us off here is a standard groom speech from Mike Lycett at www.hitched.co.uk . Hope it helps .
Good afternoon everybody….
Firstly on behalf of Caroline and myself we thank you all for being here with us to share our wedding day with us. We’ve really been blown away with the good wishes, fabulous cards and super presents that we’ve received. Thank you all. It is slightly unconventional that we’re all gathered here on a Thursday afternoon. None of you quite know the reason why, so it’s time I put that record straight. It was exactly a year ago today that Caroline and I went out on our first date together, so what better way than to share our anniversary by getting hitched and have all of our closest friends and family here with us to celebrate with us!
As we’re all here there are a few people in the congregation that we need to thank. Firstly, we thank those guys who’ve made an extra long journey to be here with us today. There’s Steve and Val who have travelled up from Kent, Alan and Frances are up from Surrey whilst Chris and Fiona have made their way down to the Midlands today from bonny Scotland. Caroline and I appreciate the extra effort that you guys have made. That’s not an oversight to the rest of you guys. Getting married on a Thursday we know has meant that nearly all of you have had to book a day or two off work and for some of you that hasn’t been easy we know. Thank you all and we sincerely hope that you enjoy your day here with us.
I’d like to thank Caroline’s father for his kind words and snippets of wisdom that he offered during his speech. At this point I feel it appropriate to thank both Geoff and Sallie for the support, time, patience and honesty that they’ve shown to me since Caroline first took me home. Thank you both. I promise to try and be a son-in-law that you can be proud of. Right from the outset I finally knew that Caroline was the one for me. This one was different. How come? Well, when I asked for her phone number for the first time I DIDN’T get a slap! Left me quite bemused I can tell you!
As I said a moment ago, there are a few people for us to thank so please be patient with me during this process. Caroline and I are both blessed to have magnificent parents to whom we owe everything. They have brought us up with love, tenderness, devotion and instilled firm values of what is right, what is wrong and how to treat people in us. Our parents are our idols and we are the people we are today because of them. We’re so proud of them and we hope they are too of us. I’d like to invite both Mums and Dads to come up and receive a token of both our thanks and love.
After we started to plan the wedding we came across what I thought was the rather thorny issue of the wedding cake. Caroline said “Don’t worry, I’ll see if Aunty Marge will do it for us”. At this point I hadn’t even met Aunty Marge to be honest with you! However, Caroline could not have been more accurate. I cannot begin to imagine the time that has gone into making our extraordinary cake. Thank you so much Marge. You must have the patience of a saint! If you’d like to step forward please, we have a little something for you as our “thank you” to you.
Now, as you all arrived at Church today, you were no doubt met by the Midlands answer to “Hale and Pace” – otherwise known as our ushers Mark and David. We’d like to thank you for both a job well done and bringing that “night-club bouncer” feel to our wedding. The way you boys discreetly frisked the ladies upon arrival was a sight to behold! Mark and David, please come forward as we have a little gift for you both. Thanks…
Now, who could possibly say that the children don’t look absolutely marvellous today? Our flower girls Katie and Harriet look like little princesses and the two page-boys Daniel and Little Joe look a million dollars in their top hates. If you’d all like to come up you’ll find that Caroline has a prize for you all. Little Joe won’t be very surprised because I caught him with his nose in his box a few minutes ago!
As you’ve probably gathered by now, I’m in charge of the speech and Caroline’s in charge of handing out the presents. However, there is one present that she knows nothing about. Yvonne, can you come and bring me the present I left with you yesterday please……… Thank you…. This one is for my darling bride Caroline who I’m sure you’ll all agree looks absolutely astonishing today. Never in my life have I ever been so certain and so comfortable as I am with you. When you hadn’t arrived, and finally turned up almost a quarter of an hour late I wasn’t remotely nervous or worried. I bit these nails off last night – HONEST! Anyway, my love, this is from me to you with all my love and I promise to love you and look after you forever…………… That’s what your notes say isn’t it?!!!
Nearly finished now, calm down calm down. No wedding could possibly be complete without the bridesmaids and in Sue, Louise and Kerrie we have three stunners. I’m going to bring you three girls up individually if that’s ok because you all deserve your share of the limelight. Ladies, when I say that you’ve decorated the church and our Reception beautifully today I don’t mean that you were here at the crack of dawn with ten dozen balloons and a van load of flowers! It is thanks to you and you girls alone that Caroline has remained remotely sane these last few weeks as the pressure built. She freaked me out a long time ago! So, firstly, could I ask the bride’s sister Sue to come up please…….. Ok, next we have Louise please……… And last but by no means least we have Kerrie. Thank you Ladies – you can rest assured that I’ll be calling upon you again in the future if I need bridesmaids! OUCH!!!!! Only joking love!!………………………
Last but by no means last we have the Best Man. Many of you have asked if it was a difficult decision to choose between my three older brothers whom to have as Best Man. (That wasn’t meant to be funny!). It’s true that each brother would bring a different range of attributes to the job. Now, when I rang John and asked him to “do the honours” I was pleased when he agreed. I suppose you want to know why I chose him? Well, first off it’s not because he’s a Black Belt in Karate! It’s not ok!! His precision and organisation were strong features, as too would be his calming reassurances. The joker though, the absolute definitive reason was that I knew that he was the only one in the family who knows how to tie a Windsor Knot properly. You think I’m kidding don’t you!
Now, before I hand you over to John I must ask you to remember that is the traditional duty of the Best Man to tell hurtful, sordid, cruel and definitely untrue stories about the Groom and I suppose John will be no different. I must get my side of the story in first. It’s not unusual for all little boys to dress up in girls clothes and experiment in make up, skirts, blouse, bra and stockings. We’ve all been there. We have! The fact that I was caught aged 29 just means that I was a late starter that’s all!Anyway, enough from me. Before the Best Man takes the floor please be upstanding and join me in a toast….
To….. “The Bridesmaids!!”
Thank You………
Good afternoon everybody….
Firstly on behalf of Caroline and myself we thank you all for being here with us to share our wedding day with us. We’ve really been blown away with the good wishes, fabulous cards and super presents that we’ve received. Thank you all. It is slightly unconventional that we’re all gathered here on a Thursday afternoon. None of you quite know the reason why, so it’s time I put that record straight. It was exactly a year ago today that Caroline and I went out on our first date together, so what better way than to share our anniversary by getting hitched and have all of our closest friends and family here with us to celebrate with us!
As we’re all here there are a few people in the congregation that we need to thank. Firstly, we thank those guys who’ve made an extra long journey to be here with us today. There’s Steve and Val who have travelled up from Kent, Alan and Frances are up from Surrey whilst Chris and Fiona have made their way down to the Midlands today from bonny Scotland. Caroline and I appreciate the extra effort that you guys have made. That’s not an oversight to the rest of you guys. Getting married on a Thursday we know has meant that nearly all of you have had to book a day or two off work and for some of you that hasn’t been easy we know. Thank you all and we sincerely hope that you enjoy your day here with us.
I’d like to thank Caroline’s father for his kind words and snippets of wisdom that he offered during his speech. At this point I feel it appropriate to thank both Geoff and Sallie for the support, time, patience and honesty that they’ve shown to me since Caroline first took me home. Thank you both. I promise to try and be a son-in-law that you can be proud of. Right from the outset I finally knew that Caroline was the one for me. This one was different. How come? Well, when I asked for her phone number for the first time I DIDN’T get a slap! Left me quite bemused I can tell you!
As I said a moment ago, there are a few people for us to thank so please be patient with me during this process. Caroline and I are both blessed to have magnificent parents to whom we owe everything. They have brought us up with love, tenderness, devotion and instilled firm values of what is right, what is wrong and how to treat people in us. Our parents are our idols and we are the people we are today because of them. We’re so proud of them and we hope they are too of us. I’d like to invite both Mums and Dads to come up and receive a token of both our thanks and love.
After we started to plan the wedding we came across what I thought was the rather thorny issue of the wedding cake. Caroline said “Don’t worry, I’ll see if Aunty Marge will do it for us”. At this point I hadn’t even met Aunty Marge to be honest with you! However, Caroline could not have been more accurate. I cannot begin to imagine the time that has gone into making our extraordinary cake. Thank you so much Marge. You must have the patience of a saint! If you’d like to step forward please, we have a little something for you as our “thank you” to you.
Now, as you all arrived at Church today, you were no doubt met by the Midlands answer to “Hale and Pace” – otherwise known as our ushers Mark and David. We’d like to thank you for both a job well done and bringing that “night-club bouncer” feel to our wedding. The way you boys discreetly frisked the ladies upon arrival was a sight to behold! Mark and David, please come forward as we have a little gift for you both. Thanks…
Now, who could possibly say that the children don’t look absolutely marvellous today? Our flower girls Katie and Harriet look like little princesses and the two page-boys Daniel and Little Joe look a million dollars in their top hates. If you’d all like to come up you’ll find that Caroline has a prize for you all. Little Joe won’t be very surprised because I caught him with his nose in his box a few minutes ago!
As you’ve probably gathered by now, I’m in charge of the speech and Caroline’s in charge of handing out the presents. However, there is one present that she knows nothing about. Yvonne, can you come and bring me the present I left with you yesterday please……… Thank you…. This one is for my darling bride Caroline who I’m sure you’ll all agree looks absolutely astonishing today. Never in my life have I ever been so certain and so comfortable as I am with you. When you hadn’t arrived, and finally turned up almost a quarter of an hour late I wasn’t remotely nervous or worried. I bit these nails off last night – HONEST! Anyway, my love, this is from me to you with all my love and I promise to love you and look after you forever…………… That’s what your notes say isn’t it?!!!
Nearly finished now, calm down calm down. No wedding could possibly be complete without the bridesmaids and in Sue, Louise and Kerrie we have three stunners. I’m going to bring you three girls up individually if that’s ok because you all deserve your share of the limelight. Ladies, when I say that you’ve decorated the church and our Reception beautifully today I don’t mean that you were here at the crack of dawn with ten dozen balloons and a van load of flowers! It is thanks to you and you girls alone that Caroline has remained remotely sane these last few weeks as the pressure built. She freaked me out a long time ago! So, firstly, could I ask the bride’s sister Sue to come up please…….. Ok, next we have Louise please……… And last but by no means least we have Kerrie. Thank you Ladies – you can rest assured that I’ll be calling upon you again in the future if I need bridesmaids! OUCH!!!!! Only joking love!!………………………
Last but by no means last we have the Best Man. Many of you have asked if it was a difficult decision to choose between my three older brothers whom to have as Best Man. (That wasn’t meant to be funny!). It’s true that each brother would bring a different range of attributes to the job. Now, when I rang John and asked him to “do the honours” I was pleased when he agreed. I suppose you want to know why I chose him? Well, first off it’s not because he’s a Black Belt in Karate! It’s not ok!! His precision and organisation were strong features, as too would be his calming reassurances. The joker though, the absolute definitive reason was that I knew that he was the only one in the family who knows how to tie a Windsor Knot properly. You think I’m kidding don’t you!
Now, before I hand you over to John I must ask you to remember that is the traditional duty of the Best Man to tell hurtful, sordid, cruel and definitely untrue stories about the Groom and I suppose John will be no different. I must get my side of the story in first. It’s not unusual for all little boys to dress up in girls clothes and experiment in make up, skirts, blouse, bra and stockings. We’ve all been there. We have! The fact that I was caught aged 29 just means that I was a late starter that’s all!Anyway, enough from me. Before the Best Man takes the floor please be upstanding and join me in a toast….
To….. “The Bridesmaids!!”
Thank You………
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Welcome to Your Wedding Speech
Welcome everyone to Your Welcome Speech. This is the place to find hints and tip for wedding speeches and best man speeches in one convenient place. Please feel free to post any wedding speeches here.
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